Sincerity

I melt at the honesty here. How do you feel when you look? Thanks for

your input. In grattitude, ~mary~

How do I feel? Damn, another damn tree hugger!

 

Just kidding, whenever I look at elephants I don't know why, but they always look sad and this one is no different. Almost a yearning for sympathy. This one also looks like she/he is close to the tree for security almost hugging it, hence my first statement.

 

Kirk

I love this image. The composition and the position of the eye draws your attention immediately. An elephant's eyes always seem to me to hold the history of the world. great picture of an absolutely amazing creature.

I can always count on you for sharing honest feelings! How refreshing? Thanks also for the rating.

I feel deeply when I look at elephants too. My only unrealized goal in life is to travel to Africa and study these creatures for a good spell of time. I'm saving this one, however, for retirement. Thanks for stopping in, great to hear from you again. I'll pop over and have a peek at your latest. ~M~

The eye on this shot just pops off the page in print, and is my focal point. Thank you for noticing! As I said above I have a deep appreciation for these beautiful creatures. Thanks so much for taking the time to comment. Most sincerely, ~Mary~

Lovely image. I'd say this is an Asian elephant, isn't it? Thanks for sharing it. BD

Hey BD, thanks for the comment and the rating. It is an Asian elephant, so nice to hear from the elephant fanciers out there. Glad you liked it. I enjoy the sharing that PN offers. Best regards, ~Mary~

Hi Mary I too am from the elephants somehow always look sad school of thought. Sad and wise, which makes me wonder how dependant my happiness is on my lack of wisdom.

 

I really like how closely the tree tones and textures mimic the hide of the pachyderm. The fact that just these two subjects fill the entire frame give strength to this one. Very nice.

Wow, this has been a great visit on PN today. It's always "feel good" time to check in here and this one has brought out the best of the best. I too was drawn to the similar shape and texture of the tree and the hide. Yes those wonderful ears. I suppose when I venture to Africa the "ears" will dominate the shot! Hope all is well up North... burrr.... We had flood stages here this week. My place under standing water. so Winter has arrived with a furry. Take care, thanks for stopping by. ~M~

Mary, thanks for your comments on my photos yesterday, you have a great perspective and ability to convey it very graphically.

 

Gordon, you're right about the wise. I've always felt that they are trying to tell me something but come to think about it most of the animals at the zoo look like that.

 

Mary, I wonder if the free roaming elephants you'll see in Africa will have that wisdom below a look of confidence as opposed to sorrow.

 

Kirk

I use to avoid the zoo like the plague, I couldn't get past my own grief while I was there, then a wise old Mustang told me a story that changed my perception. All my recent posts are of captive animals, and all have a different look (wouldn't you say?). The Bear looked down right blissful that day??? What is up with that? Any way, I am afraid the Elephants in Africa have a lot to be sad about as well. Though freedom is powerful medicine. And about Gordon's comments...I think he may be every bit as wise as the elephants, What do you think eh? Just a hunch? So great to visit thanks for the commentary. A pleasure indeed. ~Mare~

So, you're going to say a wise ole' Mustang told you a story that changed your perception and not share it? C'mon, don't leave that hanging out there; what's the story?

 

Kirk

Okay but you'll have to keep an open mind on this one, my friend.......?

I'll have to find a way to make it short.. hummmm????

 

I have the pleasure of living with a Kieger Mustang. If you don't know the story of the Kieger band, it's an interesting one to look up.

 

Anyway (Concho) was wild for the first 9 years of his life, in the Steens Mountains of Oregon. (Kieger Gorge). I acquired him years after his capture by a fella whom I resect greatly. A few years later Concho developed cancer on (lets just say) the worst possible place for a male. The only option was to amputate, to save his life.

 

I always left Concho as natural as I could. Not doing a lot of training on him, just learning from him what the natural way ofthe horse is?( Mustangs are nothing like domestic horses.) The day I had to make a decsion, I decided that I would let Concho decide.

 

I went out to where he was grazing sat down on the ground and cried. Told him I would just a soon set him free again to live out his days (Hope no wildlife authority reads this?) Than alter him in that way.

 

In no uncertain terms I had a clear message from him. Not like he spoke it of course, but like he sent it into my heart. It was as clear as I type it here. He offered this... "The life I had before was different not better, I trust you now to do what is needed."

 

Well the happy ending is this, I hauled him down to OSU Vet hospital, and as it turned out they could lazar the area, and didn't have to amputate.

 

He lives a blissful and healthy life now at 21 years old. And I learned a valuable lesson. An old Oak (400 years old) on my place taught a similar lesson one day. But no time or space to tell it here.

 

Hope this comes through as it is a condensed version. Thanks for asking Kirk. I am a story teller by nature, so careful what you ask for ; )

Great day to ya... ~Mare~

Mary, the story is great and sent a tingling down across my skin - not goosebumps but a tingling.

 

People ask me if I miss my old home that was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. I must have some Mustang in me because I tell them I miss some things about it but I like where I'm at now, I tell them there were some pluses and minuses about that place as there are with this one. Well, I did say, some Mustang, I'm obviously to wordy to be full Mustang but its similar to what you heard.

 

Amazing story, thank you so much for sharing that.

 

So, since you didn't have to amputate but likely rendered him sterile have you caught him using his unamputated thing just for fun with the young mares?

 

Kirk

Great story! and the abbreviated version still tells the tale, although I'd love to hear the long version some day. Animals can tell you so much without having to speak our language. I've never dealt with a wild mustang but I know even with domestic creatures such as my dogs, in times of crisis they let me know that they 100% trust and rely on me to make the right choices and sort matters out. Whenever they sense that I am in crisis they also know just the right things to do to make me feel better.

 

 

Kirk:

 

I admire your lack of attachment to objects and your open and forward looking view on something as devastating as Katrina must have been.