A Meadowlark And A Bump In The Road

I don’t have a lot of “oomph” in me right now so the bird portion of this post will be brief. I don’t like to inject too much personal stuff into my blog but when it begins to affect Feathered Photography I feel like I should come clean.

 

1/4000, f/6.3, ISO 640, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in

I spent part of yesterday morning on Antelope Island where this Western Meadowlark was the only bird I was able to get photos of I liked. Part of the reason it appeals to me is the spring-green of the greasewood perch as a refreshing alternative to the sagebrush they’re usually perched on. It wasn’t in a singing mood and I didn’t get any takeoff shots but it was very comfortable with me up close and I like the resulting detail.

 

I’d been feeling poorly for a couple of days and while I had this meadowlark in my viewfinder I realized that whatever was going on was getting worse fast so I actually left the bird in place and headed for home. By early afternoon it was bad enough that I knew I had to get to the bottom of it quickly so I spent the rest of the afternoon in the ER of my local hospital. After hours of testing the results were inconclusive – my symptoms may have been the result of a “virus I picked up or my chronic high blood pressure or both”. After modifying my hypertension meds they sent me home, partly because I was beginning to feel somewhat better.

This morning I’m still feeling pretty rocky so the “bird portion” of this post is abbreviated and without the detail I usually go into. At this rate recovery may take several more days so my posts may be short and if I don’t post at all on some mornings don’t be alarmed. I’m going to have to play this one by ear. And to top it all off I’m scheduled for an epidural later today at a surgical center to try to deal with some of the chronic and worsening symptoms of my bad back.

When it rains it pours…

Ron

Note: I feel very uncomfortable going into all this personal stuff on my blog but I knew that if the nature of Feathered Photography changed significantly (or I didn’t post at all for a few days) long-time readers would worry about what’s going on. I figured being up front would be the best way to address it.

 

 

45 Comments

  1. Coming in late to this, but hope you continue to mend and feel better. And thank you for letting us know…yes, we like the photos…but we like you more!!

  2. Betsy Livingstone

    You’re right, Ron, we who fondly and admiringly read, enjoy, and learn from your blog would have worried. Well, we worry a little anyway, those who’ve followed your ups and downs which you occasionally tell us about – out of concern for us, and not to complain! Please take good care of your excellent self and come back to us healthy and feeling good. So grateful for your daily gifts.

  3. We can wait Ron , do what you need to do to feel better. Take care of yourself.

  4. Get well Ron and wishing you the best!

  5. Hello, Ron ! Sorry to hear and hopefully things will turn out for the better soon and you’ll be your good old self ! Wishing you all the best from Holland, Hans

  6. Thank you for sharing, Ron. I am sorry that you are having health issues. Sucks getting old!

    Cheers,
    Gail

  7. Sending lots of love and healing vibes your way. Please take care of yourself. We can wait for more blog posts. <3

  8. Thank you so much for the cleanliness.
    Yes, I would have worried. And wouldn’t have been alone.
    I hope things get better for you quickly, and that the epidural identifies a solution for your back pain.
    LOVE the meadowlark, but you are more important to me.

  9. “Take Care.”

  10. Thanks for sharing. I know that is hard for you to do.
    Hope it all eases up soon. I hate to even think of the pain you are in.

  11. Wishing you a speedy recovery! Excellence (via your photography) sometimes requires patience (ours, the viewers)

  12. A beautiful photo indeed.

    Not feeling well is a bummer. Hope you get some relief soon.

  13. Ron, I hope you feel better soon and hope your procedure goes well!
    And, what a beautiful photograph of that meadowlark – straight forward and lovely!

  14. I got to your page LATE this morning, and in scanning the “comment” section–all I can think is that if genuine affection and concern could be made into healing, that you would
    be dancing in the clouds along with your beloved birds right this minute ! Add in my best wishes for a good swift resolution, too.

  15. Take care of yourself Ron, hope you feel better soon!

  16. I’m sorry you’re going through all this crap of not feeling well. I’ve been dealing with that kind of stuff, too, so I can really sympathize. Take whatever time you need to recover – those of us who love this blog will still be here. I’m glad that you found this beautiful Meadowlark, because any encounter like that adds a positive note to an otherwise down day.

  17. Trudy Jean Brooks

    Ron, you take care of yourself, we will know you are healing and need a break. Even if you repost older items that is fine with me. I was wondering if the morning doves finished and laid eggs in the nest outside your window?

  18. Good thoughts winging your way (see what I did there? :D) And the meadowlark is lovely. I can hear it in my head.

  19. Hope you feel better soon Ron and that your epidural goes well. If you ever need any help, I am here local and would be glad to help out.

  20. I’m SO sorry you’re doing big pain AND not feeling well to boot. That’s just not fair! If it’s bad enough that you went to the ER, that’s really bad. Stubborn denial only works sometimes and I’m delighted you buckled and overrode its pressure this time. Hoping you find significant relief immediately if not sooner. Chronic pain sucks the big one.
    Thank you so much for sharing this meadlowlark along the way. What a BEAUTY!! And if you don’t feel like posting, that’s OK with me. You go over and above day after day after day. You deserve a day off, or several, whatever’s necessary!

