Yep, it was post painting time for me once again this morning after the staff meeting that lasted better than an hour. The temps are up, the humidity is up, but I’m on a mission to paint all of these posts before I leave here next month. When I can leave first thing in the morning, I generally get 20 various posts painted before I fizzle out.
By the time I got out of the meeting, gathered my supplies, and gassed up the refuge truck, it was 10:00 o’clock today. That didn’t bode well for reaching a 20 post average.
 |  |
Of course I always bring my cameras along, and that meant I had a nice view of this young bald eagle today near the Chippewa picnic area.
A couple of weeks ago, this youngster’s constant screeching for food about drove me nuts for three hours as I painted all of the posts around the picnic area. I was happy to see today that it has finally fledged off of the nearby nest, and wasn’t quite so vocal. At this stage in their life, they probably weigh more than their adult parents. It has a lot of learning to do in the next 4-5 years. I wish it well, and hope it learns its lessons well enough to be one of the survivors.
I only got 11 posts painted today before I had to return to the rig for a fresh set of clothes. It was into the 90’s by noon, and with the humidity and stillness of the air, my clothes were soaked through with perspiration (I’ve been told ladies don’t say sweat 
After lunch, I made my weekly circuit of the refuge roads to restock all of the brochures in the kiosks. It always amazes me how many brochures are taken each week. I think lots more people visit this refuge than gets recorded. I’m pleased to know that, buy it still surprises me since we’re a bit off the beaten track.
I found another pair of trumpeter swans with two rather young surviving signets today. It’s almost September, so I hope they have enough time to grow up and move on by the time the lakes start to freeze.
There’s a severe thunderstorm watch posted for tonight. Emma and I just got back into the rig from outside before the skies opened up. With as dry as it has been, I hope we get a good easy rain tonight. With the skies rumbling away, I put Emma in her thunder shirt. It sure seems to help her quit that constant pacing that drives me up the wall. All the noise from the thunder made me remember what my mother told me when I was little. She said all that noise was people bowling up in heaven. I guess the fall bowling leagues have started…
Thanks for stopping by… talk to you later, Judy
Posts
With that heat and humidity I'd say that even 11 posts is doing darned good! Good that folks are using the brochures... but I'm curious... you don't find them in the trash, do you? We've found that, generally speaking, folks are quite conscious of litter and "being green" ON the refuge..
ReplyDeleteMaybe you mentioned it already, but how are you painting the posts. Paint brush an a can of paint or some more elaborate system?
ReplyDelete11 posts is 11 more than I painted today. You did good! I sure hope those little baby swans grow up enough to fly away too. Katie has a thunder shirt but it doesn't keep her from barking at the ceiling which drives ME nuts! :) She looks cute in it though. Hope you have a good rain tonight. We sure need it down here too.
ReplyDeleteMy mother told the same story! Only it was the angles.
ReplyDeleteI know you will be glad to be post-painting.
ReplyDeleteYou are a trooper! In that kind of humidity, I can barely lift a glass of iced tea while sitting in the shade!
ReplyDeleteMy dog, Molly, is afraid of thunder too. Her thundershirt helps a lot! Without it, she tries to dig her way out of the trailer.
Love those Thundershirts. We had thunder earlier tonight but didn't get any rain out of it. And we sure could use that rain. I am so glad we don't have to deal with that humidity. I hated it when I lived in VA. There's no way I could have painted even 9 posts.
ReplyDeleteStill amazes me ... putting a thunder shirt on a dawg ... I'm with Anne ... in this heat an humidity? opening the door to let Charlie in is about it for me ...
ReplyDeleteIt is miserable weather. We could use those gale force winds from Saturday again! I hope those signets grow fast! Good job on the posts, I am sure it is okay to say sweat when your clothes are dripping wet:)
ReplyDeleteThat is a handsome young eagle - can you tell if it's male or female? (good pics, from the Rebel?)
ReplyDeleteI guess the thundershirt must be like a straight jacket? Keeps 'em from hurting themselves....
I agree that 11 posts in that heat is quite an accomplishment. We did some painting earlier this summer when it was in the 80's, and that was hot enough!
ReplyDeleteAs always I enjoyed your pictures and to get technical you weren't sweating...you were glowing.
ReplyDeleteThank you for posting the juvenile eagle pictures. We have two of them up the hill from us. We've been wondering if they were hawks or WHAT, and now we know.
ReplyDeleteNo no, not glowing, glistening is the southern phrase. Ladies do not sweat, they glisten. Everytime I hear you say 90's and heavy humidity I resolve to scratch the Great Lakes off my summer possibilities list. I know you'll let me know when the heat quits so I know when to come up there. Just curious, would you return? Seems like a great spot and the jobs the sort of things you like, but the heat............sigh.
ReplyDeleteMy "dog-in-law" has a thunder shirt. Really helps. He just shakes like a dog shittin' razor blades without it. Mind you, don't go around testing the smoke detectors either with him within earshot. Has the same effect. Did that once (first and last time) without realizing. Poor little bugger. Thought he was going to shake right out of his skin!
ReplyDeleteHats off to you for working in the humidity. I have such a hard time staying motivated when it's muggy. Used to be I HAD to work in the heat and humidity, so now that I have the choice, guess what I choose?
We haven't tried the thunder shirt...Wrecks hides under the table or behind my chair. If he was pacing, it would drive me crazy too!
ReplyDeleteThe pictures of the young eagle are amazing!
Seems everyone is having this humid weather. Its so bad you just can't breath. And the thunder is a constant here. Glad Fred isn't bothered by it. Happy to know that thunder shirt works for Emma.
ReplyDeleteThe Eagle is beautiful. I thought it was kind of late for the swans, I hope they make it.
When we had Sheba and our first house every time there was thunder or fireworks, she would run for the shower. We felt so sorry for her but knew nothing about a thunder shirt.
ReplyDeleteI love the eagle photos. Hope we get to experience seeing one.
I sure hope you get a break from the heat soon. That's just entirely too HOT for Minnesota!
ReplyDeleteI too think 11 posts in that humidity is good! And since the ugly menopause reared its head, this "lady" sweats too!
ReplyDeletePeople bowling in Heaven? That sounds like Hell to me!
ReplyDeleteYou're a lean, mean paintin' machine! :c)
ReplyDeleteYou do not sweat ... you "GLOW!" John and I were talking yesterday about Summer passing into fall. We both do not feel like our summer has come! Even though we were in Southern CAlifornia, and it was hot, hot, hot, we did not have the Indiana humidity. I feel like we have gone through a perpetual spring!
ReplyDeleteI wish I was there to help you paint. I kind of enjoy it, especially when there is no need for painter's tape, newspapers and drop cloths all around, etc. Of course I would do a neat job. Hugs to Emma, although I could never get near enough to hug her! Roll her on her back and scratch her belly for me!
ReplyDeleteMy Grama told me it was the potato wagon spilling over...Hot here too. I'm ready for Fall...pumpkins, gords, foliage turning on fire...LOVE AUTUMN!
ReplyDeleteGlad the thunder shirt helps Emma. We didn't have much success with either Rusty or Poppy with the shirt. Hope she gets through the storm okay.
ReplyDeletepics of the eagle are great. . .the fall bowing leagues are great too!
ReplyDeleteYou certainly get rewarded with some wonderful wildlife encounters many folks only dream about. The pictures are wonderful. I think I'm going to get my wife a thunder shirt.
ReplyDeleteWe don't like to go to walmart when its that hot.
ReplyDelete