Teamwork
London, Ontario, February 2007
The scene: a shopping mall parking lot. My daughter and I have been running errands and are heading home. As I open the car door for her, I hear familiar honking in the distance. As the noise gets louder, I look skyward and see the Canadian geese coming toward us. I grab my camera out of its bag and rapidly track the flock across the sky, shooting continuously as they make their closest approach and then gradually disappear into the darkening sky..
My daughter and I discuss the aerodynamic advantages of flying in a vee, and how neat it is that these beautiful flying creatures have these advanced behaviors practically baked into their DNA. It takes us about 15 minutes to drive home. We cover genetics, aerodynamics, and teamwork before we pull into the driveway.
She's nine years-old. I think I'd better study harder so I can keep up with her voraciously growing base of knowledge.
Your turn: Spontaneous wonders of the natural world. Please discuss.
Neat shot Carmi. I think the kids get smarter than you at about 13. But if you watch carefully there will be fully teachable moments even after that time. Enjoy every minute of thier lives with you. Kids, especially daughters, are a real blessing.
ReplyDeleteMike
When my husband and I were first married we went camping up near the California border. After setting up camp we drove down a long winding road. As we came around a bend in the road we saw trees on both sides covered in moss. It looked like a cotton candy fairyland and then we came to an open meadow filled with Tule Elk. It was a very real Serendipity moment that I will never forget.
ReplyDeleteYour daughter sounds like she has intricate thinking skills....very bright!
ReplyDeleteIt is Amazing, I just wrote a post earlier this evening that I will publish on Wednesday... about "Witnessing Spectacular Moments in time". It seems we are on very similar wave lengths.
;)
I love these moments Carmi! Rest assured, I am a daddy's girl and no one will ever be as smart as my dad and no one loves me like that either! He always made sure that I knew that!
ReplyDeleteI am glad that you all had 15 minutes of time together! :)
I think if you can cover aerodynamics, teamwork and genetics in 15 minutes you're doing just fine keeping up with her!
ReplyDeleteMy spontaneous wonders - I love the praying mantis that hang out on my front porch every year. There's a local lake/trail with two trumpeter swans, I love to watch them guard their nest from some relatives of those in your photo. Lots more, but I'll leave room for the others that will show up!
Nice shot.I like the composition.Good job!
ReplyDeletethese have to some of the moments I love the most - that spark conversation and learning and sharing...
ReplyDeleteour rabbits have given us many spontaneous learning conversations! :)
I know what you mean - my children often ask questions that make me want to find out more _ I've learnt more as a parent than I ever learnt in school.
Some of the best conversations we have with our children are when we're alone in the car... She sounds like a very clever girl!
ReplyDeleteAnts. I have actually sat for long spells and watched ants build their hills and carry bread crumbs inside. Their marching order is amazing. Not only that, but if one ant has a piece larger than it can handle, another ant will help him carry the load. Remarkable!
ReplyDeleteGeese occasionally fly over my house. I don't always see them but I often hear them honking as they fly!
ReplyDeleteToo many natural wonders the world to discuss here. I wouldn't know where to start!
I like this one alot.
ReplyDeleteSometimes Carmi, I like your writing better then your pictures.
But your pictures are so good....
so that makes your writing all the better :)
My spontaneous days, I fear, are over. From here on out, I officially do not know what I'm talking about according to my teens (16,17). I just get the eyeroll!
ReplyDeleteCool photo, Carmi....isn't your girl getting clever? Must be her mum's genes [wink]
ReplyDeleteMy spontaneouos wonder of the natural world is a rainbow.... :-))
I like rainbows.....haven't found the pot of gold yet, though...
cq
I was driving down the road from Williamsburg to Jamestown.. the Colonial Parkway. The land is just a thin spit here with the wide James River on one side and marshlands on the other. Multiple scenic and historical turnouts have been built along the way. I was going to turn into one on the left side of the road when I saw, standing just at the edge to the right of the road, a huge deer, male with a ten point rack (five on each side). I turned in and parked and got out of the car with my camera before he bolted across the road and down, not 15 feet from me into the marsh. He stood so still for that fraction of a second, regal and magnificent. Of course I was so shocked that he took this time to pose, I missed the shot.
ReplyDeleteThe last time I went to Mt. Trashmore park here, the seagulls were thick and I was able to get several pictures of them in flight. I was amazed to see that a few looked almost like paintings with no touch ups.
Canadian geese live here year round.
Those conversations are the ones to treasure! My eldest is nearly 14 and she's now MUCH cleverer than me!!
ReplyDeleteWait. We have those conversations with our SIX year old. Scarily, he gets it, too.
ReplyDeleteScary, indeed!
The natural wonders I admire most are the double helices within my cellular nuclei.
ReplyDeleteThey're Cricktastic!