The World Wakes Up

Rex and I just took our first walk around the lake since last fall. We live on a BEAUTIFUL lake, but it has been frozen over for the past few months and we haven't been able to take full advantage of it. Our lone nature friend has been Chubs the squirrel, who I blogged about a few weeks ago.

Now that spring is upon us, though, all of the animals are coming back! The ducks and geese are back, the birds are back, the muskrats are swimming happily in the water, and the ice has melted so we can see the fish swimming around too! We are so excited for soon when there will be BABY birds swimming around! We had the oh-so-deep conversation about which would be best to have as a pet: a baby duck, baby goose, or baby swan (all who will be on our lake in a few weeks). We decided a baby duck because they are the smallest, fluffiest, and cutest as adults. I mean, really - can you look at a duck waddling awkwardly and not laugh? I can't.

We also saw some of the remnants of winter that had been frozen under the ice. A dead bluegill had washed up on shore, and it was a little bit cute even though it was dead. Its glassy eyes stared up at us, and we discussed the possibility of bringing it inside and putting it in our toilet because we are having dinner guests (Beth and Chris!) tomorrow. When one of them went to use the toilet, they would find the fish and say, "Guys...there is a dead fish in your toilet..." to which we would reply something along the lines of, "Charlie's DEAD?!?! NOOOOOOOO!!! WHAT DID YOU DO?!" It would have been funny, but not QUITE funny enough to touch a dead bluegill and carry it into our apartment.

We watched a muskrat catch a fish and then drag it up onto one of the last remaining pieces of ice in order to eat it. The muskrat sat cleaning itself for about five minutes before it would touch the food - it looked just like our little caged rats! We decided we must have a pet muskrat, though I don't even know if that is legal.

I am so excited that warm weather is here, but looking at the beauty of our lake and enjoying all of the creatures around it is making me really sad that we have to leave in just a few short months. Could anything in Nevada be as beautiful as this? I doubt it.