Monday, August 16, 2010

Photos from the Field

August for me is always the last breath of summer. The deep green lush is starting to fade into brown hues and seeding grasses. Things feel a lot like summer but it won’t be long before the leaves start turning yellow, red and gold. Throughout my outdoor travels I take photos that don’t seem to fit into various fish posts or get left behind for some reason. “Photos from the Field” is an excerpt meant to capture these pictures and add a little more flavor on the blogilicious.

Organ Donor Ave.

There is a not so famous road without any shoulder whatsoever that the local bicyclists absolutely love. The number of crosses marking each fatality is only outnumbered by the number of signs posting caution on this two-mile stretch of road. It has gotten so bad that someone has added yet another sign dubbing the section “Organ Donor Ave”. Ironically this has doubled the popularity of this section amongst bicyclists.

(Above: The sign has been repainted and even removed a few times. I still don’t see the attraction but hey, “At least they are not fishing my spots. Ha ha”)

Columbine Flower

So many of the bloggers that I follow do an exceptional job with their photos. Due to the fact I chew through at least one camera per year as a result of cliff falls and water dunks my shots are so less pristine. (Sigh) I submit this shot of a glorious columbine flower wishing one you folks would have been there backing me up with a real camera.

(Above: Words fail me sometimes when it comes to describing nature. Often I wish that my camera equipment could capture at least a fraction of beauty compared to the real thing.)

All rivers have to start somewhere.

(Above: Green Lush-Eventually this little sip of water runs into a small creek that pours into a larger river. All rivers have to start somewhere and may serve as a life metaphor for dreams or conquests. Start somewhere and gain momentum as you go.)

“Road” Island Red

For a couple of days on the way to and from work I would see this rooster on the side of the road. One day I stopped, took some pictures and made a feeble attempt to call the chicken over by clucking and dropping sand from my hand as if it was feed. Of course this didn’t work and the chicken quickly scuttled off to the underbrush.

(Above: This is an actual shot of the runaway rooster at the edge of the road before he fled to the branch cover at the base of the trees. My pursuit ended here, as I didn’t wish to scare the chicken into traffic or panic the bird into fleeing its turf.)

Once I turned the truck around and headed back towards home, the rooster was back on the road picking at bugs and bits of gravel.

“This is not the best place for a chicken.” I thought to myself looking at the rolling grass hills of open space and the road full of cars. “Gonna get whacked by a car or coyote food. I coulda’ found him a nice spread to cluck around at. Maybe meet a few nice hens and finally settle. Guess that is not the life Good luck, buddy…don’t have time to chase you through the brush. Probably just make things worse anyway.”

The next day I saw the rooster. The day after that…nothing. I looked for the bird further away from the road as I drove by or at the very least feathers but saw nothing. More than likely some lucky coyote made this “road” island red into a quick bucket of KFC. Chickens are not known to be the best birds at adapting to the wild. But for some silly reason I hope this plucker is still out there living life as a drumstick outlaw. Dodging coyotes and foxes while causing a little trouble with the local geese.

May your boots always stay dry

It seems that I can’t look at water these days without getting my shoes and or feet absolutely soaked. Even with waders and waterproof boots, chances are my feet will be drenched when I walk in the door. This is a fact I have come to terms with. Through your travels and life’s river crossings…may your boots always stay dry.

(Above: There are a lot of bronze sculptures spread across the Front Range and beyond. A number of these sculptures come from a bronze foundry in Loveland Colorado.)

Please allow me to express my sincere thanks to all of my followers for their views and awesome comments. I follow and comment on a variety of subjects spanning from writing, photography, primitive arts and more. My follow list is a diverse spectrum of the blogisphere and want you all to know that I am very honored to have you reading my outdoor adventures whether you fish or not. Don’t hesitate to reach out to me if you want more of my comments or wish me to follow your blog if I am not already.

My name is Matt and I’m a fishaholic.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

I truly enjoy your writing, and I love the river metaphor. The beautiful pictures make me want to visit Colorado. Thank you.

Mark Kautz said...

Hi Matt. Excellent post. Excellent pictures. Bicyclists, don't get me started. We have many here, because of the hills, and they think nothing of riding in the middle of the (very narrow) roads. Only one has managed to get himself killed, and he was on an open stretch of Highway 16.

Mark

Michael Agneta said...

Thanks for the pictorial view of your area. Like that these are off the (fishing) beaten path. You should consider making this a regular part of your blog. Very enjoyable

Don said...

Really enjoyed this one Matt.
Why did the chicken cross the road??
Answer: To check out Matt's fishing hole!!!

BeMistified said...

You bring things into perspective and life that most people wouldn't even give a second glance at. You turn the simplest things into an entertaining learning experience.

truewonder said...

"August for me is always the last breath of summer. The deep green lush is starting to fade into brown hues and seeding grasses."

Writing like that, expressing the feeling of nature, your out and out love for it- is truer and better than any mega-type, expensive camera could ever convey. You love what you experience...it comes through even in your pics.
And yes! life metaphors of rivers coming from slow ebbing streams speaks well to the highly attuned. Folks like you, writing like this- putting it out there makes a good difference...
Take care, stay dry.

Constar said...

great picks!!

Sunshine Morrighan said...

Honestly, these "From the Field" posts are some of my favorites. I enjoy seeing the world through your eyes because your view of things is unique and beautiful.

Keith Greenwell said...

"Drumstick outlaw"; nice turn of phrase. Your writing is getting almost as good as your fishing.

Little Messy Missy said...

I am pulling for the rooster! I love the shoot with the little stream, very beautiful!