Sometimes when I finish reading your essays and savoring your photos— every illuminated feather and beak—I want to weep. The innocence of student, wide open in wonder before his teacher, reminds me of all that’s good and true in this world. Thank you.
There is an art to offering up a compliment that goes far, far past polite and generous words. The biggest part of it is in knowing the currency of the one you seek to offer the gift of your deliberate attention. 'Tis far greater a gift to be offered something small and true than something grand and off the mark. Your kind note is a Great Blue Heron feather plucked from a broken cattail reed at the edge of a sunset marsh. Most pleasing and ever so deftly chosen. Thank you.
I am in awe of you, and your ways of seeing and praying and tolerating, and of each of these magnificent birds. The vermillion Flycatcher has been added to my dream list for my Colorful Birds of America tour. He looks like (perhaps is?) a magician. Thank you, David.
Dearest Chloe, how fun to be held in awe by someone I hold as deeply in awe as you. I'm so touched by your generous heart, again and again. In your stories and in your generous, affirming notes. And thinking about your Colorful Birds of America tour, well... my mind races along with yours. I feel the breeze and hope big hopes that it gets to happen.
Poems with birds in them😀 surely there are multiple songs including Blue Birds. Your stories and pictures were inspiring…now I want to go birding. I’ll take along a bird book, binoculars and a notebook for writing poems…and a prayer.
Among the many feathered encounters of my recent, Arizona walkabout, I had only one Western Bluebird sighting, and then at what seems to pass for a 'safe' distance to bluebirds who do not know and have a sense of you. Even that was a treat. Otherwise, blue... hmmm. No shortage of Mexican Jays while hiking up in the mountains and a couple of breathtaking Violet-crowned hummingbirds in the southeast part of the state. A bird book, binoculars and a notebook for writing poems sounds perfect. The first prayer is gathering those things and going, but additional prayers will be composed and/or reveal themselves along the way, some absolutely iridescent with feathers. Thank you for joining in here and for something wonderful to imagine unfolding for you...
Stunning photos. They glow with the inner light that animates such exquisite beings. The fanned wing feathers particularly caught my heart. Thank you for this.
I absolutely love how you observe and comment on both the exquisite natural events you capture (in ways only you see) and the human interactions around you. Thank you for sharing this.
Dearest Sheila, your kind words are both a gift and its ornamented wrapping. Finding them and unwrapping them was a treat. I'm so very grateful for you.
"Love the connection between "...SITTING IN THE DIRT LIKE THAT" and the beautiful quote at the end: “I have my way of praying, as you no doubt have yours.” Mary Oliver.
You have understood perfectly, Jo. How wonderful it is to receive notes from generous souls and careful readers. Thank you.
Here in Vt , we have the Great Crested Flycatcher .Sometimes it’s easy to fall into the trap of looking at another bird , same species, different geographic location, maybe not as colorful, and say ; ooh , but look at that one. Because that’s what I did. So I will amend my comment to say ; still a wonder to behold. And learn from my own lesson. My ‘moral of the story’, none should be taken for granted regardless. You , of course know this already. I thought I did.( no reply necessary)
Thank you for your compelling description of your Arizona adventure. I admire your patience and camera skills. I know that those beautiful images of birds in flight are hard to come by.
I am quite fond of Phoebes. There was a family of Say's Phoebes that lived in my ex's orchard. It was such a delight to sit out on the farmhouse porch in the summer evenings and watch them zip among the trees -- 'snap! snap! snap!!' -- eating bugs.
Heather, Friend of Phoebes, you honor me with your generous glimpse. I can imagine the porch, the lengthening shadows, the rows of trees and the out and back flights, repeated again and again. Transported.
You are the first person I have ever heard speaking of poems in this way...
I am so captivated by these visual poems, these beautiful wind-dancers. And I'm glad that you knelt, for all the reasons.
I love the words you use, "...exquisite, shy..." and I stare in awe. I listen to your musing questions. Yes---How? How? Those connections of timing, light and wind, insect and bird.
It's mind-blowing... heart-opening.
Those back-lit wings! Those gestures! What complete joy---You're on a magical mystery tour...
You're a poet in the midst of winged poets. Thank you for sharing theirs and yours--- I loved this, my friend.
"You are the first person I have ever heard speaking of poems in this way..."
What I keep learning from you, Toni is that there are friends who will look for, and see the best in you, again and again. How grateful I am to bask in the sparkling waters of such a generous reader, such a playful soul and good friend. I'm so very delighted to have offered up something you could love so enthusiastically.
I got a whole conversation worth of comments about your church, from the insect hatches that we both chased forever to the amazing sense of privilege you feel when granted the company of an individual wild bird over a period of time, and the stick I built that fits in my carpenter jeans and lets me get low and wait and get back up.
Ken, next shared bird walk I want to see your 'get back up' setup for sure.
I love that you got the shared flyfishing knowledge tie in and feel honored to have earned your 'Grand write-up' badge of honor. From one 'church-goer' to another...
Sometimes when I finish reading your essays and savoring your photos— every illuminated feather and beak—I want to weep. The innocence of student, wide open in wonder before his teacher, reminds me of all that’s good and true in this world. Thank you.
There is an art to offering up a compliment that goes far, far past polite and generous words. The biggest part of it is in knowing the currency of the one you seek to offer the gift of your deliberate attention. 'Tis far greater a gift to be offered something small and true than something grand and off the mark. Your kind note is a Great Blue Heron feather plucked from a broken cattail reed at the edge of a sunset marsh. Most pleasing and ever so deftly chosen. Thank you.
