Saturday In The Park

Yss, I'm guilty. I borrowed my mom's car on Saturdy to go shopping for her birthday present and my grandfather's. We celebrated their birthdays today (which are tomorrow and Tuesday). Just, every once in a while, a car comes in handy when the carrying of presents is in order. I dropped my mom off at work at 7:30 and then it was mine til the afternoon. So, guess what I did? I took my camera to Red Hill Park, a park I sometimes run at, which has a little pond with some interesting characters. And some nice ducks and turtles too. I've been to this park with my camera before but to take portraits of people, not animals. And until I got my new lens, they would have been too small to be of any interest. Unless I want to go swimming and legend says the turtles are vicious!

I love ducks, don't you? They are so quacky. I always laugh when I'm running and I see them feeding with their butts up in the air like some synchronized swim team gone awry. The way they glide thru the water and then become clowns on land. The ruckus they make when they are upset. These ducks were pretty good about posing for me til they realized I wasn't going to pay them with food. Then they pretty much ignored me. But that was okay because I wouldn't want the photos to seem too posed. :P Still, the light was awesome yesterday morning and it seemed to spotlight the ducks and reveal every detail of their feathers. I couldn't have asked for better light. As, I've said before, it's all about the light. The turtles were a little more shy but I did manage to capture a couple of them basking in the sun. And who can blame them...it was a gorgeous day in So Cal. Warm, sunny, a little breezy. The kind of day that makes you glad to be outdoors.

There were plenty of people out too, walking & jogging & sitting. I was watching others who came to the pond to watch the ducks. Older couples, families, young lovers, solitary souls. Just sitting and watch them swim and fight and eat. I think they must have felt like I do. How by living in the suburbs we are moving thru the world but not a part of nature. Really, the only wildlife we see as we move from our house to our car to work, etc is birds and yapping chihuahuas. Maybe a squirrel or a lizard. Even riding my bike in the shadow of the mountains, I feel disconnected to nature. I know that's why I like to run at the park. It's a little bit of green and a little bit of wild.

P.S. At least click on this image of the duck's backside to see the detail of his feathers. Mother Nature is truly amazing in the details. Just why do their tails flip like that?