Beauty in the Mud

  I have often said that I take far too many photographs.  If this was a business, perhaps I could justify the numbers but it is more just a hobby than anything since nary a penny has been earned by my camera-clicking.  Still, I click away and hope somebody somewhere will find a bit of enjoyment in seeing the beauty of the Bayou.  As I see it, some day in the (hopefully far, far) future, those photographs may be all that is left of the place.  "Progress" is happening around here and it is not a pretty sight.  

  However!  A pretty sight could be found down on the mudflats and in the shallows this morning.  A lovely Great Egret was wading and feeding in the shallows.  The bird gave me the perfect opportunity to get a few photos as it seemingly posed for me. The egret was the perfect epitome of grace as it slowly (almost) waltzed its way along the shoreline.  Watching the egrets never bores me but instead, intrigues me.   It always amazes me how these birds can stay so gleaming white while sloshing around in the mud.  This morning, the bright sunbeams (after months of no-show) made the bird almost sparkle, the reflections were dancing on the water's ripples and the water was not its normal brown...it appeared blue for a change.  All of this simply because we had sunshine and blue skies for once.

  When viewing the photographs, I was struck by the beauty, not only of the bird, but also the place I call home.  The Bayou never fails and, hopefully, my photographs will some day be seen as a reminder of what we are so quickly losing and cause a bit of change....doubt it...but hopeful.