I hike a lot and love those moments that only last a couple of seconds to a couple of minutes and then...gone. It feels great to be at that spot when it happens. Seeing a huge buck swim a river, a gorgeous red fox running across pure white snow, etc. These moments make life worthwhile.

Most of the time I don't have my camera with me or it happens too fast (which makes it all the better sometimes).

This morning, the sunrise on the lake blew me away. I ran out in my bare feet (ouch) to capture it before it disappeared. I watched as long as I could stand the pain of cold feet. ha. This moment only lasted about 5 minutes.

I had to share this shot. Feel free to share any amazing photos you snapped at just the right time!

That is one magical sunrise.

I'm happy you sacrificed your feet! Awesome pic.

"red sky at night sailors delight; red sky in the morning sailors take warning"

Very nice photo. Thanks for posting.

Nice pic. I wish I had the opportunity to get out like that and witness those moments.

One summer, when walking at the Oakdale Nature Center, when I rounded the bend, the setting sun, was perfectly framed by the opening in the trees, at the end of the path. I'm not a photographer, but just snapped a photo with my crappy camera phone. But moments like those, is why I love spending time outdoors.

This picture was taken along the Little River in Great Smoky Mtns Nat'l Park this fall. The spirit behind it can be summarized by the famous phrase, "f/8 and be there." As we were diving alongside the river, I saw the golden light from the trees reflected in the river and wanted to capture that reflected light but could not find a place to safely pull off the road. When I finally stopped, I grabbed my camera, ran back along the road, clambered down the bank and stood in the river to capture the image. I was afraid I'd miss the image because the sun's angle was changing and light clouds often obscured or diffused the sunlight.

My son got me into hunting about 21 years ago. I love hunting, but not necessarily the shooting part. More so, because it gives me an excuse to go walking in the woods to scout, and set up trail cameras (and see what shows up), and sit in my stand for hours and just watch nature. I love being out there, as one with nature. Those shot little moments, where a squirrel climbs the tree your on, and hangs out a few feet from your face, just to check you out.

I spend a lot of time on a facebook hunting club page. There are about 27k members, and they post some pretty cool stuff. This one below, that was recently posted, may be my favorite of all time. You really need to turn the volume up. It's a private group, hopefully it will work for you. It's so cool. The way he's standing there in that light, with his breath billowing out of his nose. It's almost like he's CGI. Very cool.


Defiant Buck

I don't know if that link works or not. Note, there is no shooting in this hunting video.

analyzer: "Defiant Buck

I don't know if that link works or not. Note, there is no shooting in this hunting video."

The link works. And yes, it is cool!

Seems to me that these photos should be in this months picture contest...just saying.

Took this one at our cabin just outside of Ely in the first week of October. I was reading on the deck while the kids were playing and I glanced up to see this sky. Luckily I captured it because 10 minutes later it was gone.

Tony

I have always loved this picture I took with my son on Astrid lake. It was a long miserable day of clouds and wind, and then in the evening the sun decided to finally come out.

Portage99: " "

Absolutely magical photo. Thank for sharing.

Snow coming to Yosemite Valley. This lasted just a few minutes, then the snow came and everything turned white.

That is how greeting the day is done!

"

Front deck view

fadersup: "That is how greeting the day is done!


"

"

For sure! And, I just lifted my cell camera and clicked. It really was spot-on this amazing! Glad I was there. Great photos everyone.

Portage99: "

fadersup: "That is how greeting the day is done!



"

"

You could have saved your feet and took the same photo standing on your head. Just sayin'.

fadersup: "

Portage99: "

fadersup: "That is how greeting the day is done!



"

"

You could have saved your feet and took the same photo standing on your head. Just sayin'. "

That made me laugh. Thanks.


....and so very true.

This was a magically beautiful September sunrise on the BWCA.

I witnessed the GREEN FLASH at sunset while on the Baltic Sea. This is pretty rare and lasts for only one second or a maximum of two seconds. Conditions must be right. As the sun sets, the other colors are filtered out and the result is a moment of GREEN FLASH. You can watch video of the phenomena by going to GREEN FLASH on your computer. If you know how to view and transfer to this forum, please do so. Thanks.

