I have made a million mistakes during my lifetime. Some of them have been serious, life-altering errors that have left me wounded and wiser. My mother used to say, “Everybody makes mistakes, Belinda. This is why pencils have erasers.” What a simple truth that is! Unfortunately, not all mistakes can be erased.
And of course, there are those ridiculous, light-hearted mistakes that become great fodder for laughter time and time again. We are forever reminded on a daily basis of the tragedies of our civilization, so let’s go down a much different path for just a moment as I share with you one of my most notorious, not to mention hilarious, mistakes.
It was early May and I was on my way to Houlton. I am fascinated by the wind turbines that top the mountains of Mars Hill; an unevenly spaced crown representing the science of alternative energy. On my left, as I rounded the last turn before entering the town itself, I spotted three statuesque moose standing in perfect formation in a rather far off field; just before the treeline. All three sported racks, which told me they were bulls. They were deep brown in color, perfectly spaced and proportioned. With the giant turbines just beyond them, the scene unfolding before me was monumental. I pulled my car over to the side of the road, walked around to the back, and removed my binoculars and digital camera out of the trunk. I prayed the moose would continue to stand there motionless and majestic; allowing me the chance to get the photo of a lifetime.
Cars were passing by at normal speeds with no indication of slowing down. I put the binoculars up to my eyes, adjusting each lens for the maximum clarity. At last, the images came into focus, sharp and pronounced. The turbines were turning slowly; barely visible to the naked eye. And the moose were … I pulled the binoculars away from my eyes and shook my head. “Hmmm. Let’s try this again,” I said out loud. I put the binoculars back into place and once again adjusted the lenses. No change. The result was the same.
The regal moose I was getting ready to photograph, now appeared to be a very consistent shade of brown from the top of their racks to the tips of their rather thin feet. They were also riddled with holes; strategically placed to withstand the wind that could surely blow them over. You see, these beautiful creatures I was about to photograph were made from wood. Plywood, to be exact.
I turned and walked nonchalantly back to the trunk, glancing around quickly to see if any of the drivers of those fast moving cars suspected that the lady with the binoculars and camera had mistaken three identical plywood moose for the real thing.
When I take myself and the world far too seriously, I think back to that morning drive. I have concluded that the mistake was not failing to realize the moose on the ridge were nothing more than wooden cutouts, tossing their fate to the wind; the mistake was driving away without a photo!
Belinda Wilcox Ouellette lives Connor TWP with her husband Dale and their Goldendoodle Barney. They are currently working on building a home in Caribou. You may contact Belinda online at: dbwouellette@maine.rr.com.
