Normally here we focus on dogs or other domestic animals in our adventures.  But this weekend was a great reminder of the unexpected treasures that can about when you just look around the corner.  It reminds me as a young boy, growing up in Rome, New York, in the shadow of Fort Stanwix, site of a tremendous siege and battle during the Revolutionary War.  I think I was in high school, when I realized that despite the fact I could literally walk from my house to the fort, I had never visited.  Fortunately, many visits later over the years, I value the experience and sacrifice of those made before me.

That memory hit me this weekend, when a similar, albeit lighter note, I remembered the value to be gained when one ventures just outside their door to explore.  While we usually focus on dogs and cats in this space, I was rewarded this weekend with a trip to Readington River Buffalo Farm in Flemington, NJ.  Having literally stumbled across the farm on a drive a few days prior, where I looked out my car window and thought, “Oh nice, grazing bison……..What??”  Bison, in NJ?  Yes, Virginia, there are bison in NJ. 

Fortunately, I was armed with my camera, and late day sunlight, but precious little real estate to safely pull off road to make images.  Thusly equipped, I bounded toward my quarry, gingerly pointing my rig through electrified fencing and made a few images.  While I would have loved some heads held high and nice face portraits, I arrived at dinnertime, and pressed for time decided to use the sun and it’s flare to create a shot that adds interest to the rather pedestrian activity of chewing grass. 

Nonetheless, I will use this image as a great reminder to take advantage of what’s around you in unexpected places.  And even if you might not be totally jazzed at first, try looking at it from a different point of view, as I did here.  Fortunately, as an all around animal lover, I have been thrilled to discover that (surprisingly for me) we are within a 45 minute drive from our home in New Jersey to roaming bison, emu, alpaca, white tail deer, and bald eagles just to name a few. 

Hope you like the image I made, and it inspires you to check out what you might be missing or have overlooked in your corner of the wide world.

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