  21. Delightful composition of the the Western Meadowlark.
    Not a long-time follower of your posts, but I’m hooked now and wish you happy and pain-free days ahead (posts or not).

  22. Ron, may you heal quickly!

  23. Most important is your health. I’m sure it’s hard sharing your personal business but you’re right we would worry if we didn’t see a post❗️
    Take Care
    PS. Cute bird 😁

  24. Patty Chadwick

    Get well…lots of nasty stuff going around now ..high BP sent me to hosp. not too long ago..probably stress…nothing to fool around with…You were so smart to go to ER…Hope they can finally do something for your back…have had that, too…miserable! Beautiful shot of Meadowlark(don’t know how you caught one not singing! 😉)…Good Luck!!! Feel better…

    • PLEASE…JUST TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF…RELAX…DON’T SIT AT A COMPUTER AND PROCESS, POST, OR REPLY…PUT EVERYTHING ELSE ON HOLD. We’ll feel better and, hopefully, so will you…RFC (Ron’s Fan Club), etc. will all be there….

  25. You are showing expected good judgment in taking care of business, Ron. Unlike a neighbor who woke in the middle of the night with several stinging, biting sensations in her arm, but went back to sleep, to find in the morning that she had been bitten and/or scratched by Something, and that there were puncture marks that had broken the skin, and spreading red subcutaneous lines. She then spent a couple of hours asking people whether they thought she should go to ER before going, and apparently left ER without getting any tests for antibodies. Ultimately, she went back for rabies shots, without conclusive evidence that the biter was a bat, as opposed to a scorpion or rodent. . Y’all take care of yourself now, hear? Don’t be doing anything silly or premature. Birds will be there when you get back, they’re on their nesting and family building schedule right now.

  26. Take care of yourself Ron. I haven’t been actively commenting but I enjoy following the images and text.

  27. Beautiful bird! Feel better. You do wonderful photography and I enjoy your work quite a lot, even though I don’t comment often.

  28. Charlotte Norton

    Beautifully detailed shot Ron! I hope they find the cause of your problem and are able to correct it quickly!

    Charlotte

  29. Everett Sanborn

    Ron – very wise to skip the Meadowlark and head for the hospital. Take it easy and concentrate on your physical needs – the birds will still be there when you are feeling better. Best wishes – get well.
    Everett Sanborn
    Prescott AZ

  30. Betty Sturdevant

    Feeling less than yourself is difficult and sharing it is also hard. Your work is amazing and you will be missed. It is very important to take care of your self. Best wishes and hope everything else goes well for you soon. Imagine this beautiful singing for you.

  31. Yes when it rains it pours. I hope the clear blue skies and maybe a rainbow are headed your way. Like I have mentioned before it you ever need anything I am not that far away. I’d be happy to help.

  32. Thanks for all the kind words of encouragement, everyone. I’m a little embarrassed by it all but very appreciative too.

  33. Judy Eberspaecher

    From the first words, I feared something was wrong. Get well quickly, Dear Friend, and don’t stress about your blog or anything else. We will miss you though, until you recover.

  34. Beautiful W. Meadowlark Ron. They are a real gift, both in sight and sound. I love you image, the background, sharpness of the meadowlark, and the bright green colors all work so nicely together. It is so nice it almost looks like a “studio image” — your images and ethics of the highest quality are a perfect data point on how great images can be achieved with skill, patience, and integrity (versus all the crazy, unethical, “shortcuts” you see out there).

    I hope your epidural goes well today and that you start feeling better. “When it rains it pours…” — so true! In these situations it pays to retreat and rest, regroup, and relax as best as possible. Of course, often easier said than done. I have faith that you will be able to do it though !

  35. I hope the bump get smoothed out very quickly. Thanks for letting your followers know about the situation.

  36. Robert (RJ) Davis

    Nancy Blake’s comments express perfectly what many of us feel about you and your blog. Thanks for being so candid and respectful to your friends and followers of Feathered Photography. Cheers!

  37. Beautiful bird, Ron. Personally, I count you as a friend and your health is a concern so glad you “come clean” and don’t have to “wonder” when you’re absent or “off”! 🙂 Sure hope it gets better quickly – lotta “stuff” out there. Also hope they don’t have to postpone the epidural! 🙁

  38. Ron, I hope your issues resolve very quickly and you are 100% in no time. I admire you for blogging at all, given how you are feeling. I read and admire your work every day and always learn something new. Love the birds, the details, the photography tips, and the personal tidbits add a great deal of humanity – thanks for everything.

  39. Will keep you in my thoughts and prayers. You were wise to seek medical advisement immediately instead of waiting and seeing! 🙂

  40. Suzanne McDougal

    Fingers crossed over heart and sending all my good karma your way.

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