When I left home on this trip.. I decided that I wanted to take photos along the way. .to show people that natures beauty can be found anyplace.  Well, I have to confess that as we traveled south.. I did not take the time to stop and photograph the beautiful mountains in Colorado and New Mexico.. or the beautiful golden colored antelope fawns that we saw standing in the fields with their mothers as we traveled.. or any of the other beautiful sights and sounds that we encountered on the trip.. some times when you are traveling time dictates how often you stop.. by the time we reached the northern pan handle of Texas, I think my shock at not being able to see, or smell the mountains that I call home was starting to wear off.. and the first night we actually pulled off the interstate and into the city that I would be saying in for that next week.. I had to force myself to look a bit outside the normal.. to even find anything “natural”  .. I had to readjust my way of thinking and seeing.. all while still trying to adapt to a world full of more people than I had ever seen in my life.. Hawk drove me around and showed me how to get from the motel, to his job site.. (and I was silently thinking.. NOT going to happen… I will just wait in our room..lol) Well the next day.. I took the time to venture out.. down the road from our motel.. I had spotted a sporting goods store.. and wanted to pick up a few things for the fishing trip we were planning..

I got to the sporting goods store about 10 minutes before they opened.. so our son and I just waited in the parking lot (much safer than trying to drive anyplace else at this point..lol) As we stood there watching 6 lanes of cars zip by … I spotted a small little reminder that it doesn’t matter how big the city is.. or how many people there are … nature will always find a way, and a place to call home..

and I for one~ sure did love this little birds choice, of a place to call home and raise her family..

and we both stood there with our “young” watching the cars and the world whiz by.. and I wondered how many actually took the time to notice this beautiful little family of birds.. and if the store owners would remove them if they did…

to end the story.. I have to tell you that the store finally opened and I went inside.. A young man came up to me asking if he could help me find anything.. when I told him that I was looking for bow fishing supplies.. he actually took a step away from me.. and made a face.. as he told me ‘No! we wouldn’t  carry anything like THAT here”  As my eyes scanned the store I realized that it was filled with bicycle equipment and camping items.. but only a very small section of camo and fishing poles  could be seen in the back corner.. So I asked him if he knew of anyplace in the area that might carry what I was looking for.. and he curtly stated.. “I don’t think so, you might try Dallas!”  (Dallas.. 200 miles away and WAY bigger than the town I was in.. no thank you)

I learned a lesson that day.. I assumed that just because the store stated sporting goods.. it would have like minded people working inside.. and he assumed that just because I asked for “bow hunting” equipment.. that I must be a cold blooded killer with no respect for nature…

As I walked out of the store.. I glanced back at the little bird family…. and found myself wondering… if he even knows they are there?