SEASONED

Wilderness canoe expedition #70 for me. The visible part of me made it back to civilization. Reflections from one’s memories shimmer and dissipate quickly unless held onto by my minds pondering hands.

I still see the first light stealthily through the thick fog. I replay the invisible swan honks, haunting loons, beaver slaps, eagles chirping, fish splash and otter chatter in surround sound. Very wild. A part of me will never leave.

The imagination memory reflections are as real as the landscape refracted on the still waters. Be still my soul….

Gary

more to come when I process about 300 pictures and gather some memories and thoughts as I unpack. I sure hope I don’t find a stowaway chipmunk in one of my packs…I’ll post more free downloadable pictures on my unsplash site

Morning Coffee stir stick

Published by Gary Fultz

Outdoors Man, Hunter, Fisherman, Guide, Writer / Author, Photographer, Public Speaker, Musician, Song Writer, Story Teller, Follower Of Jesus. Love God and family and total strangers

78 thoughts on “SEASONED

  1. Scenes of soul contentment. Wish I could have been there to share them with you brother . . . but then such times often are best experienced alone, in grateful silent communion with the One who created them. Thanks for sharing them Gary.

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  2. Thank you Gary for the gorgeous photo, I will check out what you are led to share on Unsplash…as always!
    I love your meditation and beautiful words expressing the change that is so much a part of life…making our plans seem small in the grand scheme of God’s greatness.
    Blessings to you. Enjoy the coffee…what a fabulous stir stick!!

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    1. Thanks Mandy. I didn’t want to take my great camera as that terrain is very hard on expensive cameras. I used a canon SX 740 HS. It’s a nice little packable bridge camera… And yes, this was a great time with the Lord as well as 5 other like-minded guys. Lots of wildlife and fish fry’s. slept under a gazillion stars in this pristine north country.

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    1. Thanks Cindy. I must admit, every morning had it’s own wow factor just sticking my head outside the tent…an automatic reach for the camera. Then build a fire, make some coffee and watch the sun come up.

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    1. thanks Pete

      A couple years ago several bloggers suggested I share my photos with the world in a larger format. I found a sharing site where people can download photos for free. I think there are several such sites that many bloggers use when looking for the right photo. I use unsplash …just hit my link on the blog embedded in the word “unsplash”…it will take you there.

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    1. the trip was a 9.9 AJ. The largemouth bass were even hitting. Rare for the BWCA lakes. We caught them up to 21″ …nice walleye and eater size northern pike. The guys had lessons in taking the y bones out of the pike. Fixed right they are fantastic.

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    2. Speaking of eating…I’m laughing because every day a grouse would waltz into camp and come within 10 feet of us…it is grouse season and we eyed it every day, knowing that our stir fry meal was coming up…I put a grouse picture on my unsplash account, it’s that one. Yes, she is still alive…we had fish.

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  3. “I replay the invisible swan honks, haunting loons, beaver slaps, eagles chirping, fish splash and otter chatter in surround sound. Very wild. A part of me will never leave.”

    The Lord’s wild creation is vitally necessary for the heart of man. It can be powerful and fierce and unforgiving. Yet it is also quite tender and can be relatively easy to pollute and destroy. Sinful man apart from God has done a good job of the latter worldwide. A sad fact. It is why it must be so soul satisfying for you and men like you to immerse yourself in the purity of the outer wildness of God’s creation in the few areas left to experience and enjoy.

    Congratulations on Trip #70, Gary. Thanks for taking the time and making the effort to take us along.

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    1. Thank You for the truth and depth of that comment RJ. It’s so true. Side note…5 of the six of us were married guys. Between us 204 years of marriage to the original partners. All good marriages and a lot of wisdom to dispel on the single 22-year-old along. We had some great in-depth conversations in the canoes and around the campfires.

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    1. I think you are right on the mountain man Matt. At minimal an explorer. I would have needed a wife like I have to put up with me though. Tania is in tough shape. She lost a lot of function that’s not coming back very well. It’s probably true for all of us who end up going through what she has. Thanks for praying!!

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    1. Wow, a chipmunk would be exciting (my wife would use a different word than exciting). I could see my grandsons doing that. So far all we have had is a snake and an ermine in the house loose. The wilderness was photogenic this time around. No rain or high winds.

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    1. Thankyou Laurette. In that setting one can wax poetic or philosophical…possibly everything in-between. Creation truly is beyond the scope of amazing. Experiencing everything from the beauty to the harshness from a slow pace with canoes and campfires give one time to connect and think deeper than the fast-paced lives we lead. My thoughts while stargazing beside the fire.

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    1. I’m a little torn on a stowaway chipmunk. It would probably take up residence in my sleeping bag or something…I had a mouse once that bit into everything, sampled, and I remembered that reaction was not to take a picture. I can’t imagine the damage a chipmunk could do. I think I will stick with taking chipmunk pictures as they eat a nut off the ground.

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  4. Absolutely beautiful! I had a quick glance at these photographs last night and I came back for a closer look. I love the photo with the line beneath, “Be still my soul.” It is a mesmerizing photo…

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