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Daffodil, Bluegrass Scenic Byway!

2012-01-29T07:03:00.000-08:00

It's January. No dispute from anyone on that fact. So I say it with great confidence. And while I'm driving amongst beautiful scenery along the Bluegrass Scenic Byway yesterday, I encounter 'daffodils' blooming. Oh, my! January and daffodils. I'm not sure what to make of it, but there they were. Right across the driveway to one of the many entrances to Win Star Farms, where a sign proudly announces Funny Cide, the breeder to a past Kentucky Derby winner. Of course, I had to show you the proof of it.

On another topic, normally in January and February I personally suffer to some degree from SAD, Seasonal Affective Disorder. You see I live in what I like to call the lower, lower Midwest. Not the South. No ocean nearby. No mountains nearby. No major snowfalls year to year can be expected here. Far fewer opportunities to get outdoors. Unless. Unless you decide you want to change the norm, much like the daffodils blooming along the Byway in the dead of winter. So I chose this year to do something different. To get outdoors whether it be driving, walking, hiking, shooting (photos of course). To get outdoors wherever there is a place to experience Mother Nature. And I pray everyone who reads this blog doesn't get bored with the where and what of it. Because so far, much to my surprise, it's working. No SAD in January. One month to go. Here's hoping. ENJOY!

Photographer's Note: I have added a separate blog list today for my design and decor friends. I just want to reassure all of my outdoor photography friends that I am NOT abandoning the main purpose of this blog . . . Mother Nature. I'm attempting to finish the decorating of my condo and these blogs have helped me become more creative in those pursuits.

Shaker Village at Pleasant Hill, Kentucky!

2012-01-28T15:55:00.000-08:00

It was a windy cold day today, but I decided not to let that stop me from taking a drive. I did my usual route through the Bluegrass Region north of Lexington and then decided to drive south of Lexington to check out Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill.

Shaker Village is America's largest restored Shaker community and a National Historic Landmark with 34 buildings and 3000+ acres. It's only a few miles south of Lexington and the drive takes you through the some beautiful country. I shot this image of one of the windows of one of the brightly colored painted houses scattered around the village.

The village is so neat and clean, but I believe that is the Shaker way of life.

I walked across the lawn of one of the homes to get a photo of this black barn sitting across the field. To this day, they still grow vegetables on the farm that they serve in the Inn and dining room.

Shaker Village is a pretty cool place to visit. There's lots of hiking trails in the nature preserve. I have to get back here when I have more time. I have more photos I'll share later this week. Hope your weekend is going well. ENJOY!

The Chicken Coop!

2012-01-27T15:05:00.001-08:00

Pulling from my archive today. I have long wanted to post this image of a hen pecking in the yard at the farm I stop by on my way back from Nashville, Indiana, every fall. I loved the image before I gave it a tweak in my software but I really liked the feel of the after shot. I basically pencil sketched it first, then I gave it a 1960's feel. Then I darkened the shadows and saturated the color after giving it a dip in the lohomish which is one of the effects on Picasa. Let me know what you think. As I mentioned earlier this week, Picasa 3.9 is new software that is totally free and has some of the Picnic Premium features, so even if you use Gimp or some other software, you still might want to give it a try. I also use Paint.net. I use Paint mostly to take backgrounds out and add textures. I'm guessing it's very much like Gimp. Have a fantastic weekend whether it's snowing, raining or just wonderfully sunny wherever you are. ENJOY!

Get Your Easter On!

2012-01-26T14:18:00.000-08:00

A few images I photographed at one of my favorite boutiques for the magazine layout last week. What's not to love about bunnies?

And oh my how I love those Easter eggs.

Keep in mind I did a little doctoring with my software so these images are much removed from the original images. So I'm asking . . . what do you do to get your Easter on? ENJOY!

Photographer's Note: Items compliments of my dear Kim and Ronda at Two Dazzle in St. Matthews. Thanks ladies. You rock.

Sidebar Note: Barb was wondering why I'm thinking Easter when she just got into skiing this winter. Sorry Barb. In the magazine world, we generally are one season ahead of the rest of the world.

Green Ferns!

2012-01-25T18:04:00.000-08:00

A beautiful photo of fern leaves that I wanted to share with you for some time. The Before and After the textures were added.

BEFORE

AFTER

Hope your week is going well. ENJOY!

Purple Heart!

2012-01-24T13:22:00.001-08:00

I thought perhaps I would send everyone a different kind of purple heart for all of you Valentine lovers out there who are anxious for this "hearts on fire" holiday. And if you use the Picnic 3.9 software and go to the "neon" feature you can make your hearts all sorts of different neon colors. Better get your heart on. ENJOY!

Picasa 3.9 and Picnic Premium!

2012-01-23T14:47:00.001-08:00

For those of you who were thinking of using Picnic Premium, but realize now that it will be closing in April, I have spent a little bit of time working in the Picasa software which now houses many of the features of Picnic Premium. Might I add there is no charge to get these new features either. So that saves me $24.95 annually. I also wanted to mention that I think I'm starting to enjoy the features they added to the basic Picasa software. In many ways they seem easier as you point and click. Here is an example of one of the features where I posterized a bracket fungi photo. I've also noticed some of the Picnic Premium features that they now have included on Picasa 3.9 are actually a little bit different than they were on Picnic. And possibly even better. So give Picasa 3.9 a look. I will continue to test some of the other features and try to post more as time goes by. Hope you had a great weekend. Looks like some of you folks got snow and while I had hoped to have some more snow here in Kentucky, I don't think it's going to happen soon. ENJOY!

