Miracle from the Back Woods of Cranberry Lake







BUT FIRST... Today's where I'm at right now... so I'll call this part, "I can see clearly now!"

This artificial lens replacement after cataracts' surgery has its drawbacks... it being usually a cleanup is required... but just once, then it should be 20/20 vision from there on in. Only I have to now have it done with the left eye next month when I have this clean up checked. With a laser, they somehow clean off the tissue that sometimes adheres to the lens... and mine had gradually reduced my vision to the state it was in before I had my cataracts removed. I know, because, finally, once the dilation eye drops wore off, the world is again three dimensional. It's really like that. When I have to look through fuzz, though I can see OK, the world I see loses its depth. I now have the high I had right after the cataract surgery two years ago.

Now about those pictures:
Yesterday was another different kind of high. Lily T. had asked me if I would walk with her around Cranberry Lake. It's the first time anyone asked that of me, though I've always wanted to go that trek with someone else, and I was kind of nervous about it. She had her camera along and we really enjoyed it... plus the weather was perfect (unlike today, with the wind and rain, but just as well as I'm lying low for the rest of the day... though not an operation, it kind of made me feel really strange to have anyone fuss with my eyes, and then be blind in my right eye until its dilation eye drops wear off).

Late yesterday morning when Lily and I were half way around the lake, I saw this pod or something like that on the ground. I picked it up wondering if it was vegetation ...like somekind of a dried bean ... it seemed hollow, or a cocoon of sorts... or maybe even a small potato that dried out or ??? We were going to join the Lunch Group that now meets at Stables and Ann W. is a part of it and a bit of a naturalist. I said I'd put it in my little belly pack in which I hold my camera and dog snacks plus an extra leash (I had left the dogs home, though), and we could ask Ann about it.

Later after many photos of stumps, roots, fern, moss,and fungus; and returned to my home from where we had started. We left separately for lunch. Tom had taken Bear to the Dog Groomer, so I was flying solo. When I got there I first went to Ann and showed her the pod I'd found. I was sorry that it somehow had got wet on one end... didn't know how that happened. She said it looked like a gypsy moth cocoon, only much bigger. (I'd considered that, but it was stiffer than that...they are kind of webby/cottony... It was the consistancy of the skin on a baked potato... though it was only about a 2 1/2" oval. So I tucked it back in the front part of my belly pack which I'd taken as didn't want to put it in my purse. The front part's zipper doesn't zip anymore, but it held it ok. I'd probably have just dumped it later.

I was in the middle of my BLT when something as big as a small mouse crawled up my sleeve causing me to jump, as well as the others at the table to drop whatever they were doing and gasp. We didn't know WHAT it was. Some really large fuzzy or velvety insect. Then I looked at the pod, and it had a hole in it--the reason for the wetness at one end. I said... "Don't touch it...!!" realizing it had come from the pod and took a napkin and carefully took the "thing" loosely in the napkin and just went outside with it. Ann and Lily were with me. I suggested one bunch of brushes near the road, but it was too close to traffic... then we decided some brush up in back of the restaurant. We put it on a bush with large green leaves, and it held fast to the twig, looking deformed. I said that I think it probably hatched too soon or something. The poor thing. What would we do with it. Then Ann said, "I think the wings are getting larger." As we watched, very slowly we were watching the miracle of metamorphisis. We began clicking pictures. It was such an upper!! I was so thrilled. Earlier I had felt badly that we didn't find any wild orchids, like ladyslippers. If there are any, this is the season for them. But WOW!! This was even better.

We went back in. Ann left a little earlier than Lily and I, as we got there a little late... but Ann came back shortly and said, "You better come and take pictures now if you want to see the moth again, as its wings are fully developed. Again we went out... this time I paid for the lunch on the way. I found out later that it was a female Polyphemus moth... more reddish brown than grayish brown like the male. I took one more picture. Now of her beautiful wings from their folded position. I now wish I could have seen the other side, but what I saw was very beautiful. Like with most moths and butterflies, their brightest colors are seen from above with their wings spread out... and although fully developed, she was not spreading her wings and leaving yet. I wished her well... and we all helped each other take pictures lifting any leaves out of the way so we could get one last close up.

I told Tom about it all later. He didn't sound too thrilled, and had a difficult time with having to wait for the groomer as he got there early and she wasn't even there yet. (I try to teach him by example that being Just on time! ...like you could set a watch by my arrival at whatever appointment... is the way to go. ;-)
But, if you ask me, his nose was out of joint because I had such a neat day and experience, and he did not. However, if he was there and saw that critter skitter up my blouse and sleeve, he probably would have either upchucked or swatted the poor thing. Alls well that ends well I say. But if I'm going to have a good time, and have a fantastic experience, he wants to share it by being a part of it... by being there. I understand that.