On Assignment

I really don't mind going places by myself. It's just that for the last two months when I turned the car in this direction my daughter has been in the passenger seat. She selects the tunes on the iPod, usually Michelle Chamuel from this season's The Voice, favorite song Somewhere Only We Know. So to ease the sadness I felt, I charged up the iPod and put on some Michelle Chamuel.

My reason for going this direction in the first place is because I was on an assignment from my personal trainer, Maribeth. She wanted to go out hiking somewhere that would include stairs and a variety of terrain to simulate what it will be like hiking in Glacier National Park.

I was to hike and climb for as long as I could to test my endurance, which is what we have been focusing on for the last month, as we prepare me for the trip. While I was doing this I was to stop and take pictures just like I will be doing in a couple of weeks. All the while paying attention to how my body felt and what, if anything was achy.

I had another motivation as well. I have missed going on my weekly photo walks, missed going out and exploring new places. So this week is the restarting of those photo walks, which I am going to call Weekly Wanderings.

This lady intrigued me. She was wearing a coat, and it was quite warm out, as well as the fact, that she kept looking out into the water, not just leisurely strolling along. I wondered what her story was...

I was allowed to stop and rest since I am sure hoping that we will do that when we are hiking. This spot was perfect, looking out over the water with a cool breeze washing over me.

As I climbed back up the stairs from the beach, I put my camera away thinking that I was done taking pictures for the day and to make the load a little more comfortable.

I should learn never to put my camera away. As I traveled back along the path I saw a couple up ahead of me taking pictures of something brown with white spots. A fawn. They were so close they could have touched it. The lady showed me the pictures she had taken, a couple were real keepers. Fortunately the fawn did not take off, but wandered under the stairs we were on and down into a ravine, then it climbed up the hill under the stairs and laid down. 

Of course I had to go off the path (slightly) and look for him/her and this is what I found...

It was really dark under there, but thankfully shooting in RAW, I was able to lighten the shadows quite a bit to get this precious image. I would have stayed longer but the mosquitoes were horrible.

I am so glad that I went out exploring. So glad that Maribeth made me do this assignment.