The Marvelous Wonderettes!

2012-01-22T06:43:00.000-08:00

Last Fall while in Nashville, Indiana, that quaint little arts and crafts village that I frequent several times a year, The Marvelous Wonderettes toured this small town in a vintage convertible waving and smiling.

They hoped to boost attendance at their show that evening.

It's like taking a walk back in time what with the vintage convertible and it's white walled hub caps, the ladies with their puffy do's and the driver in his straw hat.

And, of course, the pink dice hanging from the rear view on the dash.

We're deep in the throws of winter, and I felt a little sunshine into this day I must bring. I hope you'll agree. Now I ask you . . . have you noticed a theme lately in my posts? By gone days of vintage cars, vintage buggies, log cabins? While I generally feature images of our natural world, I strongly believe history is our natural world. Where would we be if not for history? So in honor of by gone days. ENJOY!

Vintage Buggy!

2012-01-21T09:08:00.001-08:00

It's Winter. Let's face it. So I am posting another image from my Spring Mill walk around the Old Pioneer Village. This is the larger buggy that I photographed that day. I decided to leave it in it's original form. No textures here. I love the old wagon wheels on this buggy and the black leather seats. You suppose the mayor of this old village road around in this buggy. Did villages have mayors back then. Maybe just a sheriff.

I have news!!!! Picnic software is closing in April. I uploaded a new version of Picasa this morning which only had a few of the Picnic components and by few I mean two additional buttons with 6 to 8 options on those. That's it. So sad. I was a big Picnic Premium fan. So perhaps it's time to think about buying Lightroom. I used the beta version when they were testing it and I liked it. Have a great weekend! ENJOY!

Pine Tree, Bernheim!

2012-01-20T16:31:00.001-08:00

I played around a little with aging and bokeh textures with this Pine Tree image. Bokeh is the texture I found recently online that gives the sparkly lighting effect you see in this image. This pine tree sits along the entrance road that leads up to the Visitor's Center and Cafe. It's been a very busy week as my magazine goes to the printer early next week. So I'm a little exhausted from all the proofing of ads, but maybe I'll try to get out this weekend anyway for a bit. I don't know if you've noticed but I've posted every day of 2012. Don't know if I can keep up this pace, but I thought it was worth a try. Have a fantastic weekend. Get outside. ENJOY!

Old Pioneer Village, Spring Mill State Park!

2012-01-19T14:41:00.001-08:00

A few of the log buildings I photographed in the Old Pioneer Village at Spring Mill State Park a few weeks ago. I'm especially fond of this small outbuilding with the moss laden thatched roof.

This one room log cabin was sitting right as you walked into the village. I tried to imagine living in this one room log cabin and simply can't get my thoughts around it. I'm guessing it's about 12 x 12 maximum with a fireplace and a few windows. Don't think it had a back door. No bedroom, obviously you'd had to use an outhouse. Although I don't remember seeing an outhouse anywhere near this cabin.

Seeing these old pioneer buildings surely brings one to appreciate having a home with several bedrooms and bathrooms and a great room to boot. What do you think? Could you handle living in this year after year? If you think about it, the people that lived in this village just might have thought they lived in mansions. I'm ready for the weekend. ENJOY!

Graveyard, Guerilla Hollow!

2012-01-18T16:25:00.000-08:00

Here's are a few images from the graveyard at Bernheim that I photographed last weekend. Here I am entering the graveyard. Are you amazed at the things I find at Bernheim. I am.

This graveyard dates back to the Revolutionary War. Most of the graves markings are gone and only stones are left behind. So sad.

Not particularly crazy about these large gravestones that are flat on the ground.

Hope your week is going well. We're over the hump. Oh, and by the by, 7 (seven) tornadoes in Louisville yesterday. Not a good day at all. Scary, scary, scary. ENJOY!

Finding Balance Along the Millenium Trail!

2012-01-17T13:44:00.000-08:00

One of my goals this year is to see if I can actually get a website created that includes my blog. In the meantime, I keep playing with my header in an effort to find some balance. Yet, I still come back to simplicity in the look of it. I'm sorry, I tell myself, as I know simple beats out artsy most anytime when it comes to my personal comfort zone. I'll land somewhere. I hope in the meantime I don't drive any of you wonderful folks to jump ship. It's not easy being a photographer who's found a creative side she didn't know existed until now. I'm actually thinking it might be a bad thing, but no no no, that would be negative. And I never like to be called negative. If that's not enough, I started out as A Photographic Journal, but that tag didn't stick. So I've landed at "a photographers palette" because seriously it feels like I'm painting most of the time when I'm capturing that image. By the way, do you have any major goals for the new year. They don't even have to be major or for the new year. Goals are good. Come on, tell. Let's take a walk down this beautiful snow laden trail while you tell me all about it. ENJOY!

Steinbacher Geese!

