Just when I thought that I've seen it all, and now this. Deer strolling along the beach yesterday. My first thought was that perhaps I've just been in the wrong place all of these years, and that deer on the beach was a normal occurrence. Yesterday, being a Sunday, there were plenty of other people walking along the seawall, and a quick glance at any of them, suggested to me that this was anything but normal. All along the wall, with their cameras in hand, people were recording this unusual event. In fact, I'm pretty sure that I even saw a couple of seagulls taking a second look. They've got enough competition for shellfish with the other birds, without having to deal with these two freeloaders. But the seagulls had nothing to worry about. The deer were happy to just take a Sunday stroll along the beach, and enjoy the day just like the rest of us were doing.
Eventually, the deer turned around and headed back in the opposite direction and before long, the beach was back to normal, and all of the birds could relax and go about their business. And by going about their business, I mean the ongoing search for shellfish. Lately, this has been a very successful enterprise. It's that time of year when the tides are quite extreme, and when it's low tide, there is plenty of food available. At high tide, the pickings are slim, and the competition is rather fierce. I never cease to be amazed when I watch a seagull that has recently plucked a shellfish into its mouth, then have to go through the most incredible flight maneuvers to try and keep its catch away from the others. At times I wonder if the amount of energy expended by the seagull is actually more than it gets from the consumption of its catch? Some seagulls manage to out-maneuver their rivals. They follow up this aerial display, by doing a steep climb in order to drop the shellfish from a sufficient enough height so that when it lands on the beach, it cracks open. After all of that, more often than not, a rival is there to scoop up the prize, and all of that energy expended was for naught.
My time at the beach was coming to a close for the day, and as I prepared to hop back on the bike and head home, I marvelled at a cloud in the western sky. I could probably spend as much time staring at clouds as I do watching birds these days. Both provide me with happiness.
MAGNIFICENT
It just so happens that this cloud was in the direction of home, so I had the great pleasure of watching it change and grow, as I continued on my journey.
Deer, seagulls, and clouds. Simple pleasures.
living in acceptance,
Paul
The Thoughtful Wanderer
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