Home on the Range... well... Refuge....

I enjoyed my visit to Athens...  caught up with my brother and sister and had a great time with my son.  The class reunion went well...  even after 55 years it seems my classmates are the same as always.

But as much as I enjoyed my visit, it was good to get back to Maine and to be with Bill again.

After work each evening we place our lawn chairs in the open bay of the old shop, relax and just enjoy our view.  You can see the old Weapon Storage Area way in the background.  That spruce in the middle is at least 75' high....  sometimes we'll see bear or moose crossing the road...  sometimes a beaver chooses to cross the road up at the creek rather than swim through the culvert.  Last night a couple of Great Blue Herons flew up out of the creek, across the field and into the line of trees on the right.

I got very little action from my game cameras while I was gone...  this time of year the critters seem to disappear for a few weeks.  However...  last night the game camera that I have placed in the "hot spot" picked these up...

So there ARE critters around...  

Maybe the flies get to them during the day, I don't know, but they're around somewhere.

This morning I was making my usual rounds...

Saw Mama Moose and her twin calves...  standing near one of the old guard shacks.  Visibility wasn't very good due to heavy fog this morning...  but she saw me and they all moved on.

The sun is trying to cut through the fog...  

Those big "lumps" you see are the backside of the bunkers.  They held nuclear bombs during the cold war (1950's and 1960's).  I've been asked if it feels creepy volunteering at a place that has such history.  

Usually not...  but there's something that feels different when the fog settles in and around these bunkers...  wafting in and out....  the bunkers seem almost ghostly.

These two bunkers held Tritium (H3-0.. heavy water).  The tritium was used to enhance the bombs power.  

We are all thankful that none of these bombs were every used, but yeah...  sometimes it's a bit creepy out in that area.

One last photo.....  a Great Blue Heron

I haven't seen as many this year as in the past...  while it's a common bird for me, I always love seeing them and listen to their "croak".

We have only a month or so left here.  While the internet service is still the pits, I'm hoping to post more often.  I enjoy blogging... both doing my own and reading others.  

But up here, I'll admit...  communication can be a challenge.

That's All For Today!