Sunday, August 22, 2010

Unsung Creatures


last week i headed out to the wild animal park. it’s something i would normally not do this time of year, but with the record-setting cool temperatures we have been having all summer, it was fabulous.


i don’t necessarily go for the reasons you might think. oh sure, i love lions and tigers and giraffes and gorillas as much as anyone and i have the photos to prove it! but what i really love is the hiking trails to the outer limits of the park and the opportunity to find a whole array of “unsung creatures”.



 i get there early and head for the outer edges. when i get deep into the park, literally no one is there (yet!) and it’s like being alone in the jungle or maybe on an African safari. it’s kind of meditative, really. i just walk with my camera (and sometimes with music) and wait to see what i discover.



after hiking and photographing for a while, i stop at a very special place at the top of the park. it’s a shaded picnic table set in the native plant garden that has a view of the park and the surrounding countryside. i take out my thermos of coffee, a snack and my notebook.  i review the morning’s photos and write down whatever comes to me. 


this time i had a special bonus! as i was finishing my coffee, a park worker came up and started talking to me. on her arm was perched a tawny frog-mouth (no, it’s not an owl!) . she happened to be a veritable fountain of knowledge about that particular creature and spent a good twenty minutes sharing all of the details with me. how special was that??

4 comments:

  1. what an absolutely fabulous date you went on with you!!!
    I LOVE IT!!!

    these photos are awesome and the wonderful surprise at the end is the best!! it is those unexpected moments that create memories, isn't it??!!

    xoxox
    love to you
    k

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  2. Took my breath away. Your photo of the cat ... wow! I can hear her purring. Such a treat for you at the end of your time -- we never know what's just around the corner, do we.

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  3. wow! Were you like *in* with these animals? I would have been a little scared but in awe all at the same time.

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  4. Your photos are so amazing!!! I love all of these! Whenever I go to an animal park, the pictures turn out plain boring. This is beautiful!

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