This a trip with my daughter we took on Seagull lake. We woke up and looked at the storm clouds approaching in the sunrise.

Quetico Lake rain shower

JimmyJustice: "Seems to me that these photos should be in this months picture contest...just saying."

I have been busted like that. Really stressful knowing that there is nothing that you can do to get a good competent shot!

I was solo on Finger Lake in 2012 and found a nice sitting rock right down at the shore to watch the sun go down. Right about this time a large flock of canadian geese were flying low down the narrow lake right into that sunset. The honking and beating of their wings was amazing as they flew by maybe 200 feet high over the lake right in front of me.

I remember it was a perfect "V" but there were only 4 geese on one side and over 120 on the other, so more like an arrow. I remember counting them as they went by and then watched them with the sound trailing off as they flew into the sunset over the trees. The whole sight of it just blew me away.

Some gold at the end of the rainbow on the Kawish a couple months ago.

Night at the airport dog park.

When I hiked out West, I started early - with my headlamp on. The time between when you realize you can turn the headlamp off till the sun peaks over the mountains is full of magical moments and my favorite part of the day.

Caught this Indian Head watching over Vale Lake. If we'd been a bit farther out or going the other direction, if we hadn't just looked up at that moment we might never have seen him. He saw us, just like he's watched everyone who's passed by once in a decade or so. He's been watching for thousands of years.

In Arkansas, the most sought after duck hunting is in flooded timber.

Every once in a while, you get set up in the spot the ducks just want to be that morning and they start flooding in before shooting time. There’s nothing else like it. One or two float in, then a dozen, then hundreds or thousands. They’re swimming all around while more are piling in landing all around you. You go from hiding behind a Cyprus tree being quiet to just standing there laughing.

Brule Lake sunset

Just as the eagle took off from the branch below/behind it.

Those couple seconds where you know you hooked a nice smallmouth. Then you know he's heading to the top and BAMM. Air born. Enough for your buddy to hear and turn around to see the airborne fish.

A brief thunderstorm passed over Lynx lake at sunset and this beautiful rainbow appeared.

Saw one of the most incredible sunsets from the 5 star island campsite on Tuscarora. The clouds looked as if they were burning. Shared the moment with my 9 year old son, his friend and friend’s dad (their first trip).

Tuscarora Sunset

Those quiet days paddling along a calm Quetico shore. No one around anywhere. Hugging the shore. The lake is glass. The woods are so close you can smell them. The sky has a few wispy clouds floating by. The white throated sparrow whistles in the trees. The moss sparkles on the shore. I marvel at the trees clinging to life on a rock wall. I look down and see the sky reflected on the water. I look closer and see the bottom of the lake clearly.
I simply drift for those few seconds inhaling the beauty of it all.

Double rainbow at Poplar Lake, the first time we stayed at Rockwood with Anna (she was 8 years old.) 2011, My husband took a photo of me taking the photo, with my little shadow along learning how to do it.

But as I think about the topic of this thread, I realize now that there are thousands of "nature beauty moments" that I have shared with Anna in the Canoe Country. Starting with when she was four, and up until age 16. I am still hoping that maybe in 2021, after her freshman year of college, that we can take her up again.

Last week of August, 2020. Bear Island Lake. Last night of a week long family vacation. Although the picture isn't that breathtaking, it is what was in addition to the setting sun that made it special.

I was sitting alone on the dock sipping a beer and reflecting on another summer gone by. Just as the last of the sun's rays were about to disappear, two loons began a chorus of their beautiful, yet haunting wail for 30-45 seconds. Couldn't have timed it better. It was a climactic, closing "ceremony" to a peaceful and relaxing week.

When they were finished and all was quiet. I tipped back the last of my lager, and walked off the dock. It was time to head home...

Jwilder....... did ya catch any fish..
Had Bear island lake on my itinerary this year.

yogi59weedr: "Jwilder....... did ya catch any fish..
Had Bear island lake on my itinerary this year."

