9/21/20 Monday
The smoke from the wildfires cleared out yesterday, and for the first time in weeks we can breathe fresh air. Conditions had become oppressive, with even healthy people reporting burning eyes and an irritated throat. People with lung problems had it worse, and it goes without saying that we were the lucky ones – many lost homes and even lives.
It was hard not to notice that even the animals were affected. Some were displaced, and many seemed to seek refuge or water from humans. I’m a construction manager for a cellular phone carrier, and we lost a handful of cell sites to fire last week. I was talking to a site tech today who said deer have been coming up to his truck for water, and another tech reported a black bear doing the same.
At the marina, visibility was down to just over a hundred yards at one point. This blue heron has been hanging around a little extra close lately, using the Flicka as a comfortable place to eat mussels, prawns and fish. He is a total slob and makes a huge mess, but I don’t mind having him around. I feel like it’s the least I can do to offer up a safe place to stay for a little while.
After the Rain 
We live in incredibly strange and surreal times in many ways. They are desperate times that are drawing us towards nature and each other, forcing us to appreciate the immensity of what stand to lose if we continue to neglect our duty towards this planet and all those living on it. I work in the construction industry too but we sell facade/cladding materials so our work is more office based and site meetings are primarily in London so not much chance of communing with wildlife there. Thankfully, I am privileged to leave in a semi rural area of England so plenty of wildlife to see during my daily walks. Always a wonderful reminder that we are all interlinked and depend on each other. I remember those wildfires very well during our trip to Wyoming, Montana, Idaho and Washington State. I also remember the desolation and scorching heat of Death Valley during our California, Yosemite and Sequoia Parks trip. What an incredibly spectacular world we live in. How could we neglect it so? My heart breaks! x
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Well said!
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A very measured reply to a far too long-winded comment! Next time I need to remember it’s a comment on someone else’s blogpost, not a thesis. 😂
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Sorry, I was jumping on a conference call and didn’t have time for a proper response to your comment, but wanted you to know asap that I appreciated it!
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Fair enough! I appreciate the explanation.
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🙂 I’m glad you’re hosting the heron…the birds seemed to disappear entirely during the smoke. It was eerily quiet. They don’t seem to have all come back. It seems like time will tell…
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I’m sure they’ll be fine, there are quite a few around the marina. I think this one is the culprit who uses the boat as a dining table. I find leftover prawn pieces, mussel shells, and even dog or cat food remnants from time to time. Glad the smoke is gone.
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