In the dunes, feeling salt spray against my face, the sound of waves buckling against the beach marked the beginning of Autumn. The season that comes with the opportunity to prove oneself worthy, to begin anew with a fresh charge. The hope of chasing game deep into winter came as September 19th was the opening of falconry season. Hope rose with the North West wind, delivering waves of hawks, falcons, and surges of adrenaline at the prospect of holding one. Maybe its the cooler air or possibly the romance surrounding the Autumn/Winter seasons but I seem to have more memories from this time of year than any other. Through the images that replay in my head, I see how charmed a childhood was as a falconer’s apprentice. Also glaring is how rare it is to radiate such an all-consuming passion that family and strangers alike support a child in living out a dream.
photo by Dave Liepe
