If you come to my place you will still have either walk in (1.5 km) and navigate a steep climb or we will come and get you with the quad. It is still that muddy and soft in here. If today is dry we might be able to use the Cat to get the ruts out and smoothen it but that’s a maybe….
If we come and get you with the quad…Watch Out! There is the distinct possibility that we will get attacked by our attack grouse!
It started out innocently enough. One day I drove the quad into the bush to do a bit of exploring. A female grouse kept flying over to me. I could not figure out why. It happened over and over. I got off the quad and she never ran away, she stood there, I could have bent down and touched her. When I drove away, she would chase after me. It was very strange. It happened numerous times and was quite fun. Me and my little grouse friend.
And then… I was driving along one day on the quad and this grouse flew up and dive bombed me. Whoa! What’s with that? A whole different story! This was now an aggressive grouse. One time I was watching Brian on the quad from the window and giggled as I saw him duck as the attack grouse flew at him. This was not my cute little friend momma grouse, this was Mr. grouse.
It took a while but I realized after listening to him make his “drumming” noise in the bush that he thought the noise of the quad was a similar sound to him and he thought there was another male grouse egging him on. Grouse make this distinct drumming sound by beating their wings against their body. If you do not know what it is it can be daunting to hear it in the bush. I personally didn’t think the sounds were that close but if I was a jealous Mr. grouse, the quad motor could be mistaken as another suitor for his female.
Link to video of drumming grouse: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Ruffed_Grouse/sounds
The other day Mr grouse came at me and as I sat there watching him from the quad seat, I thought what a silly bird! I stopped and watched him. He puffed up his neck feathers and started strutting around the quad. He even went underneath the quad trying to find the other grouse he thought was hiding under there. I drove a bit further and he ran right after me. There was no fear, just an angry, haughty, strutting bird! I thought how, could this bird mistake a machine for another bird!
Then I got the revelation! How many times do we see something or hear something in our lives, and we make an assumption about it thinking this “thing” has no right in my life! We then fight to protect what we have, come to conclusions that are not accurate and at times we even chose to attack God.
I strut into the presence of God and begin my tirade of, “What are you doing God?” “What are you doing messing in that area of my life?”, “I sure do not need that thing in my life!” Or “Where are you God, I can’t find you.” We strut around angrily thinking that we know better, we know what we need, demanding an answer and search diligently to try to find one. Running like a little grouse to and fro looking for something that does not even exist.
I’m thinking that to God I must look like this silly bird trying to attack a machine! Mr. Grouses’ perspective is off and in those cases where I strut before God so is mine! When I come flying at God and dive bomb Him, demanding that He answer me, I must look as silly as my attack grouse attacking a chunk of steel. (read the book of Job, he and his friends spend many chapters just mouthing off about why Job is suffering and not one of them was correct).
Sitting in the drivers seat of the quad I can see the bigger picture and marvel at how silly this bird is being. God watches us throw a tantrum, demand answers and strut around like we have a right to them, all the while He sees the BIG picture and knows that we are way off base like a bird attacking a chunk of steel. Perspective.
It is at exact moments like this, that we need to remember that God sees everything, past, present and future. He is way bigger than a quad, truck or anything. His perspective is correct, it is wise and God is for me, not against me, even if I do not like it at the time. I should perhaps quit beating my drum, running around aimlessly and take a time out to chill and pray instead of attack and demand.