This is long post and began weeks ago when the weather began to warm up. I knew that I would soon have to get Guy back on heartworm medicine but couldn't afford a vet and had no address for web vendors. Then I remembered that I could use a General Delivery address and ordered the medicine.
But it started me thinking about his shots. So I looked it up and they are due in September. GOOD except for leptospirosis which lasts only a few months and Guy is very susceptible to that because of all the hiking we do. So I began to research how I could get his shots as cheaply as possible. With a lot of research I found a place in Fredericksburg that would administer only the Lepto vaccine for $19. Since he didn't need the others and vaccines are really hard on dogs, I went with that. So this morning I bring him in and explain to the vet why I don't want the other shots and why he really needs the lepto. When I got out I was only charged $10. God bless that vet for taking mercy on us. ($19 is two days food, remember?)
But we had to take it easy today because you know how you feel when you get a flu shot or something. So I decided to go back to Caledon PArk, where the eagles nest and take the easy walk to the Potomac which is only open two more weeks before they close it for the next six months since it is a nesting area. On the way there, I see an eagle flying a couple of hundred feet above us. WOW, we're still driving and already saw one.
Well somehow I get off course on the way to the river. It was an honest mistake and I'm sorry that I didn't see all the signs saying "keep out" We end up at a place named "The Cliffs" although there were only about 20 feet high. On the way there we pass a fen (or was it a bog?). Now I am a fen fanatic (or is it that I am big on bogs?) In either case, I just love them and it made me very happy to smell the stale earth.
Then we got to the cliffs. They were very pretty and I watched some eagles way up high and fish jumping out of the water and birds diving and catching fish.
Then I saw a shadow in front of me and looked up. An eagle swooped over us and turned into the wind with its wings flapping. It was no further than 15 - 20 feet away, in profile, and just seemed to float there. It was one of the most awe inspiring things I have ever seen. After a couple of seconds, it headed down wind and was soon out of sight. I stood there almost giggling realizing that I would never get that close to an eagle again. Of course I was wrong because with a minute or so, another shadow and I heard the whoosh of the wings as another eagle swooped over us within 10 - 15 feet and I looked it in the eye as it floated it front of us for a couple of seconds. I wanted it to stay there longer but it, too, headed down wind but stopped in a tree close enough for me to watch it. Since I'm not an eagle eye, but it was, I am sure that it was watching me too. After a few minutes we left the area and soon looked up to see several eagles circling above us. I guess they wanted us out of Dodge.
When we got to the area we were first headed we saw a ranger and stopped to talk to him. During our conversation a few more eagles flew around. Then while we walked to the car we saw a few more. I must have seen 15 - 20 eagles today. All they do is fly and glide and swoop and look majestic and proud and are gorgeous from 10 feet away. How boring. John Denver was right and I repeat. "You know he'd be a poor man if he never saw an eagle fly." And I saw one flying ten feet away. The sad part about it is that there are so many people who wouldn't appreciate being so close to an eagle that you heard the flapping of its wings.
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