![]() ![]() At least the grass burs weren’t so bad in there. In an effort to escape them, I got off the main path and ventured into the woods. The burs dug into my ankles and, as I walked along, they worked their way down my socks and into my shoes. It was usually springtime when I came out with FD to do some bird watching and photograph wildflowers and butterflies. Thinking back, I had rarely visited the cabin in the summer and autumn months. I had no idea they were this bad, and had never had this experience out here before. I had not walked far before I found them stuck to my pants, socks, and shoes. Right off the bat, the grass burs became an annoyance for me. So FD cranked up the weed eater and I took off to the lake, away from the noise. FD noticed areas along the window screens where rats and mice had already managed to get under the shutters and eat away at the fiber glass screens and wood of the windows, and making nests in between. Not only was this a fire hazard, should there be a wildfire in the area, but it also made sheltered access for rodents to make homes at the cabin. ![]() ![]() Grass burs, along with other prairie grasses and weeds, grew quite tall, right up to the cabin. When we arrived at the cabin, it was apparent FD had some weed whacking to do before tackling the tree stand installation. Of course shoes, pants, and vehicle tires are another effective way of spreading seed. Burs disperse by catching on animal hair or bird feathers, spreading to other areas. This shows both a green bur and the dried bur. After whacking weeds around the cabin, FD stops to pick burs off of his clothing. Aside from all the handy pockets, the scrubs provided ease of movement and the fabric was light and comfortable – perfect for summer wear! FD wore jeans, which was more appropriate for him, as he would be doing the work necessary to install his tree stand. What with all the little snap pockets of various sizes, I had room for extra SD cards, a battery, my cell phone, a pocket-sized pack of Kleenex, and whatever else I wanted to tote along. These were actually scrub pants that I had long ago discovered were great for photographers in the summer months. For the same reason, I also wore lighter-weight pants. But those boots were hot and heavy so, for this trip, I opted for my Keen hiking shoes, thinking they would be much cooler and easier on my feet. The weather man called for it to be hotter than Hades that day, so I wore what I would normally wear on a warmer day’s trek to the river – the only difference being that I generally wore my work boots in the woods. It has been closed up for several months. The mostly-undeveloped region where he hunts is a wild tangle of wilderness, and I had never been in that particular area with my camera. Still, it was rare I was able to go to the cabin with him, and any time I did tag along I was elated. Of course, we both knew I would really not be much help, and would wind up just going along as a photographer. On the day he loaded everything to head to the cabin, I opted to go along and help him out. Constant business travel kept him out of town much of the summer, and missed communication with the landowner left him scrambling around at the last minute to get set up. Other years, he managed to get his things organized in late August or early September but, somehow, things did not come together in as timely a manner as usual. Back in late September, FD started getting his hunting gear together in preparation for the upcoming deer hunting season which would open October 1st. ![]()
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