Friday, March 15, 2013

How a "Thang" is Born and Other Tales of Wonder

I've still got a problem I'm trying to work on. I've also got a friend who has a lot of experience in walking beside people as they work on their problems, who said this to me not long ago. I'm smart enough to know it's true, but it's hard work, people. And it's costing me in a lot of ways.

When I read the words, I remembered some photos I'd taken of a rusty old dog chain hanging on a rotting swing in my back yard. I looked at the old photos but I didn't like them as well as I thought so I went out and took new ones.

This is how a "thang" is born!

I'm trying to get organized to set up an online shop to sell them on cards suitable for sending in the mail or for framing.

Last week's verb was "wonder." I experienced a time of wonder last weekend when I was in the country. My parents were with us and my mom pointed to this rabbit eating grass in the yard. I went and got my camera and slowly moved closer and closer to him. I think I was within 10-15 feet of him before he finally decided to hop away! The camera would make its shutter noise and he would look up but he was too busy eating to let it bother him too much.

And then, the very next day, we went for a walk on a little trail I'm clearing out (it's actually a "fire line" which has been plowed up a while back but is kind of growing back) and we saw this scary looking guy.
Talk about make your heart stop! My mother saw him first. He was on the side of the trail. She went on ahead of him. My dad and I were behind him. My dad has had all that trouble with his eye and he can only see a little bit. I didn't want to send him up ahead to catch up with my mother because I was afraid the snake might strike, or that my dad might not see so well and trip and fall. We could have turned and gone back the other way but I figured my mom would be nervous continuing on without us. I finally picked up a piece of wood and threw at him. It landed a few inches from the snake and he just stared at it! Finally, he slowly started turning the other way and slithered his way down into his hole in the ground, which was a slow process, let me tell you!
The hold he was going into was right behind the trunk of this small tree. I suppose I could have done better at composing my pictures but I was a little bit nervous!

6 comments:

  1. Diane, isn't that just a black snake? Or am I missing something? I love bunnies... I am amazed you got that close.... he must have liked you!
    Your friend is right... and it is hard.. but we know in our hearts that we must do it and that too, we will be all the better for it... I never want to "waste" time again... that's a whole nother post...

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    1. All I know, Lori, is that it is a snake! The bunny was amazing. Thank you!

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  2. Black snake, blue snake, snake in the grass...all need a hoe applied to their neck (Do they have a neck?) They say you can tell a poisonous one by looking into its eyes. Who wants to get that close? My grandson, when he was younger, used to catch them and keep them in a terrarium. Snakes, frogs, and newts. Why not a small beagle?....

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    1. Ha, yeah, Jim, I guess now I will feel the need to walk my path with some sort of weaponry! I was thinking something along the lines of a pellet gun. Not too good at wielding a hoe! On the other hand, if he's not poisonous, he might be there to do some good. I need to learn a bit more about snakes, I suppose.

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  3. I think it's great that you're doing the online shop thang!!

    Small steps when it comes to chains. There's nothing easy about any of it.

    I'm not too fond of snakes myself, especially at such close quarters. Not crazy about spiders either.... Guess you should only walk there with a hoe in hand? ;-)

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    1. Daisy, I hope I get the online thang going soon. I've certainly talked about it long enough. You're right about the chains, and the small steps needed.

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