One of the things I really love, is to grab my camera, and take a little walk.  Anywhere.  I simply like to amble along…. wellllll….. maybe it is more like brisk walking-type-amble (the only speed I know).

No matter.  I like to walk about and explore this place…this world…. with my eyes and my mind.  I like to imagine and think about the things surrounding me.   Tonight, I decided to have a stroll around our back meadow.  I hadn’t been out that way in a while.

As I started off, something stirred in the tall grasses.  Something sizable.  It startled me momentarily.  Then I laughed out loud with myself.  After living out in the country, now for one-half of my life, there isn’t much that I would come across that could scare me from my walk….. I reflected.

For instance.  Just this morning after breakfast, I heard what I thought was a loud knock at the back door.  (The door itself was open, but the glass storm door was engaged.)  Ollie paced back and forth in front of the door but didn’t bark.  I thought I’d better have  a  look.  There on the back porch was a nice size snake…. trying to work it’s way under the glass door.  I went out and picked the fella up and carried him where there were some bushes.    Now… A couple of decades ago…that would have freaked me out.  Not anymore.

So tonight… in my new found smugness … after the momentary disturbance in the prairie grasses …. I carried on.  As I got around the first bend, I stopped.  Cold in my tracks. I froze solid.  And then… Quickly…   I turned on my heals, and took off in the other direction.

Yep… I had walked right up on a skunk.

Of course… the photographer in me had to double back…and get a few shots of the furry beast.

But lesson learned.  I had just congratulated myself on being a big brave country girl.  Oh nothing out here could keep me from a nice evening walk in the country.

I hadn’t thought of all the possibilities.  Clearly.

And such it is with life.  There are times when we think we know what course we are on… Or how we would react to any situation that might come before us.  But the truth is….  we can never know what the future will bring.  We can never be quite sure of anything.  No matter how prepared, and capable WE think we are.

All of us are vulnerable.  We …. humans.  We are all susceptible to that which can change.   And certainly…. none of us immune from the tale… of the skunk.

Remember when life’s path is steep to keep your mind even.
– Horace

Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.
– Ralph Waldo Emerson