hAPPY VERY BELATED BELTANE, aNON! i’M SORRY FOR THE LATE REPLY, tHINGS HAVE BEEN KIND OF, uH, hECTIC THE PAST FEW WEEKS,

i USUALLY CELEBRATE BELTANE ALONE,

uSUALLY BY PACKING A LUNCH, fULL OF SPRING FRUITS AND VEGGIES, aND FRESH BREAD, AND TAKING A LONG HIKE,

yOU WOULD BE SURPRISED, hOW MANY WHEELCHAIR FRIENDLY TRAILS THERE ARE, IN nORTHFIELD,

i ENJOY SEEING WHAT NEW WILDFLOWERS ARE BLOOMING, aND LAST YEAR i SAW A GORGEOUS RED FOX, wHICH WAS A VERY PLEASANT SHOCK, aS i HAD NEVER SEEN ONE UP CLOSE BEFORE, aND IT HAD THE MOST BEAUTIFUL YELLOW EYES,

i HAVE BEEN LUCKY ENOUGH TO ATTEND A FEW BELTANE CELEBRATIONS, tHAT WERE UNFORGETTABLE, aND LOTS OF FUN, 

i ESPECIALLY LIKED THE DULCIMER CONCERTS, aND THE NATURE WALKS,

aND I GOT A HENNA TATTOO AT THE MERCHANT FAIRE, wHICH TICKLED A LOT, bUT IT WAS WORTH IT, tO GET SICK FIRES, aCROSS MY BACK,

aS FOR ST. LOBAF ACTIVITIES, wE DON’T TYPICALLY ENDORSE ANY ONE BELIEF PATH, oVER ANY OTHER, bUT i THOUGHT A PICNIC WOULD BE FUN, aND A NICE WAY TO WELCOME IN SPRING FOR EVERYONE,

sO tHIS YEAR i MADE SOME TASTY SPRING SWEETS, lIKE FRIED HONEY CAKES, cANDIED FLOWERS, aND A GREEN MAN CAKE,

bUT THEN THINGS GOT A BIT, uM, cOMPLICATED, aFTER THE TORNADO SIRENS WENT OFF,

sO WE ENDED UP SITTING, iN THE BASEMENT, eATING CAKE, wHILE WE REMINISCED OVER THE FICKLENESS OF MIDWESTERN WEATHER, aND LISTENED TO THE HAIL, aND LIGHTNING, wHICH IS SORT OF A FORM, oF APPRECIATING THE TURN OF SEASONS, iN A WAY,

iT’S NOT THE BELTANE i IMAGINED, bUT i HAVE TO ADMIT IT WAS REALLY FUN, }:)

i HOPE YOUR BELTANE WAS EVERYTHING, yOU COULD HAVE HOPED FOR, aND HAD LESS TORNADOES,

[Where we live there are literally thousands of ponds/lakes/mosquito brothels, but most of them are surrounded by little soggy swamps instead of hills. I was going for a certain part of the Cannon River (no shit that’s its name) which runs right through the center of town. Downstream of the dam it’s shallow and rocky, but upstream is wide and muddy and slow-moving, and you can indeed take a running leap into the water if you know exactly where the deep spots are.

There are also clam tracks in the shallower parts. Long meandering lines in the mud that you can follow to find one of our river clams (most are the size of my hand with all the fingers spread) chilling at the end.

Fish: walleye, northern pike, smallmouth bass, rock bass, catfish, huge invasive asian carp x 100000000. I have caught all but the latter, which are everywhere and very easy to see but give no fucks about any bait I offer.

Which is probably a blessing because you can’t throw an invasive species fish back in the river, you have to remove it, and they aren’t even good eatin’ if you don’t know exactly how to clean and prepare them. Good luck disposing of a twenty pound goldfish!

The birds are awesome. I swam right under a bald eagle one time while I was snorkeling in the Cannon, and it was like a shitty inspirational movie.]

GG: i can confirm that there are little fish that will nibble on you!!!!

GG: your toes will be covered in mud so they tend to focus on the little hairs on your legs

GG: nom nom nom nom