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kimmyt
Feb 5, 2004, 4:32 PM
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Sometimes it amazes me what people miss by not looking around themselves as they bustle on their way. Too focused on making their next appointment, they don't take the time to look out the window of their train. Too busy rushing around downtown, they don't ever look up at the sky and see what there is to see.
I always try to look around, be observant, even though sometimes it's hard to push my own problems aside long enough to take a deep breath and simply watch.
I see hawks. It's odd how in a very urban/suburban area, you can see as much or more wildlife than in a wilderness. It seems every time I take a moment to look around, I see them. Bright, beautiful red-tailed hawks. One is always sitting in a small field next to my turnpike exit. I wonder how many drivers, when waiting in traffic to pay their tolls, look over and see him there. His colors are brilliant, a firey goldish/red. Another one hunts outside of my workplace. I saw it the other day, hovering in the air not far above me, craning it's head this way and that, looking for it's next meal. And another, in NYC, I glanced up at the sky in time to see it snatch a pigeon out of the sky, saw it veer away with ruffled feathers in it's talons.
But I don't only see hawks. The other day, traveling home from NY on the train, as I passed through urban sprawl and run-down tenement housing, I saw a small snow-covered field covered with a palimpsest of animal tracks. As the train lumbered on, I noticed rabbit tracks, cat tracks, bird tracks, squirrel tracks, and dog tracks. In the middle of the field crouched a grey tabby cat, ready to pounce on it's midday meal.
I wondered if anyone else on the train had seen it, and I felt suddenly sorry for the people that go through life without looking around themselves, because you can see some wonderful things in the most unexpected of places.
What have you seen lately?
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micronut
Feb 5, 2004, 5:01 PM
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[quote="kimmyt"] take a deep breathIn reply to: that's the real key. Yesterday, I saw desert rocks in silloutte at sunset, jagged black teeth contrasted against an azure sky with a lone raven keeping watch. The desert was green with freshly sprouted grass, and the post rain smell made the whole scene truely sublime.
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j_ung
Feb 5, 2004, 5:03 PM
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Almost every day, when I'm on the entrance ramp to the highway that leads me home from work in the cube farm, I see the same red-tailed hawk. I always look for him.
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g.g.32-82
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Feb 5, 2004, 5:41 PM
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Working at a golf course I see all kinds of wildlife, everyday. Ranging from the occasional fox, to the huge orange carp that live in the water hazards. Sometimes I witness the "circle of life" at work, for example continuing on the redtailed hawk theme, I saw a squirrel eating the fallen acorns this fall, get attacked by this huge hawk that likes to hang around the course. The hawk swooped down from tree tops and pinned it's meal to the ground, grabed it by the neck and swung it aroung until it stopped struggling. Then it picked the lifeless squirrel up and took off. During this whole time I was no more than thirty feet away, with my jaw on the ground. It was an amazing sight to see.
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shakylegs
Feb 5, 2004, 5:51 PM
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Yesterday, I woke up and found my better half in my arms. No more beautiful sight to me.
This morning, having slept at my place last night, I woke up to find my cat sleeping on my chest, the feline being the only constant in my life for the past 13 years. Made my cappucino, and while I was drinking it the apartment became suffused with bright morning light shining through snow-covered trees.
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madriver
Feb 5, 2004, 6:05 PM
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...cool thread...
...watching my kids grow and become aware of the world around them...I am blessed by the fact that I can see this on a daily basis...
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charrock
Feb 5, 2004, 6:13 PM
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Hi I agree most folks don't know what's around. I live in Baltimore, bike to the MARC train, ride it to a DC suburb, then another bike ride to work. I love it. Not only do I seen cool aimals...fox, deer, eagles, great blue herons but I smell wonderful aromas. While driving I missed scents except for the car's exhaust. I smell breakfast/ coffee as I ride through neighborhoods, honeysuckle in May/june, lawns being mowed, I hear children playing. I've been biking for 2 years and wished it had been more. I've only driven my car 4 times since Christmas. good topic Kimmy. Charlie
PS happiness is a matter of focus and this thread is a fine example
PPs Where have you been MAdriver??
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mazzystr
Feb 5, 2004, 8:03 PM
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some small things i noticed...
to keep with the rock climbing topic...i was in Wash. DC over the xmas holidays walking through the Roosevelt Monument. They used granite that is maroon as can be. I couldnt resist putting my hands on it and feeling the textures. There were many people wandering through the momument, not many of them had the guts to put their hands on 48million dollars worth of granite. that was my first taste of granite. i want more! :)
once i was at a girlfriends aunt and uncles house for their familys annual bbq. the kids were playing in the swimming pool. one of the boys popped one of the girls in the mouth. her loose tooth went to the bottom of the deep end. after a few minutes of her crying about the tooth fairy not coming. my heart started to hurt. i got everyone to get out of the pool and dove down 12feet and softly searched the bottom of the pool. i found the tooth on my second dive. that was one of the proudest moments in my life.....
Shakeylegs, I hear ya on waking up with your cat on your chest. I also have a cat. Shes 7 now. I remember the day ex brought her home. She fit into my shirt pocket. Ironically, the cat was the source of many fights for us. Now the girl is gone and Mao is still with me. She sleeps on my feet every night and wont eat unless i'm home. I'm thinking about bringing her to the crags this summer.
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coldclimb
Feb 6, 2004, 2:32 AM
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I notice those little things. In fact, I live for them. I hate the bustle of civilization. I wish I could just go live with the simple things. They've got it made.
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mike
Feb 6, 2004, 2:57 AM
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I've come close to untold numbers of car wrecks scanning the trees and telephone lines for hawks. I have a good friend with a falconry permit and we spent many Sunday mornings riding around looking for the perfect bird. I won't bother telling you how to catch a hawk, you have to see it to believe it. I still look for them every time I'm on the road.
Here's a test of little things, from pics I took last weekend, what made these?
http://www.fototime.com/...A877137/standard.jpg
http://www.fototime.com/...6224D44/standard.jpg
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strongbad
Feb 6, 2004, 3:04 AM
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don't forget to look down! Thats how you can see your little thing! :twisted:
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climbersoze
Feb 6, 2004, 3:49 PM
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Registered: Dec 31, 2003
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In reply to: What have you seen lately?
I saw Janet Jackson's nipple during the Super Bowl halftime show... did anyone else see that?!?!?!?!
(sorry... couldnt resist :oops: )
Oh... and it weren't little.
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vanhooligan
Feb 6, 2004, 10:21 PM
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Registered: Jan 12, 2004
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Oops, I got confused, I thought this was a thread about my X. sorry.
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climberterp
Feb 6, 2004, 11:02 PM
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well, to get back on track... :lol: today I watched snow falling, covering up my yard again and making everything hushed and beautiful.
and two nights ago I watched the moon through my trees just after dusk when the sky is that incredible deep shade of blue fading into black
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b_fost
Feb 7, 2004, 2:32 AM
Post #16 of 16
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Registered: Jun 29, 2003
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In reply to: I've come close to untold numbers of car wrecks scanning the trees and telephone lines for hawks. I have a good friend with a falconry permit and we spent many Sunday mornings riding around looking for the perfect bird. I won't bother telling you how to catch a hawk, you have to see it to believe it. I still look for them every time I'm on the road. Here's a test of little things, from pics I took last weekend, what made these?
raccoon and dog
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