The pelicans were plentiful at the river Friday. The sun finally cleared out the fog around nine o’clock and the pelicans flew in over the dam in groups of four to five birds.
Watching these large birds paddling along eyes ever watchful for a fish to catch is fascinating. This pelican feet spread like its wings as if unsure of the landing. One group picked up and rode the thermals with the buzzards for a while.
Whenever a gull picked up a large fish a pelican would do what it could to rob it from them.
We had visitors in the afternoon back at home. I got to play catch with Christian my nephews son for an hour or so. From boyhood to manhood I still enjoy playing catch. One surprising thing was after dark Christian and I worked on his school work. Mathematics of all things and it was fun. He showed me how he logged in to his school account on the computer. Then we worked on how to figure out perimeters and areas of squares and rectangles. It was interesting to see how kids today get some of their education.
Another memory for yesterday was a visit from Ethan. It was a pleasure watching him toddle around chasing the goats and being chased by the puppies.
Ethan did not mind the slobbery licks and kisses from Dixie. Have a great weekend!
With patience love develops. Oh sure, Love can be spontaneous. The lasting kind of love that settles in and becomes a part of every fiber of your being takes time. We are approaching our thirty sixth anniversary. That is the “Little Woman” and I. Well actually it will be our ninth since we married on leap day. My spontaneous love of this woman continues to grow and get stronger and more vibrant as the years roll by. What does that have to do with vultures you might ask?
I always enjoyed watching vultures and buzzards riding the winds. They are almost constant companions on my walks. All in all I would not say that I loved them in the past. This year I have spent a lot more time around vultures and a sort of love is developing. It has taken patience to give of my time to observe them closely. Yesterday I went to take photos of pelicans. They were not at the river so I looked around and found them on Barkley Lake. At the launch ramp at double creek vultures roost. As I was sitting watching the pelicans the vultures started flying from the roost landing nearby. My interest shifted as I watched them meticulously bath in the shallows. For whatever reason I never thought of vultures keeping themselves clean. The vultures gathered on the lake shore and took turns bathing then drying on stumps and trees. Then flying back to the roost.
The vultures are difficult to photograph being mostly one color. This makes photographing them a challenge. Like finding that first love and overcoming the challenges and belief that you can do it, you try harder. In many ways I love the challenge and patience photography requires.
I took so many photos the only way I could figure to display them was in a video. I found a song my son created many years ago to go along with the photos. He was just starting to play the guitar and mix his music on the computer. Think about a young man starting out falling in love with making music. Like the love of my wife it take time to develop. Still the roots and purity, even innocence I can hear in this song. All of these things get in to the mix involving Love. I hope you enjoy the video. It could be the roots of your falling in love with vultures as I have. Now all I have to do is figure out how to explain to the “Little Woman” how I compare her with vultures.
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The rope pulled taut as I felt the pressure of the water against the skis. Determined to make this my first successful attempt at water skiing. My father intent on doing all he could to assist me forgot to pay attention to where we were headed. Waving frantically to avert the collision Dad mistook my waving as joy at getting up for the first time.. At the insistent screams from my brother in the bow Dad looked forward at the last instant and cut the power to the motor. Twisting the hand tiller hard to port I saw our small aluminum boat give a glancing blow broadside to the canoe. My thrill of skiing short lived as the forces of nature took hold and I slowed and sank back down below the surface of the river.
I will always have a connection to the Delaware River. Like our great country crossing it would lead to the building of a fantastic way of life. Fortunate was I to be reared in this location. The exact spot where George Washington’s daring crossing turned the tides during the revolutionary war. Of course there have been many stubbed toes along the way. Speaking of which I can not tell you how many times I stubbed my toes on a warped board on the walkway on the Washington’s Crossing bridge. My parents divorced when I was young and Mom and us kids lived in New Jersey. My Dad and Grandparents lived in PA. Many a time I crossed the river alone as a boy. Headed for Grandmom’s and a chance to spend time with Dad after work. No mere river would stop me. Nor the lashings I received from Mom for making these journeys without permission.
So many memories I will never forget teaching me that life will have its ups and downs. The currents that race across the rapids below New Hope to the calm flow at Washington’s Crossing. To the difficult navigation of Scudder’s Falls above Yardley. This stretch of river was a huge part of my education. I learned things more valuable than what I read in schoolbooks. Lessons that stick. Many that only a river can teach and a growing boy can comprehend.
I learned how a father will spend his time and precious little money to bring joy to those he loved. Overcoming the challenges of his lack of education to make a dream world come true for us. Dad’s unfailing effort’s to allow us to try it all was a lesson in itself.
Once one challenge is overcome one must look for the next. Once I could ski with two ski’s then it was time to learn to do it on one ski. The Pelican landing dragging one foot yesterday reminded me of kicking off one ski. The wings spread portrays the feeling of balance I tried to maintain. A few flips and crashes in the water did not stop me. Failing being the educator it is I learned to find balance after many mistakes. Little did I know that this was my foundation for weathering the rapids and eddies of my life to come.
The pelicans were plentiful at the river Friday. The sun finally cleared out the fog around nine o’clock and the pelicans flew in over the dam in groups of four to five birds.
Whenever a gull picked up a large fish a pelican would do what it could to rob it from them.
We had visitors in the afternoon back at home. I got to play catch with Christian my nephews son for an hour or so. From boyhood to manhood I still enjoy playing catch. One surprising thing was after dark Christian and I worked on his school work. Mathematics of all things and it was fun. He showed me how he logged in to his school account on the computer. Then we worked on how to figure out perimeters and areas of squares and rectangles. It was interesting to see how kids today get some of their education.
Another memory for yesterday was a visit from Ethan. It was a pleasure watching him toddle around chasing the goats and being chased by the puppies.
Ethan did not mind the slobbery licks and kisses from Dixie. Have a great weekend!
