For Vincent Oiseau

Hi Michael,

 

firstly, let me say that seeing a picture with my name on it always is a special thing; in art, a 'dedication' is always something graceful, unless of course its satire, but in this case I don't think so. I have looked up Fred Birchmore to get an idea why you would put my name on this. I couldn't find much of a reason, except maybe the ornithology part of his wildly versatile existence. He's someone to look up to and I find his life story inspiring. There's another reason this image moved me right away that you couldn't be aware of, as I have never told you this. Last year my mother passed away and seeing this tombstone brought that back into my mind. I thank you humbly for naming this picture after me, but do not fully understand why you thought of me. Kind regards, Vincent

Vincent, I'm sad to hear about your mother; I hope she lived a long and fruitful life. As to why I dedicated this image to you - - Having had the privilege of viewing many of your photographs, it's obvious that you love nature in all its variety and splendor. Birchmore's life also evidenced his love for nature; he hiked the Appalachian Trail, among others. He also floated a he distance on the Suwanee River. (See Wikipedia for more detail.) Whether he did photography is an open question. The nature trail I walked in Athens, Georgia, which you know is dedicated to Birchmore might also have been named for you. Hopefully this explanation makes sense. As to expressing thanks, yours is unnecessary. - - My best always, michael

Hi Michael,

 

thank you for your beautiful and uplifting reaction to my comments! I appreciate it greatly. I hope this year will bring you better things than 2020 did. Kind regards, Vincent