Two. Maybe :) With that said, I am not a good source for a fishing report. Not one of my strengths. We spent our time paddling, exploring and relaxing in the northwest sector of the lake. Experienced very little boat activity in that area. Only one jet ski encounter. Not bad for a whole week on a motored lake...

If you ever spend time on this lake and want a BWCA "feel", paddle up the Beaver River that flows into Bear Island Lake in the extreme northwest sector. One evening after dinner, I asked if anyone wanted to go for a paddle up that way. No takers. Fine with me. So, I jumped in my kayak and off I went. I was about 30 minutes up this river (more like a creek) and I came around a bend, heard some rustling on the starboard side in the brush just off shore. "It" heard me. A bears head popped up and turned to look. As soon as we made eye contact, it took off without hesitation. I remained idle, somewhat shocked, as this was my first bear encounter. As I sat there quietly for about 30 seconds, I heard branches and whatnot snapping about 100 yards from where I was at. Dang that bear had moved fast! I paddled on happy as a clam with this nature moment experience that definitely lasted only seconds...


J

This one isn't nearly as spectacular as the others but it was one of those fleeting moments. Coming back downstream from a good long paddle on an overcast November day last month and as it was getting colder in the late afternoon the sun kinda/sorta tried to peek out for a moment.

Took this shot over the summer while exploring a new-to-me river (Black River in Michigan) and rounding a bend you suddenly got the feeling like you were floating through 3-dimensional space.

Whereabouts on the Black River is that shot, justpaddlin?? It is stunning!

yogi59weedr: "Jwilder....... did ya catch any fish..
Had Bear island lake on my itinerary this year."

I have stayed on this lake twice before both were for a week vacation. Stayed on the north end and the fishing was fantastic. Jig and minnow under a bobber. Fun lake but the people on the soulth end love there fireworks had a show almost every night kinda annoying but the kids loved it!

SeaGull

TomT: " I was solo on Finger Lake in 2012 and found a nice sitting rock right down at the shore to watch the sun go down. Right about this time a large flock of canadian geese were flying low down the narrow lake right into that sunset. The honking and beating of their wings was amazing as they flew by maybe 200 feet high over the lake right in front of me.


I remember it was a perfect "V" but there were only 4 geese on one side and over 120 on the other, so more like an arrow. I remember counting them as they went by and then watched them with the sound trailing off as they flew into the sunset over the trees. The whole sight of it just blew me away.


"

Nice shot I feel like I was there...

nctry: "

TomT: " I was solo on Finger Lake in 2012 and found a nice sitting rock right down at the shore to watch the sun go down. Right about this time a large flock of canadian geese were flying low down the narrow lake right into that sunset. The honking and beating of their wings was amazing as they flew by maybe 200 feet high over the lake right in front of me.

I remember it was a perfect "V" but there were only 4 geese on one side and over 120 on the other, so more like an arrow. I remember counting them as they went by and then watched them with the sound trailing off as they flew into the sunset over the trees. The whole sight of it just blew me away.

"

Nice shot I feel like I was there..."

That's pretty funny Ben. :) As you WERE there but camped on the other side of the island. It's an inside joke but I found out that it was indeed Ben and his Chessie camped on the primo site on Finger Lake that early evening. I just saw a "man" so moved on to the other site on the island.

Spartan2: "Whereabouts on the Black River is that shot, justpaddlin?? It is stunning!"

To be honest I'm not sure. It might be Butternut Creek. I launched at the marinas in South Haven. Then paddled and paddled until I got stuck and it turns out that was the North Branch of the Black according to some fishermen. So I retraced my path and paddled the South Branch and I think I ended up on Butternut Creek. I tend to just paddle (justpaddlin) and only look at a map when I get home to get some idea of where I've been. One has to paddle for some time to fully escape the traffic noise of the raised highways near South Haven but eventually it gets really nice. I think I did about 20 miles that day, my first long paddle in a solo that I bought from a frg
iend that unfortunately can no longer paddle.

I'll scout it in the Spring and then if you like you two Spartans can come out and we'll go there.

