Noodling Around Mint Springs

I finally noticed the turquoise foam noodle across the pond. We were watching turtles plop from a branch into the pond. The noodle had escaped the swimming area and lodged against marshy grasses near the cattails a couple of weeks ago. I said to Ox “Someone should do something about that noodle.” then “We should."

Ox found a plastic hanger and some rope in his truck. He broke one leg of the hanger triangle to make a grappling hook.  He tied his rope to the crook of the hook and looped the rope.  The first couple of flings made clear that the line wasn’t long enough.  Ox tied the hook and rope to his walking stick.  The hook landed sideways on the noodle and  the noodle nudged 6 inches closer to us.  We went home to dinner.

Because I was to babysit Jackson later, we drove to the pond early next morning.  Red-winged blackbirds chattered softly in the cattails.  A green frog glunked.  Fish swam by. 

Ox tied on an extra section of rope.  He got closer with each throw until the hanger caught again – another foot.  Ox brought a long stick, boots and gorilla tape this time.  Rope attached to the long stick, me to the stick, and Ox’s flings were increasingly accurate – gently, gently, another foot or two.  At last Ox attached his walking stick to the long stick with the tape.  Reaching into the marsh, he hooked the noodle and pulled it in.

The old Indian saying is right – man was put on earth to entertain the animals.

August 9, 2013.