Ready, Set...

Fireworks 2025

Being the 4th of July weekend, I decided it was a perfect time to stretch my skills and experiment with taking photos of fireworks. I thought about it, how beautiful the photos could be. I pictured myself finding the perfect location, having the perfect settings, there would be no bugs... Nirvana.

Where I live, there are two towns in close proximity. I wouldn't have to drive far. Each had their own starring night. Good. I Googled the first one in Stillwater, MN, a beautiful river town: "Are there fireworks tonight in Stillwater?" The answer came back. Yes, there are fireworks, they start at dusk, around 10:00 PM. Check.

So I put a different lens on my camera, changed the settings according to instructions I had, grabbed a tripod -- make that two: one for my digital camera and one for my cellphone "just in case." I loaded up my car, and headed to where I planned to park (according to my instructions), "well ahead of the event, so that you can make sure you have a good viewing place." I parked. There were only a few cars here yet. Good. Must be early enough.

I grabbed my backpack, my two tripods, an extra battery, my cellphone and started trudging downhill toward the place I'd envisioned would be a good perch. Something began to niggle a bit in the back of my mind, though - this must be a really good location, but where IS everybody? I walked on. There were just a few casual strollers along the way. I began to get a little suspicious. There should be more early birds like me here by now.

Hmm. I had my cell phone with me. Maybe it would be a good idea to check again. But the internet is always right... I checked again: "Are there fireworks tonight in Stillwater?" The answer came back the same: yes. EXCEPT this time, I read to the bottom. There in bold letters, was the date. I was here on Saturday.

The fireworks were Friday.

Well, the best laid plans... I'd been in a bit of a hurry, as usual to get here. Just glanced at the internet.

OK - no real harm done, and I was glad to head home as it started to rain.

Round 2: I KNEW that Hudson had fireworks Sunday night. I put my plan on repeat, grabbed my tripod, made sure my settings were correct on my camera, brought my cellphone, and headed downtown toward the fireworks that are held over the river in Lakefront Park. This time, there were tons of people. It took me a bit to find a location, but I found a perfect place that was back a bit from downtown.

Parked the car, set up my tripod for just my digital camera. Last minute change to not take picture with my cellphone. The fireworks were beautiful, lots of them. I snapped the shutter and tried to time it right -- basically, click just before you think the fireworks will display. Felt like I got some good photos! The right location, easy to set up, dark enough. Check, check, check.

Saw some great fireworks and with the time going fast I just kept taking photos, I didn't look at the previews until I got back to my car and things were over. I couldn't wait to see what I captured! Maybe there would be one that would be a keeper.

I pressed on Display. Hmm. just black showed up. I zoomed out a bit. It appeared they were all black. So must be a mistake. I thought about what it could have been. Settings were correct, I had plenty of space on the memory card, good angle for the photos, tripod set up was fine. There was just one little detail...

I had the left my lens cap on.

I am still laughing about it. I don't think I'll forget to take the lens cap off next time. Like everything, it's a matter of me slowing down and staying 'right here.' with whatever I'm doing. The joke is on me! :_)

Baltimore Bomber

Baltimore Oriole [copyright 2025 jeanmaher.com]

I’ve got an idea flitting in my head about something that is just out of reach. It involves a picture of a ‘breaking the sound barrier’ Baltimore Oriole. I just happened to catch the bird in action with a photo one day. It’s a little blurry, but all right. The bird knew exactly what he was doing. He stuck the landing. He had his eye on where he was going and what he wanted to do. Pretty amazing, what birds do.

So, what’s flitting around in my head is the idea of comfort and discomfort. Discomfort comes to me when I want to do something or say something, but don’t because I fear the outcome. So what happens is I am deceiving myself and talking myself into something and/or ignoring my feelings. It’s a lot of work to keep that up, like what a character actor must go through. It’s exhausting to be someone I’m not. Back to pleasing others and not rocking the boat.

I am just beginning to see how important it is to be my own person no matter what or whatever that is.

I do know this: folks that are fine in their own skin are themselves. They are not mean or unkind, just honest about stuff. And I’ve observed that it doesn’t matter where they are, or who they encounter. They don’t change their inner compass. They are true and others feel that.

So, my goal is to be like that Baltimore Oriole. Remember to stay centered in myself is we hurtle through this life. And just practice that.

Fences

Hen in the Hosta Copyright 2025 JeanMaher.com

I’m guessing that underneath the bird feeder is THE place to be if you are a turkey. Convenient meal. Easy pickings. There they were, cleaning up what the squirrels and birds had dropped. Two turkeys wandered a little closer to the house along the fence that keeps deer from devouring favorite plants on the other side. They meandered along, finding more seeds and ended up entering the fenced-in area by a small opening that lets me reach the water spigot.

Inside, the two were rewarded with more seeds for the taking underneath another bird feeder. All was fine as they gobbled up more seeds. Until they decided to move on. Apparently, no way out was evident (to them!), and they began to pace along the barrier.

Turkey Inside the Fenceline Copyright 2025 JeanMaher.com

I watched them repeatedly approach the house along the fence, always stopping short of reaching the opening, turning back to run in the other direction.  

Turkey Number 2 Pacing Copyright 2025 JeanMaher.com

There’s a lesson in here somewhere. Maybe they felt fear, it was something new, and they could not bring themselves to keep exploring further. Maybe there was no memory of the fence opening. I took a pity on their plight after a while; I stepped outside and stood at the furthest point from their pacing. I’ve found turkeys to be hypervigilant and no surprise, upon seeing a human, they suddenly, instinctively were startled out of their panic and knew what to do, flying explosively up and out over the fence, over the roof, gone. Maybe it was a reminder to do my best to stay level-headed, not panic in a situation, or I’ll miss what is clearly right in front of me.

Seemed like I wrapped that up well.

Fast forward a few days.

When I shared this story later, I was asked, do turkeys really think from the same perspective as me? Hmm. Time for a little rewrite…

Then, I was assuming that the birds coming up to the edge of the fence were fearful. Weren't they just mere feet from the opening through which they entered? Yes, but they panicked before reaching it and turned tail, trotting as fast as they could back the other way.

Many times.

Now, the question of how I perceived the situation compared to how the turkeys did was a good one. Were the turkeys and I the same in what we felt? How much do they remember? Do they understand what a fence is? I can only guess what happens in the bird’s brain. How big is a turkey brain, anyway? And does size matter? (Oops – maybe going too far here).

Maybe the lesson is: don’t impose my human way of being on a turkey, or for that matter on any other person, either. I can’t because I don’t walk in another person’s shoes. Better off to just listen. And don’t assume that these turkeys experience things in the same way I do. Maybe they do, maybe they don’t. Nearly impossible to know.

It may just mean to stop making assumptions about others. It may be something else through the eyes of another.