Walk and Click Wednesdays #19: Lessons from the Road

It's time for Walk and Click Wednesday!

Here is my Lessons from the Road post promised several days ago. This is the same adventure on which my Bald Eagle photos were taken ... and mostly I drove and clicked, but I was reminded that if I had left earlier in the day I would have had some time to walk. Next time. If you missed it, you can also find reference to a website for more information and directions to the area.

Lesson 1: No place to hide.

In northern Colorado one finds lots of open space and the prairie lands are quite flat. The lingering snow gives the landscape some texture and variety, but I felt very exposed out there in my white Toyota! I stopped to give Kobi a little walk, but found that I prefer a path and the protection of trees, not a dirt road. And sometimes I just need to hide behind a closed door.

Lesson 2: There is protection in the flock, especially when everyone looks the same.

It was incredible to watch this flock of Canada geese circle and gather and land in the field to find their winter food of grain. There were so many more ... but zooming in made for a more interesting picture. Can you recognize your friend, Bert, in all of those guys?

Lesson 3: A blended family can be the perfect family.

I loved the juxtaposition of the mule against the horses here. Oh, and the donkey is being a bit coy ... just as some family members can be. Anyway, this grouping reminded me that it is possible to develop good blended family relationships as I have with my former husband and his wife and kids.

Lesson 4: Sometimes you just don't blend in. 

How can black cows possibly blend in with the golden corn fields as their backdrop? It reminds me that sometimes we just don't blend in and we're not supposed to. We're supposed to stand out, shout our message, and celebrate the gifts we bring to the world!

Lesson 5: Sometimes the middle of the road is the best place to be.

As I approached these cows that were beside the road, I thought, "you guys are on the wrong side of the fence." I stopped to take pictures and allowed Kobi a moment to stretch his legs, which didn't last long because I felt so self-conscious with those cows staring at me. Upon reflection of this photo, I couldn't help but think there is a time and place to just be in the middle, at neither extreme.

Lesson 6: You may feel lost, but chances are you're not.

Out there in the middle of the northern Colorado plains, I began to feel lost as the sun lowered in the sky. I was looking for the highway, but it wasn't materializing. I noticed those nasty fears cropping up. What am I going to do if I don't find the highway? How am I going to get home from here? Well, I do have some extra food for me, but no dog food. And it's freezing; I don't have any blankets. I kept going because finally I had seen a sign a ways back indicating the highway was in the direction I was going. I began to wonder how the early pioneers who discover this western land ventured across this land in their covered wagons and on horseback. I mean, really, I was nervous in a car!

Lesson 7: You can build your home anywhere you want.

As you can see from earlier pictures, this area of Colorado is very desolate; but, this brave soul built a dream home in the middle of it all. On a more esoteric level, I am reminded that I can create home anywhere ... that sense of belonging ... of safety ... of fulfillment.

Thanks for joining me today. Hope you have found a place to walk where lessons are revealed to you.

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I look forward to seeing you here for Walk and Click Wednesdays. Can't wait to see what you saw on your strolls.

Please join me in the adventure. The only "requirement" other than those below is that you go out walking and take some pictures. Please keep in mind that you don't have to walk, take pictures, process them, and post all on Wednesday ... take the weekend before to explore and a few days to process your photos ... then link up.

Walk and Click Wednesdays (WCW) Guidelines:

Are you new to Walk and Click Wednesdays? The party will open on Wednesday and close on Saturday at midnight.

Here are just a few guidelines to keep everyone on target.

• Please link directly to your WCW blog post or the specific flickr image, not to your main blog url or flickr stream url. Please do not link to an online shop.
• Please link back to laf Custom Designs. I'd love it if you'd share my WCW button on your blog (it's over there on the sidebar--see it?--just under the Friends Who Love It Here icons). It will also serve as a reminder to you since I know you all have a lot going on in your lives.
• Please visit the other WCW participants and share the love. Gotta get this party goin' on.

Have a great weekend and find some time to walk and click. ;->