Morphology (repost from January 2012)

I stand just knee-deep in the water

Watch and smile as the current flows by

And I ache just to think of the fishes

Swimming by as I ruffle their sky

Lake County Illinois

How I long to be one with the riffles

Lilting wetly and moving the sand

Making fun of the footsteps of mortals

Whose futile work falls on the land

Then I spy in a pool small swamp darters

Smiling keenly and moving about

Knowing nothing is ever forever

As my hand moves the lilies about

It’s so tempting to join in the living

Feel the tug of the algae beneath

Lose myself to these waves of abandon

Sink my soul, sink my hands, sink my feet

I lie down in the life-giving wetness

Let it slide over my tired life and limb

Close my eyes to the bright rays of sunshine

Grab a fistful of muck in the dim

From Professional Bow Hunters Society website

I grow roots fins and gills as I lie here

I breathe rain and the muck warms my scales

Then I wriggle away with my soul mates

As a bowfin nips hard at my tail.

I escape to the pools and the thalwegs

I give over to point bars and runs

Leave behind all the worry and sadness

To the men toiling hard in the sun

A Little Family Time in the Mountains

Our family recently enjoyed the mountains of northeastern Tennessee. My parents and sister live in the most beautiful area and we love to visit each fall. Last week, we had the pleasure of hiking up the side of an obscure mountain, playing in the creek, and relaxing as a family in the chilly November weather.

My dad and kids in historic Bristol.

My Aunt Teressa

My mom and daughter

It made me think how amazing it is to have family adventures. This holiday season, we here at Chicks With Ticks want to remind you all that time with loved ones and friends is precious. My father has battled cancer and won and my mother is currently battling stage four lymphoma – she hiked the mountains and waterfalls, she shopped til we dropped and she baked delicious pies that still make my mouth water. She never seemed to be dying – only living. What an inspiration she has been.

My son and daughter and my sister and nephew

There is nothing as important as time. You can’t buy it. You can’t replace it. You can’t replay it. No one knows how much we have. Every moment wasted is lost forever. We ask that you all take this in for a moment. Think of what you could do with the time you might have lost recently. Think of who would have appreciated time spent with you.

Now that you have it in the forefront – do something about it! Go – take the time you have and spend it – on people and experiences. Spend it laughing and loving. Create memories and have adventures.

After all – it’s your time….how will you spend it?

My sister after her tumble in the river.

Waterling

Tumbling, truckling, the tickling stream passed clear over my wriggling toes.

Cold it was. And hard were the stones under my bones.

Waterling

Dappled shafts of sneaky sunlight snuck through the laughing leaves.

There I lay

Just born

Listening

Naked

Alone and wanting for nothing.

Breathing spray and smiling.

A wild thing.

The waterling.

Wild Things at Circle B

  The family packed up our water bottles and headed out to the annual water, Wings, and Wild Things Naturefest at Circle B this past Saturday. The event focuses on natural resources and the outdoors so why would the Chicks family be there!

Chris and Ashley are a part of the Florida Southern biology team studying the biota at Circle B in Lakeland, FL

We ran into some amazing creatures and some great exhibits. We were lucky enough to catch Chris and Ashley from Florida Southern College’s biology department. Their exhibit showed traps they created to perform a biological survey of reptiles and amphibians on the property.

If you want to see some of the catches they have had, check out their blog at http://circlebsurvey.weebly.com/.

Also got to dig for fossils at the Florida Industrial and Phosphate Research Institute’s sand pile. Charlie Cook was there to tell our daughter Allison what she had found. We all took the chance to dig in the wet cool sand and enjoy watching the kids find their dinosaur bones.

Most impressive was the number of animal displays. You name it – it was there. We saw a live panther, petted a skunk’s rump, peeked at various live owls that are in rehabilitation, and enjoyed numerous exhibits about native and non-native creatures.

This was the second year in a row we missed out on the tree climbing club’s activity. Harnessing kids and adults alike, they allowed participants to rope climb into the canopy.

All in all we had a great day. We hope you will join us next year!