Sometimes it’s the little things in nature that really catch my eye. This lichen was growing on the side of a very large pine tree. I approached the tree to get a closer look at something else when I noticed the tiny, bright red blooms on the lichen. Who knew that lichen actually bloomed?
Melt Off
Steaming Stump
Jones Run Cascade
This cascade along Jones Run in Shenandoah National Park provided an interesting photographic experience. My friend was smart enough to stay at the top. Despite my better judgement I decided to hike down a little farther from the trail. Just as I was thinking I needed to be careful on the leaves and wet rocks, I stepped on a patch of wet moss covering a large, flat downward sloping stone. As the moss gave way I began sliding down the rock face, watching my camera bounce off the stones beneath me and hoping I would be able to stop myself. Fortunately my slide came to an end before I got to the actual waterfall, about 6 feet beyond the point from which I took this picture.
Forest Sunrise After the Snow
Snow fell on Richmond Thursday night. A few inches accumulated but it was nearly all gone within 24 hours. I took the day off Friday and hiked through Pocahontas State Park. This photo was taken as the sun rose over the forest. The park was beautifully covered in snow and I had the place to myself. I hiked for 5 hours and never saw another person the entire time.
Forest Still Life
During a hike I noticed this piece of bark resting on stones by the side of the trail. I was initially intrigued by the texture and patterns in the bark itself. My first thought was to get a close up of the texture but when I noticed the bark was sitting between two shadows I thought it made for an interesting forest still life.
Jones Run Falls Panorama
I stitched together 6 separate photos to create this panoramic view of the rock wall at Jones Run Falls in Shenandoah National Park. The water seeping over the stone edifice makes it appear very dark, nearly black. As with all of the photos on my blog, you can click on it to see a larger, more detailed image.