From The Other Side Of The Fence

Several weeks ago someone asked what happened to the woods at Boyer Nature Preserve.

At the northeast corner of the park, just as the raised boardwalk becomes gravel, the chain-link fence was smashed and broken. The damage appeared to be from the trees and underbrush recently cut from the slope of a small hill that concealed the view of Westerville Christian Church, the owner of the cleared land.

I assured the questioner that the fence would be repaired. I wasn’t sure what might be done with the cleared hillside but presumed the church had plans to use it as a park space or playground.

Today I saw the result.

The fence is repaired again defining Boyer Nature Preserve boundaries.

The hill has grass seedlings covering all the cleared hillside.

I was there to make a photo of the pre-school picnic with farm animals and watched as parents took their kids into the woods perhaps to share a tale of family woodlore or to explore a new land.

I stood at the top of the hill hoping someone would go to that point in the woods where they could be slightly silhouetted against the sun shining on the preserve. There was a specific spot at left center where they would be perfectly framed in the treeline.

It was divine intervention that put this father and son exactly where I wanted them. Divine intervention and cleared underbrush.

My Final Photo News is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my photography and commentary, become a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe to The Westerville News and PhotoCamp Daily. My Final Photo News also recommends Civic Capacity and Into the Morning by Krista Steele.