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Tuesday, November 22, 2011

The Elusive Blue Bird of (my) Happiness


Before writing today, I apologize to those readers who frequent my blog. I have two reasons for not keeping up.  One, is that I fell doing house maintenance and got a mild concussion. If you haven’t had a mild concussion, you might not realize that mild doesn’t mean gentle! Headaches, wooziness, and a few other symptoms kept me away from bright lights, phones, computers and loud noises. The second, is that I may write this blog, but the words are “given” to me. I don’t know if they are words from God or from one of his angels – but I do know that I am not a writer.  I typically answer questions with yes or no, and rarely do I elaborate.  I wasn’t being given those words.  Here is why I believe this: I had felt God was telling me to do something, and I kept questioning it. Is this really God telling me, or is it my own disappointment in the event. It isn’t costing me much and, hmmm, yes my pride wanted to show off my work. See God gave me my talents, and I wasn’t using them the way He wanted me to.
 
Now, the rest of the story of the elusive blue bird.  Past readers will remember that I received a fine camera, with a 30x zoom.  With that camera, I felt I could capture all kinds of wonderful pictures.  We live on a small lake of 5-8 acres.  Now around here that is a manmade lake. I would have called it a large pond. Anyway, we get lots of ducks, Canadian geese and occasionally a blue heron.  Ahh, that is my elusive blue bird!
 
My first attempt to capture that bird on film, he (or she) hid behind a tree and all I captured was the head. As I crept closer trying to get a better angle, up he flew across the pond.  I wasn’t able to get any closer with my zoom, and he blended into the background.
 
A second attempt, two weeks later,  I tried to snap from my deck doors.  Thinking that all I had to do was zoom in, I managed to get a close up photo of two wonderful deck posts of my railing and the heron sandwiched in between hopelessly blurred.  I couldn’t get a second shot, because he rose up and was quickly hidden by the leaves on the trees.
 
Now, I have to add this so you realize how I have tried to capture this wonderful creature!  I look out my dining room window and, yes, I believe it is back.  Hurriedly I get my camera, turn it on, and zoom it in. I creep out the porch door, silently pushing open the screen door. Raising my camera and focusing in, I realize that what I have seen is not the blue heron – but a small branch that has had leaves fall on it in such a way as to give it a head and body if looking from a distance.

Oh well! Perhaps I had better stick with my paint brush!!


May you be blessed this Thanksgiving as you bless others!
Rhonda

2 comments:

  1. Love this- how our eyes can play tricks on us! sometimes when I look out in the back (we face the woods), I think I see an animal, but it is a branch. We do see lots of animals , some even wander into our backyard (none dangerous).
    Any way, this was fun to read-I enjoyed it---and loved the painting you enclosed.
    Feel better- and Happy thanksgiving to you and your family.

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  2. Thanks Linda. I think those of us who can see our paintings on the blank canvas, also have the eyes to see what isn't there in other areas.

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