Reconnecting with nature through hiking, camping, and paddling
As hot mineral water seeps out of the Grand Prismatic Spring in Yellowstone National Park it leaves tiny layers of minerals. The heat of the water provides an ideal environment for bacteria, which grow in colorful mats over the wavy mineral deposits. The end result is an amazing display of color and texture.
While hiking in Yellowstone National Park I noticed flashes of yellow in the pine branches overhanging the trail. I stopped to check it out and saw a small group of Western Tanagers flying through the pines. They didn’t remain in sight for very long so this was the only worthwhile photo I was able to capture.
This little Banded Hairstreak was busily drinking nectar when I encountered it in a forest meadow. I didn’t seem to mind me taking photos. In fact, it didn’t even seem to notice I was watching it.
When I think of the color of bees and wasps, I think of yellows, oranges, and reds. This little Mason Wasp is black and white with beautiful blue wings. Sadly, it flew away before I could get a another photo showing more of the wing. From what I’ve read, they mainly feed on nectar and caterpillars.
The trees, silhouetted by early morning fog, make the houses seem small and almost insignificant. A neighbor’s porch lights offer the only evidence anybody else might be awake. Within an hour this scene will be transformed into a more familiar arrangement. It might be months or even a year before it looks like this again.
These blue orchids have an almost unreal color. That’s because the stems are injected with a blue dye before the flowers bloom. While the color may be a bit surreal, they are quite captivating.
I was up early one winter morning and discovered this blue jay feather laying on a frosty bed of moss. Click on the image to see the larger, more detailed photo.
I drove by the Smyth County Court House in Marion, VA and thought it would be a great subject. When I came back to take pictures it seemed sort of boring in the light of day. The building itself is pretty impressive but the lighting was all wrong. I didn’t take a single photo that day but decided to come back after the sun went down and found it much more interesting at night. This photo was one of the first I took. As the evening went on the sky quickly grew darker and became black in the photos.
This bundle of neon lights was part of the Chihuly exhibit at the Virginia Museum of Fine Art (VMFA) in 2012.
In every cycling event I’ve participated in, it seems like people ride in waves. I got the impression these six cyclists were actually two groups of three that just happened to be riding at the same pace.