Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.

Henry David Thoreau

Sunrise in the Big Meadow

Sunday June 14, 2015                                                                                                           Previous Post Link:
Big Meadow Campground                                                                                                      The Fantastic Rose River and Dark Hollow Falls
Shenandoah National Park, Virginia

 

 

 

At dawn I walk down from the campground to the Big Meadow. 
I’m there to see the sunrise and to experience the meadow in the quiet and cool of the morning.

 

 

Sunrise is at 5:45 AM.
Color is just coming into the sky turning the dark to blue and pink and gray. 
These pictures are taken looking at the western sky.

 

 

Not sure what made this photo look so surreal.

 

 

In no time the bright oranges appear in the east.

 

And here comes the sun.

 

 

 

 

It casts a bright light on the meadow turning it gold.

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The pinks in the sky fade.  The clouds hold on to the color for just a bit longer.

 

 

The golden glow makes everything and everyone in the meadow look magical.

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There are multiple varieties of grasses in the meadow.  Some are easier than others to photograph.

 

 

The sun moves slowly across the meadow enabling me
to photograph the dew on many of the plants.

 

 

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This fellow is welcoming the day with his cheery song and looks like he may have a wet head.

 

The pinks fade, the yellow sweeps across.

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Bambi and her mom are out this morning.

 

 

 

 

 

The golden glow moves toward me.

 

 

 

There are many animal trails through the meadow.  I take this one just to see where it goes and to experience being closely surrounded by the plants that make up this community.

 

 

 

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The golden color fades and the greens of the meadow
show their shades as my path moves deeper into taller grasses and plants.
None of these paths are man made.  They are all animal paths.

 

I only walk through the tall plants for a while, they are still damp.  I follow  another path over to a birch tree.  One of the few trees actually in the meadow rather than lining it.   I love artistry of birch bark and the view of the meadow through the trunks.  I’m sure this is a popular spot on hot days although the meadow is surrounded by the cool shade of the forest.

 

 

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The skies have turned blue, the clouds puffy when twin fawns and their mom come along.

 

 

Checking out both directions.

 

What a glorious sight these two are.

 

Fly poison is currently one of the most visible flowers in the meadow with its showy white spikes.
There is actually quite a bit of milkweed here but it isn’t quite in bloom yet.
It will be stunning when it is.
Hope I’m here to see it.

 

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There are many singers this morning.  These are also song sparrows Judy tells me, I misidentified them as white throated.  So glad I have commenters to help me out. 
Thanks Judy.   Their music floats in the air.

 

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I spend about two hours of the early morning here. 
When other people start to come out,
it’s time for me to go after one last look across the distance.  

 

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I take the trail from the Visitor’s Center which overlooks the meadow,
back through the woods to the campground.
Along the way I watch this little fellow digging and digging. 
I assume he’s burying things but it’s really hard to tell
as he moves all around the area sticking his head in the ground.

 

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He does this over and over in multiple spots.

Chipmunk comic relief!

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What a magnificent way to begin the day.
And all in walking distance from my front door.
Lucky Me!

 

THE END!

23 comments:

  1. The deer shots are fun, and such beautiful shots!

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  2. beautiful pictures and a cute little chippy...I read somewhere that squirrels and chipmunks don't remember where they hid their food....they just hide so much this age really just stumble on it all winter and don't starve to death I thought it was funny after all that work

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  3. I do believe your singers are song sparrows.

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  4. I'm so glad there are people that get up before the sun to share what goes on at that hour:) You sure picked a beautiful morning, Sherry! I love that photo with the sunrise and the tall grasses. There is something special about tall grasses and colored sky. Love the twin fawns:) What a morning! Thanks for sharing:)

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  5. Magnificient... Lucky, Lucky, You!!! So hard to believe you can see all that wonder in just a couple hours:o)) Nature is AMAZING!!!

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  6. As much as I love the sunset, I believe sunrises are even more magical. Thanks for the wonderful tour. I'm amazed that many people never get y up for sunrise.

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    1. Karen not all of us are morning people. Some of us never see the sun rise! Oh that's me!

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  7. I'm beginning to think you never sleep! :cD

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  8. I've always enjoyed the deer at Big Meadow.

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  9. This morning walk is enchanting. Thank you for being a morning person and sharing the beginnings of this new day. I see more sunsets than rises.

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  10. Beautiful colors in all those pics - and, sweet sweet babies. Have a wonderful weekend - the forecast is letting me sleep in in the morning :)

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  11. The milkweed started opening here yesterday, but I'm never up for sunrise. We did get to watch storm clouds skirt around us at sunset while walking last night.

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  12. Fields of gold after beautiful pastels...what a gorgeous sunrise! Compliments to your camera for the pictures of dew on flowers and the close ups of the sparrows. Such sweet fawns and a cute chippy :) Beautiful to experience it through your eyes.

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  13. What a glorious morning! I am usually awake at that time but can never rouse myself to get out the door...thanks for taking me there!

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  14. When I struggle with finding something to write about, I think of you Sherry. You can make a magical story out of a simple walk! Thank you!

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  15. I just love meadows! What a great surprise to see twin fawns :)

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  16. You've really captured the blessings of new beginnings, sunrise and new flora and fawna. I love the morning's first light and see it most days. Your pics of the gathering gold from the pink are truly magical. Interesting that the birch was welcomed into the meadow. It is certainly a soft addition of nice shade. Thank you so much for sharing this perfect morning.

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  17. What a beautiful morning walk -- I always find when I manage to get myself out the door in the early morning light, my spirit is nourished in a special way. Then again, I love lingering over my coffee in our cozy trailer early in the morning -- so it's always a dilemma (a very good one, I might add). Thanks for sharing the serenity of your walk.

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  18. Wow! Just wow! Those pictures are breath taking! I especially love the sunrise and the one of the fawn on the left of the mother deer and they are both facing the same way. Also the chipmunk. Why are there no chipmunks in Charlottesville? There were lots of them when I was growing up in Cumberland. Love the "The End" picture. These made my morning! See you soon- xxxooo

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  19. Truly fabulous pictures to capture the shear beauty of the dawn of day in this place! A handsome reward for the early birds! Sorry to have missed it.

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  20. I love sunrises, but Im just too lazy to go out and enjoy it and the serenity of the morning. Thank you again for taking us along on your sunrise walk and the great pictures that came with it.

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