My goal was not berry picking, luckily. My goal was to smell the tundra. The experience of eau d'tundra reminds me of a trip Jerrold and I took to Malheur Wildlife Refuge. We'd driven across Central Oregon with the air conditioner on, making good time. Finally, after dark, we had to stop to water some sagebrush. Upon opening the car door the high desert fragrance almost had me swooning. The tundra affected me the same way. I just had to sit down on that foot of thawed, earthy, pillow and inhale. The aroma changes with the weeks, not as sweet yesterday as it was in August. This time it was darker, dirtier, more autumnal.
I had hoped for some animal tracks - I have seen bear, moose, and fox tracks so far - but I was satisfied with tromping in my Wellies, finding a pond with secretive brown ducks and one rising fish, and being startled by a line of huge silent geese flying overhead, then filled with joy when they called to me with the voice of Sandhills. Another flock of perhaps 30 of these magnificent birds traveled above in circles, giving the impression that perhaps winter is on the horizon. It is much too wet for animal tracks now. We have received double the usual rainfall this August and over 3 inches above normal for the year. That may not sound like much, but it is a 30% increase while the rest of the country suffers heat and drought.