9 January 2013 Reflections

     This morning my wife and I sat down beside the fireplace at our “coffee pit” and scanned the morning view. Fog permeated the marsh like a misty blanket. It was serene and calming. All the Christmas decorations were down and sorta put away. I had vacuumed and cleaned the wooden floors for the umpteenth time (still finding those pesky Christmas  tree needles everywhere) in preparation for today’s interview with the North Jax Monthly writer.

     Old Man River, the Great Blue Heron, was on his favorite perch on the jon boat. Spunky, the Kingfisher, was already searching for breakfast. One by one the Snowy Egrets began to accumulate on the neighbors pier in anticipation of food with the incoming tide. Soon there were seven. We had peace like a river as we went about our morning routine. Over the Holidays I had been able to set up my photo blind on the dock before sunrise. Now I had to wait until my wife left (she’s not retired yet) and the care nurses arrived to watch Mom before heading to the dock. Approaching wildlife without spooking them takes skill. I was carrying two cameras around my neck, my tripod and most important of all, my coffee. I tried to sneak down low and slow as I was taught. Alas, the first to go was Old Man River, he glided quietly away into the mist as I approached.  A head popped up right in front of me. It was a large river otter I had seen about a week ago. It quickly dove and headed up the marsh. I tried to get a quick shot as he swam away.  You can barely see his head above the wake. The commotion caused the Snowy Egrets  to get nervous and one by one they too took flight. I had messed up their peace in my quest. Oh well, time for a sip of coffee. I sat down in my folding chair remembering to get rid of the dew puddle in the seat (did you ever sit in a wet seat at 5 am?).  I was going to enjoy this morning anyway.  And then they came and took revenge ! They were  sent I am sure by those angry egrets. Those “No See-ems “  (a gnat that is 90% jaws)  began to feed on my hands and exposed head like they had never eaten before. So much for my peace! I surrendered and took my gear back in the house.

     Isn’t that how life goes sometimes? We settle into our peace and those pesky critters of life come along and soon we lose it. But I experienced it this morning. You can’t take away those images which I now leave with you. Old Man River, the peaceful fog, the Snowy Egrets, the fleeting glimpse of an otter. Be blessed and have Peace like a River today..Harry

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Misty Morning on a peaceful river.

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Fleeting glimpse of an otter

8 January 2013 Reflections

     Holiday’s bring guests from far away places. As I was going to do my grocery shopping yesterday I drove by one of those numerous retention ponds found near new roads and subdivisions. This one in particular has become a gathering place for the migrating Canada Geese. Learned from a good friend they are CANADA Geese, not CANADIAN Geese to be proper.  I had my point and shoot Sony with me this morning and hoped to get a few shots of them. It doesn’t have the range for the good bird shots I wanted but MY STUPID LENS broke last week remember!

     The Holiday season is over for most of us but we remember those guests that warmed our homes. They leave cherished moments behind. There was a rather large domestic goose (Gander) among the Canada geese. Thought you would enjoy him and be thankful for those Holiday friends that we remember. Be Blessed. Harry

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Canada Geese inbound.

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Thank you Lord for my Holiday friends!

7 January 2013 Reflections

      Last Friday things changed. My new lens had malfunctioned and I was very disappointed.  Walking past the blinking answering machine I muttered under my breath and ignored it again. The last message I recalled hearing was one of those "Congratulations, You have won a free vacation" calls. Right! There are more important issues to attend to right now, my stupid lens broke!

      As I sat down to review my photos, and try to compose my thoughts for reflections I decided instead to open my email and” fire a shot across the bow “ of the lens manufacturer.  There in the inbox was an email from the editor of the North Jax Monthly, a local monthly newspaper.  During the Christmas Holidays I had sent them a proposal to publish "Reflections on Broward" to try and share what I see in our feathered friends and generate some local interest in photography.  I had not heard from them (or so I thought). The editor answered when I called the number and told me they had been trying to contact me on the phone for some time. They thought I was out of town since they had not heard back from me. As I look back I realized that my focus had been on trying the new lens I got for Christmas and starting “Reflections” on the New Year.  In doing so I had completely lost my perspective on many of the other things around me. There was a whole new routine each morning I was enjoying.  However, I forgot about some other things I should also be doing perhaps (laundry, dinner, bills…, phone calls).  I even failed to make it to the gym for Silver Sneakers all week to "sweat with the oldies". The editor told me they loved my idea and they wanted to come over and do an interview and start publishing Reflections! Me a "published" writer and photographer?

     What perspective do you have today? My bad luck with the lens is not the end of the world. It can be replaced. Besides I only have about a few hundred million other bad photos I can share until the lens is replaced. And now I can remember to get back to the gym in the morning too! it's all about perspective, sometimes we need a new one. Here are a few from a Tricolored Heron, one of our local year round feathered friends.  Be blessed, Harry

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God told me to look in on you today.

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He said you need to begin to look at things another way!

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and remember to keep your eyes on what is really important, because life's too short to worry!

4 January 2013 Reflections

     My good neighbor Doug beckoned to me yesterday and invited me to use his pier to take advantage of different perspective views in my morning shoot.  This morning I was eager to see the sunrise from there.  As I walked up the pier to the copula area at the end of the dock, I saw Spunky inbound on wing to her morning perch. She then saw me and did a quick about face and squawked loudly saying something in Kingfisher that I think was a swear word. She was not too happy with my intrusion into her realm.  

     The red reflection on the clouds from the rising sun should have told me to be prepared for something. Red sky in morning, sailor take warning the old weatherman says.  As I scanned the marsh I spotted my friend "Old Man River" , a venerable Great Blue Heron whom I have observed many times in my years on this marsh domain.  He sits patiently each morning waiting for just the right tide, the right opportunity and it always comes to him. He is not too keen on my presence but tolerates me with a squawk if I get too close as he slowly raises his wings and flies away to another of his favorite places where I am not welcomed. He doesn’t move a lot so I set my focus and settings to capture this moment. But alas I was unprepared for what happened next. As I began to photograph him I saw our local Great Bald Eagle soaring by, land on a fish in the river and slowly rise with his catch.  My equipment was set for a stationary Old Man River and so I was not prepared for the opportunity the Eagle presented me and lost the moment. My attempt to capture the eagle was out of focus and ill timed. My lesson was that I need to be prepared for the unexpected each day. Changing settings quickly is a skill I need to master.  Another opportunity then came when a Tricolored Heron perched on a post only a few feet from my lens. As I slowly raised the camera I did indeed  catch the moment this time for your photo of the day.  I have some bad news though. This may be my last photo of the day with this equipment. After taking these last shots the lens failed to autofocus so I am sending it back. In the meantime I will use what lens and cameras I have but they may not be what I would like to share.  

     Time Tide and Formation wait for no man, I am now shoving off!  As a young plebe midshipman at the Naval Academy this was part of the daily recital of the menu and preparation for morning formation.  See ya later, and in the meantime be blessed. Harry

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Red sky in morning, sailor take warning!

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Old Man River the venerable Great Blue Heron

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Tricolored Heron

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I'll be Back....soon as I get another lens!