Sunday, March 9, 2014

BETWEEN WATER AND SKY

Late in the day, when the westering sun is just starting to angle down through river's overhanging tangle of sycamores, while the evening light is still strong and warm, the resident pair of Canada geese who usually call the downstream section below the Cottage Pool home, often decided they'll head somewhere upstream before nightfall. 

As usual, the male leads the way. But before taking wing for their journey, they pause at the bottom edge of the big riffle. While the female paddles in tight circles about the upper end of the pool, the gander lodges himself smack at the edge of the riffle's rocks where the fast, tumbling current merges with the pool's quiet surface. Sometimes he can't hold himself against the flow and has to readjust his position, jamming his breast in one churning pocket between the rocks after another, until he finds that perfect place to wedge himself against the turbulence.

At this point, grounded as best he can manage, his raises his body, extends his long neck, and peers upstream—head turning this way and that like a periscope on a submarine, sharp eyes scrutinizing every inch of water, rocks, bushes, trees, and sky ahead, looking for the lest hint of danger in their quarter-mile flight path from the here to the bend. This intense and careful reconnoitering takes several long minutes, but he never rushes.

Finally, satisfied that he and missus will be safe, he honks his intentions, says "Follow me!" and lifts off…a huge, lovely, powerful bird, caught between water and sky, back feathers turned golden by the waning sun. And after only the briefest hesitation, his mate follows.        

8 comments:

Penny said...

All I can say is WOW!

Grizz………… said...

Penny...

Wow is plenty. Thank you.

Gail said...

HI GRIZZ - your wise and descript words are amazing. I feel like I too am in waiting for my mate to assure us a safe passage. Glorious.
Love Gail
peace.....

Grizz………… said...

Gail…

Thank you. Not to get too mushy philosophical…but aren't we all, in one way or another, waiting for a trustworthy guide?

(Yeah, I've been up, without sleep, since yesterday morning. Getting slap-happy and embarrassingly ruminative. My brain is turning to oatmeal.)

Gail said...

HI GRIIZZ - I was 'feeling' the male geese securing safe passage and enjoying the passion/power of men. I am not much of a feminist. I like to have a man forge the way and make my journey safer. I feeol empowered by my surrender which means I can trust. Nothing better than that!
Sorry to hear you are not sleeping well. Chammolile tea and slow breaths. Also, some lender lovin' can relax a person very nicely. Give your lady-love a nudge! :-)
Sweet dreams
Love Gail
peace....

Grizz………… said...

Gail…

Making responsible decisions regarding life's sundry complications hasn't gotten any easier as I've grown older. If anything, just the opposite. And the weight of being right and doing right—for myself and those around whom I love and care about—is always there, sometimes bearing heavily.

While I've always been seriously independent and self-contained, it's one thing to follow my own path, and another entirely to choose the best path for everyone concerned. So I can certainly see your point, and why you find relief in trusting someone who's earned that trust.

Which is the way a relationship must be to work, IMHO…which isn't to say I don't rely on Myladylove's help and guidance and strength. I have a pretty healthy ego, but would rather take the right road than the easy one as a matter of course. Always. So I worry and fret, pray, ponder, backtrack, reconsider, and share my thoughts and concerns, I ask questions and listen to answers. Because, while my ego might shout otherwise, I plainly don't know it all, and sometimes can't see the woods for the trees.

Yup, I understand your relief and understand exactly why that gander spends long minutes looking upstream…

I will, uh, give your sleep aids due consideration.

KGMom said...

Scribe--what a fantastic photo. Prize worthy.

Grizz………… said...

KGMom…

Thank you. Really, one of those luck and light shots.