nature photography – Page 3

November 22, 2020November 22, 2020 Michelle Uncategorized

Nature Comes to the Rescue (Again)

Two weeks ago I dropped Chris off at the airport – his first film job since covid began. He gets back tonight, and will be quarantining in a separate part of the house until he gets a covid test later in the week. Even though we will be somewhat apart after he gets home, it will be nice to have him back. His job often takes him away, but this is the first time he’s been gone while I am also working remotely. The isolation has been weird, and makes me realize just how hard this must be for people like Sam, his only actual human interaction being his work at Panera and one in-person class a week. Sam and I talk a few times a day these days, but the telephone is no substitute for actually being in the presence of another person.

I’ve leaned more heavily on the natural world during these last two weeks. Driving out to the sunset when the weather permits, going for my morning walks. I bought a new bird feeder for the back yard. It is supposedly squirrel proof, and so far (I’ve had it for 24 hours now) that appears to be true. The squirrels have given it many quizzical looks, have tentatively climbed part-way up the pole, but have not been able to figure out how to access the food. I’m taking videos of their attempts and will post them here sometime soon.

As I gain more experience taking photos, I have found that my best photos result not from any technical skill that I have (which is minimal at this point!), but from my ability to pay really good attention to what is around me. This paying attention is also a skill that I find gets better with practice. I spend many minutes just watching the trees and feeder outside my kitchen window before the birds even show up. Most of the photos I take get deleted off the memory stick immediately (if I had a nickel for every photo of a bird that ended up not actually containing a bird, I’d have a lot of nickels). The watching ends up being a type of meditative practice. I am so focused on being ready when a bird shows up that all of the usual unhelpful inner chatter that goes on in my head gets pushed aside.

The leaves have all fallen to the ground now, and I spent a couple of hours yesterday raking the last ones up and dragging them to the curb, where they will be vacuumed up by the city this week. The once lushly leafed trees look so vulnerable in their bare state. There is a red-bellied woodpecker that hangs out in my back yard, and he hammers away quite vigorously at the bark of my beloved trees, searching for insects to eat. As beautiful as he is, I sometimes find myself wishing that he would eat elsewhere. Still, I’m sure the trees will survive it. The benefit to having the trees so bare is that I can see (and photograph) the birds better now, which is such a source of pleasure.

Mary Oliver once said in a poem, “To pay attention, this is our endless and proper work.” She also said “Attention is the beginning of devotion.” The idea of paying attention runs throughout her work, and is evident in her loving and lavish descriptions of the natural world. Paying attention to nature has become so important to me, and such a source of solace for me, during this pandemic. And I’m finding that once I practice paying attention in one part of my life, it spills over into others. That, I’m learning, makes the work of gratitude (and it can sometimes be hard work) so much easier. Attention may be the beginning of devotion, but I think it is also the beginning of gratitude.

Love,

Michelle xoxo

November 11, 2020 Michelle Uncategorized

Sunrise, Sunset

I catch a lot of sunrises these days – with the clocks turned back my morning walks coincide perfectly with the sunrise. Sunsets are a little trickier – I have to get in my car and drive to the best sunset vista in town. I have to make sure I start work early so that I can be out in time for the sunset, which at the moment happens at about 5:00.

Do you know why some sunsets are prettier than others? Much of it has to do with clouds. A sky with no clouds at all will produce your run-of-the-mill pretty sunset. Too many clouds, or too dense, and the sunset is hidden from view. What you need are scattered, wispy clouds. There are other factors of course – humidity, prior rainfall, visibility, and wind speed – but what I look for are the clouds.

Last night, alas, there were no clouds. It was incredibly warm, however, with temperatures in the sixties and into the seventies all day. I decided mid-afternoon that I would eat my evening meal whilst watching the sunset, so after work I rushed over to our local sandwich shop and grabbed a steak-and-cheese sandwich (the photo isn’t very pretty – definitely not “Instagram worthy” – but boy, was it delicious), a bag of chips, and a Diet Pepsi and off I went.

It was a beautiful night, and I could forget for an hour or so the craziness that continues in this country.

