:

Just wanted to let you all know that I have not been around for a while and why. Not that it's any earth-shattering importance, mind you. I'm just a little...I dunno how best to describe it, but I'll try--down about something that happened near where I live a week ago last satuday night. I'll try to make this brief:

One of my favorite places to go and take photos is a place called Dakota Point on Sheridan Lake in the Black Hills. It's actually a picnic area near the lake surrounded by dense woods. I've been out there I don't know how many times at all hours of the day and night. This shot was taken at Dakota Point as have several other of my posts.
What's got me down is that if you look at this shot from the photographers point of view you don't see the picnic are behind it--which is the way I wanted it. A week ago saturday night a man was murdered there...Shot in the head by a friend of his. Nobody I knew; either of them, so that's not what's bothering me. It's just that one of the places I love to go to has this horrible history now. Don't get me wrong--I feel really bad for the murdered man and his family and the suspect in the killing has been caught, but I can't bring myself to even think about driving up the road that leads to the place.

I don't know really how to explain what I feel except that it amazes me how little some people value human life. Add to that feeling the fact that it is now deer season here and I have been tromping around the Black Hills without any hunter orange on and, well, I just don't care to be shot and left out there because someone thought I was a really, REALLY big deer.
The fella that was murdered there wasn't a hunter though. Just wanted to clarify that. Hid friend shot him in the head on purpose.
Anyway, I feel a little disturbed and unsettled going to the hills now. I hope you all understand.

I'll get to all your deviations and messages eventually. I promise.

Thank you

John

This really is a needful season for many and there is so much you can do that doesn't cost anything--Go through your pantry and take a sack of extra canned items to a shelter, check on a neighbor you haven't seen for a while, visit a rest home and just hang out, make cards and give them to random people who look like they need a lift, hug somebody...

If someone has done something nice for you, Pay It Forward and do something nice for someone else.



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