Terrie McClay - Author
CHANGING SEASONS
All photographs were taken by me, Terrie McClay.
Photography is one of my passions. I'll be adding more pages and photos, so please check back for the latest updates. Thanks so much for stopping by, and please feel free to leave your comments and suggestions below.
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Winter Last updated on 3/07/15
WINTER - In the presence of Eagles
By Terrie McClay
Winter, for many, is a time to hibernate in the warmth of their homes, curled on the sofa with a cup of hot chocolate, watching a movie or reading a good book. For me, much of my time is spent in the outdoors, bundled in layers of clothing and often wishing that I was home, warm and comfortable like everyone else. But Eagle had a very important lesson to teach me.
Recently, I went to a nearby wildlife refuge on a cold bitter day when the temperature was in the teens and the winds gusted to 40 mph. When I climbed out of my car, the cold nipped my fingers through my gloves. My cheeks burned from the wind. Yet, as I stood taking photographs of juvenile eagles squabbling on the ice, while several others circled overhead, I felt humbled in their presence. Their cries lifted my heart and I truly felt at peace. I looked across the marsh with the sun reflecting on the ice; the tiny pools of water where the little ducks paddled round in circles; the rays of sunlight, breaking through the clouds. I was surrounded by so much beauty – beauty that we often fail to notice when we are consumed with work, the many hours on the computer, Ipads, and cellphones.
That day, in the presence of Eagle, I was at peace, at one with my mind body and spirit. As I drove home, I felt as renewed as the day that I walked down from the mountain after my Vision Quest.
Now as I bundle in my many layers of clothing, Winter has taken a on a whole new meaning. I take the time to notice the tiny tuffs of grass, sticking up through the snow; the birds flitting from tree to tree; the prisms of light shimmering on the crystalline boughs; the waves of snow rolling across the fields; the white mist of breath. Winter – magical, inspirational, humbling, a quiet time to reflect.