Notes from the Field

Kathryn Spence, Horned Owl

Midnight-

Wake up to lightening and howling winds. Realize tripod, extension cord and camera are all still outside down by studio. Momentary panic, followed by struggle with self about whether or not to get up and run down there and rescue equipment. More lightening, more wind, more interior debate. Get up. Get dressed. Hop on bike. Bike against strong headwinds, holding flashlight, heart beating fast because you've heard what they have to say about lightening on the plains. You've seen the trees, the grass blackened by fire. Wind shakes through trees as if they are screaming, go home, you fool, turn back! Safely arrive at studio. Retrieve camera, tripod and extension cord. Decide to sleep in studio on futon. Find old electric blanket and pillow in closet. Lie down and listen to the wind. Rain finally comes, but it is short burst. Fall asleep.

Morning-

Ride bike back to cabin. Coffee, breakfast and shower. Call UPS about much-needed $8 cable that was supposed to arrive day before. Discover during phone call that package is delayed by late plane. $8 cable due to arrive at end of following day. Despondency followed by arguement with self about own stupidity followed by resolve to make list before any travel abroad. Decide to take the afternoon off by riding bike to nearest town of Clearmont ten miles away in search of hat to purchase.

Noon-ish-

Leave on bike with two cameras in basket, bottle of water and sack lunch. Vow to do whatever the hell feel like. Hit the highway and quickly reach smell of death. Everwhere. Remember staggering amount of deer and sadly come to realize even more staggering amount of dead deer. Roadkill after roadkill. One-speed bike moves slow and ten miles stretches into eternity. Stop at marshy lake to listen to birds. Hear cacophany of cows in background and discover they sound exactly like zoo elephants. Record sounds by lake, but too close to highway to omit trucks pounding by.

Afternoon-

Reach destination: Clearmont population 110. One bar, one post office, one school, one gas station, one historic jail, one quilting shop and no hats to be purchased anywhere. Buy soda and chips and walk around. Saddle sore. Find arch over abandoned cabin made entirely of antlers fastened together. Would like to get closer but afraid of what antler-arch fabricator might do to trespassers. Approach Red Dawg Bar, but intimidating large woman in doorway who does not smile when smiled at, changes mind. Buy envelope at post office for lack of anything better to do. Engage in mindless chatter with friendly clerk who seems eager for company. Wander over to historic jail--located on playground--but can't locate any placard to explain significance.

Before dinner-

Land back at ranch starving. Much-needed $8 cable has arrived! Dinner to be served at 6! Ass completely numb! Before reaching home, sight two red-tailed hawks circling in sky. At studio confirm sighting in Sibley's Book of North American Birds. Tell fellow residents about adventure and hawk sighting. Fellow residents return that missed great cattle stampede. 200 cattle crossing the road and stampeding the fence and air-conditioning units at back of cabins. Destruction and cow pie warnings. Fellow residents continue talking about stampede through dinner and into evening. Vow not to miss next cattle stampede or to make up better story next time.