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Shadows on the Path

This is part of the path to Rainbow Falls in North Carolina's Gorges State Park. I took this as we hiked out and the sun was a little lower on the horizon thus casting these awesome shadows across the path. I was feeling a little guilty for dragging my wife and her sister on this hike that was a little more than we bargained for. I'd walk up ahead about a hundred yards, stop and turn around with my tripod and then take a couple of pictures until I saw them coming up the path. Then I'd motor on and repeat the process a little further up the way. In this manner I got a lot of shots of the trail and this is one of my favorite.

This is part of the path to Rainbow Falls in North Carolina’s Gorges State Park. I took this as we hiked out and the sun was a little lower on the horizon thus casting these awesome shadows across the path. I was feeling a little guilty for dragging my wife and her sister on this hike that was a little more than we bargained for. I’d walk up ahead about a hundred yards, stop and turn around with my tripod and then take a couple of pictures until I saw them coming up the path. Then I’d motor on and repeat the process a little further up the way. In this manner I got a lot of shots of the trail and this is one of my favorite.

Click on photo to enlarge

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Lake Hayes

This is Lake Hayes in southern New Zealand. I was here about six months ago and I already miss it. I think the thing I miss the most is the amount of wide-open space with amazing landscapes. Certainly we have beauty in North America, it’s there, waiting, not going anywhere. My ambition is changing a little bit and I'm craving more and more landscapes. I guess it’s one of those things that once you get hooked on you keep looking for new vistas wherever you go. That’s probably not a bad thing.

This is Lake Hayes in southern New Zealand. I was here about six months ago and I already miss it. I think the thing I miss the most is the amount of wide-open space with amazing landscapes. Certainly we have beauty in North America, it’s there, waiting, not going anywhere. My ambition is changing a little bit and I’m craving more and more landscapes. I guess it’s one of those things that once you get hooked on you keep looking for new vistas wherever you go. That’s probably not a bad thing.

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Slice of Beauty

I'm constantly on the lookout for landscape, scenes, visual beauty; I suppose its part of the rewiring of my brain as a photographer, an artist. In truth there's beauty all around, it’s just that maybe we miss it, don’t know how to see it, aren't practiced. I resemble that. But it’s there if you know where to look. For instance, I love this sky, these clouds, the way the tree reaches up from the bottom. I don’t even know if this is a good photo, but I see something I like here. This could be anywhere really. But here’s a little secret. Below these trees are telephone poles, a parking lot, and a busy freeway. Only I decided to look up and see a little slice of beauty, and then click the shutter button.

I’m constantly on the lookout for landscape, scenes, visual beauty; I suppose its part of the rewiring of my brain as a photographer, an artist. In truth there’s beauty all around, it’s just that maybe we miss it, don’t know how to see it, aren’t practiced. I resemble that. But it’s there if you know where to look. For instance, I love this sky, these clouds, the way the tree reaches up from the bottom. I don’t even know if this is a good photo, but I see something I like here. This could be anywhere really. But here’s a little secret. Below these trees are telephone poles, a parking lot, and a busy freeway. Only I decided to look up and see a little slice of beauty, and then click the shutter button.

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Pinellas Point

This is a little spot across the bay from me known as Pinellas Point. It's not that easy to find but you get glimpses of it driving over the bridge. And so, after about ten years of that I thought it was time to discover this. Well, that's a little fib because I wanted to go the other way but my wife suggested we look for it. So we did, and here it is, looking back at the bridge, after all those years. I have a nickname. It's Christopher Columbus. But that's another story for another day.

This is a little spot across the bay from me known as Pinellas Point. It’s not that easy to find but you get glimpses of it driving over the bridge. And so, after about ten years of that I thought it was time to discover this. Well, that’s a little fib because I wanted to go the other way but my wife suggested we look for it. So we did, and here it is, looking back at the bridge, after all those years. I have a nickname. It’s Christopher Columbus. But that’s another story for another day.

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Two Palms

I've been taking a lot of autumn shots lately, mainly because I live in Florida and fall colors is something we miss out on. However what we don't miss out on are palm trees, they're everywhere. What I never realized before is how many species of palm there are. Not that I'm any good at identifying them, but the more you look the more you begin to notice the differences. Growing up watching Gilligan's Island I basically thought that all palm trees had coconuts. Boy was that ever wrong. So I decided to take a break from fall colors and post this image of a couple of palms near my home. Just don't ask me what kind they are.