2012-01-16T16:13:00.001-08:00

Have you ever been 'hell bent' to do something. Well that is how I feel about this image. I was determined to do something with it and post it as I really loved the feel of it. It's just different. Not the norm. It really isn't the faces of these two mated Steinbachers that intrigues me in this image, it's the surroundings, and oh yes, definitely the reflection. And there's something about the blues in it too. I find it almost enchanting. And when I added a vintage texture with a border, well it really took it up a notch. Now I like it more. ENJOY!

Into the Woods, Guerilla Hollow!

2012-01-15T06:25:00.000-08:00

There are many trails within Bernheim that I have not hiked. I took a walk along the the Millenium Trail that briefly traverses Guerilla Hollow yesterday afternoon to check out the cemetery that is situated close by. Yes, I did take photos of the cemetery which I'll post soon. A dusting of snow covered the ground. As is typical of Bernheim, the forest has many oak trees that hold their leaves until Spring before depositing them on the ground. It adds a bit of mystery to an otherwise dull landscape.

I had hoped to visit Mustatatuck yesterday, but a quick check of the rader told me not to, as snow was making its way into the region. If you want to visit a park but hoards of people keep you away, go when the weather isn't perfect. It affords a more personal experience. Guerilla Hollow is one area where normally hoards of picnickers are wandering about. Not so yesterday. I encountered only one couple who had just finished a walk. Love it. A chance to check out Guerilla Hollow just a little bit closer. And as you can see, there is beauty here. ENJOY!

A QUICK NOTE . . .
There's a new feature in my sidebar. Now you can search my blog by entering keywords and it searches all of my followers blogs as well. After using this feature on other blogs, I discovered it actually aided me in finding images and information about places I was planning to visit. How cool is that!

Also you'll notice a new header today. I spent some time dropping the background out from behind my image of the trees with the green moss on them and decided to incorporate it into the new header. Whew! A lot of work, not quite done with, but decided to put the header up for now and maybe work on it some more in a few days. Now I know why retouching is so expensive!

Doorway, Pioneer Village, Spring Mill State Park!

2012-01-14T08:23:00.001-08:00

While walking around Spring Mill State Park last weekend, I decided to photograph a few of the old pioneer homes from the early 1800's. I loved this image of the dried flowers next to the old concrete steps leading up to the door of The Meeting House. And I especially liked this old door handle. I tried adding texture to the original image, but seriously it didn't do it justice. I did soften the original image just slightly to give it a tad mystery.

I have to admit, when I look at my brushed nickel door handles, the kind you grab and turn downward, well this old door handle has a lot more character. It's a shame that this modern age has taken away such everyday beauty. I can, however, envision a blacksmith firing this old door handle from iron back in the day. I did add some aging texture just very slightly to this image, as well as softened it a bit.

I'm glad to have old pioneer villages like Spring Mill State Park in South Central Indiana to remind us of days of yore. It's a balmy 25 degrees here in Louisville and yes, I'm seriously considering going out and taking some photos. Of what? I don't know. Where? I don't know. Why? Oh, I know this one. Because it's beckoning me. The anticipation of capturing a gorgeous image I never anticipated. My promise this winter . . . don't stay indoors, get outside. ENJOY!

Pioneer Wagon, Spring Mill State Park!

2012-01-13T14:04:00.001-08:00

There is an old wagon sitting in front of Spring Mill Inn next to a paper bark tree. Perfect setting for a perfect image. After capturing the image I realized I wanted to add texture to enhance the vintage feel. This image is what came out of that process. I had several versions in varying depths. I prefer this lighter version.

Recently, I've been working extensively with masks and textures to enhance my images as I know you've noticed. You can take an overwise useless image and make it fantastic by simply using masks or textures. I've learned to the graphic artist, the decorative borders I refer to are actually creative masks because they have a lighter border and a darker center. You have to reduce the intensity of the mask to get the dark center out and leave a lighter mask or border behind. Creative masks are easier to work with to enhance your images than textures. At least in my opinion.

One exception to this would be the textures provided in the Picnic software premium version, which is $24.95 annually. They are easier by far. I think it goes back to the depth of the textures in that software. The software allows you to increase or decrease the intensity. That makes all the difference in the world. Also if you save a texture as a jpeg, drop it in any software you have, and lighten it overall, you might find it easier to work with. I'll share more about masks and textures as I learn, so if you would like to hear more, let me know. Have a fantastic, if not very cold, weekend. ENJOY!

Steinbacher Geese Watercolor!

2012-01-12T19:03:00.001-08:00

This beautiful Steinbacher Goose paddled all over the lake last weekend. It seemed so graceful at times. I liked the original image but decided to add a watercolor effect to it. I like what it did to the reflections in the water. I'll never be a painter so creating this in my software is the next best thing. We have a touch of snow on the ground and some pretty low temps. It appears winter arrived today. The weekend is coming. Are you ready? ENJOY!

Black Stallion, Bluegrass Scenic Byway!

2012-01-11T14:09:00.000-08:00

A beautiful black stallion grazing on a farm along the Bluegrass Scenic Byway. Have a great Wednesday everyone. And you folks in the Plains and us folks here in the Midwest are bracing for a winter storm. ENJOY!

Butterfly, Bernheim Arboretum & Research Forest!

