Respecting nature

I recently received my latest Outdoor Photographer and one article caught my eye. It's about making people aware of the environment by showing nature's beauty. My feelings exactly!
A couple years back, we bought our first digital SLR. Suddenly, our 300mm zoom lens was long enough to capture the birds at our feeders. I photographed birds throughout the winter and then my husband surprised me on my birthday with a 400mm lens. My success rate skyrocketed after that. Just six months after I began to capture those flying beauties, I took a photo of an airborne Tufted Titmouse that has won two awards so far.
Why am I so fascinated by birds? Our backyard faces a wooded ravine and birds visit our feeders all year long. It is amazing what a variety of birds we see in our tiny backyard. Just today I saw two turkeys when I came home from my errands. For me, there is no way of getting closer with nature than living the cycle of the year by watching birds. Every season brings something new and their antics are mesmerizing.
But I'm straying away from my subject. By showing my photos to the public, I hope I'm making them aware of the importance of providing a natural habitat for them. Most people consider wetlands as useless land that is just waiting to be developed into yet another strip mall. Wetlands also provide important buffers against floods (as was obvious during hurricane Katrina) and are home or stop-over points for thousands of birds during migration. In fact, I've never seen an environment that is fuller of life than a wetland. Last summer, I counted 50 or 60 butterflies and numerous dragonflies in a small area.
People often comment on my photos, "They're beautiful." I hope that by showing them the beauty of birds, they may wish to preserve their habitat.

Why I like my critique group

I came to my current critique group by odd circumstances. Years ago, I attended a life-long learning class at the Community College about writing memories and stories. The other three people in class, two women and a man (I'll call him Bill), had taken this class several times and we stayed in touch sporadically. A good while later, Bill called me and told me that one of his church friends was putting together a writing group. Was I interested? Of course I was.
That was several years ago and I barely missed a meeting since. Usually, we are four of five women getting together to discuss our work that ranges from a historical romance, a historical mainstream novel, poetry, and spirituality to nonfiction articles on such varied subjects as bird-watching, garden projects, travel, or memoirs.
Bill shared his memoirs with us and they are truly fascinating. After he retired as an executive for a big department store, he traveled the world for a year. He also obtained a pilot's license. Recently, he self-published his stories as a wonderful book after we encouraged him to do so.
That's what writers do: We cheer each other on. Our critiques are honest, but never harsh. After all, we have to accept enough rejections from editors.
Let's hope we stay together long enough to see all of us get published.

Living the moment

I admit that my mind often wanders off when I'm busy doing mundane chores. That's an occupational hazard for a writer. But when I visit the Audubon Society's nature reserve at Beechwood as I did last Monday, I completely live in the moment. My latest passion is bird photography and I'm always trying to add new species to my list of bird photos.
On Monday, I had only walked a few steps when I noticed quite a few birds in a big tree next to the native American garden. I was overjoyed when I realized they were Cedar Waxwings. I spent hours taking photos of them and a Carolina Wren fledgling that was singing its heart out. My photos turned out to be less spectacular than I hoped. Only a couple wren photos are usable, I'm afraid. However, that just gives me a reason to go back to Beechwood and try again. As long as there are berries to eat, I am confident that the waxwings will be there.
While I walk the trails with my tripod and camera, passers-by often ask me what I'm photographing. I think they don't see the birds at all! I, on the other hand, keep my eyes and ears open to catch the slightest glimpse of a bird, butterfly, or any four-legged wildlife. I don't think about the laundry that awaits me at home or the errands I need to run soon. I live in the moment and observe the subtle changes that occur over the course of a year.
There are many changes for the one who is open to see them. Even in the midst of winter, the forests and fields are by no means dead. They're just awaiting a new beginning. Juncos arrive from Canada and birds that seemed to be absent in the summer appear again. I will never grow tired of watching the cycle of life in my own backyard and at the parks and reserves I visit.