The Art Of Lingering

   Late this afternoon, I found an old camera that had stopped working a few weeks back.  I opened it up and found that the "chip" still had photographs on it so I did the whole rigmarole of getting the photos off and onto the laptop then discarding any that were a blurry mess.  One caught my eye and made me think that the "one good photo per day camera" had really tried its best on that one.  It was a picture of the sunset and, to me, those are always intriguing.

  The whole thing about this photograph being special may not be in the picture itself nor in the skill behind it but that I rarely get to watch the sunsets anymore.  Son frets over me being on the pier when no one else is around.  He keeps a watchful eye out for his old mom.  I fully understand his reasoning as I am not as steady as I used to be.  This photograph was taken while he was still working on the little skiff.  I had wandered down to see if I could help carry up any tools as he finished up his work.  The sky was darkening and he knew I would want to linger just a bit.  So...he found things to do while I photographed the sunset.  Then...we ambled up the hillside.  He was satisfied with the work on the boat and I was plumb elated with the opportunity to "linger".  It was grand!

Missed Opportunities

   Today was one of those days of missed opportunities.  It started okay with my predawn hike where the camera allowed me my one photo of the day but then things got way out of hand.  The early morning sky was  stunning and I had the camera so I attempted a photo.  The camera worked!  Then, it did not.  As the morning went on, I left the camera behind and went about my day.  It was a day filled with garden work.  Occasionally, I would stroll to the pier to see if Son needed any help.  He is rebuilding the final platform that was demolished during Hurricane Zeta.  (The shortage of lumber put the original repairs to a screeching halt.)  

  It was on several of those walks down the pier that I wished I had a decent camera!  My timing with the one photo was not good.  At one point, there were five white pelicans swimming nearby.  Another time, there were seven geese.  Then, I noticed some lovely pink sea nettles floating under the pier.  Right after that, a fat otter swam under the pier, climbed out of the water on shore near the marsh then turned to look directly at me!  Oh, where was that camera?  The final straw was when a nice sized stingray leisurely glided right under the pier in the shallows!  Ugh.  

  Since the camera has been allowing me only the one photo per day, I had left it back in the Little Bayou House.  Perhaps, if I had it along with me, the perfect shot of one of the aforementioned events may have been gained.  Instead, I just caught glimpses.  The morning shot was pretty impressive, however!

Missed My Chance!

  Sometimes the world silently passes by us when we are occupied with other things.  Look down for a moment and, whoosh!, you have missed an important (or not so important) moment.  Here lately, my important moments revolve around critters and those, too, whoosh right on past without nary a notice. 

   Rare is the day when I do not have my camera with me while I am outside.  I carry the thing around like it is literally attached to my hand.  I feel lost without it but, this morning, I made a mad dash out to the garden without the trusty thing in hand.  Big mistake.  While I was hastily grabbing tomatoes from the plants in an effort to beat a threatening thunderstorm, several of the most beautiful, graceful critters on this old earth passed just a few yards from the garden.  A lovely doe and two yearlings meandered down along the marsh edge. Wow!  I was awestruck!  Then, I spied the buck halfway across the yard towards my brother's place.  The whole family just claimed the lower yard as their own and I am without the camera!

Deer track with 2 1/2 inch camera lens for size reference.  

   After missing the chance of a fantastic photo, I got to thinking about how missed chances happen far too often.  We get too hung up on the business of the day to take the time to be a part of life.  For the past few weeks, things have been a bit hectic around here with work being done on the Little Bayou House and with the garden being on overdrive.  I have not taken the time to really be a part of the life of the Bayou. That has to be remedied.  I figure that tomorrow is a good time to start my before dawn hikes once again.  It just takes getting up a bit earlier and stepping outside BEFORE starting those chores.  Unless, of course, another thunderstorm sweeps in from the Gulf.  Then...I will just have to be happy making those mad dashes out between the rains.  Hopefully, the deer will understand my plight and hang around a bit longer!  Pictures would be nice!