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Category: Nature

Photo Dump: Overnight Turns Into 4-Nights; Halloween; Mostly Melbourne, Florida

So after getting called away from the coffee shop, they had me for 5 days–tacking on flights and overnights like I was the only flight attendant in existence. In all I overnighted in Des Moines, Iowa; Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Greensville, South Carolina and finally Melbourne, Florida. Here are some pictures Read more…


North Point State Park, Glorious Foliage

Walks like this invigorate the soul. Every turn–beauty–an escape from the everyday manmade hierarchy of priorities. Every step is just where I ought to be, reinforced by the ease of gratification. Oh, the world can be so simple. Any yet…


Olympic National Park, Hoh Rainforest {Pictorial}

This is it, the reason of my long journey West: The Hoh Rainforest at Olympic National Park. Though surrounded by the glorious Sitka spruce and Douglas Firs, this piece of surreal temperate rainforest beckoned me into its mossy arms. I was ecstatic that the sky was clear and the sun Read more…


Olympic National Park, Tree of Life aka Tree Root Cave

File this under sublime. A tree suspended in air by eroding land digs its roots into… the air. It carries on the functions of a tree: growth, photosynthesis, other tree processes, including looking gorgeous for my pictures. Here’s a collection, including some by a slightly surly visitor to Olympic National Read more…


Long Island Birthday Camping ⛺

A birthday celebration in the great outdoors on Long Island was in the books for quite some time. But when it arrived, a cold snap made it slightly less comfortable. We made the best of it! Starting with a quick Panera sandwich because: quick and easy. My birthday vegan charcuterie Read more…


A Supermoon in October

From my new huge bedroom window in Maryland (Yes, now I am temporarily living in Maryland!) it caught my eye. So I decided I’d go out to shoot it. I mean, it practically invited me. Plus I wanted to see how it was outside. Is this the kind of place Read more…


Autumn in Shenandoah National Park {Pictorial}

Fall definitely has a feel. My hunt today was to capture it in Shenandoah National Park. This would mean hiking probably too strenuously considering I forgot to change into my hiking boots and had no water. But here, enjoy the autumn I found.


Kenilworth Park & Aquatic Gardens

This post about Kenilworth Park & Aquatic Gardens spans two visits. The first in mid-September was curiosity, reconnaissance… it was also at high tide which limits your ability to see most of the park as paths are submerged in water. The aquatic gardens in mid-September were still vibrant green but Read more…


City of Rocks National Reserve, Almo, Idaho

“This City is walled in on every side with towering granite mountains, some peaks shooting athwart the sky like towering domes. While hundreds of piles, peaks, steeples and domes, of all shapes possible in the distance looking like an old dilapidated City”– Emigrant journal entry from Dr. John Hudson Wayman – July Read more…


Craters Of The Moon National Monument & Preserve In Idaho {Nighttime}

Running back out to Craters of the Moon National Monument & Preserve when it was dark enough gave us a sliver of time before the clouds rolled in to capture the vivid stars. And a sliver is all we had left having taken two flights and driving several hours after Read more…


Craters of the Moon National Monument & Preserve in Idaho {Daytime}

This land used to be lava… oozing, moving, drying and once again holding life. Having briefly stopped here at Craters of the Moon National Monument & Preserve in 2016, I wanted to shoot the stars at this wondrous landscape. But first, a visit during the sunshine. The colors of time Read more…


Sunflower Adventure in Maryland

After storms had passed through the DC area, flooding would impact my expedition to explore the sunflower fields of McKee-Beshers Wildlife Management Area in Poolesville, Maryland.  But a benevolent couple from EL Salvador drove me over the larger pools in the road and we spent a short but meaningful mission of finding the Read more…


Another Visit to White Sands National Park

Though I visiting White Sands National Monument a few years back, today’s weather would create a very different experience. The desert storms darken the sands and sky, creating dramatic landscapes.  Also because of the weather, I was isolated.  The usual park goer’s with their sand sleds and disks were far Read more…


City of Rocks State Park, Faywood, New Mexico

Wanting solitude and wanting stars, I took a couple of flights to reach the City of Rocks State Park campground in New Mexico, not to be mistaken with the City of Rocks in Idaho–which I plan to visit later in the month.  In one of my most favorite states, this Read more…


Great Falls Park, Virginia

A day off would have me returning to Great Falls Park–a stop I attempted to make while on-call. I unfortunately could not enter the park because there was no cell service. This time, I had no responsibilities but to see and capture beauty with my camera. And in this capacity, Read more…


Knoxville, TN Overnight & Great Smoky Mountains National Park

I think I mentioned that some overnights are better than others. And with about 19 hours in Knoxville, I did what any adventure-seeking soul would do… I rented a car and hot the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which was just 30 minutes away. Before I committed to any time Read more…


Indiana Dunes National Park: Day & Night

There aren’t many National Parks east of the Mississippi River. We don’t have the magnificent land formations born of the Colorado Plateau. But we got the the Great Lakes. Indiana Dunes National Park is right next to the gorgeous Lake Michigan. It would be my day and night destination as Read more…


The Colors of Los Angeles

It was time to get away. With a friend in Los Angeles, it was an easy decision. Finally utilizing my flight benefits to go somewhere other than Home, I was leaving DC for the West Coast. Getting Alfred Hitchcocky The cratered, isolated West As soon as I got to Thai Read more…


Pretty North Carolina {Pictorial}


It’s Maple Weekend in New York State 🍁

Maple Sugaring is something I was interested in learning more about! So on one of New York’s Maple Weekends, we headed over to Letchworth State Park for their pancake breakfast and a presentation on maple syrup production. We were able to do shots of each grade of syrup… except the Read more…


Hello Spring

The little crocus that could on our front lawn… So potent with color and life A trip to Highland Park would bring plenty of color These baby blues are a regional Spring favorite Some pink emerges Paper white Buds So many colors Spring afoot A picnic in the park! And Read more…


On the Nature Coast
Shired Island Campground

I ventured into Old Florida to check out the dark skies. This was the highlight of my quick trip and most definitely well worth it. First, some scenic beauty in the daytime hours. See those tracks in the sand… well I got my rental car stuck in the sand, much Read more…


February Outtakes

The shortest month, though a little longer this year, has come and gone. To follow some of the misplaced pieces of its path. The moon. This was from the driveway. I shot as long as I could before frozen fingers put me back inside. With some finally clear skies, more Read more…


Fire & Ice
Eternal Flame Falls

Another place I couldn’t wait to return to once winter came, Eternal Flame Falls. This naturally-fueled eternal flame is thought to be caused by potent gas seepage from the ancient shale bedrock, however some researchers believe this to be an incorrect hypothesis given the temperature of the rock relative to Read more…


A Visit to Elizabeth A. Morton National Wildlife Refuge {Pictorial}


Winter at Green Lakes State Park

With the first significant snowfall, I knew I had to return to Green Lakes State Park. I knew its emerald lake would look beautiful next to a soft white. Some quick shots before the wandering rabid emaciated raccoon attacks me or one of the many dog walkers. Some playful visitors Read more…