Grains de folie!

Maybe if you spend too long in the woods with nothing but your thoughts, strange things start to occur?

You’re sitting in your chair – finally, you’ve found just the right camping chair, both sturdy and supportive and with a little pocket for your favourite woodsy beverage – and you start to nod off. A day/days of strenuous inactivity can cause pleasant drowsiness, so when you come to with a slight start, you ask, what was that?

Was it the porcupine returning to the scene of his earlier encounter with Mrs. PC and Scout? (A non-spiky encounter – good news on all sides!) Nope, doesn’t seem so.

On low alert

Maybe the crows have returned, believing they hadn’t done enough previously in their attempts to disturb the peace? Nope, no crows.

Must have been an industrious woodpecker, drilling for something tasty up in the higher reaches? Nope, nothing like that.

Berry good days

So, why am I suddenly on alert? Haven’t seen or heard a raccoon, the chattering squirrels aren’t about, but something has intruded, gotten into my empty head. Good thing Scout would warn us if an unwelcome whatever was approaching. No, scratch that. This is the same Scout that didn’t even blink last time a bear wandered through our backyard. A crow, deer or squirrel, then yeah, she’ll let us know. Scout’s many wonderful things, but being a reliable guard, no, not so much.

Rustling, the ok kind

There it is, I can hear it now, a distinct rustling in the undergrowth behind me. Did anyone else hear it? No?! I’ll settle down then, must be an overactive imagination. Take another sip of the rather wonderful bottle conditioned saison from the Bercée microbrasserie we visited earlier. Mmm, excellent. Grains de folie!

May cause odd musings

There! I knew I wasn’t losing it! Look what’s come out of the woods to greet us. No, not him, he’s not real. The second one.

“Are you calling me an unwelcome whatever? Not real?! Sure, have another sip, enjoy it, and maybe I’ll be along later to have a word?”
“What ya drinkin’? Looks good! Don’t mind me, don’t be startled, I’m just out on patrol! Watch out for that beardy little fella – come to think of it, he looks a bit like you, doesn’t he?”

Huh? What’s going on? Maybe I’ll keep the other bottle for when we get home, lock the doors, and drink it inside? I love it up in the Saguenay – wonderful lakes and woods, and a great place to sit and let your thoughts drift – but maybe don’t drift too far? You might end up a touch Kenogamachiche here on Lac Kénogami…

Thanks for reading, and I hope you have a wonderful weekend!

“Gotta go – see if I can track down that other strange little beardy fella – see ya next time!”

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plaidcamper

I am a would be outdoorsman - that is if I had more time, skills and knowledge. When I can, I love being outdoors, just camping, hiking, snowboarding, xc skiing, snowshoeing, paddling a canoe or trying something new. What I lack in ability, I make up for in enthusiasm and having a go. I'd never really survive for long out there in the wild, but I enjoy pretending I could if I had to...

9 thoughts on “Grains de folie!”

  1. Love it! Looks a bit like our bush turkeys. And Scout sounds like our Harry, who’d be more of a friend than a guard. All looks very relaxing. Have a wonderful weekend Adam. Cheers!

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    1. Must have been so,etching in that beer…
      Yeah, the grouse was a funny little fella, kept circling through and seemed happy enough with life in general!
      Thanks, Miriam, and hope you’re up and hopping along again soon!

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  2. This was a really fun mystery, pc, had me chuckling all along the way. I loved this super relaxing woodsy time. Fun to see you discovered the intruder. At first I thought it was a wild turkey, but it’s too small even for a young one, I think. So probably some kind of grouse, which is so excellent. I liked the moss as the backdrop for your beers, the birch trees, the gorgeous berries, the sweet summer ease of it all. Cheers, my friend.

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    1. Yup, we’re giving our all to strenuous inactivity this summer and hopefully into fall. Might have to wake up, dust off the xc skis and snowshoes this coming winter, and get a little active before we seize up entirely…
      Hope your weekend is going well!

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  4. Loved the mystery visitor, photos and the fact that Scout was not impressed by a bear!! Looks like it’s the perfect place to ponder nature’s soundtrack and enjoy some great beverages. Glad to hear Mrs. PC and Scout had a safe encounter with a porcupine, although Scout either looks like she’s been nipping at your beverages or is exhausted from protecting the campsite. The weather here is much better than my college football and hope you’re enjoying the weekend!

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    1. Thank you! Yes, Scout won’t be working in a guard dog capacity anytime soon – or ever!
      Stormy today, an indoors day for sure, so thank goodness there isn’t an Everton game to entertain me.
      Watched “Rebel Ridge” last night, really enjoyed it – a mash up of “Hell or High Water” meets Jack Reacher, meets Rambo. Better than I’ve just described it…
      Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

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