Mielke Photography

Since I always seem to find myself in different states and many times airports I hope to capture images from my most frequented (seemingly) spots.

I had a past life once. One where I attended church regularly sang in the choir and was apart of church. My bike rides in the morning where with Priests and time spent Sunday morning were with friends and couples I sang with. We then would all go together for the standard after church breakfast. All 3 couples were older and their children had moved onto college, mine were just entering the world. Alexa has a Priest as a godfather and we were intimate friends with the Deacon and his wife. Most know in this blog that I am not a cradle Catholic. I was however treated like one by each of these families.

I sometimes miss my past life; I look at the church where I sang every week and think I would like to recapture those moments and those friendships that I loved. The people who helped usher Tyler into the world and whom I first shared with them of his Down Syndrome. I sometimes wonder if I had shared how much my heart broke and how much there was a hole inside of me that things might be different. On that train though, if I’d known then I would have shared. I don’t have regrets, just thoughts.
I just heard the news today from my ex-wife that Kevin May had passed away. I remember Kevin, I sang next to him for 3 years. He had a glorious baritone voice that used to fill the church without trying. I also recall how scared he would be to solo and how well he could harmonize with the rest of the choir so easily and so readily. Not a man of ego or wants, but content in who he is. In the picture above he is standing right next to me, in the choir the second from the left. He seemed to amble through life as easily as sipping a glass of iced tea, on a porch in the south. His wife Joyce was much the same way. A couple, I never saw one without the other, even when out in public or at the grocery store, always together.

What I remember most about Kevin and Joyce, a couple, who never had children, was sitting down in the basement of the church to tell them about Buddy. The shocked look on their faces. As they left the room, Kevin put his hand on my shoulder and paused. He just looked at me. I’ve often wondered what thought he had in mind to say or share, but that wasn’t his way. The strength of his hand on my shoulder I still recall today. He was not a big man with bulging muscles, but the strength in the look and the hand behind it was what I needed at that moment.
Kevin is gone today. He couldn’t have been a few years over 50. I don’t recall when his birthday was or how old he is, those memories are lost to my past life. I have at times wanted to capture those moments, explain why what happened, happened as best I could. I found I never did. Now I can’t. We all make choices and sometimes we can’t go back. We are happy and content in where we are today. I will miss Kevin, his rolling baritone that used to fill the church and the hand on my shoulder….

Multiple readers have asked for a link to the photos I have available to view of Bald Eagles. I have put together a directory of photographs in one place to make it easier for my readers to find. These are incredibly majestic birds that have a grace, power as well as elegance. I hope you enjoy them.

http://milkman.smugmug.com/Nature/Birds/Bald-Eagles/10906845_cwQJc#460741383_njPKY

I love winter. That is a statement that I couldn’t make until the last 3 years though. That is when I discovered that located 3 hours from my house is the land of Bald Eagles. Now each January and early February I await the cold weather and make the trip to the Mississippi River as often as possible. It’s not uncommon for me to be photographing eagles at least every two weeks during this time frame.

This week was typical. I had some work in the area so on Tuesday I drove out to the driver, photographed till dark and then drove to my appointment. After my meeting i drove back to the river photographed until dusk and then headed home. Tuesday was a wonderful day for “shooting” and Wednesday was a dud. The above photo is from Wednesday’s session. This is the only bird I saw other than a duck.