2012-01-10T06:16:00.001-08:00

I dug into my archive to find this butterfly image from seasons ago which I'd never posted and thought perhaps we'd take a trip down memory lane. Meaning simply oh, how I wish for Spring. I know we're having an extremely mild winter, but something tells me later this week, we're going to get a less milder version. But until then I can dream of Spring. I've been playing with frames and textures. What I've found is a great creative outlet, and yet, while I love the look of this, I also enjoy the simplicity of just a beautiful image of nature with no window dressing. What do you think? ENJOY!

Riding Buggy, Spring Mill State Park!

2012-01-09T11:09:00.001-08:00

While visiting Spring Mill State Park this past weekend, I decided to take a walk around the Old Pioneer Village. It really is an old village from back in pioneer days. There was an open front barn that housed some of the vehicles used back in that era. This black riding buggy especially caught my attention. Wouldn't it be a hoot to go for a spin in this with a horse and driver at the helm? It looked to be in pretty good condition too. I added a little vintage texturing and I must say I'm liking it. I'm glad I took some time to get outdoors this past weekend because rumor has it we're getting snow on Saturday. I'm OK with that. ENJOY!

Graceful Steinbacher Geese!

2012-01-08T07:14:00.000-08:00

Beauty and grace. Those words came to mind when I saw this photo I captured yesterday of these Steinbacher Geese. I ventured to Spring Mill State Park in southern Indiana yesterday. Some twenty years ago, on my last visit, I had discovered a lake with canoes. The canoes no more, but not to worry. This small state park has a lot to offer including nature trails, the lake, a swimming pool, an inn and conference center, a grist mill and historic pioneer village and even several caves. My memories from my last visit were few and vague so I felt it was time to make new memories.

What I found on the lake were these two beautiful Steinbacher Geese. During the breeding season, these geese can't be with other ganders as they will fight. Yesterday, however, I found these two beautiful creatures whiling away the day in the sun paddling around the lake. They are a mated couple who stayed within inches of one another the entire time. While it's usually swans we associate with grace and beauty, I believe this couple stole the show yesterday. This has to be one of those images that inspires me to shoot photography. Get outdoors this winter. It's amazing what you'll find. ENJOY!

Winters Blooms!

2012-01-07T08:15:00.000-08:00

Winter descends upon the landscape leaving behind frost and a cold death. Beautiful blooms are dried and frozen in time. Time passes, and then Spring takes hold. New growth brings new blossoms which take hold and paint the landscape with color giving new beauty to the trees, the bushes, the flowers. A bright new world of beautiful color. Frozen by winter, this bloom was created through texture, effects and saturation of color. I hope you enjoy . . . because winter forces us to create beauty until Spring blossoms take hold again. ENJOY!

Sweet Woodruff!

2012-01-06T15:20:00.001-08:00

A few weeks ago when I took this image this lovely elephant ear shaped plant known as Sweet Woodruff was still growing strong at Bernheim. I don't know how except to say it hadn't really been very cold up to that point. I'm not sure it made it through the 20 degree temps we had Monday and Tuesday, but if so, it's a happy camper today as it's been in the 60's here. What a winter. Why do I have the feeling we're going to get slammed with cold and snow soon. Have a great weekend. ENJOY!

Wooden Bench!

2012-01-05T13:23:00.000-08:00

Wooden bridge over a stream along the Bent Twig Loop. Wooden bridge across Lake Nevin. And now, a wooden bench sitting idle waiting for a visitor to sit upon it as I walked down to the water's edge at Mac's Lake. Wood. To me wood is a living thing even after we have cut down the tree. Because we take the living tree and create something new. Something lasting. Something beautiful. ENJOY!

Wooden Bridge, Lake Nevin!

2012-01-04T15:18:00.000-08:00

I had a different post up and then decided it just wasn't working for me. I'll repost it at a later date. This current image I'm posting instead I've been working on for some time. I love this wooden bridge at Bernheim. OK, I like all wooden bridges. And I tend to photograph them every chance I get. I don't know why I like them so much except to say perhaps it's the fact that the bridge takes you from one destination to another destination. Or perhaps it's that they are wooden and not many structures are made simply of wood these days. And by structures I mean bridges, buildings, etc. This bridge sits right off the Sun and Shade Trail along the back side of Lake Nevin. I hope you like it. Hope your week is going well. Hello 2012. ENJOY!

Old Wooden Fence!

2012-01-03T13:53:00.001-08:00

What is it about an old wooden fence that just takes you back in time. I'm guessing because now all of the fences are made of steel or even heavy plastic. The old wooden fences though have much more character. I took this image while walking along the wildlife trail at Taylorsville Lake on Saturday. I played around with the focus and texture with my software to enhance this image.

It's in the mid 20's here today so needless to say I bundled up when I went out. It's supposed to warm up though starting tomorrow. How do you folks up north stand this stuff all winter? ENJOY!

Yates Cabin, Taylorsville Lake State Park!

2012-01-02T10:14:00.001-08:00

I went for a quick drive to Taylorsville Lake State Park on Saturday, before all the revelers got out on the road. And to my surprise, I happened upon this beautiful old log cabin sitting on top of a hill overlooking the lake just off the Visitors Center.

