• Art/Design,  landscape,  Metro Parks

    What's you favorite flavor?

    October 20, 2009
    Fall Colors

    Ever notice when fall arrives, our woods take on a new palette of colors? On a walk in Blendon Woods I remembered a story about a young girl, who when asked what her favorite flavor was, answered, “red.” As a grade schooler I think blue would have been my answer.

    The fall colors of the hardwood forests are still new to me. I’m accustomed to the golds and yellows of my native Colorado aspens. These fall colors of the Ohio Valley almost overwhelm me. I”m not sure I could select a favorite color. The reds pop out at me but only because of the green and yellow and brown and orange colors. So, I ask this simple question, “Do we even need to have a favorite color?” Can’t I just claim them all as my favorite flavor?

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  • Metro Parks,  People/Portraits

    Nature Walk

    July 12, 2009
    Taking a Walk

    They say walking is good exercise. I believe them. We can keep weight off, build up our cardiovascular and just feel good about ourselves. Finding the discipline to walk on a regular basis has been lacking in my life for the past few years. Now that I have this nature area behind my apartments I do get out more often and that’s good. I headed out to the park with my camera and tripod, thinking I could get a self-portrait image along with a walk. 

    On the way back to the car, this silly question came to mind. I bought myself a nice carbon fiber tripod a few years ago and have been really pleased with it. It’s rugged and solid. Paid a lot of money for it. But even with the three legs I still have to carry the darn thing. Anyone else have to carry theirs, also?

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  • landscape,  Metro Parks

    My back yard

    July 9, 2009
    Blendon Woods

    I have a wonderful backyard. It’s called Blendon Woods Metro park. I think this image captures what I mean by this. While on an afternoon walk I stopped by the waterfowl overlooks at Thoreau Lake and was treated with both a small deer and a blue heron. Of course I did not have a telephoto lens so they are quite small. The heron is on the right side and the deer is along the edge of the lake. Birds are singing their songs of happiness and the sounds of the city cannot be heard. This parks boundary is right behind my apartments. I do have to drive or walk around to the park entrance.

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  • Cityscapes/Urban,  flowers,  Metro Parks

    A different view…

    June 29, 2009
    Cone Flowers

     It is almost the end of June and many of the cone flowers have almost come to the end of their season. Their petals and stamens are not a perfect due to rain, hail and wind. Yet, I wanted an image of one of my favorite flowers, so what could I come up with? I walked among and around this clump looking for a flower that was in good enough shape to photograph. None to be found. As I walked around the back side of this fence I had an idea (those do happen once in awhile.) I thought I would focus on the fence and leave the cone flowers out of focus. A different view…of one of my favorite flowers.

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  • Metro Parks,  reptiles

    On a Morning Stroll

    June 28, 2009
    On a Morning Stroll

     Out for a morning stroll. He’s a bit shy, in case you hadn’t noticed, as he made sure to stay close to the plants. After a hard rain the night before there is a wonder in the air the next morning. Don’t know about you but the freshness that is around us when walking among nature after a rain sure can perk up my senses. A smile comes to my face, well maybe a smirk. Wonder if it’s the same for the turtle. Do you think he’s smiling or smirking?

    I could hear the frogs croaking along Frog Pond. I could smell the moisture and rain. I could feel the dampness in the air and in my clothes. For eye candy I had rain droplets hanging from leaves and flower petals. There were sun beams breaking through the trees. All these make for a good morning stroll.

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  • Cityscapes/Urban,  Metro Parks

    Sunbeams

    June 27, 2009
    Sunbeams

    After a night of rain a blue sky and bright sun greeted us in the morning. We had several inches of rain and some strong winds. I headed for Inniswood Gardens in search of images as well as spending this wonderful morning among nature. In my mind was a vision of raindrops hanging from leaves and flowers, so with camera and tripod off I went. After a couple of hours wandering around I did get few images of raindrops. However, I was not expecting to find these wonderful beams of sunlight coming through the trees.

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  • Metro Parks

    Free Concert

    June 19, 2009
    Concert Seating

    Rain started beating against my window around 1:00 am in the morning and continued raining until mid morning. Just after noon the blue skies started to appear and the heat/humidity started to rise. As your clothes begin to stick to your damp body you realized that you’re living in the Ohio Valley and not back in Colorado.

    In spite of the weather I decided to give myself an assignment. I walked through Blendon Woods park with only my 85mm f1.8 portrait lens.  Every so often along the trails are these benches where people can rest or you can sit while enjoying the free concert orchestrated by the birds. And what a concert it is. Hope you had a good day!

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  • flowers,  Metro Parks,  Plants/Nature

    Music from Within

    May 12, 2009
    Iris

    I sure don’t sing very well. Practice would probably help but I doubt I could make a living at it. I would most likely loose a few friends if I sang too often. I also do not listen to much music since the radio in my car and my home stereo went “kaput.” I have an iphone but have not music on it. The music I enjoy at this place and time in life is sounds of nature: wind as it blows through trees, birds sining their morning song, water flowing in a stream, leaves crunching under foot, rain falling and even the quiet of snowfall.

    But there is another enjoyable music in my life. I find at times while riding in my car or on a walk, that a song will rise up inside me and my spirit will quietly sing. There are those songs from the past, stored in my memory, that rise up and every once in a while a newly created song will flow forth. So when my spirit wants to sing, I do. It’s music from within, not from my ipod.

     

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  • Metro Parks,  People/Portraits

    Mother and Daughter

    May 5, 2009
    At Frog Pond

    I needed some space and quiet today so I headed for Inniswood Gardens. It wasn’t the quiet I wanted as they were busy working on some of the park.  A Bobcat was whirling around and a saw was whirring through timber. Not to be turned down I ventured deeper into the wooded area on the path to find the quiet. Ahhh! On the way back to the car I discovered this mother and daughter at the Frog Pond. They are looking a two turtles sun bathing on a log just below them. You can see the larger of the two turtles just to the left of the yellow flower and its reflection. I like how the young girl is telling her mom something and using her arms to add emphasis to her story. Yes, I know it’s pretty harsh light but I like the image.

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