In the Mist

Early Tuesday morning I got up to find my apartment and neighboring woods enveloped by fog. In the distance I could hear the loud calls of geese and the air was warm, magical. I quickly put on my coat and, still in my pajamas, went out for a walk with my camera to see what I could capture with my lens. It was amazing.



The island seemed imaginary, like a place out of Fairy tale and legend.



I love how the mist transformed the landscape. It was like I was still asleep, walking in my sleep, unsure where I would end up next, or what I would find waiting for me on the other side of the woods.



The water was clear and still, mirroring the trees and revealing fallen leaves. I could've walked across the water to still places unknown... and wet.



Evidence of other creatures appear in muddy prints on some of the rocks along the shore, a sign I wasn't alone. Those geese were out there somewhere. I could hear them call at each other, obviously aware I was there. The sound of them moved away from me in the direction I was walking. Unseen, they were a distant wave of sound breaking the cloudy silence.



There were MANY geese out that morning and they hid in the fog. You can barely make them out on camera as well as by eye sight. I regretted not bringing any bread crumbs. I bet they would've moved toward me and been less afraid if I can come with food. This was as close as I could get to them. Their feathers were evident all along the shore, so were their prints, but they dared not venture close to shore. These were wild geese, avoiding all human contact in a world all their own.



To my delight, I spyed a very large, lonely white-as-a-ghost mute swan swimming a few feet away from the geese on the other side of the island. I just stood there in awe of him. He turned to me, swam a bit closer to me, but like the geese, he didn't get too close to shore. I sang to him a wordless song. Seeing him was like falling in love. I considered his presence a good omen. The mystical swan is a source of legend, an greatly auspicious sign of grace, a poet's boon. I had never seen a swan in the nature reserve. This had me bouncing with joy. I really wanted to capture him on camera, but he appeared as only a ghostly speck of white in the mist.



I am happy that the swan appeared for me this week. He tells me that the new year will bring inspiration and success with song and poetry -- to have the swan as a spirit guide denotes the ability to see into the future, to have the ability to transform ones circumstances for good, and to recognize the beauty within myself and others. I will endeavor to create beauty where ever I go. I have a swan feather at home. Best time is now to use its medicine. The swan is a Samhain bird. He represents the soul, music, poetry, purity... power. Thank you, Swan, for appearing to me.