Muskrat

Sometimes I still get the feeling that my next outing won't result in a new find. I just couldn't shake that thought Saturday as I made my way up my little dirt road without the slightest inclination to capture a shot. I began to settle into the zen-like attitude of come what may as I fell into a slow and relaxed gait. So what if I just lug around this heavy beast of a camera (it was telephoto day) for five miles? Whatever...

Shortly thereafter I encountered the first geese families.

Checking in at my most peaceful spot to spend time with the lovely white birches and update my cinnamon fern collection, I was ruminating on how I shouldn't feel 'I made it' with my earlier find and hence keep open to more possibilities.

I first heard a squeak and then from the corner of my eye something disappeared under the water. A moment later, a muskrat appeared and for the next fifteen minutes or so continued to come up and browse on weeds, go down out of sight for a few moments, and reappear in a nearby spot.

For some time, it even sat up on submerged branches. It was surprising how quickly its fur could dry off in the bright sunlight.

Like so many of my subjects, this was my first ever sighting. It is so humbling to think that all this life has been around me for so long and that I am only now beginning to see it.