Estimated reading time: 2 minutes
I spotted this scene in Theodore Roosevelt National Park (South Unit) and was immediately captivated by its beauty and simplicity. The gentle arc of the hill with the lone tree under a sky filled with puffy clouds was a stirring vignette of the rolling plains of North Dakota.
The kids and I were on one of our jam-packed, mondo road trips but I knew I needed to take the time to photography this postcard-perfect scene. They waited patiently for me while I forced myself to not rush the process even though our exploration wish list for the day was long.
As I was wrapping up, a man in a little convertible raced into the pullout and called out to me. Well, shouted at me really.
“What do you see? Is there a buffalo out there or something?” the jerk asked.
“No, I’m photographing this beautiful scene.” I replied, gesturing condescendingly to the tree and sky that obviously deserved attention.
His faced drooped as his excitement turned to disappointment. “Oh, I thought it was something interesting,” he said in a tone dripping with disdain. He sped off, apparently in a hurry to achieve his quest of finding something meeting his definition of interesting.
I stood under that beautiful North Dakota sky and reminded myself we all enjoy our national parks in different ways. Even assholes.
Bluesky Art Show
This post is inspired by the Bluesky Art Show, a challenge to share artwork surrounding a weekly theme each Saturday.
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