The Morning

"You get to the morning and the poison leaks away, doesn't it?"

-- David Caravaggio from The English Patient

It was a breezy morning at the prairie. Lincoln's Sparrows, Sedge Wrens, and Common Yellowthroats were hunkered low in the thicket, but the incredible scenic views were worth preserving. For me, landscape photography can be as enjoyable as photographing birds and it's especially rewarding when elements come together to form appealing composition of light, angles, shape, and depth. With everything that's been going on in the news, it can be challenging to stay focused on things that can make a difference in our wellness. I think about those who are in such economic dire straights that getting outside and visiting with nature isn't even an option for them. I guess I should feel lucky. To the wrens, sparrows, and warblers, there's simply no such thing as a $700 billion bailout. On this crisp day of fall migration, they went on about their regular activities as they have for hundreds of generations. Idle before a stand of asters, under a canopy of wispy clouds, the concerned face of a tiny sedge wren popped out from the purple flowers to check me out. Laugh if you like, but if that can't take the poison away, I honestly don't know what can!

© 2008 Mike McDowell