Matins

Every morning when I drive to work I am moved, anew, by the site of a man doing his morning workout on the dock by the lake. He does push-ups, sit ups, jogs in place, all in the rain or shine. I mean, really, rain or... I often notice what isn't there. He isn't in spandex, just jeans and a T-shirt. He doesn't have some kind of gadget attached to him to verify that he is indeed, exercising. He doesn't have a hat. He doesn't have a special Northwest jacket. It's a nondescript one, usually lying on the dock beside him. Sometimes I can hardly make out his shape in the driving rain.  

The other part of the picture is a bird. Always. I used to think there was one gull who followed him. A kind of companionship borne of many mornings together. But sometimes it's a pigeon, sometimes a crow. One time there was a heron. Why? I love to speculate. Maybe because humans rarely stay in one place doing something without making noise. 

Next time you say "Crickets..."

Apparently I'm the only one who hasn't heard this, but on the off-chance that goes for you, too: This is the sound of a chorus of crickets slowed way down. Overlayed on that is the sound we usually hear.
(Thanks to Bridgett for the link!)

Ball!

Photographer Seth Casteel used a high-resolution camera to catch dogs at their most insane: chasing you know what. Take a look at the whole gallery, I didn't want to steal. 


(Thanks to Kate for the link!)