Midnight Mutterings | If you build it, they will come… ***

||| MIDNIGHT MUTTERINGS by JACKIE BATES |||

On Tuesday, when the wind and rain subsided enough to see, I checked for my heron. Sure enough, there it was, standing on the boardwalk that goes from the slightly higher ground where the house sits to the low berm that separates the yard from the beach.

When the tide and the wind are just right, water from the sound slops (seeps, flies, washes) over the berm and makes a pool. Sometimes it is large enough that the basement is flooded and I have to get out the kayak pump and buckets and imagine futilely that I will move everything off the basement floor in advance of the next flood. However, it’s been several years since I’ve been called to action with the kayak pump, and my ambitions have subsided accordingly. Anyway, this storm did not flood the basement.

Back to the heron: When the pool of water on the lawn arrives, large or small, then comes Heron. I have no way of knowing if it is the same heron every time as they all wear the same slightly tattered, formal-but dated, unisex outfit, and all are equally grumpy.

Heron stands on the boardwalk, perfectly still, yellow eyes staring into the newly arrived water, waiting for dinner. Time goes by. Heron waits. Eventually the water subsides and Heron is gone. In the case of long-standing water, I assume Heron leaves for the night, though I have never checked. Nor have I ever witnessed Heron’s arrivals or departures.

And, yes, I have photographed Heron several times, though usually Heron leaves with a few choice Heron curses when I try to get close enough for a decent shot. A few times I have been successful. My favorite is Heron standing on the boardwalk, staring into a tiny pool of newly arrived water that could contain a minnow, but does not.

Haven’t we all been Heron at times? Standing, waiting, praying, ever patient, ever hopeful (ignoring all history and evidence to the contrary) that what we want will eventually arrive.

*** I spent some time wading in cyber mud trying to track down the origin of this phrase. Found everything from the Book of Genesis to Looney Tunes, in addition to the slight variation: ‘If they build it, he will come.’ from the Field of Dreams movie.

And for the third and last time: TruEarth Laundry Detergent strips (no plastic jugs, or other plastic wrappings. Just a light cardboard envelope). Found right here on Orcas Island at the Coop. They are small so you might have to ask for help finding them. Cheaper than online. And one less thing for the landfill, for the ocean. Work just fine unless you need a lot of suds to entertain you in your front loader washer.