ON MARCHING BANDS AND SOLITARY TURKEYS (October 5 - November 5, 2019)

Wilson's Creek National Battlefield, Missouri

October is the month that we have scheduled each year to visit our oldest son, Aaron,and his family in Missouri.  It is a time to enjoy the coming of autumn and to watch our two youngest grandsons participate in marching band.  They are days spent renewing relationships with those whom we deeply love.  This year had an added blessing as our youngest son, Andrew, was also there in the "Show Me" state.

Marching band is an interesting organization.  It is a gathering of several dozen students who practice hours on end to develop a ten minute presentation to be performed several times in several venues.  This year our time included an overnight adventure to St. Louis (about a three hour drive from Republic)

Much of my time, while in southwest Missouri, is spent inside the Wilson's Creek National Civil War Battlefield.  This beautiful large piece of ground is just 4 minutes from Aaron's front door.  The cost is free (I have the old person's National Parks pass).  I like to go in the morning for my daily walk along the wooded trails and then go back in the late afternoon for a couple of loops around the five mile road.  It is during this drive around that I have been able to spot dozens of white tail deer and numerous wild turkeys.  It is the perfect place for a wildlife photographer (wanabe) to hone his skills.

Now, after a few days back in Indiana for doctor appointments, we will be off to an extended WYNDHAM RESORT TIME SHARE travel adventure (160 days) with stops in Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Mexico, and South Carolina.

REFLECTIONS

When making my loops within Wilson's Creek National Battlefield, I try to find unique pictures of the abundant wildlife; something out of the ordinary.  Sometimes it's a deer in the middle of crossing a rushing stream, sometimes a fox walking stealthily between grassy fields, sometimes a armadillo nosing his way across a green meadow.  I can get any number of photos of deer standing beside the road but it's the more interesting ones I seek.  Perhaps this year's best was a hen turkey who decided to land on top of a hand hewn wooden fence with a backdrop of the setting sun as it set, the yet to be harvested. corn on fire with golden wonder.

I wondered as I watched her sit there, turning her head from side to side, where were the rest of her flock?  Was she looking for them from this elevated perch or was she simply enjoying her solitude?

I don't know why she was on the fence. She just was and I had never seen this unique pose before.

I guess I'll never know her reason.  Yet I know that in our lives there are times when we have to be in the marching band.  We have to be organized and in step with all those around us.  There are times when it is critically important that we know where we are in relationship to others.  There are times when working together to accomplish that which we could not accomplish alone is the most important thing we can do.

I also know that there are times when absolutely the best thing we can do for ourselves is to find a place away from the crowd and just be still.  There are times when we just need to stare into the sunset and enjoy all that is before us.

We are all different and the balance we need between "marching band" times and "fence sitting" times are unique to our temperaments and personalities.  An extreme of one or the other can lead to troubled times.  Find your balance.  Find your place and learn to enjoy both the regiment and the rest.