Not what I was expecting.

01/13/08

so i went to sleep early lastnight, and as a result of that,
i was awake this morning by 5am.
with that being said, i had a few options, go back to sleep or atleast try,
play video games, edit some more photos, or grab my camera gear and head out for a sunrise.

walking out of the house i found a thin layer of frost over everything. a sign that the chance of snow for later today, is going to be more then a chance. sounds like a safe bet at this point. i start my truck to let it warm before i head out, i walk back into the house to get on some layers of cloths to help fight the chill in the air. it appears to be not a cloud in site. meaning two things, its going to be a cold morning, and not a very colorful sunrise.

after a quick stop for a morning cup of coffee, its headed east again to the beach. im watching the clock, and as the minutes pass, its getting brighter. still no clouds in sight, just the black sky giving way to the light blue of the morning. as i clear the hills of the highlands, im greeted by a wall of clouds on the horizon that move up about a 1/4 of the far horizon. it a let down. its a thick cloud bank with no sign of light coming threw it. the only sign of the sun that is about to rise is a small sliver of gold that is at the very top of the cloud bank, like someone under the covers, peeking out before stepping out onto the cold floor.

i drive to the beach and make the quick walk to the waters edge, met by seagulls, small waves, a cloud coverd horizon, and a north east wind hitting me in the face.
old shells and garbage litter the beach. it makes me think what slobs we are as poeple. plastic, glass, and trash of all sorts including an old and broken plastic chair have washed onto the beach. its a mess we have made.
small waves beach the sand and rocks to no avail. there is no malice in the waves, just going through the motions of thousands of cycles.
one after the other, no one paying attention. just the crash of the wave, and then the rolling out of the water to start the process all over again.

as the sun is now up beyond the horizon, its still hidden behind the clouds, i am bumbed. here i am awake early and freezing on the beach, and nothing new and or exciting is happening.

i turn to check to see if i might be missing something. and there is nothing. just empty beach. sand, rocks, broken shells, seagulls and.......
a red tailed fox........ WAIT WHAT WAS THAT? A RED TAILED FOX !!!!!!!!

my whole attitude changed, it was no longer just another day at the beach. this was a chance encounter with an elusive creature. not often seen, and here this one is. 10 feet away. paying me really no mind, just going about his daily routine. looing for food, marking his territory. and looking for more food. he jumps into and out of gaps in the rocks, looking for a meal. in over and around he goes. i watch and snap photos for about 15 minutes before he has had enough of me. and off he goes onto the tall dune grass and out of sight. gone for the moment, but sure to be back.

this little encounter, just a passing glimps and a few short minutes of his daily routine, was all i needed to make my weekend. from a feeling of i wasted my time coming out this morning, to wow that was really cool. sometimes it beats sitting in bed, or in front of the computer, just to get out and smell the roses. today it paid off. i didnt get a great photo of the fox, but just watching him was well worth it.

thats all for now. until the next great adventure happens.

mike
=)