My avian side wanted to celebrate the Solstice, but that wasn’t a company holiday, so I decided to let him have Christmas Eve in the woods at the Long Cane [so-called] Horse Trail (despite the name, it’s multi-use). Since this was my inner-bird’s day, I’ll let him do the typing. My typing is hunt and peck anyway.

[bird] Oh you’re funny.

Anyway, as my other half (note I didn’t say my “better” half) said, I wanted to mark the Solstice. For those of us in the wild the Solstice is really the Important Day this season. The days stop getting shorter and start getting longer. Slowly at first, but in a couple of months there’ll be noticeably more daylight every day. More daylight means more time to forage for food and more time to let the sun warm your feathers even as the winter cold sets in. And, of course, Spring is coming!

Morning is always an exciting time, time to get moving!

I know there was another bird up there, I was picking up his, what you would call, ADS-B.

Trees tell stories.

Humans like that red-and-green theme around this time, so here ya go.

It’s kind of jarring to come out of the woods and to something like this…

…but the human said to cross this stream using the bridge. It would have been trivial to just fly across.

Forests a nuisance?? How could anyone with half a brain think that?

Speaking of nuisances, how is it that humans call this the Sumter National Forest and then cut down the trees? If it’s a FOREST you need TREES! And why leave just those few trees standing? They’re probably doomed now anyway, like the ones that already fell over!

[human] You’re starting to sound like Squeaks from Nature Cat when she gets angry at abuses of nature.
[bird] And why not? HUMANS ARE STUPID!

Ahem. I think that one-lane bridge sign is a bit redundant, no? Just as well, humans need to be kept in their lane.

The ground tells stories too, like these bird tracks.

and these … bird? tracks?

Horses, bikes, dogs…

And now we’re back where we started.

Sigh.

[human] Wait, if this is where we started, where’s the sun?
[bird] It moved, you dofus! It’s now LATE in the day!
Really, why do I put up with this …. primate?

Strava link: https://www.strava.com/activities/10431879496