Love,

Michelle xoxo

November 7, 2020November 7, 2020 Michelle Uncategorized

Perspective

There is a tradition in our neighborhood (and perhaps yours) that if someone has something still of value that they want to get rid of, they put it out by the curb a couple of days before the garbage pickup. Usually one person’s trash is another person’s treasure (as when Sam found a perfectly good xBox console in front of the house of neighbors who were hastily cleaning house before a move) and everyone emerges from the deal satisfied.

On my walk this morning I saw that my neighbor Barbara had put out this mirror. I was sorely tempted to take it, but my overall tendency these days is to get rid of, not acquire.

I did, however, see an opportunity to take some photos. I did not touch the mirror; I simply took my photos from different angles and positions.

Maybe I’m feeling extra-introspective this week, but the mirror made me think about perspective – about how something can look so different depending upon what angle is used to view it.

Peace and love to you,

Michelle xoxo

November 3, 2020 Michelle Uncategorized

A Snowy Day

Yesterday I promised you some photos from my snowy morning walk. The snow is all gone now – it was just winter’s warning shot across the bow. Not that we can do anything to halt its progress. The cold, the dark, the icy ground that will make my morning walks treacherous – they are on their way, whether I like it or not. Which brings us to today’s election. I’ll be voting in person today. My one teeny bit of control over this incredible, messy process which is democracy. Once I’ve submitted my ballot and have returned home, there will be nothing for me to do but watch it unfold. The approaching winter and this crazy election – both opportunities for me to practice surrendering to something that is greater than me. I’m still the hummingbird – I will still try as hard as I can to do what is right and to influence others for good. But for my own peace of mind, I need to accept with grace the things in life that just happen, whether I want them to or not.

I wish you peace today, friend.

Love,

Michelle xoxo

November 2, 2020 Michelle Uncategorized

Encounter

Now that the clocks have been turned back, I’m once again beginning my morning walk in daylight – while it lasts. This morning, as I was walking out the door, I was surprised to see a deer in our front yard. She was surprised to see me, too, but not frightened. What a lovely way to start my day.

Oh, yes – it snowed last night. I’ll post my photos of my snowy walk tomorrow.

Happy Monday!

Love,

Michelle xoxo

November 1, 2020November 1, 2020 Michelle Uncategorized

On Tenterhooks

In the US we are approaching an Election Day unlike any I have ever known in my 57 years. Each side believes there is more at stake than in any other election – some have stated that the very soul of this country is at stake. Nearly 70 percent of Americans responding to a recent survey said that the presidential election was a significant source of stress in their lives, with 76 percent of Democrats and 67 percent of Republicans experiencing anxiety.

This election would be difficult in the best of circumstances, but of course we’re not dealing with the best of circumstances. COVID-19. Political polarization at all levels, from our national leaders to our neighbors. Isolation. The end of longer, sunnier days. If there was ever a perfect storm of anxiety triggers, this is it.

I must confess my coping mechanisms in the last two weeks have not been helpful. Hello snacking, my old friend. Yes, Michelle, peanuts and dried apricots are “healthy foods,” but not by the fistful. And I won’t even get into the “left over” Halloween candy.

But I’m trying, friends. And I’m also trying to not be too tough on myself when my choices aren’t the wisest. Each day I pick myself back up, dust myself off, and try again.

Of course, nature is still there for me. The gloomy weather we had all week finally broke yesterday and we had a glorious, albeit chilly, perfect autumn day. As I walked through “my” woods at the end of the street, I was very conscious of soaking in every golden shaft of sunlight, knowing the weather could turn at any moment (and today has been a weird mix of gloom, snippets of sunshine, and high winds – with our power even flickering once).

My favorite things to photograph in the woods these days:

the random collections of leaves and acorns that fall on tree stumps – to me they create such fascinating tableaux
the rich textures juxtaposed during this season
mushrooms! there are so many different varieties adorning nearly every fallen tree
moss! I’m a big lover of moss – especially now, with the bright greens looking so lush against the browns and yellows
views looking up through the dwindling canopy – especially when the background is a brilliant, blue sky

Wherever you are, whatever you are dealing with, I hope you find some gentle ways to cope. If you have a wild place to retreat to, whether it be a beach, desert trail, forest, or merely a tiny green space with a tree or two – I highly suggest some nature therapy. Bundle up if necessary. I guarantee it will do you some good.

