Photography: Soul Therapy

I honestly don't know what I would have done without my camera over the past couple of weeks.  It has helped me cope. 

Yesterday was no exception.  I actually think of my camera these days as the magic pill which helps me escape troubling and sad thoughts associated with the recent loss of our friend Kea.

When I can leave here with Kiwi, Foster and often with Bill in search of the next batch of beauty surrounding us here in North Idaho, the "forget" mode happily jumps into action. 

My eyes are focused constantly, admiring a row of golden-topped birch along the roadside or brilliant red bushes bursting out and contrasting with evergreen trees on a nearby hillside. 

Any photographer who's out looking for the glory shots of any season will tell you that occasional irritations go along with the hunt----other drivers appearing in the rear view mirror on their personal missions, which often do not involve slowing down and admiring the sights. 

Consequently, many of those drop-dead beautiful scenes, especially along the highways, go unphotographed as we do not want to create a road hazard every time our eyes focus on something absolutely prettier than the last unimaginably gorgeous sight we saw. 

Yesterday, I found a couple of back routes up north in what is seemingly our second home----Boundary County---where I actually had some roads all to myself. 

I could slow down, stop, focus and shoot any ol' time I wanted.

Other scenes were seen in places, allowing plenty of time and ample room to park. 

The original plan when I left the Lovestead was for the dogs and me to walk the trail through the Nature Conservancy at Ball Creek Ranch.  We parked.  I strapped on my fanny pack attached leashes to Foster and Kiwi, and we set off down the trail, dodging dead cow pies. 

Turns out the barbwire cattle gate was shut.  On past occasions that gateway has been open, so I decided it might be wise for us to turn around, drive on and maybe enter the conservancy on the north end. 

So, we moved on up the West Side Road, turned in and parked.  In no time, we were turning around again as I spotted, in the distance, a lone and rather large German Shepherd crisscrossing the trail and coming our way.

Last thing I wanted was a dog encounter, so it was back to the car and on up the West Side Road.  

We turned on to the road that crosses the valley to the Copeland Bridge.  Always curious about Kerr Lake, I turned on to the Kerr Lake Road for the first time.  As we pulled into the rather basic trail to the lake, I spotted a hawk sitting in the field.  

It watched back and eventually took off, soaring overhead a couple of times.  The lake looks inaccessible except for a muddy opening where it's possible cows had come for drinks.  Ducks were happily gliding across the water and totally unaware of my presence. 

I drove the road for about two miles through giant stacks of hay and past one area where the spout from a silo metal grain storage building was emptying contents into a big grain truck.  

After turning around, I stopped at the Copeland Bridge where a Fish and Game team had just pulled their boat from the Kootenai River and three Border Control rigs had circled like the wagons for some sort of powwow.

This is where the dogs could get out.  I tied the leashes together and off we went on a county road, leading through more farm fields.  Not one car passed us as we walked about three quarters of a mile to an old catch pen along the roadside.  

Good for more pictures!  Kiwi and Foster enjoyed some serious sniffing and leaving their marks all along the way. 

Twas a nice escape, especially when I re-entered the world to hear more bad news, nationally, locally and regionally---yes, even more than the usual days of bad and tragic news. 

I consider myself so fortunate to have a camera and a deep love for the beauty surrounding us.

Both serve as effective antidotes for and escapes from the disfunction and unfortunate events that dominate that other world.  And, when we capture some lovely sights we can escape once again, home at the computer while downloading and posting. 

Definitely extra bang for the buck, I'd say.  Pretty cheap and effective therapy too.