This is from my second time into to the boundary waters on sags third bay. One of the most incredible experiences I ever had even this picture does not do it justice

justpaddlin: "

Spartan2: "Whereabouts on the Black River is that shot, justpaddlin?? It is stunning!"

To be honest I'm not sure. It might be Butternut Creek. I launched at the marinas in South Haven. Then paddled and paddled until I got stuck and it turns out that was the North Branch of the Black according to some fishermen. So I retraced my path and paddled the South Branch and I think I ended up on Butternut Creek. I tend to just paddle (justpaddlin) and only look at a map when I get home to get some idea of where I've been. One has to paddle for some time to fully escape the traffic noise of the raised highways near South Haven but eventually it gets really nice. I think I did about 20 miles that day, my first long paddle in a solo that I bought from a frg
iend that unfortunately can no longer paddle.

I'll scout it in the Spring and then if you like you two Spartans can come out and we'll go there."

Hmm. I have learned something, because I forgot that you live in the western part of the state. I was thinking about the Black River in the Port Huron area (where we lived many years ago and sometimes put the canoe in). And in doing a Google search, I found that Alpena also has a Black River, which had totally slipped my mind. I had no idea that there was a Black River in the South Haven area. Surely it isn't all the same body of water??

Will have to get out some maps today and check all of this out.

Thanks for the invitation. We shall see. . .

Cannot transfer for some reason but my member profile photo was snapped right before the sun burned it off.

Certainly a moment that qualifies. Looked down someone's snowed in driveway (non BWCA) and had to do a double take. Glad I had my camera ready.

These all are some amazing photos. PortageKeeper, I can see it on your profile. Cool picture. That deer one needs to be in a contest, Beanpole! Talk about the perfect angle and the perfect moment.

This summer, I was camping along a local river. It was about 10 at night and I saw a bunch of white things in the water. It is hard to explain the magic (as are all these snippets of time on this thread!), as I watched hundreds of white pelicans drift by with the current. The combination of the darkness, their whiteness, and the total silence except the wind-driven waves made it such a magical time. They were too far away for any type of decent picture. I did capture this one of the moon. The next one was after a severe thunderstorm rolled through.

Sunrise ski yesterday.

beanpole: "Certainly a moment that qualifies. Looked down someone's snowed in driveway (non BWCA) and had to do a double take. Glad I had my camera ready.


"

Wow. That is incredible!

Love the two-headed deer pic.

One time I was justpaddlin on the Huron a River outside of Ann Arbor and I paddled right into what must have been the center of the peak of some insect hatch. The little critters just filled the air and one could see fish rising to the surface in anticipation. I passed a fisherman that looked at me and said "LOOK AT THIS!".

CanoeViking: "This is from my second time into to the boundary waters on sags third bay. One of the most incredible experiences I ever had even this picture does not do it justice


"

WOW!

Breath taking. Heaven on earth, or slightly above it.

beanpole: "Certainly a moment that qualifies. Looked down someone's snowed in driveway (non BWCA) and had to do a double take. Glad I had my camera ready.


"

Is that a two headed doe? What am I looking at? Their feet look commingled.

analyzer: "

CanoeViking: "This is from my second time into to the boundary waters on sags third bay. One of the most incredible experiences I ever had even this picture does not do it justice



"

WOW!


Breath taking. Heaven on earth, or slightly above it."

I know that’s what I was thinking. The bugs were most horrendous the entire day but for 10 minutes they let up and during that 10 minutes I soaked up this sunset. By far the prettiest sunset I’ve ever seen.

analyzer: Is that a two headed doe? What am I looking at? Their feet look commingled.


Not a two-headed doe. They were traveling in a straight line to hide their numbers. Who knows how the the deer in Philips, WI, knew how to travel like the Tusken Raiders. (Star Wars, anyone?)
Our truck must have caught their attention because they turned around to look when we backed up. I was a passenger in the vehicle yelling at the driver to stop because I couldn't believe what I saw. There are two deer standing in someone's snowed in driveway.

beanpole: "analyzer: Is that a two headed doe? What am I looking at? Their feet look commingled.



