Friday, October 16, 2009

Country Dreams

Grazing - Image c Lynda Lehmann 2009

Country Dreams - Image c Lynda Lehmann 2009

I was enchanted by these idyllic scenes of a pasture in autumn, with grazing cows and horses. It was such a peaceful and dreamlike scene, with the muted colors of a somewhat hazy fall day. Here are a couple of my favorite shots, among many taken during a couple of short outings in the past month.

The animals look so contented that it's easy to forget they are being raised for commerce. I know the demands of the food chain are an indisputable reality, but I feel an empathy with animals who overall, perhaps, have less control over their fates than we humans do. Or do you think that's a subject for debate?

Regardless, the natural beauty of rural areas does not disguise the fact that life is a struggle. That's why I think it's important to have empathy for every living being. We can't deny the realities of the food chain, but we can strive for harmony and intelligent living. We can also count our blessings....

Speaking of contented animals, here is a chipmunk who made multiple appearances on a tree stump in our yard. He seemed to be as happy to watch me as I was to watch him. Every time I snapped a shot and the flash fired, he disappeared under a weed-covered rock, only to appear again for another pose, a few seconds later!


Chippie Takes a Pose - Image c Lynda Lehmann 2009

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15 comments:

  1. The chipmunk is darling and the horse scenes are bucolic.

    We have just become vegetarians (better late than never) in an effort to spare some of the creatures with whom we share the planet. It is also a huge way to reduce one's carbon footprint. We do more to reduce global warming by eating a plant-based diet than by giving up our automobiles (because of all the forests that are razed to create land to raise the crops that feed industrialized herds raised for food).

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  2. i like all your pictures but it's the chipmunk that steals my heart. he's an adorable little guy. hope all is well. have a great weekend.

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  3. Love all the colors and the chipmunk is adorable! Fall is such a glorious time of year.

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  4. I never knew that Maine had such beautiful rural areas. Those cows in the field sooooooooo reminds me of growing up in the country in Alabama. Country life is the best life.

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  5. the colours are just gorgeous Lynda...
    and your scenes are absolutely idyllic...as if time stands still over your way...
    makes me hanker for the country life :)

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  6. I had to laugh once, up in Canada. Realizing I'd never eat a bunch of mixed nuts I had sitting around, I put them out with the bird seed one day. The next day, my friend & I noticed ALL of the walnuts piled up over a chipmunk hole along the edge of my house. Nothing else, just the big boys. My friend stepped on some of them, breaking them open for my sub-basement rentor.

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  7. I love the photos and love the sentiment too.

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  8. KIa ora Lynda,
    Oh how I love the fall colours, and the earthy aroma of the change of seasons. I think the chipmunks are the creatures I most miss of my home back there. Their cheeky presence can't help but make us smile.
    Aroha,
    Robb

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  9. The second scene looks like a 19th century watercolour. It's just so perfect.

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  10. Hey Lynda,

    Aww, such beautiful horses! It is easy for us to get lost before such beauty, isn't it?

    I am going to be frank with you; animals were created to be dominated by men (by God's commandment) and some were created to serve as food; so...yes, we must kill the cute cows and lambs to eat.
    Now, we have to be ethical when killing these animals (also by God's commandment) otherwise the effects of eating stressed meat can be devastating (on an energetic level).

    Now that is one classy chippie...I love the way it strikes the pose lol :D!

    Excellent post...it exudes peace and tranquility :D!

    Big hug, darling!

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  11. Beautiful images. Idyllic indeed.

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  12. Lynda again so beautiful and the chipmunk at total surprise. You are so right about the cows being raised for commerce. I remember those days when my parents had a cow, lol, for milk only, never we had a thought that we would eat it, lol, pigs on the other hand were killed every fall. Anna :)

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  13. Lynda, I know you aren't into awards and I respect that. So you might like to know you didn't get one from me last sunday!

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