Several years ago, Carter and I went to Haines and Juneau Alaska by plane and ferry. One of the stops on this trip was the lovely town of Prince Rupert. We enjoyed this little community and found the people to be friendly and outgoing. As we waited to get on the ferry that comes to Prince Rupert as a regular stop for the Alaska ferry system, there were many aspects of this community that gave us pleasure in our short visit.


We had rented a car while in Prince Rupert and one day we drove outside the town into the countryside on one of our favorite pursuits “critter watching” Unfortunately, we did not have a lot of time and didn’t venture too far and alas, found no critters. However, once we turned around and headed back to town we did spot something that filled us both with joy and laughter.

Carter always drives. It is the way he likes it and frankly, I like it that way, too. I keep my eyes peeled to the side of the road and even though we are moving along at a nice clip, I often see wonderful things looking out my car window into the world. Maybe it’s a hawk or a kingfisher on the telephone wire, deer in the meadow, dolphins in the surf, or buzzards warming up their wings before lifting off in flight in pursuit of breakfast. One time, near Gaviotta in California, I saw a mountain lion, charging up a hillside in the distance, his long tail the only identification I needed to verify my sighting and confirm what I could hardly believe I saw. I keep my eyes wide open for any daffodil moments. Looking out the car window this time, still hoping to see a bird or deer or some critter in the surrounding lush growth beside the road, I was surprised and delighted by a sight I could barely believe and the idea of it was such a lovely word play that it jumped into my consciousness immediately and I laughed and squealed “Carter, turn around! I just saw a shoe tree!!”

Truly the MOST wonderful person to share a vacation experience, Carter is almost always up for any signs of serendipity. As usual he carefully found a safe place to turn around and we went back in pursuit of the object of my vision. What one sees in passing is often even more delightful when observed up close. Still, even with camera in hand you can’t always capture what you glimpsed in passing. For instance that mountain lion vision will always be a private eye experience, unshared with anyone, except in the telling of it.

There was really no place to park on this road and I wanted this picture. Carter stopped and let me out and then went up the road a piece and turned around again to come back for me while I took a couple of pictures. Normally, it is the love of nature that causes me to share critter or flower or mushroom or tree or rock or waterfall captured visions with all who are willing to take a look. But every once in awhile it is something that expresses a vision of human nature that really inspires me to “flick the shutter” and capture a moment in time to share with others. This was a grand vacation and we captured lots of things with our camera to recall the experience and to remind us of what we saw and learned on this trip. Here is one such moment from the countryside around the lovely Prince Rupert in Canada.