Notes from the Field: August 30, 2020

Today was an example of letting go and letting God. It started with an argument between me and my husband when I told him that I was driving into DC to take pictures of the Hirshhorn Sculpture Garden. “You never asked me if I wanted to go along!” He complained. “Well, you’re welcome to come along,” I replied. “You know I’m in no shape to go into the city today!” He whined. “Okay. See you later!” I was off.

Once on the road, I started to get a bad feeling in my stomach. Traffic was turning out to be heavier than I expected. I began to get second thoughts about my planned outing. I hadn’t eaten anything yet today. My mouth was dry and I didn’t even have a bottle of water. Is this field tripped ill-advised, after all? I asked myself. Well, that was answer enough for me. If I begin to question what I’m doing, it’s time to reevaluate and if necessary, to retreat. It’s better to make a good run than a bad stand.

I got to what amounted to the point of no return and took the exit. I decided I would double back home on back roads. Low and behold some new options opened up to me. There was a nursery on the side of the road. I made a mental note to visit them before going home. I drove to a church nearby called Saint Mother Seton. Wouldn’t you know that when I got there, I it was closed but there was a garden in front. There I encountered one of the most amazing creatures that I’ve ever photographed. At first I thought it was an insect, but on closer inspection, I realized it was a hummingbird! It was no bigger than my thumbnail. I basically pointed my camera at it as it darted among the blossoms, said a Hail Mary, and hit the shutter. Below is what I was able to capture. It’s not as crisp as I would like, but I still think they are worthy.