Encountering Earth

Yesterday I volunteered for a Raptor Survey at 5 Rivers in Delmar. I love raptors - they are so elegant. They are such amazing hunters. I feel an energy, a connection from them. We began the survey at 4:10 pm - an hour before sunset. So there we were - three humans combing the cloudy sky and brown landscape for raptors. A harrier came into view. A male with white underside and black wing tips. He dipped and climbed and rolled in the ferocious wind. A game- like surfing the wind. He flew off. The hour crawled by. The wind was cutting. It was cold. I asked myself, "Why did I do this?" Four deer ambled nearby. They browsed and walked about, seemingly untroubled by the wind and cold. I laughed. There they were - no fleece or wool or  Thinsulate or heavy boots. They enjoy a clever coat that traps air, warmed by their bodies and keeps them toasty. Why do we go out to count raptors on days like this? Surveys report numbers and numbers help conservationists to allocate resources t

I haven't posted in a long while. I guess I was feeling that no one looked at the posts so why bother. But I realized that our Earth doesn't behave that way. Every day she pours forth beauty, resources, life and is very often taken for granted. So in the beginning of this new year, I would like to begin again to share my encounters with Earth. I hope if you are reading this, you will share an encounter of your own! beads of sunlight frozen along the branches of a small tree. water droplets lighting sparkling shimmering like winter fireflies. (5 Rivers 12/1/18)