… mid afternoon today I headed down to the ponds before doing my shopping at Bashas for eggnog, geez I love that stuff, cut it 50/50 with whole milk to make it last a little longer and Thanksgiving through New Years is the only time they seem to sell it. It was quiet and beautiful at the ponds and a pair of Belted Kingfishers were working two of the ponds that Arizona Game and Fish just stocked with fingerlings … a perfect size for our Kingfishers!
The photo above shows the Kingfisher leaving his perch on the side of a pond to make an attempt at getting one of them and below one of the fingerlings is breaking water to go for insects that were hatching. All life forms require nourishment and thus we have the hunter and the hunted … very grateful that we are at the top end of the food chain … at least for now 🙂 A delicate balance that continues to work, now if we can only remove those of our species that prey on other members of it! A little more evolution maybe?
Closing out another year … all in all a very good year, and still here and breathing and even better loving every experience and sensation and the company of friends and family and a share of good health. As I enter the new year I am filled with optimism and the joy of time that will be spent with friends and family … and the many hours I will spend in nature and on the lakes searching for beauty, and it is every where.
Wishing you every joy and blessing as we live the last two days of 2024 and continue into 2025 … eyes wide open and welcoming of adventure … doing what we can to make the lives of others a little better too. Choices and acts within our control.
Cheers,
Ted
Give me to gladly go
My way and say
No word of mine own woe;
But let me smile each day.
Give me strength to do
My task, I ask;
And that I shall not rue
The toiler’s grimy mask.
Give one loved hand to me,
And leave the eve
All undisturbed as we
Our strength of souls retrieve.
And lastly give sweet sleep
Closed sight, no fright
That fears will o’er me creep;
And now a last good-night.
Evening Song by Max Ehrmann
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The easiest way to reach Mr. Grussing is by email: ted@tedgrussing.com
In addition to sales of photographs already taken Ted does special shoots for patrons on request and also does air-to-air photography for those who want photographs of their airplanes in flight. All special photographic sessions are billed on an hourly basis.
Ted also does one-on-one workshops for those interested in learning the techniques he uses. By special arrangement Ted will do one-on-one aerial photography workshops which will include actual photo sessions in the air.
More about Ted Grussing …