I have always been a dreamer.
["Dream Weaver", by Gary Wright is a song inspired by a Paramhansa Yogananda poem, God! God! God! that made reference to "the idea of the mind weaving dreams". John Lennon, in his song "God", depicts Lennon's declaration that he was the dream weaver of the sixties, breaking away from the influences and dogmas that influenced his life.-wikipedia.org-]
Down on the Farm
(to be continued)
Me and My Horse Named Silver
Years ago, I traveled to California. I discovered a riding stable north of Santa Barbara and was afforded the opportunity to ride out by myself along ocean beaches and up into the mountains (It was the seventies, after all). One day I was riding along the beach at low tide when I came upon a dirt trail that led up a small hill. When I and my horse named Silver got to the top we were overlooking a stand of dead avacado trees. Storm clouds hung low and the trees were shrouded in mist. Perched on the twisted limbs were dozens of vultures. Every once in awhile one would flap its wings and slowly take off. It was as if the world had stopped turning and I had ridden back in time, before man had put his footprint in the sand. I returned the next day, but they were all gone. Every time I read about the condors I am back again on Silver, mesmerized by the sight of those birds in that far off place.
Perfect Timing
Sometimes we are handed
the
gift of perfect timing,
or perhaps it's a
gift from God.
Today at Pickerington Ponds
was
one of those moments
that takes my breath away.
It began with five white
egrets
sunning on dead limbs of a
tree...
half-submerged, a lonely
sentinel
in the middle of a sea of
water,
well in a pond at least.
Two flew off with long wings
flapping,
no wind to hinder their way.
In time I turned to see two
cormorants,
land in that same dead tree
standing vigil on undulating
branches,
lording over their water
world.
At last I espied that
elusive heron,
camouflaged in the dead of the
tree.
You can never give up
searching,
thinking none you will ever
find.
Because there's always one out
there...
grey upon grey, a puzzle
within a puzzle.
Hm, it's not the day to wax
philosophical,
instead a memory of my
making.
May you have even a
better day.
Pickerington Ponds
OMG, I saw my first Kingfisher today!!! It all started when
I awoke to a rainy morning. I figured it
would be a good time to go back to Pickerington Ponds. Rain always calls to
water creatures, come out and play. This time I remembered to grab my binoculars. I know it sounds corny, but, honest to
goodness, the fish were even jumpin’. After the thrill of the Kingfisher sighting, I
walked over to see my friend the white egret. Suddenly I heard this loud, angry
squawk and a great blue heron went flying by me and on down the estuary to
Ellis Pond. My footsteps in the gravel must have startled him. I tried to find him out on the water, but
sadly he was gone.
After my egret friend and I studied each other for awhile, I drove over to a duck blind and watched six more white beauties sunning themselves at water’s edge, while a Canadian goose frolicked about. From there I went exploring and found the road that led to the opposite side of Ellis Pond. I took off on what was advertised as a circular half-mile trail. I walked along with a spring in my step admiring the meadow as it stretched out before me. Hm. It’s starting to feel like more than a half mile. But, as the path finally curved around to the left I felt reassured that I was on the right track. At the next intersection a sign announced that the trail veering left was closed. I could clearly see this would have taken me back to where I started from. Since it was closed, I convinced myself that if I kept walking on the open trail it would eventually circle back to my car. I walked and walked. I came to a small creek and crossed over.
On I trudged, wishing I had brought a bottle of water from home. Finally I came to another fork in the road. No signs were posted so I kept to the left, hoping for the best. Sometime later storm clouds began forming. When two turkey buzzards started circling over my head, I decided it was time to throw in the towel and turn back. Someone was sending me a message. As I retraced my steps I found myself humming a song from my childhood….”all day I faced the barren waste, without the taste of water. Cool, clear, water. Water.” Do you know it? The cool clear sound of water. Water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink.
I finally stumbled back to my car. And what was my reward? Yes, at the end of the road there was a reward. There he was, in all his glory…that great big, beautiful, blue heron standing in the water right in front of me, awaiting my return. I stood there in awe and knew it was meant to be. If I had not taken off on “The Sunshine Trail to Nowhere”, the wrong trail I might add, I would have hopped in my car and driven away, missing a very special moment in time.
After my egret friend and I studied each other for awhile, I drove over to a duck blind and watched six more white beauties sunning themselves at water’s edge, while a Canadian goose frolicked about. From there I went exploring and found the road that led to the opposite side of Ellis Pond. I took off on what was advertised as a circular half-mile trail. I walked along with a spring in my step admiring the meadow as it stretched out before me. Hm. It’s starting to feel like more than a half mile. But, as the path finally curved around to the left I felt reassured that I was on the right track. At the next intersection a sign announced that the trail veering left was closed. I could clearly see this would have taken me back to where I started from. Since it was closed, I convinced myself that if I kept walking on the open trail it would eventually circle back to my car. I walked and walked. I came to a small creek and crossed over.
On I trudged, wishing I had brought a bottle of water from home. Finally I came to another fork in the road. No signs were posted so I kept to the left, hoping for the best. Sometime later storm clouds began forming. When two turkey buzzards started circling over my head, I decided it was time to throw in the towel and turn back. Someone was sending me a message. As I retraced my steps I found myself humming a song from my childhood….”all day I faced the barren waste, without the taste of water. Cool, clear, water. Water.” Do you know it? The cool clear sound of water. Water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink.
I finally stumbled back to my car. And what was my reward? Yes, at the end of the road there was a reward. There he was, in all his glory…that great big, beautiful, blue heron standing in the water right in front of me, awaiting my return. I stood there in awe and knew it was meant to be. If I had not taken off on “The Sunshine Trail to Nowhere”, the wrong trail I might add, I would have hopped in my car and driven away, missing a very special moment in time.
Ashton Pond at Blacklick Woods
Photo
by
Jacquelyn K. Thompson
