February 18, 2024
Sunday morning began with coffee and homemade waffles. After, we changed clothes, preparing for a walk outside. This morning, we had two goals: walk the trails at Lake Wilson for some exercise and eat an amazing lunch at our favorite Mexican restaurant in Wilson, La Rancherita.
The colors at Lake Wilson mirrored the flora I saw yesterday at the Buckhorn Reservoir. With hints of reds, yellows, and greens taking over the monotone landscape, the place looked fresh. I would be off work on the following day for President’s Day, and I decided I would return in the morning with my camera.
Our walk was pleasant, although we were both starving. At the lake, we saw the usual suspects: two blue herons, mallards, cormorants, and a flock of Canadian geese.. The sun was bright, but the wind was still frigid. We walked and talked about how after one more week, my wife would be home for two months. We were excited about the prospect of a somewhat normal life. Regular walks at the lake would resume.
Lunch at La Rancherita was phenomenal, as always. I stuck to my staple Lime Carne Asada while my wife tried the Torta Con Birria. She was a little apprehensive about trying a sandwich that came with fries at a Mexican restaurant, but when I saw her face upon taking her first bite, I knew the sandwich was a winner. It was one of the best restaurant dishes we had ever tasted. Even the fries were amazing, especially after dipping them in the melted cheese. Lunch was a success.
After eating, we stopped by Lidl to grab some groceries and I filled my wife’s SUV up with gas to prepare for her trip. We took a brief rest at the house, and before I knew it, it was time for my wife to pack up and leave for the week. She would only be gone for a few days, but goodbyes with this woman were never easy. Our bond is strong and we hate being apart. Despite our despondent emotions, we both felt lucky to have spent a really amazing weekend together. We took the few hours we had and made the most of them. Onward and forward.
I always need a little time to get centered after my wife leaves. I took a hot shower and spent time with the dogs. After, I grabbed my camera and headed into the woods. During the week, I’m usually on a tight schedule, so I don’t get to spend as much time as I would like in the forest. Today, however, was different. I wasn’t sure if I was going to walk for ten minutes or two hours, but it didn’t really matter. I just took my time, meandering through the trees, stopping to take photographs of anything I found interesting.
I thought about all the videos I had watched about photography, and how they struck me as cheap information. While some photography channels offer tidbits of advice that will help propel your photography practice, people who like to hear themselves talk created most of the content. They seem to be more interested in their ideas than in what is effective. It was hard to tell the good information from the worthless information, as it all sounded the same to me.
I’ve read a lot of Emerson and Thoreau over the past year, and their ideas of self-reliance and breaking from conformity have seeded in my mind and taken root. While I enjoyed hearing new information about photography, these videos always make me want to buy new products instead of going out and using the tools I already have. Walking through the forest, I realized the more I listened to other people, the more they formed my paradigm about what photography was. This meant I was relying on the ideas of others instead of going out and exploring my own thoughts. Throughout my life, I have learned that I expect much more than the status quo. So, why was I allowing random people to define my worldview? They weren’t all experts.
When I arrived back at the house, I had a snack before cutting firewood. A little before dark, I started a fire and sat outside, looking up at the sky. The evening offered its own surprise, rewarding those who were outdoors with a spectacular sunset. Not all sunsets were created equal, and every so often, you witness one that stands out from the rest. Tonight was one of those evenings. Despite the overcast day, the sunset transformed the sky into a bright orange hue, resembling the color of the fire burning in front of me. The whole yard was lit up with a bright orange color cast. The trees on the edge of the property became black silhouettes backlit by the sun’s flames. I sent a picture to my wife.
I didn’t have to work the next day, so the night felt easy. I stayed outside for a few hours and then showered, fed the dogs, and wrote. On the following day, I planned to shoot pictures at Lake Wilson. I put the dogs to bed and fell asleep immediately. Mondays come quick, even when you don’t have to work.