“Friends… They cherish each other’s hopes. They are kind to each other’s dreams.” Henry David Thoreau
Poem: Why I Am Happy by William Stafford
Why I Am Happy
Now has come, an easy time. I let it
roll. There is a lake somewhere
so blue and far nobody owns it.
A wind comes by and a willow listens
gracefully.
I hear all this, every summer. I laugh
and cry for every turn of the world,
its terribly cold, innocent spin.
That lake stays blue and free; it goes
on and on.
And I know where it is.
— William Stafford
Barred Owl (in sequence) – Jan. 19, 2013
Today was my lucky day to find an owl on the roadside while I was out for a little country drive. I made sure to thank him (or her?) for the photos as it flew off…
“Whatever peace I know rests in the natural world, in feeling myself a part of it, even in a small way.” -May Sarton
Today I finished reading “Black Elk Speaks” (highly recommended – and a reality check about the land we live on here in the USA), and started reading “Journal of A Solitude” by May Sarton (where I found the line above).
I also wrapped up a commission, was invited to do the upcoming cover of an art & literary journal, and signed on to do the LOLA (Ladies of Lawrence Artists) Valentine’s Day Show at Pachamama’s in Lawrence on Feb. 9. Lots of things coming up.. and lots of planting my nose in books.
Owl In Flight
From my photo escapade on Dec. 29, 2012, in Atchison, KS.
Country Drivin’ Photos, Dec. 29-30, 2012
I’m testing out the gallery feature in this new blog format… Click on the image to make it larger! (Typing this after a couple hours of fidgeting and filtering through and reworking code after I couldn’t get it to work because of some other code modifications I made. It’s like one big word search in a foreign language without knowing what the words are.. snore… BUT, I’m happy with the results.)
Hawk, Dec. 29, 2012 – Atchison, KS
Snow Squirrel
A nice new blanket of snow fell on Monday. My wool sweater & stocking cap have been my constant companions. I keep imagining this fellow in a sweater and stocking cap too… paper cutting idea, perhaps..
Bald Eagle Family – Dec. 29, 2012
Adult and juvenile bald eagles feasting on/ fighting over/ sharing a fish on a sandbar in the Missouri River, Atchison, KS, Dec. 29, 2012. One of the most amazing things I’ve ever watched occur in nature. I went back today and they were posted in various trees. I lucked out finding them with their meal yesterday (which they were enjoying for quite awhile until one of the juveniles tried to take off with it and dropped it in the water).
Owl!!
My fire burned long enough, and nature provided. I got out onto the roads today with my camera, and spent over an hour watching a family of bald eagles having a meal on a sandbar in the Missouri River. A last minute trip to Wal-Mart and a keen eye (I’ve got my eyes pretty well trained to spot animals from the road) yielded this owl sighting. It was certainly one of my best days as far as getting photos of the birds I seek the most.. Thousands of eagle photos to sort through (yikes! I basically made a movie of photos…). More to come.