Blue Rails / Along Bald Eagle Creek

It was to be one of the nicest days of the week. We had an appointment at the mechanic at 1 p.m. for my car to get inspected and to get new tires. My husband would drop me off at nearby Soaring Eagle Wetland while he handled the car stuff; I'd walk along the creek and meet him back at the mechanic's place.

To get to the wetland, you must cross railroad tracks, and I did so twice, once at the start of things, and then once again at the end. I am always very careful on them, but I secretly (or not so secretly!) adore railroad tracks and trains; my daddy was a railroading man, and I suspect that an affinity for trains runs in all of our veins. It was a beautiful blue-sky day, not a single cloud in the sky, and you may see the blue of that gorgeous sky reflected on the rails in the shot above.

They have been working on building an accessible trail system at the wetland, and some parts of it have been completed. So I checked out the new parts, and then I strolled down along the creek, among some fine reflections and even some skunk cabbage (see extra photo).

Two fishermen were competing for the best spots near the fishing pier, and I left them to it. I hope they were together; if not, they were seriously infringing upon each other's space. What is it that seems so poetic about a fisherman on a wild country stream? 

There was a little side stream that was perking merrily along, and I took a bunch of photos and even a short video (Instagram link here) of the glorious golden water and its rolling patterns, which were hypnotic and endlessly moving. And of course, my brain pulled up that wonderful Norman Maclean quote, "Eventually, all things merge into one, and a river runs through it."

I met my husband back at the mechanic's, and we headed up to Rattlesnake Pike, up above Black Moshannon, where he wanted to go for a run. I took my book and my chair and sat in the sunny (and as it turns out, quite breezy!) field up top that in summertime is chock full of butterflies and blooms. Of course, it is way too early for all of that summer stuff, but it was a pleasant way to spend an afternoon anyway.

I walked over and checked out several muddy puddles in the middle of that field, and discovered turkey tracks. I snapped several photos to document it. It appeared to me as though the turkeys have secretly been dancing the macarena up on that hill, by the light of the silvery moon!

We got home and did a bunch of things, including eating something nice (which is always rewarding), and then we sat down to watch some Perry Mason. For I find that watching old Perry Mason TV movies offers me a sense of comfort in this sometimes confusing and stressful modern world; it is reassuring to know that Perry is there, always fighting for justice, somehow always ending up on top! (Also, let me point out that as a child who grew up watching him in Ironside, it was quite a shock to me initially to see Raymond Burr up and walking about!)

My husband and I were talking about Friday, which is to be even warmer, and what we might do on such a day. I was enthusing about what antics the frogs might be up to on some of my favorite vernal ponds in the Barrens, and my husband said this to me, which I liked so much that I wrote it down!

"You enjoy life as much, or more, than anyone I've ever met. 
Even I'm impressed!"  :-)

And on that, we'll conclude with a couple of songs. It's a Johnny Cash sort of day, so here are two tunes from the Man in Black. First, for the railroad track shot above, I've got Johnny Cash and Roy Clark, with Orange Blossom Special. Second, for the creek, where all things merge into one, as some fishermen trudge through it, I've got Johnny Cash, with a wonderful cover of the U2 classic, One.