Moments of Awe

If you've ever wondered what it looks like when a human freaks out with awestruck excitement in complete silence, you can imagine me happening upon these three exquisite creatures who were peering curiously at me from a tree this afternoon.

Sometimes the woods feels like a real life game of "Where's Waldo?" You hear a sound , stop , wait, listen, look for movement. I was perplexed by the sound I heard coming from somewhere in this grove of trees; a call I hadn't previously heard. It took a good fifteen minutes of silently scanning with my binoculars before the light was just right and I noticed the motion of one of them turning its head. Their camouflage is impressive.

I sank silently into the muddy ground, taking care not to agitate them (but overwhelmed by an urge to jump and down excitedly), and watched for the better part of an hour.

Moments of awe are precious to me. I feel so grateful.

The light wasn't great for photos, but I was too mesmerized to be fooling around with my camera. It will never be about the perfect photo for me. It’s always about the experience.