Yates Cabin was built in the 1840's, however, when they built Taylorsville Lake, which is a man made lake, they moved the cabin so it wouldn't be destroyed as they flooded the area where it originally was built. This beautiful old log cabin was built with unusually wide logs which made it a little bit different from the standard log cabins back in the day.

Taylorsville Lake is about a 25 minute drive from my house in southeast Louisville. I hadn't visited the lake in many, many years. The lake has several boat ramps, a marina, picnic areas, hiking trails and a horse camp and trails. While I drove past the marina, I noticed there were several boaters carting their Christmas trees in wheel barrels along the dock so they could be hauled away.

This is a view of the lake looking through the trees along the road in the state park. FYI, it was in the mid 50's yesterday and today, well it's a balmy 28 degrees with a very brisk wind blowing. BRRRR. ENJOY!

Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T09:35:00.001-08:00

I hope you had a great New Year's Eve and made it home safely. Here is to a wonderful New Year for all of my friends and family. I hope I can make it outdoors more this year and take more wildlife images. See you on the trails. ENJOY!

Happy New Year!

2011-12-31T08:44:00.001-08:00

Have a prosperous, healthy, happy, fantastic New Year. HAPPY NEW YEAR! ENJOY!

Saying Goodbye!

2011-12-29T16:18:00.001-08:00

Goodbye 2011. You were good to me. I won't soon forget. Happy New Year to all of my followers. I hope while you're stopping by you'll leave a comment back. Please leave me a comment and let me know how your 2011 went. I'd like to hear from you. ENJOY!

Bent Twig Loop IV, Bernheim Arboretum & Research Forest!

2011-12-28T16:11:00.001-08:00

Still hiking the Bent Twig . . .
This will be the last image from Bent Twig Loop. I hope you enjoy this image of green lichen growing on this log. This was such an interesting area of Bernheim. It was as though the moisture was being held captive in this part of the woods.

On a more important topic, New Year's Eve is just around the corner. Have you got your party on yet? I'm planning on staying in. More than likely you can find me snug in bed watching the ball drop at midnight. I try really hard not to watch too much television in bed as I know it's for sleeping, but midnight, seriously. ENJOY!

Bent Twig Loop Part III, Bernheim Arboretum & Research Forest!

2011-12-27T14:28:00.000-08:00

We're STILL hiking along Bent Twig Loop . . .

We're still on the Bent Twig Loop at Bernheim taking an early winter hike. This image I captured blows my mind just a tad. It's bracket fungi completely covering this downed log and boy does it have style. Have you ever seen such a beautiful collage of fungi all in one spot. Not me. I hope you're enjoying this week whether you are off or working. New Year's is coming. Are you ready for another year? ENJOY!

Bent Twig Loop Part II, Bernheim Aboretum & Research Forest!

2011-12-26T07:39:00.001-08:00

Let's continue our hike along Bent Twig Loop . . .

Walking along Bent Twig Loop trail, as I mentioned in yesterday's post, there were many dead trees off of both sides of the trail. No doubt these are victims from storms past. You might ask what could I possibly find these first few days of winter deep in the woods. Well I happened upon a wide range of fungi growing in various shapes, sizes and colors.

Bent Twig Loop trail is located in a particuarly moist area situated close to the silos at Bernheim and is traversed by a small woodland stream. It's the perfect growing environment for fungi. Judging from the sizes of these white bracket fungi, I'd say they have been growing on this branch for quite some time. If you want to learn more about bracket fungi, just click on my previous post here, carolmattinglyphotography.blogspot.com/2011/06/bracket-fungi.html.

I hope you had a wonderful Christmas as I did. Visiting with family and friends at my sister's house was such fun, not to mention quite yummy, as JoAnn is a superb cook. I'm hoping she's getting some much needed rest today. On my Christmas wish list this year, I asked for a copy of Sharon Receveur's new book, Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest, which JoAnn and her hubby gave me. Oh, what fun I'll have reading this book. I've included a photo of its gorgeous dust jacket. The main image was taken by J. D. Stone, with insets on the dust jacket and inside photos by Tavia Cathcart. I think J. D. and Tavia did Bernheim well. Isn't it stunning? Tavia Cathcart is the executive director of Creasey Mahan Nature Preserve, situated in Oldham County, Kentucky, directly northeast of Louisville. She is also a naturalist at Bernheim. If you're in the area, stop by Creasey Mahan as it's a great place to take a hike. And in early morning, you'll see many deer lazing about in the tall grass areas.

The book features chapters on Isaac Wolfe Bernheim, the park's founder, as well as its history throughout the years and the various community events that take place throughout the seasons. And, of course, there are many chapters featuring the park's plants and animals that make Bernheim their home. This beautiful book received the "Nautilus Book Award" given to "works that promote spiritual growth, conscious living & positive social change, while at the same time they stimulate the "imagination" and offer the reader "new possibilities" for a better life and a better world" taken from the Nautilus Awards website. Read more about the Nautilus Award here, www.nautilusbookawards.com.

Please stop by again this week to view more images of my Christmas Eve hike along Bent Twig Loop. No doubt all of that holiday feasting and gift unwrapping has left you exhausted so get some rest. ENJOY!

Bent Twig Loop, Bernheim Arboretum & Research Forest!

