G is for . . .

I understand that Buddhism teaches mindfulness by recommending that we choose one colour to notice through the day. Sometimes the locus of my focus, as it were, isn’t a colour but a letter, and more easily identified retrospectively.

Life can only be understood backwards,
but it must be lived forwards.
Soren Kierkegaard

One day last week, as I lived forwards, G turned out to be for . . .

Green Heron

As I walked slowly from the paved path to the edge of the artificial lake at Gilbert Water Ranch, I accidentally flushed this guy from a stand of grass where he was hiding. He lit out across the water and disappeared into a thicket of leafless branches.

And then he moved. Ah ha! Invisible no more.

Putting my camera on its maximum zoom and then cropping by about half, I got this photo. I’ve been closer to other green herons and got better shots as a result (and worse, sigh), but this is such a typical pose: Fisher, Intent. I am *so* glad not to be the object of his desire.

Grebe (pied-billed)

These guys hide among (hang out with?) miscellaneous ducks on the artificial lake. Resolutely un-flashy — no strong/bright markings, no dunking-and-wing-flapping displays — they just sort of drift along, under the radar (sonar?). But I scan for something that triggers my that’s-not-a-duck reaction and eventually I see one.

Smaller than ducks, with lesser tails, they also have differently shaped heads. They look kinda cute. Until I take good note of that beak.

Grasses (reflected)

I don’t pay much attention to grasses per se, but I do like them in reflection, both wavy and still. Mind you, with the heron, duck, grebe, and turtle traffic, this pond is rarely still.

 

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10 Responses to G is for . . .

  1. Ralph Gibson says:

    Nice shots. The green heron is especially appealing

    • Isabel Gibson says:

      Ralph – Many thanks. They’re extraordinarily jumpy birds with respect to human proximity, but seem remarkably oblivious otherwise.

  2. Alison Uhrbach says:

    Lovely to see – for ME – the sunshine and anything GREEN look VERY appealing!!

    • Isabel Gibson says:

      Alison – 🙂 Yes, I know what you mean. Maybe a can of green spray paint for your snowbanks would help? Eco-friendly, of course . . .

  3. Tom Watson says:

    Love the Kierkegaard quote. One of my favorites!
    Tom

  4. Gee wiz there all lovely (Sorry I couldn’t resist that!)

    A nice collection of G’s.

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