With September’s swift arrival, I have been reflecting on the experiences I have had this month. Quite varied, but they have each made an impression however small. From the large scale fire to the quiet nature of horses, August made an impact.

Goodbye August

Hello September

The Milky Way… this is a wonder. I have been wanting to capture this for months and decided to do what it takes to attempt the capture.

A moonless night ✔️

Photo Pills to find the galactic centre ✔️

A clear night sky ✔️

A tripod ✔️

Southern exposure ✔️

A fast lens ✔️

manual focus ✔️

a cable release or app ✔️

a foreground ✔️

After these preparations and a bit of research, I managed to capture the Milky Way right outside my front door. It’s not perfect, but I’m happy with my first attempt. It’s so amazing to think that it is right there, just shielded from our view due to light pollution. Thankfully I live away from the city, with super-dark skies or I would have to drive hours away from the sky light. The Milky Way is a natural wonder as the night opens up the magic within.

Rushing rivers…Delight comes from watching nature perform in its element. The rushing waters near Cathedral lakes provided a lovely spot to think and reflect- Two things I do a lot of lately. I just love water, from the ocean to creek beds, there is something calming about the sounds of water as it moves along from the mountain down to the lake in waterfalls or the giant waves of the ocean splashing on rocks, I can’t get enough of this delight.

Wild fire…wonder. This month a serious wild fire broke out near our home. We in fact saw the fire begin and called the fire emergency number to report it. Within minutes it had spread into a massive fire as it jumped from tree to tree lighting up in fiery reds and oranges. This fire was dangerously close to many homes, that were subsequently evacuated and others on alert. We packed up our precious mementos, clothing and paperwork, waiting to be evacuated at a moment’s notice. Our photos and video were used by news agencies the world over, as this was international news. In fact, almost 2 weeks later, and helicopters are still flying over our house putting out the remaining smaller fires. Fire out of control is very scary and it panics you to the core. Fire should be respected for the wonder that it is.

Horse delight….Who doesn’t delight in the calmness of a filly? The day was baking hot and driving by a pasture, I was enchanted by the chestnut as she stood swatting flies off her beautiful muzzle. I approached quietly and extended my hand as she trotted over to me, trusting and eager for a human touch. She and her fellow herd quietly walked towards the fence, perhaps as inquisitive as I as we stared at one another. I hope they delighted in me as much as I did in them.

I hope you enjoy my wonders and delights of the month. What are yours?