The Unexpected

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The Unexpected

May 15, 2015 by Pat Bean

“Things never go the way you expect them to. That’s both the joy and frustration in life. I’m finding as I get older that I don’t mind, though. It’s the surprises that tickle me the most, the things you don’t see coming.” – Michael Stuhlbarg

While I didn’t get a photograph of the two javelina visitors this morning. I did get photos of some when I visited Bentsen State Park in Texas a few years ago. — Photo by Pat Bean

I Love Surprises

This morning, shortly before 6 a.m., as Pepper and I were taking a turn around our fenced apartment’s courtyard with its gurgling, three tiered fountain, we came upon a surprising sight. Casually grazing on the manicured lawn were two javelinas. Pepper gave a low growl, and I quickly switched direction.

While I wasn’t really surprised to see the javelinas, coming around the corner and seeing this cormorant and its reflection in a pond was a bit surprising. — Photo by Pat Bean

The javelinas were still calmly grazing when Pepper’s business was finished, and I returned her to our third-floor apartment, where I grabbed my camera and rushed back down the stairs to take a photo of the wild pair. The javelinas, however, had vanished, back into the slender patches of undisturbed desert that dot the surrounding landscape.

I was sorry not to have been able to photograph the two bits of wildness that had come to visit, but I was still elated at their appearance so close to my usually civilized habitat. I’ve come to treasure surprises in life, be it in the art I view, in the books I read, on the journeys I take, in the revelations of friends, or even in the taste of varied ingredients I mix together in my kitchen in hopes of overcoming sameness and blandness.

Surprises, in whatever form they take, keep life from being boring.

Of course, I prefer the surprise of waking up and seeing javelinas better than waking up to discover my car has a flat tire.

Blog pick of the day. Check it out.

Bean Pat: Pete Scully http://tinyurl.com/pov26k2 I love following Pete’s blog. He makes sketching look easy and inspires me to do more of it. Perhaps he’ll inspire you, too.

Posted in Uncategorized | 9 Comments

9 Responses

on May 15, 2015 at 9:49 am | Reply Colline

A beautiful photograph of the bird Pat.
- on May 15, 2015 at 10:53 am | Reply Pat Bean
  
  Thanks Colline
on May 15, 2015 at 11:24 am | Reply cindi bean

what a wonderful way to start the day a treat from mothe nature
- on May 15, 2015 at 1:23 pm | Reply Pat Bean
  
  And you know how much I love Mother Nature … and you.
on May 15, 2015 at 11:27 am | Reply lingeringvisions by Dawn

The way you describe life is the JoY so many seek but you have found. I love that.
- on May 15, 2015 at 1:24 pm | Reply Pat Bean
  
  Thanks Dawn. I take that as a great compliment.
  - on May 16, 2015 at 3:16 am lingeringvisions by Dawn
    
    It was meant as one 🙂
on May 16, 2015 at 12:21 am | Reply Alex Autin

I’ve never seen javelinas before, so thanks for the introduction. Coming across a few of these would certainly surprise me!
- on May 16, 2015 at 4:01 am | Reply Pat Bean
  
  I can’t believe you’re in Texas and haven’t seen javelinas, but then they live on the ground and not in space, where your eyes are usually focused, and where you continually surprise me with what’s up there — and I do love surprises. Have a great day Alex.