Red-Tailed Hawk

He was in an open meadow with a hurt wing, which allowed me to approach him - a rare thing. I got a great shot, but would have preferred him to not have the damaged wing and miss the shot. I am told broken wings heal fast and wild birds frequently survive them to fly and live a normal life. He was gone when the rescue officer got there so we surmise he climbed a tree (those talons do the trick) or holed up in the surrounding dense vegetation. I pray he is doing fine.

Fall in the Hatchery

Click on the photo to see the full glory of the scene. God is a great artist.

The Peace of Wild Things

by Wendell Berry

When despair for the world grows in me

and I wake in the night at the least sound

in fear of what my life and my children's lives may be,

I go and lie down where the wood drake

rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.

I come into the peace of wild things

who do not tax their lives with forethought

of grief. I come into the presence of still water.

And I feel above me the day-blind stars

waiting with their light. For a time

I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.

Truck

I did this while sitting in the car waiting for Megan to take a writing final. It's scruffy, but contorting in the car to get the right angle to draw wasn't always easy.

Great Blue Heron in a Tree

Fort Worth Botanic Garden.

My friend, the Great Blue Heron, about 40-50 feet off the ground in a tree top prior to coming down and granting me wonderful photo opportunities. You can see one of the results below. Nice bird.

Great Blue Heron

This is the wild Great Blue Heron previously in the tree top. He flew in to fish from a babbling water feature there. I got to within about six feet when I photographed this guy. I guess the Heron felt secure in his territory and with the type of people that visit the Fort Worth Botanic Garden. I'm lucky to get within 40-50 feet of one of these normally. What a beautiful, elegant bird!

Fort Worth Botanic Garden

A first sketch after years and years on not sketching. Doing computer graphic design and illustration has supplanted the "old" way to do things. This is a first in my attempt to get my art chops back for my own enjoyment if nothing else. I have too many dusty art materials from way back to not do this!