Lovely flower, indeed

We (really Johnnie) were taking down the shades in the family room in preparation Annie the Magnificent Painter's visit tomorrow. Our house renovation has progressed to a point that we're essentially living entirely in the kitchen, except for sleeping. We're sleeping in the guest room because of the bathroom remodeling (gutting, new dry wall, tile, TWO sinks!). New carpet was installed in the family room and living room (adjacent and connected to each other) this past week but we didn't put furniture back because of Annie's impending transformation with paint this coming week.

Anyway, I was looking out the window into the ravine behind our house. What's that purple flower in the creek? Got out binoculars. Hmmmm. Still looks like a big purple flower. No others anywhere nearby ~ just lots of skunk cabbages carpeting the floor of the ravine.

Me: wanna take a walk?
Johnnie: eh, maybe in a few minutes
Me: will you go then or will I just wait and then you won't really go with me
Johnnie: um, maybe in a few minutes (he was playing Canfield solitaire on the computer)
Me: OK.

Few minutes pass while we both play Canfield. Tired of this, I got up.
Me: I'm going for a walk.
Me, now downstairs: are you coming or should I go alone?
Johnnie: I'm almost coming.
Me: well, I'm going now. See ya.
Johnnie: OK, here I come.

Wisely I put on old tennis shoes and grabbed the camera to document the beautiful purple flower and anything else we found of interest. We proceeded down the bank to the floor of the ravine ~ it's about 50 feet from our yard to the bottom. Balancing on decaying logs and walking in between the skunk cabbages and awakening ferns we made it to the creek.

Johnnie: It's a bucket.
Me: Oh, man. I was really hoping for a purple flower. Something exotic.
Me: Could you hold the camera?
Johnnie: Are you going in?
Me: Yeah, if nothing else, it shouldn't be left in the creek.

Here I am, approaching the flower and as an added bonus, a green snow boogie too. (Who even knew that snow had boogies and that they were green!)


Poking the fallen branches and leaves to see if there's anywhere I can stand without sinking into the water. Not much but I found a couple places for my feet. Have I mentioned that I'm not all that coordinated and steady on my feet in situations like this? No?


Uh oh, kersplash! The water's really cold and the bottom is squishy. Totally overshot the flower and landed on the opposite bank. It was really funny to both of us.


Retrieving the bucket and snow boogie.


Turns out the bucket has a crack in it so it won't be a good summer water bucket outside for the dogs. Ah well, still better in the trash than in the creek.


Squish back up the bank and into the garage to remove my soaked shoes and socks. Somehow I never got my clothes wet. More good luck than good planning, that.