That bit of early evening sunlight reflecting off this yellow-headed blackbird is what makes me like this otherwise terrible pic; the quality of light in North Dakota was magical and generous. Even the moonlight seemed to fill the prairie pot holes until they popped out like mirrors of the star-filled sky.Anyway, I digress...
These were my prairie life birds:
Eared Grebe
Western Grebe
American White Pelican
Sharp-Tailed Grouse
Yellow Rail
American Avocet
Black Tern
Western Kingbird
Bank Swallow
Sedge Wren
Clay-colored Sparrow
Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow
Yellow-headed blackbird
I'm still holding onto most of my North Dakota stories like precious little pebbles in the pocket of my favorite pair of jeans. Every now and again I pull one out and turn it over in my hand and decide if it's polished enough for telling yet. Most aren't, but I'm beginning to remember and still enjoy just sitting with those memories.
Each of the birds on this very modest list has a story of its own; its own sweet memory. I'd forgotten, I think, how nice new life birds can be. A couple of them aren't technically life birds for me, but I'm a little quirky about claiming life birds and would just as soon wait to check a bird off that list as not be able to really remember seeing it for the first time. These are all firmly set in my memory of a wonderful couple days spent wandering in the middle of nowhere.
#16 in my 38 by 39.
4 comments:
Laura--and you say you aren't organized? I first read your title, waiting, then read your post and was almost going to say. . .16, 16. . .please explain. And then you did.
Oh, the organized part--you made a list! And you are living it. That, is what I call organized.
Yes, Memories hardly die Laura.
I find that most people are hesitant to tell their stories .. for a variety of reasons.
Don't hold on to them too long ... time slips away and someday never comes.
I have found, thinking back on North Dakota, that one short trip to the prairie just wasn't enough. I know I'll have to go back there someday.
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