Not a two-headed doe. They were traveling in a straight line to hide their numbers. Who knows how the the deer in Philips, WI, knew how to travel like the Tusken Raiders. (Star Wars, anyone?)
Our truck must have caught their attention because they turned around to look when we backed up. I was a passenger in the vehicle yelling at the driver to stop because I couldn't believe what I saw. There are two deer standing in someone's snowed in driveway."

So I've been staring at this, blown up, for a while. So which head is attached to the rear most body? I'm guess it's the left head???

CanoeViking: "

analyzer: "

CanoeViking: "This is from my second time into to the boundary waters on sags third bay. One of the most incredible experiences I ever had even this picture does not do it justice



"

WOW!



Breath taking. Heaven on earth, or slightly above it."

I know that’s what I was thinking. The bugs were most horrendous the entire day but for 10 minutes they let up and during that 10 minutes I soaked up this sunset. By far the prettiest sunset I’ve ever seen. "

It looks like one of those back drops you would see, with Jesus on the cross. Well, maybe not the lake part.

Either way, it makes me want to make a canvas print of it, and put it in my living room.

analyzer: "

CanoeViking: "

analyzer: "

CanoeViking: "This is from my second time into to the boundary waters on sags third bay. One of the most incredible experiences I ever had even this picture does not do it justice




"

WOW!



Breath taking. Heaven on earth, or slightly above it."

I know that’s what I was thinking. The bugs were most horrendous the entire day but for 10 minutes they let up and during that 10 minutes I soaked up this sunset. By far the prettiest sunset I’ve ever seen. "

It looks like one of those back drops you would see, with Jesus on the cross. Well, maybe not the lake part.


Either way, it makes me want to make a canvas print of it, and put it in my living room.
"

I agree. I call it my second coming sunset. And I did made a canvas print of it and it’s in my living room over the fireplace.

analyzer - As best I can tell, it is the left head on the rear body and right head on the front body.

beanpole: "analyzer - As best I can tell, it is the left head on the rear body and right head on the front body."

I love that photo...what great happenstance (as are all of them). Will this replace the witch/maiden diagram for the "what do you see" analysis? What will the psychologists think of me when I say I see the left head on the front body and the right head on the back body?

JimmyJustice: "

beanpole: "analyzer - As best I can tell, it is the left head on the rear body and right head on the front body."

I love that photo...what great happenstance (as are all of them). Will this replace the witch/maiden diagram for the "what do you see" analysis? What will the psychologists think of me when I say I see the left head on the front body and the right head on the back body? "

As long as it doesn't devolve into "what color is this dress - blue & black or white & gold". I'm happy to let people come to their own conclusions. It's whatever you see.

I just figured if you took the picture, you might know the definitive answer.

Hiked back to the Lone Star Geyser in Yellowstone a few years back, this dude was hanging around when we arrived, perfect timing for it to be erupting too

I think we might have seen the same event. September 25th?

tmccann: "I think we might have seen the same event. September 25th?"

Sept 11th, but maybe he stood around for a while :)

A brief passing thunderstorm on Gillis as I awoke one morning. Looked like the mothership of the alien invasion was beaming up the lake.

With the kids’ school being online, we decided to work from Arizona for December. These photos are Christmas morning from Bisbee. There was a bit of desert rain overnight, saw the sunrise developing out the kitchen window, went outside and did a panoramic at 7:14a that had no rainbow, and these two photos (panoramic thumbnail looks small) are both timestamped 7:16a. Double rainbow developed that quickly. Lasted five minutes, tops. Just got lucky that I noticed a bit of red out the window, or we would have missed the whole thing.

Oh, Abbey! Those are stunning!!

Spartan2: "Oh, Abbey! Those are stunning!!"

Thank you. I just wish that I would have had a better camera ready. The cell phone camera did okay, but it doesn’t do justice to the second rainbow. It really was a stunning display.

