As some of you know, the owl season has ended. Strangely, I very much miss the night. I miss its sky and stars. I miss always knowing what the moon was up to. I miss calling wild birds and having them fly to me. I miss having my sense of control constantly challenged by the darkness. I miss the animals (yes, even the big teethy ones). I miss being alone in the forest.
Now I work in the day. It is hot. It is bright. The forest is rarely mysterious now that I can see it. The fear factor is no longer there to deaden the pain of white thornbrush ripping your leg open or manzaneda whipping your face. Which hurt. This week I traded mountain lions for bees - and I can tell you the bees did much more damage than the cats ever did (well....at least physically, perhaps not emotionally!). I also received a minor head wound while working with a hemophobe (the real problem here was that I didn't realize it was going to bleed so much until we got into the truck and HE was driving, trying to avert his eyes from any sight of the dark red life-liquid coloring my hair and face. Thank goodness it's the end of the week. A headache, a big itchy sting in the place of my back where it's hard to reach, allergies, two pairs of ripped pants, and a sunglass tan bring me to the end of a week of work in the daylight.
Did I mention how hot the sun is?
