RUSHING THE SEASON

SWIMMERS AT THE BEACH IN ASHLAND

Saturday, 7:45 AM.  52 degrees F at the ferry dock, 51 on the back porch.  Wind variable and calm, the sky cloudy and overcast, humidity 92%.  The barometer is falling, now at 29.88".  We had a shower about 3:30 AM that left things pretty wet.  There are chances of thunderstorms today and tomorrow, with high temperatures in the upper sixties.  It will cool off some from there until midweek and then warm up again, with mixed skies.
   Spring has been so late that everyone wants summer to arrive, but several young people were really rushing the swimming season at the beach in Ashland yesterday; air temperature 67, water temperature lucky to be fifty degrees.
   We saw another bear cub yesterday, on Hwy, 13, south of Bayfield about six miles.  No chance for a photo as we were going the speed limit.  This cub was perhaps fifty pounds.  He ran to the road edge and stopped short, waited for us to go by and then crossed between us and the following vehicle.  Bears stop and watch the  traffic, deer just dart about willy-nilly.
   Wildlife observation is a two-way street.  Yesterday I was standing under the hummingbird feeder and a male hummingbird came and looked me in the eye, so close my own eyes crossed.  I was glad I had my glasses on, as he was fluttering about an inch from my left eye.  If the eye is indeed the window to the soul, he was peering deeply into mine.  For what seemed like a full minute.
    I could almost hear his tiny brain asking questions:"What kind of being is this lummox of a beast? It can't move very fast, so I'm not afraid of it.  It is stuck to the ground like a post, poor thing.  I actually feel rather sorry for it." I was relieved when he finally buzzed off.