The Guide

My friend, Karen, joins me today. The day is too nice for me, sunny and well into the sixties. We make the portage east down to the big lake. Karen is studying landscape design and is particularly interested in eco/site restoration, so a lake view of how people use and sculpt their property is interesting, for both of us. I point out the lack of wildlife on the big lake due to the sea walls and removal of any native plants from the manicured lawns, and we discuss the amount of money that these properties cost and I point out that I almost never see the owners, of any of these waterfront "retreats".

When we get to the big lodge, we find Liz, removing Japanese knotweed from the shoreline. This is the same street end I mentioned in an earlier post. We land and Karen tours the area and talks plants with Liz.

Beaver Bonsai

From there, we head into the marsh and I point out other beaver lodges, canals, and scent piles, and 3 marsh wren nests (I found two more today). We just paddle the bay. Fortunately, Karen can hold up my end of the conversation and I can hold up her end.