I’ve been taking a lot of autumn shots lately, mainly because I live in Florida and fall colors is something we miss out on. However what we don’t miss out on are palm trees, they’re everywhere. What I never realized before is how many species of palm there are. Not that I’m any good at identifying them, but the more you look the more you begin to notice the differences. Growing up watching Gilligan’s Island I basically thought that all palm trees had coconuts. Boy was that ever wrong. So I decided to take a break from fall colors and post this image of a couple of palms near my home. Just don’t ask me what kind they are.

Click on photo to enlarge.

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Below Rainbow Falls

About a week ago I took this from Gorges State Park, which is nestled in North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains. This spot is just below Rainbow Falls, which is just around the next bend. There was a good little hike that seemed longer than it was on account of all the slopes and switchbacks, but was well worth when we finally arrived. I’m so glad we have state and national parks that preserve wilderness and landscapes like this for the public. If not for that much of the lands would be private and inaccessible. But that’s certainly not a problem here as there were plenty of hikers enjoying the last days of fall before winter decides to take over for the duration.

About a week ago I took this from Gorges State Park, which is nestled in North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains. This spot is just below Rainbow Falls, which is just around the next bend. There was a good little hike that seemed longer than it was on account of all the slopes and switchbacks, but was well worth when we finally arrived. I’m so glad we have state and national parks that preserve wilderness and landscapes like this for the public. If not for that much of the lands would be private and inaccessible. But that’s certainly not a problem here as there were plenty of hikers enjoying the last days of fall before winter decides to take over for the duration.

Click on photo to enlarge

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Autumn Sky

I arrived in Connecticut yesterday from Florida and was pleasantly surprised to see that autumn colors and leaves were still on display. For some reason I thought most of the Northeast had moved on to winter. This is the Farmington River in Windsor, just outside of Hartford. As I drove around on a Sunday afternoon I saw several people (the few that weren't watching football) out raking the leaves. Perhaps a few kids jumped in the big piles of leaves this afternoon after school. I'm pretty sure that's what I would have done.

I arrived in Connecticut yesterday from Florida and was pleasantly surprised to see that autumn colors and leaves were still on display. For some reason I thought most of the Northeast had moved on to winter. This is the Farmington River in Windsor, just outside of Hartford. As I drove around on a Sunday afternoon I saw several people (the few that weren’t watching football) out raking the leaves. Perhaps a few kids jumped in the big piles of leaves this afternoon after school. I’m pretty sure that’s what I would have done.

Click on photo to enlarge.

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Pelican Commute

Pelicans get real busy at sunrise and sunset, they all seem to be going to and fro, a little like commuting to work. During the day they hang around the piers and fishing boats, but at night I think they must have certain places they like to bed down at. The more I look at the animal kingdom, the more things I find in common with us humans. In fact, to aliens animals and humans might look even more similar than we'd consider ourselves. Anyway, I hope you all have a great week and may your commute be as smooth as that of the pelicans. ;-)

Pelicans get real busy at sunrise and sunset, they all seem to be going to and fro, a little like commuting to work. During the day they hang around the piers and fishing boats, but at night I think they must have certain places they like to bed down at. The more I look at the animal kingdom, the more things I find in common with us humans. In fact, to aliens animals and humans might look even more similar than we’d consider ourselves. Anyway, I hope you all have a great week and may your commute be as smooth as that of the pelicans. 😉

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Gorges State Park

This is Gorges State Park in North Carolina. There is a two or three mile loop that you can drive with a couple of lookouts across the Blue Ridge Mountains. This time of year the mountains are pretty much every other color than blue. That works! I took this after an amazing hike to a waterfall down in the gorge. I'll post that sometime soon.

This is Gorges State Park in North Carolina. There is a two or three mile loop that you can drive with a couple of lookouts across the Blue Ridge Mountains. This time of year the mountains are pretty much every other color than blue. That works! I took this after an amazing hike to a waterfall down in the gorge. I’ll post that sometime soon.

Click on photo to enlarge

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Bean Point

This is Bean Point which is at the end of Anna Maria Island here in central Florida. When I arrived a group of people were watching the last remnants of a waterspout that seemed more a curiosity than any real danger. It's no wonder that meteorologists like this area. Changing subjects, I've recently come to learn that these tall grasses are known as sea oats. That's cool, but what I really want to know is if they're gluten free. Okay, that was dumb.

This is Bean Point which is at the end of Anna Maria Island here in central Florida. When I arrived a group of people were watching the last remnants of a waterspout that seemed more a curiosity than any real danger. It’s no wonder that meteorologists like this area. Changing subjects, I’ve recently come to learn that these tall grasses are known as sea oats. That’s cool, but what I really want to know is if they’re gluten free. Okay, that was dumb.

Click on photo to enlarge