The most beautiful thing I saw on my canoe trips in 2019
It was the fifth day of the challenge and at 3:30 AM my day starts. It takes until 4:00 to eat and pack up. There has been a lightning storm all night and the sky is still cloud covered with just an occasional bolt of lightning. The wind is producing steady 2 foot waves with white caps but I launch in the lee of the island and with my head light I pick a heading to the next portage and shut off my headlamp. It is too dark to see the white hand on my compass so I pick a notch in the tree line at the horizon as my guide to get near the portage. This is my only guide because everything else if black. I paddle out of the lee of the island into the wind and waves and am quartering with the wind. This works well but frequently a strong gust sweeps across the lake with much higher wind speeds making it difficult to control the canoe. I make good progress down the lake and soon am within about ½ mile of the portage. I can see the large whitecaps ahead of me as they grow and then disappear. Out of the dark at a distance I see 2 white spots and they are getting closer to me. It is 2 birds taking off and a whitecap hits the one on the left side but the 2 birds keep their wings in sync with each other. In just a couple more wing beats they are about two feet above the water. Now I can see it is a pair of swans. I can see their long necks stretch out making them aerodynamic. Just then a strong gust hits me turning the canoe sideways to the waves. As soon as the gust has passed I start pulling on the paddle to correct my heading. Then the gust hits the swans bringing their forward progress to a halt but making them rise like they were on an elevator until they were 10 to 12 feet above the water. I stopped paddling and laid my paddle down and just watched. As the gust passed they dropped back down to about 5 feet above the water and their forward progress resumed. They had continued flapping their wings in perfect synchronization with each other and were soon about 50 feet off my bow. I could hear their wing beating over the roar of the wind in the trees as these two magnificent birds passed by. I was watching as they were flying away from me when another whitecap slammed into the side of my canoe throwing a quart of water in my face and a half gallon in my canoe and I got back to the business at hand.

What a delightful set of photos being offered here-actually, simply incredible. These should be made into a BWCA calendar.

MagicPaddler: "The most beautiful thing I saw on my canoe trips in 2019
It was the fifth day of the challenge and at 3:30 AM my day starts. It takes until 4:00 to eat and pack up. There has been a lightning storm all night and the sky is still cloud covered with just an occasional bolt of lightning. The wind is producing steady 2 foot waves with white caps but I launch in the lee of the island and with my head light I pick a heading to the next portage and shut off my headlamp. It is too dark to see the white hand on my compass so I pick a notch in the tree line at the horizon as my guide to get near the portage. This is my only guide because everything else if black. I paddle out of the lee of the island into the wind and waves and am quartering with the wind. This works well but frequently a strong gust sweeps across the lake with much higher wind speeds making it difficult to control the canoe. I make good progress down the lake and soon am within about ½ mile of the portage. I can see the large whitecaps ahead of me as they grow and then disappear. Out of the dark at a distance I see 2 white spots and they are getting closer to me. It is 2 birds taking off and a whitecap hits the one on the left side but the 2 birds keep their wings in sync with each other. In just a couple more wing beats they are about two feet above the water. Now I can see it is a pair of swans. I can see their long necks stretch out making them aerodynamic. Just then a strong gust hits me turning the canoe sideways to the waves. As soon as the gust has passed I start pulling on the paddle to correct my heading. Then the gust hits the swans bringing their forward progress to a halt but making them rise like they were on an elevator until they were 10 to 12 feet above the water. I stopped paddling and laid my paddle down and just watched. As the gust passed they dropped back down to about 5 feet above the water and their forward progress resumed. They had continued flapping their wings in perfect synchronization with each other and were soon about 50 feet off my bow. I could hear their wing beating over the roar of the wind in the trees as these two magnificent birds passed by. I was watching as they were flying away from me when another whitecap slammed into the side of my canoe throwing a quart of water in my face and a half gallon in my canoe and I got back to the business at hand.
"

Incredible! Thanks for setting the scene!

