Death and Birth

Our trip to the north was only partly for the pleasure of camping.

Yesterday, we were at Spooner, Wisconsin for the military service for Gary's brother-in-law whose ashes were interred at one of Wisconsin's military cemeteries. It was a short but moving service with the usual volley of rifles fire, the playing of “Taps” and the presentation of the flag to Tony's daughter.

Tony was a Marine who served in Vietnam. He came back with a hearty but undiagnosed dose of what would later be called post traumatic stress syndrome. Agent Orange took its toll as well. But he was served well by the Veterans Association in the end and by the Marines who laid him to rest.

After the service Tony's family went to a rented condo at the edge of Lac Courte d'Oreilles. They were setting out food when someone shouted “Bear!” We went out on the second story deck and looked down. A mother bear was wandering along the shoreline with her cub. Cameras came out but none of us was foolish enough to go down for a closer shot.

It was not the only baby photo taken. A few days earlier, Gary came across a herd of elk cows and calves, and took an amusing photo of one of the calves.

Back at the campground, we sit in the pit toilet provided by the forest service and through the opaque glass watch the shadow of a robin mama preparing a nest on the window ledge.

Even in the midst of death, life goes on all around us.