Oh Deer!

Yesterday afternoon held a walk to the end of a road to the sea, where all the sweat and head pounding heat was instantly gone in cool, calm water. There was a family there, masked and socially distancing from me, doing exactly what I was doing, enjoying our blessing. 

While gathering up things to go, there was an unexpected bonus!

Hello!

Enjoying the view

Ok, places to go

She was so calm and so close! I had time to take photos as she turned and strolled down the beach. Another gift. 

Day was done, curfew was near, it was time to head home, holding simple pleasures in hand and heart.

Have a serene Saturday. Do something saturating. 

Oh Deer!

A quickie post but I have to share this photo from Bill Kunke. While you might expect something like this from up in the higher latitudes, he managed to capture this really lovely image right here on Culebra. Well done, Bill!!

credit: William Kunke

Have a terrific Tuesday. Do something taking time.

Zoni Time

Each year I look forward to spending time at Zoni with incoming friends. Time in this place is always excellent; throw in a Full Flower, Planting Moon, Milk Moon - or for you Southern Hemisphere folks - Hunter’s Moon, Beaver Moon, Frost Moon rise and...well, the photos will tell the story of how it went over the top of the top. With a few unnecessary explanations, of course.

Some of these are a bit repetitive of the moment. I couldn't help myself then or stop myself from posting them now. All day and evening the wow! so lucky to be here! never stopped.

Getting ready to head to Zoni, this duck was just standing there on the side of the road, relatively far from water, eating the seed heads off of the grasses.

When I first saw this I thought 'WHAT is all over the lens here?'.
Then I remembered; it was raining, with sun layers.

Yes, the water really looked just like this. No editing done.

Sailboats were so very white against the blues

A gorgeous ship comes sailing through

Yes, catching that semi-quick guardian light took a few tries

Moon gold. The moon was actually much more orange but I couldn't get the camera to make it so.

Turn away from the moon and more beauty

More moon gold

After a sleep to the live sound track of waves crashing onshore, I woke up on the couch, the light from the windows bringing me instantly wide awake. Time to head back to hungry cats. And there, looking like the moon, was the rising sun, ghostly and beautiful. 

I tore myself away from such a sunrise with reluctance, backing onto the road, where there! a family of deer were climbing an almost vertical embankment. I thought they would run off but they stay around long enough for me to change the lens on the camera and catch them before strolling off into the bush; the baby stayed in the bush, more cautious and unseen by the camera. 

Thank you, Universe, for this perfect start of another day in Paradox.

Have a maximumly majestic Monday. Do something mercurial.

Oh me oh my I think I'm high

Yesterday afternoon I took the dogs for our walk, the same route as the day before when I saw the doe for a few seconds. I took my camera along,  laughing at myself in this Disneyesque mode, expecting the deer to understand that I wanted to see them at this o'clock so they'd best show up. On the other hand, I've walked in a lot of woods nearing sunset and that is a good time to see deer. Sometimes magic happens and I wanted to be ready.

The dogs plowed on.

But then, like a shift in the air, there was an alert difference in them. They were looking up and ahead, seeing something I could not.I followed their signals and there, up on a curve in the road, was this beautiful buck. He just stood there, long enough for me to turn on the camera, pray it didn't jam on zoom and get off a couple of shots.

We stared at each other, no doubt with very different sensations, my being in awe, him being in potential danger.Then he hightailed it (and now we know where that saying comes from) down into the safety of the bush.

I was left laughing and thanking the dogs, the deer, the universe.

I've loved this poem for a long time. Adjusted for a Caribbean setting or right in your own world, it is very true for far more than deer.

How to See Deer
by Philip Booth
Forget roadside crossings. Go nowhere with guns. Go elsewhere your own way, lonely and wanting. Or stay and be early: next to deep woods inhabit old orchards. All clearings promise. Sunrise is good, and fog before sun. Expect nothing always; find your luck slowly. Wait out the windfall. Take your good time to learn to read ferns; make like a turtle: downhill toward slow water. Instructed by heron, drink the pure silence. Be compassed by wind. If you quiver like aspen trust your quick nature: let your ear teach you which way to listen. You've come to assume protective color; now colors reform to new shapes in your eye. You've learned by now to wait without waiting; as if it were dusk look into light falling: in deep relief things even out. Be careless of nothing. See what you see.

Right after seeing Mr. Buck, this view of St. Thomas was around the corner.

 Sometimes, I think the universe gets a bit of a grin, letting us have our way. If you heard a low mirthful chuckle late yesterday afternoon on Culebra, now you know why.

Monday morning walkabout

Yesterday while walking the dogs, I turned up a road I'd never been on before. I could hear a deer in the woods. Then a few yards farther on, one leapt out of the woods and ran up the road away from me with her white flag of a tail raised high. With another gravity defying jump she was back in the woods and the world was silent, as if a miracle hadn't just occurred.

This morning, oh my! Blue sky! Plants wilty with too much rain are making a come back, the cat is feeling frisky. Maybe it really is late autumn. The sea almonds seems to think so.

Color in the morning sun

Leaf fall (see, we DO have seasons!)

Spinach sprouting, thanks bro!

 

It's difficult to capture the most delicate green of this orchid...but so it is

A pretty pot of peppers

What the sea brings to me

Have a beauty full Monday. Look for deer - yes, Virginia, even in the city, keep your eyes open