Some things never change. I'm back at my Grandparents condo on Lake Owen in Wisconsin. The lake is still beautiful, the sky is still wide open and the trees continue towering higher than ever. It's been 7 years since i was last here, and while i was really only 3 inches shorter than i am now, (according to the "Big Kids Chart" on a wall here, a measuring chart that all the grandkids have used to record their height through the years they've visited) the dock seems strangely smaller, the water surrounding it sufficiently shallower and less enigmatic, and the roads far less endless than they once were. I went walking today and picked some wildflowers. I went primarily to be outside and get my blood flowing but also with a secret hope I'd run into a black bear. I walked alongside the road and everytime i heard a rustle in the woods next to me, I'd give a little whistle in hopes that some innocent little cub would come scampering out of the trees, eager to receive a belly scratch or perhaps a gentle pat on the head. My dreams were smashed because it didn't work and rationale was cruel and quick to remind me that while bears are cute and fuzzy they lack the genial tempermant of kitty cats. I'm sure my whistling had the opposite effect than desired. There aren't near as many chipmunks bopping around this year, one of the things i've always loved about the condo - especially when i was a young lass. Perhaps they wised up and figured out how to sail and are well on their way across the great lake owen, closer to new land and new opportunities. Or maybe they were devoured by my bear friends. Actually black bears are herbivores. It's hard to believe those things can get so jolly meaty off of berries and leaves. They must drink a lot of beer. It's chilly up here. I laid out on the dock for a bit earlier, and while the sun was warm on my back and i was in fact perspiring, the breeze was strong and consistent and i could tell my body was having a difficult time deciding whether it was hot or cold. The confusion was just too much so i went inside. I just discovered a glob of dried pine sap on the bottom of my left heel. I thought it was chewed gum at first and was going to be grossed out - but i'm relieved to know that it is just another one of natures treasures. I love the smell of pine sap so i think i'll just leave it there for a while, as long as it's not hurting anything. I returned just a few minutes ago from a quick trip into the nearest town, a town called Cable. This is funny because first of all it seems like a poor name for a quaint lake town and second of all because, after driving around the town several times searching for a cell phone signal and not finding even a single bar, i'm nearly certain the town of cable doesn't actually have any functioning cables or any sign of modern technology whatsoever, for that matter. Ma bought me a sweatshirt at the general store, i made the foolish assumption that it would be 98 degrees here up north just like it is in VA and the warmest thing i packed are my striped long johns that don't even quite make it down to my ankles. The bad news is that the sweatshirt says Cable Wisconsin in big bold letters, the good news is it has a black bear on it. I'm going to go eat some good old chicken and rice with my family. Then maybe i'll sit on the porch swing with a cup of tea and try to come up with an original thought. My attempts at this are usually unsuccessful, it is rare that an original thought is had in this aged world - why would i of all people be fortunate and inspired enough to have one? More likely i will play some games by the fire with my family or listen to an old record of Aesop's Fables, i am a sucker for anything reminiscent of my childhood days, and am particularly fond of the cleverly detailed yet morally uncomplicated world these tales paint.