The Man- John Lessle

NN2405 Earl Plato
Do you mind if I recall an earlier day at Marcy Woods? It was early spring 1997. “The days were getting longer now. I was up early waiting for dawn on another clear early May day. I love spring for it is again the special beginning-of-the-world’s freshness and beauty. This day I received a call from old friend, Buffalonian, John Lessle, What can 80 year olds do? They can walk up the steep stairs at Marcy’s Woods with me and take the high trail that I simply call the Bird Trail. John and I met out there and headed for the Bird Trail. John is an expert nature photographer but this day we each had only our binoculars, mine were the little Nikon bird glasses and his were old World War II big but powerful and with remarkably clear definition. We had a three hour walk on a beautiful Monday. This was my fourth trip here in four days. Why not? The hepaticas were out in full bloom up here and the dutchman’s breeches were coming out. Here and there trilliums were close to opening their blooms. On this day there were few song birds but that will change. They didn’t call this Bird Trail for naught. Eveb with no cameras present John gave me some valuable lessons on nature photography that day. John’s portfolio of photographs taken over the years and throughout the year at Marcy’s are outstanding. John is an artist with the camera` just as Dave and Joy Marr of the Bert Miller Nature Club photographed so beautifully Marcy Woods over the years. John simply says that he did it by doing. “You’ll make mistakes, Earl, but remember that all artists do.” I had taken photos the day before with my closeup lens and I wondered how good or bad they will turn out. I had done some things that John told me not to do. I have to remember next time. We met a number of people on this day. John is a very friendly person. We met Jim from Niagara falls and he recognized my name. He said that he reads my nature articles. Jim had seen a rufous-sided towhee near the start of the trail. He was excited about Marcy’s. We pointed up to the Bird Trail and John said to Jim, “Take it on your way out.” Remember to make new friends but keep the old.. I will John.
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John Lessle, nature phtographer, has turned 87. On April 19th Ray Willwerth and I took him to Swayze Falls at Short Hills Provincial Park. Amazing man! I had taken him there last fall. He wanted to see the giant old Oak tree again. We did. God’s two venerable living creations.