Morning fog and overhead cloud didn’t stop us today as we made off for Circle B to see what we might see. I think, inside, we were both hoping that the trail that has been shut off these past few visits would be open again.
But if that is what was being hoped, then I am afraid it was in vain. The morons that had been throwing sticks at a mother alligator were still successful in their rendering one of the two main trails inaccessible.
So, we headed off down Marsh Rabbit Run for the fourth time in as many weeks and though it was alarmingly quiet, we still enjoyed every minute of it.
Creature-count was less than 25% of what we normally see and with the fog and cloud combination, there was also little to see in the way of epic scenic views.
But that didn’t take anything from our visit. The walk was wonderful, the breeze refreshing, and the company excellent.
And yes, though the creature count was terribly low, we did get to see the most beautiful red-shouldered hawk. This is a close-up of him (before I continue with my ramble)…
Isn’t he gorgeous?
That shot was against a bright sky so the coloring is slightly off and there are better shots of him in the gallery at the end of this blog.But, I wanted to bring him into view quickly in this dialog, as the hawk was my Dad’s favorite bird and I often get the feeling that he flies in and visits me on these trails from time to time.
This guy flew ahead of us twice and found another perch in a tree almost as if he were watching us. Sometimes, my mind goes to comforting places and this was one such trip.
In any event, I hope you enjoy the collection at the end of the blog.
So, the thought that ran around in my mind was along the notion of grey days and what we do with them. Sometimes they find a welcoming home in our mood and we nurture them and use them as a source with which to feed our own depression.
Living in Forida , where we get an abnormally high percentage of blue-sky days, we probably don’t experience this phenomenon as much as people living elsewhere.
It is difficult to find food for depression when you get out of bed each morning to gorgeous skies and warm days. There is a natural cheering up that happens when we live in an environment like Florida.
And no, I am not naive enough to think that Floridians don’t get depressed; Of course we do. But we just have to work harder at it. There are more than enough stimuli for depression in Florida. I mean, we have an inordinate number of complete idiots here (and no, I am not just talking about our moronic governor). Every day, I see the most asinine example of what makes our people the butt of national jokes and I genuinely would laugh if I didn’t live here too.
In any event, I have wandered off on a tangent. Sorry.
Where I was really trying to go was down a path where the environment we are in can be a real source of help/hinder to our state of mind. If we waken to grey skies and rain, does it not seem less wonderful a day than one that begins with blue skies and the chirps of birds in foliage-filled trees?
But, what happens next in our mind is more important than the initial feeling of let-down or uplift. It comes down to the question that we ask ourselves and the answer we give.
“What do we plan to do with our day today?”
Answer that one with a modification or cancellation due to the weather and you have already resigned yourself to less of a day than you could otherwise have.
Embrace the weather you wake up to and look for ways to use whatever you are being challenged with and yours is a day that can move with you in as positive a direction as you care to take it.
For my part, when faced with a cloudy day, I look for ways to use the cloud to my advantage. Whether it is taking a certain type of photo or even just being able to go somewhere without worrying about getting sunburned. Whatever the weather brings, there is always something to do.
I even have one dear friend who relishes the possibilities that rain brings and she routinely takes her children with her, exploring puddles and getting muddy.
Even on the extreme, when hurricane’s come our way, I try to find a way to have it add to my day rather than seeking shelter and hiding from it. I remember a few years ago, when the eye of a large hurricane came right through my yard, Morgan and I rode out the heavy winds that rocked the home. But then, when the eye itself was on us, I walked out into the yard and just stood there in total silence and a yellow hue around everything. It was one of the most moving moments of my life and I will never forget it.
So, whatever the weather you wake up to, try to find a way to make the day special. If you were to treat it as your last day on earth, you would find a way to play in the fog, dance in the rain, or dream in the clouds.
What I am trying to say, is that our day lies within us and while there may well be a number of things outside our control that happen to us in the process, how we deal with them is really up to us.
… just a thought.
