Nikon D4 Battery and Cover

Yesterday, as I do most every day, I arrived in Valley Forge National Park around 10:00 a.m.  I had my big 600mm lens attached to my Nikon D4 all mounted on my tripod.  Slung over my shoulder was my 105mm macro lens attached to my Nikon D800.  All was good until I realized I had taken out the memory card from the D800 and put it into yet another camera. (I have way too many cameras.) But still I could manage with just one memory card and switch it in and out of whatever camera I was using.

I decided to head into the woods and look for owls.  To get into the woods I had to climb a little five foot embankment.  With the heavy cameras and lenses and tripod, my footing could be quite challenging.  As I was headed up, I noticed a few people walking my way.  I look rather strange - this short older lady with tick pants, high boots, floppy hat and huge cameras and lenses trying to maneuver up a five foot embankment.  I bent over and pushed my way up, but almost tripped causing the equipment to be jerked a bit, but I made it and quickly crossed into the woods trying to evade the eyes of the curious onlookers.  I made it all the way across one deep woods.  The floor of the woods was just beautiful filled with all colors of fall leaves and lots of acorns.  I kept my eyes up in the trees looking for anybody who might wish to pose.  Finally I got to a clearing and saw a little black eyed junco.  I put down the tripod and turned on the camera to take the picture, but the viewfinder was black!  Nothing, no light.  What happened??  I checked again - nothing.  I turned the camera on its side and could see that my battery chamber was empty.  Oh my gosh!!  Probably while I was scrambling up the embankment, I jerked the camera so much that I loosened the battery chamber and the big battery came out along with the battery cover.  Many bad words came from my mouth.

But, I was determined to the best of my ability to find the GD battery.  I looked all around where I was and found nothing.  I set up the heavy camera and lens securely on the tripod because walking all the way back to the embankment with the camera was just too much work.  I traced my steps - but with all the leaves I had no idea if I was even following the same path.  I got back to the embankment - searched and searched and searched and no battery or battery cover.  I traced my steps back again through the woods to where I'd set up the camera and tripod.  Dejectedly, I folded the tripod and walked back again to the embankment with all my heavy equipment.  When I got back to the embankment while I was again looking for the battery I saw a beautiful big nursery spider in the leaves.  Well, what was I here for?  I changed the memory card back into the camera with the macro lens and just forgot my troubles and took many pictures of this beautiful bearded spider.

After taking his picture I felt much better about the whole situation and decided not to let the day go without taking a few more pictures.  So I turned around again with all my heavy equipment and walked back through the woods to the clearing, this time concentrating not only on looking for the battery, but also looking for more little critters.  When I got to the clearing, what to my merry eyes did I see - but my battery just lying there in the leaves waiting for me!!!  Oh, you cannot imagine the joy.  The thanks I gave to whomever led me this way.  A great nursery spider and a filled battery chamber to make my little camera work.  Now who says life is not good every single day.....