MagicPaddler: "The most beautiful thing I saw on my canoe trips in 2019
It was the fifth day of the challenge and at 3:30 AM my day starts. It takes until 4:00 to eat and pack up. There has been a lightning storm all night and the sky is still cloud covered with just an occasional bolt of lightning. The wind is producing steady 2 foot waves with white caps but I launch in the lee of the island and with my head light I pick a heading to the next portage and shut off my headlamp. It is too dark to see the white hand on my compass so I pick a notch in the tree line at the horizon as my guide to get near the portage. This is my only guide because everything else if black. I paddle out of the lee of the island into the wind and waves and am quartering with the wind. This works well but frequently a strong gust sweeps across the lake with much higher wind speeds making it difficult to control the canoe. I make good progress down the lake and soon am within about ½ mile of the portage. I can see the large whitecaps ahead of me as they grow and then disappear. Out of the dark at a distance I see 2 white spots and they are getting closer to me. It is 2 birds taking off and a whitecap hits the one on the left side but the 2 birds keep their wings in sync with each other. In just a couple more wing beats they are about two feet above the water. Now I can see it is a pair of swans. I can see their long necks stretch out making them aerodynamic. Just then a strong gust hits me turning the canoe sideways to the waves. As soon as the gust has passed I start pulling on the paddle to correct my heading. Then the gust hits the swans bringing their forward progress to a halt but making them rise like they were on an elevator until they were 10 to 12 feet above the water. I stopped paddling and laid my paddle down and just watched. As the gust passed they dropped back down to about 5 feet above the water and their forward progress resumed. They had continued flapping their wings in perfect synchronization with each other and were soon about 50 feet off my bow. I could hear their wing beating over the roar of the wind in the trees as these two magnificent birds passed by. I was watching as they were flying away from me when another whitecap slammed into the side of my canoe throwing a quart of water in my face and a half gallon in my canoe and I got back to the business at hand.
"

I thought for sure you’d toss that bull moose picture out where we ran across him on Laris Creek. I’m always to in the moment to think of my camera. Haha! And you take an incredible group of shots with him about on top of you. Haha!

You mean this one.

Yep, beautiful once I picked my jaw up from the bottom of my canoe. You were switching back and he was between us. Watching him scanter of was amazing.

I am really enjoying all these photos and experiences.

This afternoon the lake was frozen solid and we had a light dusting of snow. For about 20 minutes the wind blew the snow around the lake. You could see the variety of wind directions as it blew it into wispy‘s all over the frozen lake. It was really amazing. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything like that. Once the snow got too deep, of course the light, wispy patterns stopped. Glad I was there for those 20 minutes to watch it. Pretty amazing stuff.

I went outside to try and get some shots of a pileated woodpecker, without a lot of success. As I turned to go back in, a much better subject loped across the lake.

nice!

Usually not fast enough to catch something like this. I love seeing these birds.

after a two week solo trip of miserable weather I paddled out on Oyster thinking this would be a good time to see a moose as it was late in the afternoon. I entered the bay where Manes Nord Creek enters and sure enough this bull moose emerges from the woods and starts to cross the shore line. As it happened, the wind was at my back and I almost ended up crashing into the moose.

not exactly a nature shot...this is taken at airport parking lot in our home state after a nice trip in the BWCA. At a suggestion, the one fellow decided to go to the other side of truck, don't know why I snapped the pic when I did...but the ole trust ball hitch just got another victim right then and there!

I loved the title of this thread, but don't have a photo to share... by definition, those moments last but a second and lately, I've tried to "burn them" into my brain since the camera is not in the right place at the right time.

Often, the "moment" has to do with the lighting, and it seems like Iowa is a good place for that. The golden sun going down on green or gold corn, the storm clouds gathering as the sun is setting and shining through as if on fire, shadow of a hawk crossing the open road in front of me, FIVE eagles feasting on a carcass in a field as I fly past, etc. Didn't get any of it on film or disk, but I can close my eyes and see it again when I want.

Fun to see your stories too!

I love to walk in blizzards. The other night I went for a walk when we were having a kind of blizzard, not quite a blizzard. Anyway, the snow was so beautiful and wild. I don’t think a video could capture how wild the snow was twirling around. But, I tried anyway. Super fun walk.

Snow Twisters