Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature’s peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves. – John Muir
Dan and I have recently made it a priority to go to Mt. Lemmon on the regular for several hours to decompress from work, chores, and the incessant chatter of our monkey brains. Our work demands are heavy, as are some of the issues we manage; getting into nature and out of the city is so important for our peace of mind. These excursions remind us of geologic time, and it sure does put things in perspective!
We have a beloved spot at 8,000’ where we sit for hours to listen to the birds, insects, and the breeze blowing through the trees. We bring only what we can carry up the hill: camping chairs, a camping table, water jug and bottles, a backpack with supplies (journal, pens, sunscreen, phones — I love learning about the flora with my Seek app!), a small cooler with lunch and snacks, binoculars, and Nikon with a 180-600mm lens.
I’m just getting started with this camera and lens. It is heavy, nuanced, and a great way to focus on the environmental surroundings. I can’t think of anything else when I’m shooting, it is meditative and in-the-moment being.
I once read that Human Beings do too much, and just BEING (which is a part of our species’ nomenclature) isn’t enough for what modernity and capitalism demands of us. This stuck with me, so I’m working on just BEING when my brain isn’t being rented out by my job and I don’t have to deal with chores and bills. We’re now dedicated to just being a part of the natural world while we are in it. Having patience for the birds to show up so I can capture their foraging and curiosity, to enjoy the quiet of the woods; when there is a ruckus with birds and other critters, to watch the drama unfold and try to ascertain what is happening in their world. To remember and know that life — life in the wilderness — carries on and keeps finding ways to survive, find a mate, and procreate, regardless of what the humans are doing.
(The photos below were taken over three different weekends. I was excited to capture a variety of birds that showed up at different times of the day and so delighted to get photos of Steller jays, painted redstarts, black-headed grosbeaks, hermit thrushes, yellow-eyed juncos, and American robins. We also saw ravens and turkey vultures, but they were on the hunt and flying too high to get pics.)
That is well-written and true.
From your secret bear-admirer