Though I’m in somewhat of a fog every morning, being slow to wake up and all, I sometimes am forced to grab my camera before my eyes have even begun to focus in order to capture something or other that I see right outside my door.
Like the morning sun on the maple tree:
Or Henry, our extremely shy resident groundhog, eating some of our grass:
I love Henry. So does Don. He lives under the shed.
Or a newly opened zinnia:
Some photos I take from just inside the house – Henry, for example. If I stepped outside the door, he would immediately run away. Some photos, like the zinnia, require me to throw on my Birkenstocks and wander outside through the dewy morning grass.
All of this before I’ve had a cup of coffee! But I find that morning photos are often the best, so I muddle through the morning grogginess, camera in hand, and capture the world outside my door.
It’s a nice way to start the day.
My coaching session (via the phone) went well yesterday. And it was awfully lovely talking to my former student, Erika, again. Erika was in Hartford doing a play at the same time I was working there last year. We had breakfast together a couple of times. Way back when, my colleague Rick and I auditioned prospective candidates for the graduate acting program in San Diego. Every year, we would audition candidates in New York, Chicago, San Francisco and San Diego.
The scene: We were in San Francisco at the very end of two long days of auditions. We’d seen every candidate except one person, who had not shown up. She was flying down for the audition from Seattle because she was in the middle of performing a play there and could only audition on one day – that afternoon.
We were tired, we were hungry, but we felt uneasy about leaving. We had no way of contacting her (this was 1994 and cell phones were not the everyday appendage they are now.) A phone call to the Globe went unanswered, as it was a Sunday. Was her flight delayed? We hung around. I went out into the hallway and looked for her. Rick went and looked for her. Thirty minutes went by. An hour went by.
Finally, just before we were about to give up, I decided to take the elevator down to the ground floor one more time to see if I could find her in the lobby. When the elevator reached the lobby, the door opened and a frantic red-haired young woman with a panicked look in her eyes got on. Since I had seen her headshot, I knew who she was. “Erika?” I said. Her eyes locked onto mine and she gave a huge sigh of relief. I explained who I was, told her to relax and take as long as she needed to prepare for the audition.
It turned out her plane had been delayed and she thought she had lost the only chance she had to audition. Thank goodness we waited for her, because she was easily one of the most talented actors we’d seen in any of the cities on the tour. Actually, she’s one of the most talented actors I’ve ever seen.
We have a strong connection, Erika and I.
There’s a book review of The Mockingbird Next Door: Life with Harper Lee on Just Let Me Finish This Page today. Stop on by.
Happy Monday.
When my eldest daughter was 3 or 4 years old, she called groundhogs, “grass eaters”. When we saw a groundhog every now and then she would always say,”Look mommy, a grass eater”. Over 40 years later, our family still calls them grass eaters.:-) Your post brought back a sweet memory.
Love ‘grass eater’ Pat. Perfect description of our little groundhogs.
Claudia, I love your photos and I appreciate you getting them. I laugh , because I have done the same thing. I also enjoyed the story of your meeting Ericka. Blessings for a good day, xoxo,Susie
We do what we have to – anything for a good photo!
I think it’s so nice that you stay in touch with students. Love your morning pictures. This a.m. as I was leaving for work I frightened Steve (our groundhog) who was munching on an apple under our apple tree. As usual, he took off very fast…but this time he kept the apple in his mouth — what a sight to see a groundhog running with an apple in his mouth! His name is Steve from “Steve the Beav” — our son thought he was a beaver the first time he saw him – ha-ha.
I just told Don that your groundhog is named Steve. He laughed out loud. Love it.
That is a whopping big groundhog! We have racoon and possum here, but no groundhogs that I know of.
We used to see the babies every spring, but I haven’t seen them for a couple of years.
My Aunt, who has had photography as a hobby for many years, always told me the best light for pictures is early morning or late afternoon. She said the brighter sun during the middle of the day tends to wash out the color. And she always loved the play of light and shadow and the golden hues at dusk. I always love your photos, thank you for sharing.
Your aunt is very wise. It took me a while to discover that, but it’s absolutely true!
You have to strike while the iron is hot….Great pictures…Have a wonderful week..
You too, Missy!
My friend who lives in Minneapolis just recently had a ground hog in her yard. He traveled between her garden and 2 others. Being afraid of what he might do to the little dog next door, and to small children they put out a live trap. The next morning he was there. They knew that if he were to be let out too close to their house he would find his way back. They drove him 50 miles out of the city. He now has a new home.
The zinnia is beautiful
Great photos before coffee.
P.S. I have some photos I am going to post tonight. I will send you a link if you would like to see them.
Please pass this on to your friends, Trudy: Groundhogs are vegetarians. They wouldn’t do anything to a little dog – they are very shy and the least little sound makes them run for cover. They will run at the sight of any human beings. Truly, they are no threat to other animals or to humans. My experience of them is that they are the gentlest of creatures. I worry that they might have taken the adult groundhog away from its babies.
You are so right about the groundhogs..we have a couple of them here down back by the creek..they come out in the yard to eat and never bother anyone..I don’t think they would ever harm or even go near another creature..I haven’t named them..I guess I will have to give that some thought..lol..
They’d never harm anything. They are so sweet and gentle!
Wonderful photos. I love morning. It is definitely my favorite time of the day. xo Laura
Mine too, Laura.
Love the ‘Erika’ story! Oh Zinnia’s make my heart sing!
hugs,
Linda
They sure are pretty, Linda!
Good story. Whenever I hear something similar, I always think about destiny, seredipity etc. Were you meant to wait for Erika? What if you had missed her by mere seconds and left even as Erika’s cab was pulling up to the building? What if Erika HAD missed her flight etc etc? Does everything happen merely on a whim of Chance? Or are we always exactly where we meant to be at a given moment? :>)
I think of those same things, Janet. I like to think we are where we’re supposed to be at that moment.
A teacher-student relationship is a dear one. My husband taught MS music for over 30 years and we so often have his former students stop and talk w/ us. Since he retired, and as a favor to our school district, he has been teaching 2nd and 3rd grade music @ about a 15% position for a few years now. So now he is teaching former student’s children. Circle of life!! Today when I was at Target a young man came up to a lady who was shopping and tapped her on the shoulder as she was his HS teacher and he wanted to introduce his fiance’. I’m sure your meeting Erika was meant to be so a great friendship could flourish!! Your pictures are wonderful!!
The teacher/student relationship can be tremendously rewarding. I treasure that time in my life, and it continues, which is a blessing.
Hi Claudia, love the groundhog, but isn’t it a bit harsh to make Don live under the shed? Blessings Lesley U.K
Ha! He loves it there, Lesley!
I love Henry, I want a groundhog too.
Hugs,
Meredith