In Your Own Backyard

Currently I'm trying to look at the area that I live in with new eyes. As if I was just moving here for the first time.

What would delight me?

Where would I want to explore?

I've been in such a rut for the last 25 years or so. going to work, the kids' activities, day to day necessities, that I didn't take time to get too much out of a well worn path.

So I heard about this restaurant, Ganson's in Rock Island.

We went there yesterday for breakfast.

We sat outside.

There was a breeze.

Delightful patrons surrounding us in pleasant conversation.

A great find. And I'm only about 3 to 4 years late in its discovery; not too bad.

Then I came home and took a walk.

And here coming out of the woods was this lovely creature.

First a mate or sibling or friend had crossed the path and I looked, knowing there would be another deer or two following. Sure enough, camouflaged within the trees was this one.

And she watched me watch her. And she just ever so slightly moved her head, her body still; waiting to see my next move.

I had my phone poised for a photo and she wasn't having any of it. So I moved on, a little. She watched, a lot. I moved ten more steps ahead and tried not to look directly at her. She watched and then ever so carefully started to move.

And I took my shot and walked on my merry way. And then I pretended I wasn't in Iowa. Maybe Wisconsin, the Appalachians, the Rockies. From the exact point that I was standing on the path with woods on both sides and a stream gently flowing you had no idea.

I was exploring. My own backyard.