Hanging out to dry – Nov 23, 2012.
The cormorant is a fun lake inhabitant with its sleek profile and smooth moves. In a quick, blink of a jump, it dives beneath the water’s surface; propelled by its feet, the bird chases down fish for its meals. Once below, there’s no guessing when or where it might resurface. One can only imagine the high drama of the chase scene unfolding below.
The bird is noted for its plumage-drying pose, wings spread wide beneath the sun in an attempt to evaporate water from its damp feathers. There’s not a person on the lake that can’t identify with this bird. We all know the feeling of stepping out a warm bath into the area’s steamy humidity. The challenge is to dry off enough to dress comfortably without soaking the clean, dry clothes you’re stepping into. Towel drying is a hopeless cause. No sooner then you think mission accomplished, the water droplets reappear. If possible we would to take the cormorant’s lead, but unfortunately there are laws against standing naked on a post with arms outspread. So, we air-dry patiently (or not so patiently) inside, or stand in front of fans to speed the process, or just surrender to it and dress wet. It doesn’t matter anyway – as soon as you step outside the door, it’s like stepping back into the shower again.
My, my, how the lady rants. The good news is that at this time of the year, the humidity is lower, or at least more tolerable with the cooler temps. Another plus for this sweet, sweet season.