Last week we visited Aunt Harriette for the first time in about six weeks. We knew it had been that long because we visited shortly before Irene's surgery. Bad us. So we put Harriette outings on our weekly calendar, to make sure we didn't skip another six weeks working away into oblivion. Because our calendar told us to, we picked her up from the continuing care center, took a short tour of Grantsburg, and headed off to Crex Meadows.

The greeting committee: two adult swans in summer brown and their three cygnets

Harriette, who is Michael's aunt (and celebrated 97 years on Groundhog Day), and her husband, Klink, were longtime Audubon Society members. They helped create Crex Meadows as a bird refuge. Harriette, who is mostly blind, can still navigate us through the back roads and get us all home in one piece. We haven't had the opportunity to get out much this summer, so having the luxury of taking a morning to espy sand hill cranes, swans, coots, and geese was...a luxury!

Fish Lake Preserve, another favorite on our way home

The air has that late summer/early autumn smell of ripeness...like waffle cones or raspberry jelly, or watermelon when you first slice into it. Not too hot not too humid, but enough of each to make you feel cradled in wellness. Thank you Aunt Harriette!