As Independence Day, or The Fourth of July is upon us, it causes me to not only remember family days of youth, but how I have celebrated many holidays over the past 20 years.

First Christmas eve day, and then twice Christmas itself.  New Years Day and even Thanksgiving have been joyously spent in nature.   Several 4th of July holidays have been celebrated in the field.  Everyone celebrates in their own fashion.  Many of these “holidays in nature” were spent alone in nature.  That is alone by most standards.  The truth is that I have never spent a moment in the natural world alone. I have never felt lonely in that environment. While my human friends are celebrating with each other I celebrate with my nature friends.

This comes in part from my love of nature, but it is just as much because of my love and fascination with creating images in nature.  It courses through my blood.  It is a healthy addiction.  For those of you who know me personally, everything I said about my love and dedication to nature and nature photography way back when our paths first crossed, remains the same today.  My body as decided to dictate to me that I no longer follow that passion with as much zest as I once did.  Still even now any time that I can force my body into compliance that is where you will find me.  Unfortunately this is not such a day.  There is always tomorrow.  Another day to celebrate.

Normally when I (or anyone) shows pictures of Colorado’s Maroon Bells, we show them reflected in Maroon Lake.  I thought it was worth a close look at the mountains minus the reflection.  Most of Colorado’s Fourteeners are not of the red rock variety.  This was still during the morning hours but the light was losing its warmth.  These two twins are beyond beautiful.  No compositional genius required to make this picture.

I generally find wading and shorebirds to either be “living art”, or comical.  This rather pensive Black-crowned Night Heron seemed somewhere in between.

I found this Sandhill Crane chick in Horicon Marsh NWR some time back.  There’s a lot of growing that still needs to happen.

A bird that I have celebrated with many times.  The Double-crested Cormorant.

Along the Mississippi River at sunrise.

I hope you have enjoyed (or will enjoy) the fireworks, parade or picnic of your choice.