Why we are having these weekends

[pameladean]

Eric and I started dating in February of 2002. All during the drawn-out tag-end of the Minnesota winter, I regaled him with tales of Nerstrand Big Woods State Park, and Carver Park Reserve, and Blue Mounds State Park, and Elm Creek Park Reserve, and Rice Lake State Park, and Lake Itasca State Park -- my favorites of the places I've gone with Raphael to hunt dragonflies and orchids. He expressed interest in going to some of these places with me.

However, his spring that year was hectic in the extreme, and we never went. Next spring, he will not be in Minnesota. The spring after that has plans attached to it, but the future is always uncertain. So, this spring, we are going to the parks, and also increasing our visits to such amazing strictly local attractions as Loring Park (herons!) and the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden (beauties too numerous to mention in a parenthesis).

This weekend we crammed a wonderful party at the Minnehahas' place, a job interview for Eric in a remote northern suburb, a trip to Carver (brown creeper defending a nest box! Dragonflies! Chimney swifts flying low overhead, chittering!), the aforementioned writing date, brunch at Natraj (Green mango chutney! Eggplant masala! Puri! Fresh Naan!), a swift trip to Eloise Butler (Lupines! Nuthatches! Water forget-me-nots!) and another to the Quaking Bog (this was the most amazing; we had been there in early spring when it was all tamarack and sphagnum moss, intensely beautiful but so sparse; and now it was all grown up with false lily-of-the-valley and calla lilies and tree seedlings and as-yet-unidentified puffy yellow flowers and blue flag iris); after which we had a marathon two-minute (for we had only eight quarters between us) car wash to thank Raphael for lending us the car, and then a brief stint of garden work (I watered stuff and Eric attacked the huge, huge buckthorn under the elm by the garage), after which we parted affectionately and reluctantly and I came into the house feeling I had been gone for a week, though I had been home on Saturday afternoon for half an hour or so.

David was off teaching a course. Lydy was bereft because one of her blood parrots had died. I felt bad too; I could even pick the late Helena out of the crowd, and she didn't run away if my shadow fell on the tank. My cat and Raphael were glad to see me, and I to see them.

Pamela

Comments

[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

There are clouds of blue damselflies in our backyard. You can come over and visit them any time, bring anyone who'd like to see. You don't even need to knock, just come in the back gate. They like to be on the violets and dayliles that curve around the deck and under the dining room windows.

K.

[pameladean]

Oh, lucky you! They'll be eating your mosquitoes.

We have them, but not in clouds, so I am very grateful for the invitation.

Pamela

[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

I went out back to see. They're these:

http://www.chaparraltree.com/mn/damselfly-ss-close1-lg.shtml

K. [so you already know them, I bet]

[pameladean]

Yes, I do, but I am always happy to see them again. They are a reliable part of summer.

Pamela