The House of Death…

This weekend, Labor Day Holiday, I took people trail riding, horseback. Observing nature, in that way, is a meaningful experience. The rider is not only viewing from the back of a large moving animal, the horse, but looking down into the vegetation, swaying with each stride of the horse under him, the viewer has become a part of the scenery they are observing. Limbs of trees must be pushed aside to make our way into the unseen and the horse might sneak a bite of tall grass to munch loudly along the way. Learning the names of the plants and insects or animals seen during a ride, gives the moment a classroom feel. It is reminiscent of those days I looked forward to in elementary school, when the teacher led the students from the confines of the four walled classroom to a shady spot under a tree to do our lessons. Somehow, what we learned sunk in and stayed.

Perspective.

After the day was done, I rinsed the horses and tied them to drink from the cool water in the trough while they dried in the warm afternoon breeze. My husband and I decided to go to the swimming pool and cool ourselves off as well. I love to jump in and be shocked by the cold water after a hot, sweaty day.

Him?…not so much. As he stood on the steps, trying to decide whether he wanted to get in or not, the water only reaching his knees … I asked him… do you need someone to splash you?

He moved quickly, anticipating an incoming splashing, explosion of cold water from my direction.

No! I don’t, he answered, and You ain’t thinking right! How many times have I heard that in my life?

You aren’t ain’t thinking right.

Well, it’s all in how one looks at it. From my perspective, I’m brilliant!

It reminded me of a woman telling the story of a recent visit from a friend from the country of Turkey. Her friend had brought his daughter with him to her home which was filled with animal head trophies and animal skins on the floor. Her husband is an avid hunter and has collected his trophies from around the world. They liked to use them to decorate their home.

Upon entering the the front room, the daughter of the man from Turkey, reached up to her father’s ear and whispered something. The woman telling the story asked what the daughter had said and he replied,… she says this is a house of death.

Perspective.

This weeks photo challenge theme is Free Spirit:  from an interesting perspective…