2011-12-25T08:35:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, be it Christmas Eve, I ventured to Bernheim for a short hike. I needed some exercise and it's the one place I know I'll get out of the car and move the body to and fro. I ventured down a new trail as sort of a Christmas present from Isaac Bernheim to me, the Bent Twig Loop. I didn't do the whole loop, but most of it. Along the forest floor everywhere I looked were fungi, lichen and mold. I captured a few images which I'll share this week with you. I'd never seen such pronounced fungi in one small area. However, there were many, many downed trees on each side of this trail and a stream winded its way throughout the area. I'm thinking the downed trees are from the hurricane force winds we experienced in 2008 or the ice storm that followed the next February. Whatever the reason, come take a walk with me this Christmas Day. Ooops! You step into the woods and I'll get dressed to go to Christmas festivities for the day. I'll be back tomorrow with another view of my hike. Merry Christmas to all! ENJOY!

Christmas 2011!

2011-12-24T09:13:00.000-08:00

I wish for you a very Merry Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with whomever you are sharing this wonderful holiday with. Happy family and friends. Happy gathering together. Happy sharing times past and making new memories. Happy eating and drinking. Happy gift giving and gift unwrapping. Happy Holidays! And since we'll have no snow here in the Bluegrass State, although we will have lots of sunshine, I have put together a little "snowy" something to share with you. HAPPY HOLIDAYS! ENJOY!

Top Photos of 2011!

2011-12-23T09:20:00.001-08:00

Merry Christmas to All! ENJOY!

Merry Christmas to You!

2011-12-20T15:39:00.001-08:00

These beautiful berries are blooming right now on a small bush that is growing along the Sun and Shade Trail at Bernheim. I captured this image a few days ago. I thought it would make the perfect background for a special Christmas message especially for all of my friends and followers who frequent my blog. ENJOY!

In the Woods!

2011-12-18T15:39:00.001-08:00

Winter is coming. But for now here is an image I took several weeks ago practically out my backdoor or at least on the other side of the field out my backdoor. I love the red berries. It's Christmas Week. Are you ready? ENJOY!

Willow Bud, Bernheim Arboretum & Research Forest!

2011-12-17T09:52:00.001-08:00

'Tis the week before Christmas and I hope you are near ready as time is quickly falling away. The shopping, the decorating, the partying, the gifting, the wrapping, the baking, the cooking.

Or as I try to do more and more as I get older . . . the memories of Christmases past, the missed family members of those Christmases long ago, the wishes for Christmases to come, the Christmas days to treasure present, past and future. Have a great weekend! I hope you enjoy the Pussy Willow Bud I captured while visiting Bernheim recently. It's always been one of my favorites. ENJOY!

Red Berry Heavenly Bamboo, Bernheim Arboretum & Research Forest!

2011-12-16T14:14:00.000-08:00

This beautiful Heavenly Bamboo bush is blooming at Bernheim. I wonder if it knows its red berries are blooming at the perfect time for the holiday season. Have a great weekend everyone. ENJOY!

Trifoliate Orange Tree, Bernheim Arboretum & Research Forest

2011-12-14T14:18:00.000-08:00

I know what you're thinking. It's winter and what could I possibly find interesting to post about that's nature related. Well, I'm determined to keep things fresh here in blogland, so here goes. On a recent visit to Bernheim, I happened across a very, very thorny tree with several green balls hanging off of the branches. It was sitting alongside the trail that leads from the Sun and Shade Trail to the parking area. There were several green balls, but also some yellow and some that looked rotten. Here's what I discovered from my Google search.

The Hardy Orange is a small, deciduous tree that grows to be 15 to 20 feet tall and wide and is laden with tangled crown of thorn-laden branches. In mid summer, the tree is adorned with small green fruit. When the leaves drop in the fall, these fruit turn yellow and hang on the tree. The fruit is fragrant and citrusy. The fruit won't yield much in the way of pulp as it is mostly chocked full of seeds. I can't tell you how many times I visit Bernheim only to discover a different tree or bush or flower. It's amazing.

Now on a different topic, and one more pressing, I hope you have your Christmas decorating completed as it's getting late in the season. And how's your Christmas shopping list? Is it all checked off yet? OK, I know that's probably not the case. As a matter of fact, I bet some of you will still be out there Christmas Eve. And least I forget, are you preparing your Christmas dinner shopping list. If the answer to all of the above is no, you'd better get cracking as time's a wasting. My decorating is done. I have one gift left to buy. And well, my sister does Christmas dinner so I'm off the hook on that one. Hope your week is going well. ENJOY!

Vintage Santa Claus!

2011-12-10T17:13:00.000-08:00

Santa Claus is coming to town. Hope your weekend is going well. ENJOY!

Yellow Poinsettia!

2011-12-09T14:53:00.000-08:00

Oh how I love all the variations of poinsettias I'm seeing this year. I hope you enjoy this one as it might be my favorite. Hope you've had a great week. It's been busy and while I've not gotten as much accomplished as I'd hope, there's always next week. Have a terrific weekend. ENJOY!

Bluebird, Bernheim Arboretum & Research Forest!

