Driving across a portion of Utah at night with this interesting light showing for at least half and hour and giving eerie light all the time.
somewhere in the high desert
Other Side of the Moon /
This is Bass Island Lighthouse and if you search the internet you will find scores of images of BIL. But like all of mine but this one, they are from the other side looking up and including the dramatic coast and rugged rocks. This is from a few yards - and ten thousand mosquitos from the parking lot and not often photographed.
Acadia National Park
Lost & Found /
This is a very early image for me, from 2006, and the learning curve was steep (ie not many really came out very well) but I liked this shot. The entire year of photos was lost - in that I could not extract them from the discontinued software but Luminar allowed me to get them from the one program and import into Luminar. Enough of that you say, where is this? The lighthouse is in Lake Huron at the entrance to the harbor in Mackinaw Island. It is called the Round Island Lighthouse and was completed in 1895.
Moving /
This is the actual ink and pen set that the 56 men used to sign their name to a document proclaiming freedom to live their lives not subject to a king. I found just the fact it was there to be a moving experience. What they must have been thinking as they signed what was a pledge that would cost most of them dearly. Yet it was only a temporal fix to the issue that plagues people and we now live under far more rules and vastly higher taxes than those that spawned the American Revolution. So when we look at the Christian Scriptures and read about the yearning for freedom it was both temporal and spiritual but only one will endure.
“He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone. This is the message God gave to the world at just the right time.” I Timothy 2:6 NLT
Independence Hall
Dune Walker /
We just so enjoyed our one day at Cape Cod. It was one of the rare days on this trip that it was not raining. Actually a perfect day just cool enough to be comfortable. We were able to do five hikes - all short - this one on the bay side was the longest at about three miles but we did not get to explore everything we wanted to do even on this one trail. We were both impressed with the scope of the park and the dunes in two areas were really fun.
Cape Cod National Seashore
Chips? /
This is another perspective on a Cape Cod lighthouse that I posted in September. This is the lighthouse on all the Cape Cod Potato chips packages.
Cape Cod National Seashore
Winter Trees /
These three trees are in the Gettysburg battlefield at the farm adjacent to the more famous Edward McPherson's farm.
Gettysburg National Military Park
Local Residents /
These are the residents at the village where the pump and window shot (yesterday) was taken. I don’t think they were too impressed that the entire Two Lane Touring photography staff was there to capture their pictures. Much more interested in a bit of hay. Probably a good choice for them.
Hopewell Furnace NHP
Well and Window /
Walking the small village that remains from the early 1800’s in rural Pennsylvania I found this neat scene. I like the colors and textures of the photo. This would have been a hub of the village as people gathered here to get water. This social activity would be familiar to people from thousands of years ago. Here technology allowed them to pump instead of wind or haul a bucket. Conveniences!
Hopewell Furnace NHS
Not Far Away /
Since this morning is to be the coldest of our season, I thought a reminder that we roll through the seasons and that Spring is only 60 days away. We get to walk the trails in this great space, really a nice place.
North Carolina Museum of Art, Raleigh NC
Outstanding /
These Birch trees are the result of a fire in the 1940’s. It was the difficult circumstances that enabled them to thrive and create the beautiful backdrop to many trails and scenes in Acadia National Park. How do we allow the challenges in our lives to shape us and enable us to be what we are designed to achieve. These two are growing for their season from a small niche in the massive rock wall.
“Be strong through the grace that God gives you in Christ Jesus.” 2 Timothy 2:1 NLT
Bird Week VI: Eye to Eye /
Proto-Bird. Or at least that what some folks believe. I liked this shot taken in a swamp in Mississippi.
Gulf Islands National Seashore, Mississippi unit
Bird Week VI: Eye to Eye /
On my own in a box canyon north of Las Vegas I found this Spotted Towhee who was more curious about me than I was about him. It kept dipping down into the foliage and then popping back up to look at me and then the cycle would repeat. Pretty bird, nice song.
Near Las Vegas @ Red Rock Canyon
Bird Week VI: Eye to Eye /
Roaming across most of the marshes of the Southeast US you might find an example of the Tricolored Heron. They prefer salt water ponds and marshes but you can find them spotted across the country. About half the size of the more familiar Great Blue this guy prefers to work solo snaring fish in shallow water.
Florida - Canaveral National Seashore
Bird Week VI: Eye to Eye /
A Greater Yellowlegs stalking prey in the shallows of a salt water marsh. The more successful I think my bird photos are the more likely I am to be eye level with the bird. Hard to do usually. That’s why I suspect really good wildlife photographers wade into the water and sit in blinds. Maybe I need some boots.
Florida - Canaveral National Seashore
Bird Week VI: Eye to Eye /
This is one of my favorite photos of this bird, the Yellow-Rump Warbler. I find this bird nearly everywhere I go in the US and see a small warbler - all of whom are difficult to identify, and by the time I get to ID it - another YR Warbler. Not that they are not neat but like Robins, you get tired of seeing the same type of bird over and over. And, unlike the Robin, this one always gets your hopes up that it is a more rare warbler and then, no, you are crushed. Until you see something else flit bye and off you go to discover what may well be another one. I had great hopes here in this Louisiana swamp that I might see a more exotic bird. Saw three or four dozen of these but at least I got a shot.
Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve - Barataria Preserve unit
Bird Week VI: Eye to Eye /
The stare - I think bird photos are most effective if you are eye to eye with them. This is an American Coot who may be saying “Get off of my pond.” Welcome to Bird Week VI. You can almost hear the cheers ringing out across the land. Almost.
Florida - Canaveral National Seashore
Zero Fear /
The serenity of this shot belies the great power and strength of the animal. The beauty of these tigers is a delight to behold. The creation is awash with intricate details designed for us to appreciate the Master Designer.
“She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future.” Proverbs 31:25 NLT
Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Official and Unofficial /
Change of Command Ceremony at the Navel Shipyard with the official photographer and my less official one. A very neat experience to witness the formality of the handing of the command of the ship from one officer to another.
Challenge (2 photos) /
This is a portion of the way to visit one of the cliff dwellings at Mesa Verde. You have to negotiate two ladders, scores of stairs, crawl through a rock tunnel and wind your way through this rock crevice all the while being reminded that the natives that created this had none of your advantages and children as young as three did it on their own. Impressive feat. And totally worth the effort today to get into this complex of rooms and kivas and realize it was abandoned nearly 1000 years ago. Easy to see why T Roosevelt named this a National Park in 1906.
Mesa Verde National Park
To get here!