Henry

This very cool bird is not afraid of people. On several visits to the beach, while I was in Hervey Bay, Australia, I happened upon Henry. (For the record, I should divulge that his name is probably unknown to him, although I did greet him by name on several occasions and he didn't object. Something about his calm countenance and unbothered demeaner made me identify him as Henry.) He generally stood as you see him, with the surf flowing over his feet. As I approached, he looked neither left nor right, but placidly continued to gaze forward, as if studying the sea. The first time I encountered him- and he is a fine specimen, black and white and standing about 30 inches tall- I was impressed and wanted to photograph him. Assuming that as I approached he would take his leave, I started shooting pictures of him from about 50 feet. He remained, so I shot again at 40 feet, then 30. He stood his ground. After a shot at 20 feet, I was sure that that was all, but Henry just continued standing there, looking straight ahead. I began to consider 2 possibilities- either this bird was tame and/or used to paparazzi OR he was going to let me get just a bit closer, then he was going to take a bite out of my leg. With trepidation, I took a few steps closer, took this picture, then decided that I had pushed my luck far enough, and continued by, giving him a large berth as I went around. Several times, as I continued on my way down the beach, I turned back, only to see Henry remaining as he had been all along, studying the surf. As I said, Henry is one cool bird.

Rain drop

Sunday evening we had a steady rain that has continued through most of today. As I was finishing washing the dishes, I happened to look out the window into the backyard. By the glow of our coachlight, the raindrops on these berries glistened as they elongated and fell to the ground. It was a moment to capture- a fleeting piece of art from Mother Nature.

My Nell

I know I have posted a blog about Nell before, but she is such a joy to me daily that I wanted to make her my subject of the day again. Of our 5 cats, she is one of 2 girls and her "sister", Patience, is a big cat. Now that Sam, who is still a kitten at 6 months, has grown so much, Nell is again the smallest of our kitties. She has such a sweet little voice too- one that cannot be ignored, even if it is 3 AM and she wants some food in her dish. There are 4 dishes upstairs- Sam's is still in the bathroom with Kitten chow- but since Nell's is closest to the top of the stairs, the other cats eat out of her dish. So, in the middle of the night, I go upstairs where she will sit by her empty dish- the others all have food- and wait for me to fill hers. She has me wrapped around her paw and she knows it and I know it and we're both OK with it.

A Gift Via Australia

This is Lea, a beautiful woman from Michigan who was a fellow intern on my trip to Hervey Bay to research whales. We had "met" online and chatted for a couple of months before the trip, as we were provided each other's email address by the foundation. I learned that she is the mother of Isaiah, a smart, sweet son who loves animals; that she has driven a city bus for many years and loves her job; and that she had a longer wait for her passport than I did!
We finally met face to face at about 11PM in the LA airport at the ridiculously crowded gate for our flight to Brisbane. We were subsequently packed into different areas of the plane and didn't meet up again until we arrived 12 hours later.
Lea saved me on that trip- from our very first night in Hervey Bay, when she heard me get up at 2AM and came to sit on the couch with me while I cried from jet lag, heat and humidity, and disappointment in what we had encountered so far at the house we were to stay in. She fixed me something to eat and hugged me and promised we'd be a team and stick together- and she kept her promise! We experienced an unforgettable whale encounter on our second (and my last) day on the boat with a mother whale and her calf. When I moved into a motel, Lea came along too, and even though it meant I was leaving her behind, she helped me get my flight home early and went to the airport at Hervey Bay to see me off.
We had some good laughs and long talks and I got to know her over the days we spent in Australia. She is a strong, spiritual, amazing person, and a new friend I plan to keep for life.

A good man

Frank has worn many hats in his life- father, husband, principal- to name a few. The hat he wore in World War II is the one that makes him a hero. Now, he would deny that, just as (I hear) just about all of the WWII vets do. I know almost nothing about his time in the service- not even which branch of the service he was part of. But I do know that he went, he served, and in doing so, risked what every other veteran did. Although it has been many years since those times, he still has all of the characteristics that make these men and women "The Greatest Generation". He is hard working, honest, loyal. His children are grown; he and his wife Mary Jo enjoy their grandchildren- he tells me about them from time to time. Mary Jo is a lovely lady who was an avid gardener, but has had to give that up due to health issues. Sometimes she has little energy, but Frank makes certain she gets out of the house. I see them occasionally as they come and go, she a bit unsteady, and he always at her elbow to give support. In addition to helping his wife, Frank is always looking for ways to help out his neighbors. He'll take trash to the curb for neighbors who forgot, or empty the sidewalk of snow while working neighbors are at their jobs. I believe that being of service is important to him. That unselfishness and sense of duty to everyone around him endears him to me. I am grateful to know him and hope he wanders over to tell me a story while I am out gardening for many years to come.

Australia sunset

What an amazing thing it is to stand on a beach and look out toward the horizon and know that except for a few, tiny islands, there is nothing but deep ocean for thousands of miles. My favorite times in Australia were when we were out on the water. For 2 mornings at around 8AM, we would pull away from the marina in our 19 foot craft and set out, bouncing along over the water in Hervey Bay for at least an hour until we were out far enough to begin our whale watch. We'd be out all day photographing and logging pods of whales, stopping for an hour for lunch with the engine off, bobbing in the waves. By about 4:30PM it was time to head back as it took well over an hour zipping along to reach the marina again. Both days I sat in the bow, laughing like a kid as we bounced along with sea water spraying us. It was glorious! On both days, the sun set while we were underway. We watched as it slowly slid behind the horizon. Darkness came on much earlier in Australia than it did at home and the light faded quickly as we sped along.

In addition to boat adventures, I had the privilege of walking along a beautiful white beach that went on for miles. The evening this picture was taken was just one of many that ended in lovely colors and shadows.

November

November is beautiful. Having said that, I am probably one of maybe 2 people who would say that. November's beauty is in browns and grays of earth and sky. A field of corn, just a few months ago emerald green, now stands tall and tawny, with dried leaves rustling in the cool northerly breeze. Fields where soybeans grew are brown and naked, harvested of their yield. Add to these the colors of leaves drying on the ground and all the flowers of the fields- all brown, but in such hues and shades that to name them all one color is just as much a disservice as describing them by one color in any other season. So, too, does the sky on many days seem low and gray- but silver, or pewter, or with a touch of blue? The earth prepares to rest and calls us to do the same. As I empty my gardens of the impatiens I planted in the spring, and put away my trowels, spades and garden gloves, I look forward to the cool days ahead where I can be like the earth and slow down. This past weekend I cleaned and arranged my winter place upstairs, where I will spend happy hours reading good books, drinking a glass of wine, and enjoying the fragrance of incense and candles. On a recent evening I was blading on my trail surrounded by fields and sky- all alone except for running deer, scampering rabbits and geese flying above. As the sun set, I stopped and watched until the last sliver of light had fallen behind the autumn fields. Then I set out again as dusk came on and the shadows grew, filling my heart with the quiet and peace of the November evening.