In Honor of Fathers

Papa Goose Hissing At Me

Papa Goose Hissing At Me @ 2012 Bo Mackison

I meet this father goose every morning when I take a walk around a nearby pond. He snaps his mouth open and shut, hisses at me, occasionally spreads his wings and makes a false start towards me.

I now bring my hiking stick with me every morning. I tried shooshing him away, and walking (not) bravely towards him, but he would never let me pass, and I found myself turning around and taking a different route. But now I tap the hiking stick on the path in front of me, and papa goose along with mama goose and his babies, march off the trail, into the long grass, and eventually into the water.

When I first encountered the pair of geese a month ago, their babies were just bits of fluff. Now they are about three/quarters the size of their parents, though they seem to have no clue what to do about me and the other walkers on the trail. They do, however, know that they must scurry off the path and hide if a person walking a dog should happen by.

Maybe I should borrow a neighborhood dog as my walking companion!

On this Father’s Day, hope all the fathers out there are enjoying their day.

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Bo Mackison is a photographer and owner of Seeded Earth Studio LLC. Bo is enjoying Fathers Day, too. The father of the house is grilling steaks for his kids (and me) — what a nice dad!

Geese at Sunrise

November Sunrise

November Sunrise © 2011 Bo Mackison

Geese in flight as the sun light begins to color the trees in a luminescence. This is autumn – flying geese, the natural world slowing down, and by slowing down they start their preparation for the coming winter.

We have our autumnal times, too. periods of our lives when we slow down, gather our thoughts and energy — and perhaps our courage, too —  in preparation for more difficult times. But all the while we prepare, we know that just at sunrise follows the dark, springtime follows the harsh winter. And that even in the darker seasons, there is always a light to guide us.

The cycle of seasons, the cycle of life.

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Bo Mackison is a photographer, owner of Seeded Earth Studio LLC.   Nature — such a wise teacher.

Touching the Sky

geese

Geese © 2011 Bo Mackison

Only from the heart can you touch the sky.  ~ Rumi

I had the most remarkable and rewarding day yesterday. I spent much of the day outdoors, studying and working in the natural world.

The day was sunny and the skies were a deeper blue than usual. There were two things that I repeatedly noticed throughout the day. First, the brilliant red maple in my backyard glowed like fire — yes, really, like fire — as the sunlight flickered throughout its deep oranges and reds. The maple is at its peak in color and I was aware that its fiery beauty would be fleeting, that the forecast for the rest of the week called for cloudy skies and rain. Yesterday was my day to pay attention to the red maple.

The other frequent visitors to my day were the wild Canada geese that flew over the house, oftentimes nearly skimming the tops of the trees.

I spent my day studying first the maple, deeply rooted, grounded, preparing for winter by slowing its metabolism, getting ready to drop its leaves, but that at the present moment it was in the height of its autumn beauty. Second, I watched the wild geese, preparing not to slow down for the winter, but instead instinctively working hard, readying themselves for a long flight south.

They were quite opposite in their approach to the coming colder weather, but both were still significant reminders of autumn.

While many people regard geese as nuisances, noisy and messy, their beauty in flight always thrills me, makes me stop and admire their grace, strength, and sense of community in formation. The geese remind me of the preparation required for the undertaking of a long journey, how they show perseverance to begin their journey, to reach their goal.

Yesterday was a good day for reflection on the present and for awakening the preparer in me. Not only are the geese going south for the winter, but I am also returning south for a part of the winter.

The geese, now in a perpetual state of preparation, remind me that I, too, must finish my work here so that I can prepare for my travels.

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Bo Mackison is a photographer, owner of Seeded Earth Studio LLC. She has much to plan and prepare for — two art shows in mid-November, followed by a few weeks of travel in the Southwest, and perhaps a bit of adventure, too.

 

Heading South for the Winter

Mallards Flyover

Mallards Flyover © 2008 Bo Mackison

Geese have been flying over the house every morning, and then again every evening, since September. The lake they use as their headquarters is maybe six blocks to the east of us. The cornfields where they feed are a mile to the west.  The birds often fly so close I can see them clearly from the second story window. Occasionally they appear to be nearly skimming the roof. They are truly magnificent birds when seen in flight at such close range.

But a few days ago, the early morning honking became less noticeable. Yesterday, when I went to take photos, there were only a dozen or so geese in the sky, instead of the typical hundreds. Today I only saw a pair.

I suspect most of them have packed up and headed south, like many intelligent creatures choose to do at this time of year. It’s early though. Last year, the geese were still in Wisconsin through the end of November.

Maybe they know something I don’t.