“Whack weeds and mow grass,” Ranger Preston says. “Don’t worry about cutting the wildflowers. They grow back in hoards, trust me.”
Mare in a rare mowing mode
Hmm…trust? Mare and Jack and I are three weeks into our four-month committment. Tempus fugit all over again. Although our racing minds are starting to slow down…trust? Of the 24 definitions of “trust” in Random House Dictionary, I cannot get past number 2.(Confident expectation of something, hope.) Too big of a leap, after 26 plus years in a career fueled by criminal behavior. Mare and I still size up every stranger and expect the worst from them…They’re all out to steal or destroy either property or us!
Wait a minute…slow down and smell the wildflowers, beat some weeds, breathe…
Shooting star, wild sweet pea, iris and geranium, among nootka rose, chocolate lilies and buttercups
Seals
Currently we have only one family camping in a tent by a sheltered bay. The 12-year-old loves seeing the seals and eagles. He has eagle feathers above both of his ears. ..I run into this family in downtown Haines at the IGA grocery store. Then again at Dejon Delights. And yet again at Fireweed’s Restaurant, where today the special is fresh caught King Salmon.
Salmon at Fireweeds
The following day, Mare and I hike Battery Point trail and run into ten hikers along the way, two we know. Later, at the cabin our only guests turn out to be a woman we met at bear training with her parents from Mesa, Arizona…Did I mention that Haines is a small town?
Let’s get back to nature…wild strawberries bloom and we look forward to the treats. Other wild berries around here include: Watermelon Berries, Salmon Berries, Red raspberries, Thimbleberry, Blue, Black and Red Currents, Bog and Blue Berries. Some of the look-a-like berries prove poisonous, so perhaps we’ll stick to the strawberries until we can trust our identification skills.
People continue to wave while driving, and now I am waving back. A small step, but perhaps I am starting to trust the human race again.
An Eagle on the hunt
All this mowing and weed-whacking, maybe brother John will hire you on next summer?? And living in Haines is probably a lot like living in Corbett — at least when it comes to running into the same people all the time — ?
Keep the blogs coming, and stay happy. Hugs.
Yes, some of these suckers whack back!
Fantastic writing, Ron..
very nice looking lawn mower, too!!
Be safe…”trust NO ONE”… your first instincts are usually right..
Skip
“Trust no one,” coming from yet another retired peace officer!
Hi Marilynn and Ron! Looks like you’re settling in nicely! The scenery looks beautiful. Thanks for sharing the adventure! Take care. I hope you’ll have no need for the bear repellent!
Mary
Great to hear from you, Mary and Ron…glad you can enjoy some of the scenery…Let us know if you get near this area,..it would be awesome to see you in this scenery!