Hawk Mountain

On Saturday, September 14, I travelled to Hawk Mountain for a presentation and meeting. It was a beautiful day, which is a two edged sword for extremely busy folks like me... It was a perfect day to be in the outdoors... AND a perfect day to accomplish a long list of outdoor tasks to complete before Autumn came and went. In fact, I had only planned to attend the meeting and then, when the others took to the trails and lookouts, I was going to zoom home and complete a day's worth of chores. That WAS the plan.

So when the meeting was over early and it was declared that we would best have our lunches at the North Lookout where maybe a thousand hawks were expected because a front passed through the preceding evening... well, I HAD planned to have lunch before I left. So I picked up a few peace offerings in the gift shop for the rest of the family who couldn't accompany me and who I had assured, "I won't be getting out on the trails anyway... it's just a meeting." I picked up my lunch, binoculars, and field guides (Hey, ALWAYS BE PREPARED I say)and off on the trails I went. "I'll just have to bring the family another time," I thought to myself and I purchased a family membership to better be sure I would.

I hadn't gone far before I realized an important truth about myself and the outdoors. I often pass up such opportunities as this one because I have work to do. Then I plod through a day, barely accomplishing what needs to be done if even accomplishing it at all, so that by the next time an opportunity to enjoy the outdoors comes along I'm certain to have too much work once again to take advantage of it. Yet after only a short exposure to the elements at Hawk Mountain I felt rejuvinated... like I could dive into my work with renewed energy and actually accomplish something.

I completed the hike joyously. Sitting on a rock at the North Lookout I enjoyed my cheese sandwich more than a gourmet meal. With the rest of my group and the aid of their expertise, I spotted about 50 raptors in an hour. Eight or so were positively identified as Broadwinged Hawks, three were Ospreys, and a handful were easily picked out as Turkey Vultures (Kittatinny Condors as they're lovingly called in the area.)

Once home, though the day was nearly gone, I DID attack a painting project, and with the rest of the family's help completed nearly as much as I might have WITHOUT the trip to interfere. Certainly, had I eliminated the two-hour meeting, I could have done it all! Next time I need to paint I'll certainly go for a hike first!