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Thursday, October 22, 2009

Gimme The Prize


Don't you just love when you've worked so hard to get something and then through all that hard work your dream is fulfilled? That feeling of accomplishment is a wonderful thing. You feel like all that hard work was worth every second, and you're so happy. All wrapped up in a nice little bow.

Then there are times when that hard work yields nothing at all. Maybe you get what you feel are a few small tokens, but you never get the triumphant finish you feel you deserve. You feel horribly cheated at these times. Life seems so unfair, but you still try and push forward because you don't know what else to do.

But what about a third scenario. Oh, it happens! It's a combination of both of the first two, and it can almost be a bittersweet moment. You work so hard only to get little or nothing, but then after you've accepted your fate victory seems to fall right in your lap. Sure you feel good, but you feel as if you were robbed of that wonderful feeling of accomplishment because you feel as if this was only luck.


After chasing them around like an idiot for what seemed like ages, the black squirrel in this picture strolled right out onto the trail in front of me and began leisurely eating an acorn. Of course I wasn't going to turn down an easy gift such as this. Being very careful not to make any quick moves, I began taking my pictures.

I expected only a couple of pictures before this black ninja of the forest noticed I was there and ran away screaming. But guess what really happened? The squirrel stayed right as. It was really enjoying that acorn so I guess it just didn't notice anything at all, including a giant strange human standing twenty feet away pointing a box at it.


After awhile, and after the squirrel finished all of its acorn, it looked up as if it just then noticed the existence of the rest of the world. It looked around as if was just shaking off the fog around its head, and then without ever noticing me it turned slowly around and trotted right back into the tightly packed bushes.

At first I felt betrayed as if this was not my skill that gave this opportunity to me, it was only dumb luck. But then I began to realize that maybe it was okay to feel the accomplishment. Maybe this was a gift for all of my hard work. Maybe this was the real result. Some things seem easy when you are good at them. Besides, I can do much better than this.

16 comments:

  1. that black ninja of the forest is sure oblivious of your presence, Ratty. great shots! congrats on your accomplishment! :)

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  2. wow, those are some great shots! he looks like he doesn't have a care in the world. sometimes i think it would be great to be a creature of the forest.

    hugz!

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  3. Wonderful photos. I've never seen a black squirrel, only the more common gray varieties. They are quite elegant and these pictures are amazing.

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  4. Awesome photos of the black squirrel, Ratty! It's a victory as far I can see..

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  5. Really nice! Hey... take some credit. If you hadn't been there with the box it wouldn't have mattered if the ninja was in the trail.

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  6. I always find out my failure only when I reach home to review with my PC. What can I do?

    Then I eagerly hope for the next weekend to come as soon as possible, and I am able to find the exact scene or creature.

    Usually it turn out to be not what I want.

    This is the second failure. Sigh..

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  7. I think that not being noticed is the skill the photographer of animals must posess. It is harder to do if you like to wander. Enjoy the moment, and the accomplishment. What a cute squirrel.

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  8. Ratty, the black ninja of the forest has been sent by the Forest Spirit for thanking you when you chanted, burnt and send that poor snake back to the loving arms of nature. Expect more to come :)

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  9. Congratulations for your capture. Thank you for the wonderful black squirrel photos.

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  10. Maybe it was lucky he wandered out in front of you, but you still deserve credit for taking great shots.

    I would've probably missed him :-(

    (Off topic, but are you planning to take any shots of the moon with your new lens?)

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  11. Great shots Ratty. Your story sounds a little like my quest for the perfect honey bee photo, we can always do better. Next thing you know one of these little fellows will walk right up to you and pose for a photo session.

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  12. WOOHOOOOOOOO, way to go, that's a great shot. I want to know who the human pointing the box was, I thought you were a rat...lol

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  13. Don't look a gift horse in the mouth, Ratty. You AlWAYS deserve good shots because you work hard to be out there, in good or bad weather...faithfully!!

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  14. Way to go Ratty,I've been tryin to get a good shot of those little guys for a while!!!

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  15. @Cher
    I think maybe I was a better ninja this time than that squirrel. :)
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    @PJ
    A forest like this one is the best place for these animals. Much safer than a human neighborhood.
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    @RNSane
    Black squirrels are more rare than grays. They are actually a mutated variety of gray.
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    @Icy BC
    I feel like it's a victory too, but my quest is not over. I hope I can do even better.
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    @Sharkbytes
    Last year at this time I would have had no chance at all. I might have gotten one blurry shot. I still have room for improvement though. I'm happy about it. :)
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    @Rainfield
    The great thing about taking nature pictures is that even with the failures we also have unexpected successes.
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    @DK Miller
    That skill of not being noticed is a major thing you get when you take nature photos.
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    @VanillaSeven
    It might have been a gift. If it was a gift, I am very thankful.
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    @Arasu
    Thanks. I like to share this stuff.
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    @John
    I would've missed him too without all the practice I've had. It was a little luck and a little skill. :)

    I've already taken a picture of the moon in the daylight. It worked out well. Thanks for reminding me. I haven't had much of a nighttime chance yet because it's been very cloudy here.
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    @SquirrelQueen
    It's interesting that you mention that one might walk right up to me. That very post is coming soon. :)
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    @Ann
    That human was me of course. Silly you thinking I was a real rat. If you read a few of my past posts, you'll find out that the animals know me as a goofy human dressed in a ridiculous mouse costume. ;)

    Now that's a sight nobody would want to meet in the forest. :D
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    @The Retired One
    I've had an odd amount of these gifts lately. That was the first in a string of them, and not the best.
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    @The Painter
    They're very hard to catch. That's why I call them the ninjas of the forest. :)

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  16. Oh Ratty...I'm so glad you finally got the pictures of the black squirrel...not just for you though, but for me too, I'm pretty sure we don't have them in the UK so it was very nice to see such a good photo of one...I don't know if you've noticed but I can't ever recall there being a nature programme about squirrels so I thank you for introducing me to something that I didn't know existed.

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