Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Leaving my girl

Just got back from the other side of the country where we dropped off Youngest. For the next four years, she'll be studying fine arts and I'll be pining for the fjords (name that source). Now, I've done this twice before with my other children, and Youngest spent a good chunk of the summer away from home on her own in Europe, so I didn't think it would hit me as hard as it did. As it turns out, a brick upside the head would have had less impact. (le sigh) Still, she's thrilled with her new life, so I couldn't be happier. Okay I could be happier, if say, she lived closer, or I won the lotto, or if there was a chocolate factory in my basement.

We stayed at a delightful inn in the small town that houses her university. They had a wild mushroom soup and a seafood chowder that still make me shiver when I think of them, they were that good. And while my husband recovered from his 10 hour drive, I walked around town and stumbled upon this waterfowl park. I wandered over at dusk the night before I left (my baby forever) and though I only saw a fraction of the 50+ acres (through a veil of tears) (kidding) (not) I was struck by its beauty and serenity. The path started beside this old Presbyterian church.

Then I meandered along this walkway over the water, lined by an arch of river birch, undulating over the marsh and through the reeds. I know for sure that path undulated because I kept lurching and tripping over its undulations.
Here is the bench where I had a good cry. Not really. I actually met a fellow Nikon enthusiast, and bound by our love of The Nikon and my fear of a bunch of rowdy local drunks throwing beer cans into the pond, we went forth together into the marsh to find ducks to shoot. With our Nikons.
The park was full of walkways like these, with twists and turns that disappeared for miles into the brush.
He was a bit saucy. Saucy like l'orange, I'd like to remind him.
Oh, I'm going to miss my girl.

The end.

10 comments:

Julie K said...

Oh, Pam-ela-la-la...hugs (and a boozy, chocolatey dessert) from Winnipeg...

BB said...

Fabulous Nikon shootin' their friend... I feel your ache from here. It makes me think of the aches I am facing in about 13-15 years time. And I dive head-first into a block of Lindt. It helps, OK?
:-)
BB

PS Really love those last three shots in particular!

nightsmusic said...

Awww, Pam. Hugs to you. I wish I'd feel that way when my girls leave, but I shall be dancing a jig. It's been a very long few years around here...

I LOVE the duck butt! Why are so many photographers fascinated with duck butts? When I got my first good camera, that's one of the first pictures I took. It still hangs on my wall. A private joke between the DH and me. ;)

A Novel Woman said...

Well, thanks BB!

And I don't know why I like the duck butts, but there's something about how buoyant and flippy the little birds are that cracks me up (no pun intended.)

Colleen said...

Name that source? The Dead Parrot skit by Monty Python?

kc dyer said...

Ahhh. Love the picture of S. She looks like a Quebec girlie for sure. I'm so glad she's happy there, and that your eyesight wasn't too blurred to get those incredible pix!

~kc

Anonymous said...

Hi Pam,
Poor you...of course you're going to miss youngest, mew, but she'll be back, don't you worry none!
Your photos are incredible, I feel like going to the Maritimes NOW! Come see the flickers and other woodpeckers in my yard. LUV Kathy

Richard Bonomo said...

Great images Pam. i really like the symmetry in DSC_1235. Chin up, she'll be back soon enough, isn't Christmas coming soonish?

A Novel Woman said...

Richard! Thanks. Of course, once I posted it, I wanted to clone out those top two corners with the branches hanging over the scene....

Deborah Small said...

Aww, Pam. Big HUG!

It's not easy when they fly the coop, even if you have encouraged them to peek over the edge of the nest. Still smarts when they actually take that leap. Thank dog you've got Buddy. He's not as pretty, but I'm sure he'll tolerate a few extra cuddles. :)

See you soon.
Deb