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The trail of Angels received another star this week when Mary Jo Ballator, the owner and proprietor of Ash Canyon Bird Sanctuary in Hereford, AZ left us. I did not have the good fortune of knowing Mary Jo as well as others in the community, but I knew her well enough to be devastated by her untimely death.

It was just a week and a half ago when I brought a visiting birder to the sanctuary, that we were chatting about her upcoming surgery. At the time she was upbeat and excited over the prospect of being out of pain. Sitting away from the action, we talked about birds and nothing at all, ambling the time away while guests to the yard oohed and aahed at the incredible variety of hummingbirds and other species that called this patch of land home. It was not much different than any of my other many visits, and I didn't expect it to be different than the many others I anticipated making in the future. So when a good friend shared the news of her passing, I felt a small spark of my life depart as well.

Mary Jo was a true steward of the planet. The bird (and all other creatures great and small) sanctuary was her gift to the wild creatures of the Canyon. It was a haven for them to find sustenance and nourishment while allowing those lucky humans who were visiting to gain a glimpse of their beauty. It was an honor to support her efforts. With God's grace, I will continue to have that honor as we work to keep the sanctuary alive as a tribute to Mary Jo's legacy.

This is not a picture of the sanctuary. It is a night photo of Brown Canyon Ranch in Sierra Vista, AZ. The ranch, like the sanctuary, is one of my favorite places in my southern Arizona high desert home. Only I would never have found the ranch if it were not for Mary Jo and her sanctuary. One of the reasons we moved to this area was the great diversity of birds we saw at her refuge. In a sense, every photo I take of this region is, in part, a homage to the gift of finding our new home here that she contributed to.

Mary Jo's children are committed to keeping the sanctuary going. It will be closed for June. We hope to open it in July. Towards that I am leading an effort to find volunteers to assist in the upkeep and maintenance of the place. I could not be more grateful to God for providing me the opportunity to give thanks to Mary Jo, and His gift of wildlife He put under her caring eye, by being a part of the effort to keep her dream and memory alive. The honor humbles me.

I remain His scribe.

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Shot date: May 25, 2019
Canon EOS 5D Mark IV
299.0 sec at f/4.0 Bias:0 EV
Lens: 15mm
ISO: 800