WILD WEDNESDAY

I had arranged to go into town today to meet Jean, a cousin of mine, for a coffee - so feeling rather brave, I decided to catch the bus instead of taking the car.  I did wear my mask on the bus and made sure I plonked my shopping bag on the seat next to me to warn off anyone who thought of coming to sit next to me, particularly if they weren’t wearing a mask, but thankfully, that didn’t happen.

I had read in our local paper that there was a Spring Safari Trail around the town, so as I was a few minutes early, I wandered around  before I met Jean.  I found several of the large animals in various places, so stopped to take some photographs, thinking they would make a good Blip for Wild Wednesday and was quite happy with that.

Jean and I had a lovely catch-up over a cup of coffee and then I had a quick wander around a few shops, but didn’t buy anything.  I wandered up to the top of the town, intending to walk back to the bus station, but it started to rain quite heavily, so I rang Mr. HCB to see if he would be kind enough to come and pick me up and he said he would.

The rain had stopped by this time, so I told him I would walk through Queen’s Park and meet him at the Drove Road entrance.  I took several shots of trees on the way round, intending to change the backgrounds for the wild animals, and make them into a collage, which I have now done and they are in as an extra.

However, just as I walked over a bridge in the park, I spotted a grey heron standing very still in part of the lake.  I crept a bit nearer and as it was so still, thought it must be a fake heron.  However, as I got closer, it turned slightly, so I knew it was alive and obviously just looking for its lunch.  I was able to take several shots and it never moved from the same spot, so it must have had its eye on something.  Mr. HCB said, when I told him, that it could have come from Coate Water, which is a country park near to where we live, and where there is large heronry and this one could have been out looking for food to feed the chicks.  In any event, I decided that this would be my main shot for today and it is dedicated to my dear Blip friend, LSquare, who loves herons.

What a lovely morning and an unexpected delight to see not only Jean, but also this beautiful heron, and of course, some of the animals on the Spring Safari Trail.

I know I posted this poem on the 2nd March, but it is so appropriate for today so I’m sure you won’t mind reading it again:

THE PEACE OF WILD THINGS
When despair for the world grows in me
and I wake in the night at the least sound
in fear of what my life and my children’s lives may be,
I go and lie down where the wood drake
rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.
I come into the peace of wild things
who do not tax their lives with forethought
of grief. I come into the presence of still water.
And I feel above me the day-blind stars
waiting with their light. For a time
I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.
Wendell Berry