I am in awe of you, and your ways of seeing and praying and tolerating, and of each of these magnificent birds. The vermillion Flycatcher has been added to my dream list for my Colorful Birds of America tour. He looks like (perhaps is?) a magician. Thank you, David.
Dearest Chloe, how fun to be held in awe by someone I hold as deeply in awe as you. I'm so touched by your generous heart, again and again. In your stories and in your generous, affirming notes. And thinking about your Colorful Birds of America tour, well... my mind races along with yours. I feel the breeze and hope big hopes that it gets to happen.
I’m certain that the CBA tour will happen in this lifetime, and I look forward to finding you while I’m on it! 🙏
May it be so...
Poems with birds in them😀 surely there are multiple songs including Blue Birds. Your stories and pictures were inspiring…now I want to go birding. I’ll take along a bird book, binoculars and a notebook for writing poems…and a prayer.
Among the many feathered encounters of my recent, Arizona walkabout, I had only one Western Bluebird sighting, and then at what seems to pass for a 'safe' distance to bluebirds who do not know and have a sense of you. Even that was a treat. Otherwise, blue... hmmm. No shortage of Mexican Jays while hiking up in the mountains and a couple of breathtaking Violet-crowned hummingbirds in the southeast part of the state. A bird book, binoculars and a notebook for writing poems sounds perfect. The first prayer is gathering those things and going, but additional prayers will be composed and/or reveal themselves along the way, some absolutely iridescent with feathers. Thank you for joining in here and for something wonderful to imagine unfolding for you...
Stunning photos. They glow with the inner light that animates such exquisite beings. The fanned wing feathers particularly caught my heart. Thank you for this.
You are most welcome, Julie, if belatedly. Lost track of this one for a bit.
I absolutely love how you observe and comment on both the exquisite natural events you capture (in ways only you see) and the human interactions around you. Thank you for sharing this.
Dearest Sheila, your kind words are both a gift and its ornamented wrapping. Finding them and unwrapping them was a treat. I'm so very grateful for you.
I felt your interactions on a visceral level David. The beauty and wonder of nature and the ignorance of some humans eh.
Love the connection between "...SITTING IN THE DIRT LIKE THAT" and the beautiful quote at the end:
“I have my way of praying, as you no doubt have yours.” Mary Oliver.
"Love the connection between "...SITTING IN THE DIRT LIKE THAT" and the beautiful quote at the end: “I have my way of praying, as you no doubt have yours.” Mary Oliver.
You have understood perfectly, Jo. How wonderful it is to receive notes from generous souls and careful readers. Thank you.
What magnificent photography, David , n such a brilliant subject! I’ve not seen one of those.
Thanks, Sis.
Here in Vt , we have the Great Crested Flycatcher .Sometimes it’s easy to fall into the trap of looking at another bird , same species, different geographic location, maybe not as colorful, and say ; ooh , but look at that one. Because that’s what I did. So I will amend my comment to say ; still a wonder to behold. And learn from my own lesson. My ‘moral of the story’, none should be taken for granted regardless. You , of course know this already. I thought I did.( no reply necessary)
Thank you for your compelling description of your Arizona adventure. I admire your patience and camera skills. I know that those beautiful images of birds in flight are hard to come by.
Bill, coming from you this generous note feels like gold. I bow in your direction, my friend. I know you know what goes into such image 'gathering.'
Of course I meant poetry, not poultry!
Quiet, beautiful words and photos. Watching and listening to the birds outside as I read, in a very different way. Thank you.
Karen, thank you. May your day be kind and show you at least three new wonders.
Wonderful pictures!
I am quite fond of Phoebes. There was a family of Say's Phoebes that lived in my ex's orchard. It was such a delight to sit out on the farmhouse porch in the summer evenings and watch them zip among the trees -- 'snap! snap! snap!!' -- eating bugs.
Heather, Friend of Phoebes, you honor me with your generous glimpse. I can imagine the porch, the lengthening shadows, the rows of trees and the out and back flights, repeated again and again. Transported.
"Friend of Phoebes", I like that. 😊
Beautiful art in both word and photos. Thank you, David, for sharing this heartwarming experience and your rich feelings! 🙏
You, my dear friend are most welcome. Thank you for making time to offer such encouragement.
You are the first person I have ever heard speaking of poems in this way...
I am so captivated by these visual poems, these beautiful wind-dancers. And I'm glad that you knelt, for all the reasons.
I love the words you use, "...exquisite, shy..." and I stare in awe. I listen to your musing questions. Yes---How? How? Those connections of timing, light and wind, insect and bird.
It's mind-blowing... heart-opening.
Those back-lit wings! Those gestures! What complete joy---You're on a magical mystery tour...
You're a poet in the midst of winged poets. Thank you for sharing theirs and yours--- I loved this, my friend.
"You're a poet in the midst of winged poets."
"You are the first person I have ever heard speaking of poems in this way..."
What I keep learning from you, Toni is that there are friends who will look for, and see the best in you, again and again. How grateful I am to bask in the sparkling waters of such a generous reader, such a playful soul and good friend. I'm so very delighted to have offered up something you could love so enthusiastically.
I got a whole conversation worth of comments about your church, from the insect hatches that we both chased forever to the amazing sense of privilege you feel when granted the company of an individual wild bird over a period of time, and the stick I built that fits in my carpenter jeans and lets me get low and wait and get back up.
Grand writeup
Ken, next shared bird walk I want to see your 'get back up' setup for sure.
I love that you got the shared flyfishing knowledge tie in and feel honored to have earned your 'Grand write-up' badge of honor. From one 'church-goer' to another...
Lovely, David. Stunning photographs of the fly catcher and a beautiful description of your experience, and the birds'.
Oh, Sarah. You offer the kindest, most encouraging words. Thank you.