Sunday, August 2, 2015

A Little More Wilderness Before School Starts

Summer still has a full fiery month to burn.  Oddly, to me, school starts up at the top of August. Why we start school at the peak of this long lethargic season is a mystery to me.  I know it costs huge amounts of money to air condition the schools.  Sports teams and the marching band are always facing heat alerts.  Girls wear the teeniest bit of clothing possible.  The rest of the world may be on vacation, but those of us here are headed into the classroom.  An optimal time for learning, I am sure--Not.

We've been out in the woods again--in spite of the heat and insects.
 
Here was a happy little guy feasting on mushrooms.  (Even if squirrels do steal my tomatoes, I still like them a lot.)



And all insects aren't annoying.  Really, most of them are amazing and beautiful.




We saw this beaver lazily paddling along.  His body is buoyant and boat like.  I don't think he could sink if he tried.  



And here's all that's left of some early settler's place up along the Chattahooche River.  Once again I admire the scrappiness of the people who put together a life in this type of wilderness.



Well, back to school then.

5 comments:

  1. Love the butterflies and the chimney in the forest. School in Scotland starts back next Thurs (the holidays in Scotland start & end around 3 weeks earlier than those in England). No chance of needing air conditioning here! Hope school is good, are you at a new one?

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    1. Yes, I am at a new school. I just spent the week there getting set up. I am so excited! I will have to do a post on it. It's a pretty incredible place.

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  2. Just as I was reading this, two squirrels ran madly past outside, one chasing the other. (And while I was typing that sentence, they ran past again in the other direction). They're such funny little critters.

    Lovely photos all! Insects really are fascinating. That chimney sparks all sorts of pictures in my mind - I can imagine a calico-skirted woman bent over the fireplace, stirring something in a pot, waiting for her man to bring home a bit of meat for dinner.

    You're so right about school. Why not start at the end of September when things have cooled down a bit? A friend of mine teaches on the second floor of an old school building, and her room gets over 100ยบ in the fall.

    Enjoy your last days/weeks of freedom!

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  3. That stone chimney is so amazing, you wonder who built it and who lived there keeping warm by the fire and I am sure using it to cook. I wish we went back to school earlier than we do. Here in Florida it is so hot and humid the kids can't really be outside, I actually think year round schooling would be great with more breaks but shorter ones.
    Hugs to you,
    Meredith

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