Then an irresistible, beautiful, golden evening sun started shining through my window. Still full from some decadent strawberry cheese cake indulgence (obviously not a diet day), I thought a stroll around the farm would be appropriate.
From the house a long driveway leads to the county road from two directions: one from the front of the house and the other leading back around the barn, and down a gravel hill between cornfields. If I walk this total length a couple or so times, I can get in a mile walk. So...off I went up the front driveway.
A soft, golden warmth coated me as I walked. Just...perfection! I did not have my camera with me so my handy iPhone would have to suffice. In the photo above the cornfield is on the left of the lane and the wheatfield on the right. The corn is about 10 to 12 feet high. The tassels and the silk cascading from the top of the ears of corn glowed in the sun. Absolutely delightful!
I could not resist a shot or two even knowing that I could not capture the scope of reality. I took this one as I was going back down just because the corn seemed to be marching with me. It amazes me to see the corn so advanced at this time of the year. I grew up to the tune of "...knee high by the Fourth of July."
The corn is well....absolutely lush in its growth! I played around with a bit of silliness--wondering how my shadow would appear on the cornstalks. Mmm...not so interesting.
I thought the ears of corn looked somewhat like girls bending their heads back to show off their long, silky golden locks so I tried to capture that thought.
My conscience reminded me that I was supposed to be getting in a little cardio. So I continued back down the driveway and around the barn to the back lane.
The sun had painted the stockyard fence with a golden brush, so I woke my phone up from its nap.
Looking down the lane I felt a bit intimidated by the tall cornstalks seeming to loom on each side. I recorded my shadowed presence thinking that me and my shadow might appear "looming" to the cornstalks and whatever little critters could be slithering or skulking within.
Down the lane I marched, then back up to the front to start my second "lap." About a 100 feet up the lane, I stopped and snapped a photo of some cornstalks. For no reason--just snapped one.
Suddenly -- a big, growl ending in a whuffly "Humph!" came from within the cornstalks!!!
I did not stop to consider, I simply turned around and in the same marching cadence went back down the driveway. I did not turn around to look. (Was I scared? Truthfully, I don't know--just curious...I think...maybe.........) Reaching the house I considered my options as to what I had heard. A dog? Nope....that was not even close to that sound. A deer? Nope. My sister has lots of deer in her yard in Illinois and over the years I have become quite familiar with the various deer vocalizations.
Then another thought struck. "Could it have been a bear? Naww...bears like the woods....but the cornstalks are very high and very close to one another..could it be a confused bear?" Even though concerned that I might be considered a bit foolish, I called Robin downstairs and told her what had occurred. After a bit of a pause, Robin said: "We thought we saw something big going down a back hill a day or so ago and it looked as if something big had tracked through the wheatfield. Our two dogs have also been very agitated at times. So, Nana Chuck....I believe you did hear a bear!" The conclusion? I had a bear as my companion on my evening stroll. Needless to say--no walks down the lane for awhile....just watching TV while using my trusty, bear-less treadmill.
I decided to put on a little music and read a book for the rest of the evening. Lurking in my mind, however, was the thought that it would not be "visions of sugar plums" dancing in my head that night!
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