2011-12-05T14:44:00.001-08:00

Quite a while back, actually early Fall, I was on a visit at Bernheim one afternoon, when I happened upon several bluebirds bathing in a mud puddle near Lake Nevin. I didn't like the photo as it was a little blurry, what with the quickness it took to get the image before the birds flew away. So, I gave it a vintage feel and thought perhaps you might like to take a peek at it. Now on a more serious note, is your Christmas decorations up. Because if they're not, you better get cracking. ENJOY!

Sleigh, La Grange, Kentucky!

2011-12-04T06:34:00.000-08:00

Several times a year I visit the beautiful little town of La Grange, Kentucky to spend a few hours shopping in the little shops along Main Street. Before I drive into town after pulling off the highway, however, I drive the opposite direction from town for about half a mile to Cherry House. Cherry House is a furniture store that at one point moved to Louisville, stayed a few years, then moved their store back to their original location, where it is now. And I'm very glad they did. Cherry House always puts on a spectacular show of Christmas decor every season at their store. People come from miles around to visit the store just to see the decor. I stop there first, as is my personal tradition at Christmastime, and then drive over to La Grange.

La Grange's Main Street is a two lane road and on each side sit shops where you can park by pulling in on one side or parallel parking on the other side. And right smack dab in the middle of the street sits the railroad track. During my visit yesterday, the train came through. It's an experience you must feel personally to understand. The train is about 25 yards from you as you stand inside the stores. It roars through and just as I turned to see it, there was the large engine light starring back at me. It's pretty cool. Oh, and least I forget, as part of my tradition, I always stop at the Red Pepper Deli every visit I make to La Grange. The Red Pepper's homemade sandwiches are over the top delicious.

Do you have personal traditions you keep every year, be it the holiday, or another time of year. You should. I've found these traditions of mine are comforting over the years. Like visiting an old friend. Oh, and one more thing, Santa sits his sleigh out front at the Cherry House every year to fill it up with gifts. I thought you might like to see it. ENJOY!

A Prayer!

2011-12-03T08:09:00.001-08:00

Some days we wake up and go through our day just as routine as any other day. And then some days, we wake up and get disturbing phone calls and the day is no longer routine. I learned through a phone call from my sister yesterday that my cousin was on her way to the hospital and it looked bad. She is much older than I, and has been ill for some time and, most recently, had a heart attack. Later yesterday I found myself holding my cousin's frail little hand while her sister and my sister went to grab a quick bite to eat.

I offered my support yesterday because there are no mothers, fathers, grandmothers, grandfathers, aunts or uncles, left in my family. They've all gone. And I find it hard to go through trying times with those older and wiser people not there to offer their wisdom. Now the wisdom is in my hands and my siblings. It's an odd feeling, but I'm slowly getting used to the fact that my siblings are all that is left of my Mother's family.

It's a new day today and my cousin is still hanging in there. And so . . . I PRAY!

Poinsettia!

2011-12-02T07:11:00.000-08:00

Should you be anywhere near Louisville, Kentucky in the next two weeks, you simply have to stop at Country Corner Greenhouse and check out "the greenhouse". It is located just outside Mt. Washington, Kentucky, on Highway 44. Country Corner has a beautiful gift shop that greets you as you enter the store. The gift shop currently is overflowing with gorgeous Christmas decor. Be sure if you stop by though to take a peek inside the greenhouse. OMG! You won't believe it. Red, pink and blush poinsettias abound. The entire greenhouse is completely covered in a sea of red and pink and blush. Stunning. The weekend is almost here. ENJOY!

Flower Identification Needed!

2011-11-30T15:14:00.001-08:00

Anyone know what this is? I took this image of a small bloom on a tree that was in a huge flower pot in the Conservatory at Biltmore. I thought I would post it today as I've looked everywhere online and can't find the name of it. Help! ENJOY!

Bluegrass Scenic Byway, Midway, Kentucky!

2011-11-29T14:27:00.000-08:00

Just a quick post to share with you this lovely creature that unexpectedly was grazing by the side of the road along the Bluegrass Scenic Byway a few weeks ago during a Saturday afternoon drive. I had pulled off onto a lane and looked up to see him staring back at me. I think deer are one of the few animals that every time you see one, your heart skips a beat. Perhaps it's because most of the time seeing a deer can be fleeting. Most of the time, they take off the moment they spot you. Along the byway around Midway, however, they stay perfectly still staring back at you. I think it's because there's a lot of tourism in this area and they've adapted to the number of visitors. ENJOY!

Fall Days!

2011-11-28T14:43:00.001-08:00

Taking a quick look back, I seriously have to say that Fall was great this year. With its bright yellows, oranges and occasional reds. With its pumpkins and farm markets. With it's leaf strewn roads and it's brightly colored mums. With it's beautifully adorned trees and bright yellow goldenrod. Yes, it was a great Fall, but now it's time to move on to a new season, Winter. I don't mind Winter so much at first because you have Christmas and New Year's which helps break up the gloomy monotony. And there's even Valentine's Day in mid February. I'll try to get out to Bernheim this week and perhaps take a quick trip up to Mustatatuck and take some picks to show you how things are doing here in the lower Midwest. In the meantime, stay warm and I hope you enjoy this collage of some of my favorite Fall pics. ENJOY!

Barbed Wire & Fence Post, Louisville, Kentucky!

