Black flies and babies

May 2-4 is summer season's kick-off weekend in Canada.  Celebrating Queen Victoria's birthday (any excuse for a long weekend!), many folks pack up and head out for adventure with fireworks, outdoorsy pursuits and, hopefully, good (but usually not) weather in tow.
What many Canadians, in particular, Ontarians, seem to forget over the winter is that May 2-4 coincides with the emergence of biting flies.  Those pesky dipterans burst forth from their watery worlds to pester creatures big and small.  Black flies and mosquitoes abound in the north woods this time of year.  I have to admit I have a soft spot for black flies as I studied them for 3+ years as a Master's student.  B, however, not so much a fan...
This particular May 2-4, B & I headed north for "lady's weekend" at a friends cabin.  Immediately after I stopped the vehicle I noticed them, swarms of mosquitoes and black flies vying for position at the windows of the jeep, eyeing up two juicy bloodmeals.  The 2km hike from jeep to cabin was, for lack of a better word, dreadful.  Thankfully the cabin is perched alongside a lake which provides a light breeze that keeps the voracious two-winged bitters at bay.  I refused to apply insect repellant to her or any of her clothes.  I made sure to spray my hat with repellant (followed by a thorough hand washing), and since she was always close at hand I was her fly deflector.  She did succumb to a few bites, but seems to be handling them like a champ.
Insects aside, we had a blast.  B loved it and seemed to recall having been there just a couple weeks ago with us.  She had a couple good dips in the lake, playing in the small beach and refusing to emerge from the lake when I deemed necessary (i.e. lurking snapping turtle).
One handy device I remembered to bring was an infant harness.  Baby leash.  Whatever you choose to call it.  Some people have mixed emotions on these, but honestly, when hiking along uneven trails with roots and rocks and water, the harness was great.  One little trip is all it takes to have an eye poked out, and this harness was a great way to catch her before eye meets branch.
They may not be epic adventures in our eyes, but I'm hoping that these short trips northward will stick with her as she grows into an Earth-loving person.