The Campfire Trail: January 10 - The Campfire Trail

January 10, 2024

Day 831 of the Adventure

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Adventure really does happen on a regular basis if you're looking for it. Sometimes, like today, it arrives in small packages and at odd or inconvenient times of the day. Somewhere near 5am this morning, the wood stove was needing a feeding. Our wood box is just outside the back door within very easy reach. It's only a couple of steps out onto the back deck and a moment to grab some wood and then back into the warmth of the cabin. Ot's convenient enough to not have to worry about getting dressed up for the event. By the time you realize it's cold out, you are back inside stoking the fire. It's a routine that plays out two or three times a night and it doesn't bother me at all. Last night, while getting ready to step back into the cabin, I heard a completely unfamiliar sound behind me somewhere. It stopped me in my tracks and left me thinking. "Did I just hear something different?

I stood for a moment and again, there it was. What would make a soft metallic sounding "Tink" out in the darkness? Then again. It had rained briefly and there was an old enamel stew pot sitting on the picnic table nearby. I thought perhaps a rain drop falling from an overhead tree branch may be causing it. Moving closer to the table, still holding a bundle of wood I listened. "Tink". No that wasn't it. It was now behind me out past the deck railing. Looking out into the woods in the dark, I tried to discern it's location. Standing there at the deck railing, there it was again, literally right in front of my face. Shelley had several bird feeders hanging from a rack and the sound was coming from the area of one that had a tiny metal cover on top of it. A movement caught my eye and then another. It was a Flying Squirrel reaching out to the feeder and bracing himself on the lid. Each time he moved away from it......... "Tink". As I stood there, I noticed not one but an entire family of them working the tree around the feeders. They were skittish but did not seem too alarmed by my presence.

I quickly delivered the wood to the stove, grabbed my phone and went back outside. It took them a minute to return to their routine but soon enough they were scurrying around the feeders once again. Perhaps ten minutes passed while I attempted to capture pictures and videos. Thats ten minutes standing in 33 degree temps on the back deck wearing........... Well I don't want to give anyone nightmares! By the time I was ready to retreat back into the cabin, I had managed to get at least a small amount of photo and video evidence of them. One more small adventure down in the backwoods.

Carry On