Not quite a native Ripley Countian - she attended only her last year of high school in Doniphan though she taught in the R-1 system for 32 years - Teresa (Pearson) Lee delights in surprising readers and herself with anecdotal observations of life in general. Maybe you can blame her St.Louis roots for a quirky humor and some slightly-askewed opinions, but never doubt she writes from the heart.

Not Just Another Ripley County Sunset

Posted Sunday, February 24, 2019, at 8:03 PM

Can you imagine the deer I saw silhouetted against the waters of the overflow?

At first I moaned aloud. I didn't have my phone ready to catch that fleeting frame so I could share it. Sad. It was stunning enough that I held my breath the seconds it took to unfold and vanish.

Stunning for its surprise, simplicity and serenity. Astounding that I alone saw it! In the vast expanse of this globe - perhaps in this ever-expanding universe - these two eyes in the head of one homo sapien identified as Teresa Pearson Lee were the only two focusing on that sight.

Two geese skimmed across a Current River overflow, their landings drawing dark ripples in the glimmering water. Then a shadow moved on the ground between the geese and me. A deer meandered through the swampy pasture. Could I keep it in sight with the landscape fading as the sun slipped behind the hills on the other side of the river?

Then the shadow moved faster and I lost it, moments later to glimpse a majestic silhouette in full stride with the glowing field water illuminating its graceful form. And again, a bit higher, and again!

I chase sunsets often. This one lacked the vibrant fluorescent hues and intricate cloud patterns we normally rave about. I am adjusting my rave-ometer to instead measure my gratitude for being here for another setting of the sun with eyes that can see whatever unfolds before them