I understand that Buddhism teaches mindfulness by recommending that we choose one colour to notice through the day. Sometimes the locus of my focus, as it were, isn’t a colour but a letter, and more easily identified retrospectively.
Life can only be understood backwards,
but it must be lived forwards.
– Soren Kierkegaard
One day last week, as I lived forwards, G turned out to be for . . .
Green Heron
As I walked slowly from the paved path to the edge of the artificial lake at Gilbert Water Ranch, I accidentally flushed this guy from a stand of grass where he was hiding. He lit out across the water and disappeared into a thicket of leafless branches.
And then he moved. Ah ha! Invisible no more.
Putting my camera on its maximum zoom and then cropping by about half, I got this photo. I’ve been closer to other green herons and got better shots as a result (and worse, sigh), but this is such a typical pose: Fisher, Intent. I am *so* glad not to be the object of his desire.
Grebe (pied-billed)
These guys hide among (hang out with?) miscellaneous ducks on the artificial lake. Resolutely un-flashy — no strong/bright markings, no dunking-and-wing-flapping displays — they just sort of drift along, under the radar (sonar?). But I scan for something that triggers my that’s-not-a-duck reaction and eventually I see one.
Smaller than ducks, with lesser tails, they also have differently shaped heads. They look kinda cute. Until I take good note of that beak.
Grasses (reflected)
I don’t pay much attention to grasses per se, but I do like them in reflection, both wavy and still. Mind you, with the heron, duck, grebe, and turtle traffic, this pond is rarely still.
Nice shots. The green heron is especially appealing
Ralph – Many thanks. They’re extraordinarily jumpy birds with respect to human proximity, but seem remarkably oblivious otherwise.
Lovely to see – for ME – the sunshine and anything GREEN look VERY appealing!!
Alison – 🙂 Yes, I know what you mean. Maybe a can of green spray paint for your snowbanks would help? Eco-friendly, of course . . .
Love the Kierkegaard quote. One of my favorites!
Tom
Tom – 🙂
Gee wiz there all lovely (Sorry I couldn’t resist that!)
A nice collection of G’s.
Jim – 🙂 Many thanks.
Not “there” !!! They’re all lovely.
Back to grade one for me.
Jim – 🙂 I saw someone on Twitter who said he was the “Knig of tyops” so rest assured you are not alone.