Love,

Michelle xoxo

October 21, 2020 Michelle Uncategorized

A Wet October Day

I went on a walk around the block at lunchtime today and took these photos. The last few days have been typical late October – rainy, gloomy, chilly at times. Dark too early. My morning walk takes place in darkness now. Sigh. There’s so much beauty, though, and I’m soaking in as much as I can before the trees lose all those gorgeous leaves.

I haven’t been here for several days because I fell into a common trap for me – overworking. Ten hour days do not make for a healthy work-life balance, and I am attempting to gain that balance back again. Today I forced myself to spend only eight hours at my work computer. I actually took a lunch break. I felt more like a real person and less like a number crunching zombie. Over the next few days I hope to take more photos, write more here, and take better care of myself.

Love,

Michelle xoxo

October 9, 2020October 9, 2020 Michelle Uncategorized

Dealing with Uncertainty

So, I’m waiting for some test results to come back – nothing potentially earth-shattering, just yearly physical stuff, but anyone who is in this cancer survivor club knows that with any test result comes the possibility that something will be amiss. Sure, you THINK you feel great, but look at this! Your such-and-such level is way off the charts! We’ll have to investigate…

It’s always an exercise in staying calm, in not putting the cart before the horse, in not letting your imagination spiral out of control. In an example of perfect timing, there was this article in the New York Times today about dealing with uncertainty of any kind. I found both the piece itself and the comment section very affirming and consoling. It’s always nice to know you’re not alone. And even though most of you reading this are probably not cancer patients or survivors, there is plenty of uncertainty to go around these days, whether it be covid-related news, politics, social justice, the environment – you name it.

I find it helpful to think about the things that are constant, and that will remain constant no matter what. The two things that are most important to me – the love I give and receive, and the beauty of the natural world – will not change in my lifetime, no matter what my test results are or who is elected in November, or when a vaccine is available. They will always be there for me, every day, all day.

In the last couple of days I witnessed two things in nature that I haven’t seen outside of a television program. The first was a mother deer in our backyard a few mornings ago, nursing her two nearly-grown fawns. Lovely.

The second thing happened this morning. I’ve mentioned in this blog before about how I am fascinated by crows. I love how they live in groups – they remind me of this cool bird gang that you see hanging out in the neighborhood, chatting amongst themselves, calling out to their friends half-way down the block to come join the conversation.

I had heard from my sister that crows can exhibit a behavior called “mobbing.” Mobbing is when a group of animals, usually birds, coordinate to intimidate a predator – swooping, chasing, trash-talking. She once saw a group of crows mobbing a fox in her back yard that had just killed a baby turkey. This morning, as I was entering the park at the end of the street, I heard the crows caw-ing like crazy. I looked around to see where they were perched, and lo and behold they came swooping and chasing after a fox, who was carrying something small, furry, and presumably recently-dead in its jaws. The fox ran across my path, away from the crows and into the brush, to enjoy its meal in peace. The crows flew back to their perches. I walked on, a big smile on my face.

The deer and the fox and the crows don’t care about my test results. They don’t care who wins the election in November, and they don’t care what other craziness we humans think up to do to each other. The trees are turning incredible autumn colors, just as they always have every autumn of my life, just as they will continue to do after I’m long gone. These things are certain. You could argue that with the threat of global climate change these things also face uncertainty. I would agree with you. But for the moment I find great comfort in my walks in the woods, the birds in the trees, and the glory of a sunrise.

Have a wonderful weekend, friends.

Love,

Michelle xoxo

October 6, 2020 Michelle Uncategorized

Back to Church

I don’t pray, but I can say thank you.

Thank you to the universe for having this planet in it.

Thank you to this planet for having me in it.

Thank you to the sun for keeping me warm, for growing my food, for lighting my days, and for making everything look so beautiful.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Love,

Michelle xoxo

September 23, 2020September 23, 2020 Michelle Uncategorized

This Morning’s Walk

Momma deer was not very happy I was there – I moved along quickly!

A group of crows lives in our neighborhood – I’m so fascinated by them!

The morning light turns even dead leaves to gold.

Hello friends,

I have zero time this morning to write more than a few captions, but I wanted to share this morning’s walk with you! I don’t think my heart rate got very close to my target as I was constantly stopping to take photos!

Have a beautiful day!

Love,

Michelle xoxo