Perception

[duckboy]

Perception,

I wake up and feed the dogs.

Stumble out into the back yard,
Half asleep,
Maybe more than that…

Maybe I am still asleep,
It is still dark.


Perception.

The sliver of a moon is off to the east,

Suspended between foggy eyes
& 100 year old Fir trees.

I think,
“is that where we left her last night”?

She’s patient, That sliver of a moon.

She’ll wait for you,

Bet she’s waited for me over a hundred times.




The wood stove creaks and moans,
& the coffee maker sounds like a hot radiator bubbling over.

We scrape the ice off of April’s frozen reminder that she is still Winter’s older sister.

Load and roll in the rig we used to drive when we “could afford” to drive.


& it’s not to waste gas, or blow away cash,

But because,
“she’s paid for”.

She’s not worn out!

She’s “seasoned.”


Perception.

Once a month we drive her,

To re-live the good old days..

Extravagance.
Space enough for 3 dogs if you can muster the courage to get em all into the back space.




We’ll drive the back roads.

Coast down every hill.
We can’t afford to do this, but we do it at least once a month.

We creep along and bust a flock of mallards trying to gather acorns and sprouts.







Nothing like the sound of hurried wings,




If I live to be 100 years old (I’ll hope the last 20 years were as good as the first 20).
Nothing will ever top that sound of a bird free.

The whistling of 1000 geese 30 feet over you, and their calling… words can’t top.
So I wont try.

But for the few of you that have been fortunate enough to feel the raw power,
The cacophony.




It must be similar to a scuba diver swimming through a school of fish.

Like the ocean,

The marsh shimmers with life.

Nothing can get by the crew I’ve got aboard.

They scented something and I decided to raise the windows a tad,

I knew it could be a Yote,

Or an Otter,




Alex…






And Ging:





She gets all worked up when that coon tries to sneak by.







Coon was only looking for snakes and acorns.

But Ginger thought that Coon was looking to do more than that.


Ging let loose wish a howl and a growl that woke up the marsh.

1000 geese up and away,

Blackbirds and Kestrels heading for cover in the deep green of berry thickets

Eagles looking to just blend in.


And
Spoonbills just looking for a place to land…

In between the blues and greens and tans

In the space between here,
And there,

Perception.




Drakes acting to cover their hens…

The buddy system.

Flying above her in case an eagle decides to dive upon them.

Doing his temporary job to act as her shield, because she has to raise what is left of him,
Regardless if he is taken out by a Big bird from above,

Or a Land based threat.


It comes naturally to him.


It is hard wired into him.

And in this hard wired reality, there is always a sliver of luck.








Luck can be lots of things.


Sun on a brood on a colder day,

A meal from the grass in a hungry time,






Or the wind just drifting this way.

Instead of that way (in this case)

And holding absolutely,

positively still.



because your life depends on it.






Perception (Or lack thereof)







..






Back up to the last photo….

You’ll see what I mean.

[Rank Amateur]

You have found your talent in life, thanks for sharing.

[traks44]

Perception:

Most people do not understand why,

I rise and fall with the sun every day,

whether I am at school during the week,

Or I am at home working on the weekend,

I follow the sun and and work when it works,

I rest when it rests,


I have these dreams in my head,

most people might tell me they are unatainable,

some would even say they are undesirable,

I want to rule the world at 22 much like you did when you were me,

I have these ideas to feed cows in snowstorms that batter at your chinks and coat,

to ride horses for miles and never see a sign of human life,

to sit on a fence at the days end and enjoy the silence I feel rich to know and love,



Perception, some chase dreams of money, grandness of fancy things and condos,

I think paradise involves a wholesomeness of a quiet, slow, country life.

I may never be able to buy a high dollar jet boat,

I may never be able to buy a brand new pickup,

I will never have many things associated with an urban sprawls,


I am sure some of you dont like me,

I know some of you have probably cussed me,

I have no doubt many of you will never understand, nor do I expect you too....


Some of you probaby think my bearing are screwy,

It's perception people, opinions are choosy.



Just thought I would add my "perception", good writin ounce again DB

[duckboy]

Traks 44,

We share the same distant horizon.

Good to know that I'm not the only one fascinated by it.

[lentz]

Thanks for taking the time to share your writing and thoughts. Both of those were nicely written.

[driven2fish]

Thanks!

[nakoa]

that is one of the greatest thinks i think i have read i a long time thank you

[Hunt'nFish]

Carpe Diem guys. Well written.

One Last Knot
My Ol'Man told me something a long time ago. It was his attitude on life...and life's frustrations. He said, "son when things seem out of control and life's got ya in over your head, don't worry. Just head for the hills and scale back. Find a little patch of dirt that's special to you and call it home for a while. I know I've taught you boys well enough to know that you'd be just fine with little more than a rifle & a sharp knife. Life's a matter of perspective. When life complicates things, remove the complications and simplify."
Not only did he say this to us, but he lived it. But I don't think we really understand it at the time.

Well I'm all grown up now, and had my share of life's complications. And when I was down & out, I'd always think about what the Ol'Man had said and taught us. Yes, if all else fails I could move into that old trail cabin and rest a while, living a simple life worrying only about getting a jag of wood put up for the winter and some meat dried.

Not sure if it's a fantasy, or a realization.......
but I think it's good to have one last knot at the end of the rope. Don't you?
Hunt'nFish