2011-11-27T10:43:00.000-08:00

Remember I told you I took a walk a few days ago? My goal that day was to photograph the barbed wire fence and this old fence post which just happens to sit next to a tree with a woods in the background. So I did. I walked. I stopped. I photographed. And I tried to create something more beautiful with this image. You know that thing we all have, well most everyone anyway, for old barbed wire fences and old fence posts. I went with a sepia tone feel and then dropped it in Picnic to sharpen it and get just the right clarity. Here's the end result. Hope you are having a wonderful Sunday. I'm exhausted from decorating yesterday, but it's mostly done. Whew! ENJOY!

Holly Berries!

2011-11-26T14:25:00.000-08:00

A few days ago, before it got too dark, I took a walk across the field to the edge of the bluff near my condo. These holly berries were growing on the other side of the fence line which runs the length of the bluff. My condo sits on top of the bluff. The bluff drops off about 200 feet down. When the wind blows up here on the bluff, it really blows. It makes me wonder what it's like down there in the valley. The valley stretches for several miles. They're in the process of developing a park with a nature trail in the valley. It will eventually connect up to other trails and all of the trails will connect to form a complete perimeter around metro Louisville, so that people can hike and bike the entire circumference of the city. I'm hoping when they open the park near me, I think it's scheduled to open in 2012, I can take walks there. I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner and are not eating too many leftovers. And I also hope you didn't spend all of your money at the Black Friday sales. ENJOY!

Holiday 2011!

2011-11-25T11:08:00.001-08:00

On to decorating. ENJOY!

Happy Thanksgiving to All!

2011-11-24T07:35:00.001-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving to all of my friends and followers and family. I wish for you this day of thanks a wonderful day of food and fellowship with your family and friends. I especially give thanks for Mother Nature, who without her, I wouldn't have such wonderful, wonderful memories of forests and rivers and parks and mountains and all of her creatures, great and small. And, I especially am grateful to all of my wonderful blogging friends for all of your support throughout this past year, and all of the uplifting comments you have left for me to enjoy. Thank You! And thanks also to all the many, many visitors who passed by my blog, as I arrive at 20,000 pageviews today, this Thanksgiving Day. Speaking of creatures small, do you see the smallest of creatures in this image? That is what is so great about Mother Nature, she forces us to look closely to see all of her bounties. ENJOY!

Ode to Thanksgiving!

2011-11-23T07:15:00.001-08:00

'Twas the night before Thanksgiving,
and all through the house,
just one carcass was thawing,
Tom turkey no doubt.

The table I set,
with great comfort and care,
in hopes that Tom turkey,
it surely would bear.

And I in my apron,
and you holding forks,
will soon sit down,
for a dinner of thanks.

From my tablescape to your tablescape, I wish you a wonderful day tomorrow with your family, friends and everyone you share this holiday with. I give thanks this year for my health, my wealth and my family. HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE! Now get to cooking. ENJOY!

White Orchid!

2011-11-22T15:23:00.000-08:00

I captured this image while photographing the flowers in the Conservatory at Biltmore in August. I felt with all the gloomy days we have been having, at least in my part of Americana, a beautiful flower image was in order. Hope you agree. ENJOY!

Foggy Morn!

2011-11-21T08:29:00.000-08:00

Just a quick pic from out my backdoor earlier this morning. Rainy days and Mondays. ENJOY!

Fall, Versailles, Kentucky!

2011-11-20T07:47:00.001-08:00

A special gift to all of my followers this Sunday morning. When we compose a photograph, our deepest desire is surely to capture beauty. After composing this image in portrait, I realized I was not very fond of it. Yet, there was something about this image that kept at me. So I cropped it to landscape. That mere step forced me to take a closer look at the highlights I had captured but could not readily see. Perhaps if I enhance the meager areas of green and bring out the yellow remnants of Fall. And that's when I felt I had found it . . . the beauty that was hidden before began to emerge. A subtle, yet definitive beauty that amongst all the blacks and browns in this composition there exists these beautiful splashes of color that until now seemed hidden to my naked eye. Do you see the greens hidden amongst the trees in the hillside and the yellows that force you to step across that bridge, only to find yourself on the other side of the river, and yet still you desire to walk down that rock laden old road to see what lies beyond just over the hill. If so, then you have taken the very journey that I took when I originally composed this image because our mind's eye will always see before we do. And that is why I shoot photography. Where do you find beauty? ENJOY!

Red Maple, Pisgah Pike, Kentucky!

2011-11-19T16:55:00.001-08:00

A few red maple leaves still blew in the wind last Saturday as I was driving along the scenic byway near Lexington, Kentucky. I shot this image as I stood amongst the gravestones at the church in Pisgah. ENJOY!

Boer Goats!

2011-11-18T11:34:00.000-08:00

Not my usual post, but I couldn't help but photograph a few of the Boer Goats I happened across on my trek last weekend around the horse farms of Lexington. Never dreamed I'd find goats as opposed to horses. Apparently Boer Goats descend from Africa and are bred for meat production as opposed to milk production. I personally think they are absolutely adorable. With the sun shining right on them it was hard to get an image without their dark areas going black so I did put this image in Picnic to improve on their faces. I really wanted you to see their faces too as they're so darn cute. Have a wonderful weekend all. ENJOY!

Streamside, Woodford County, Kentucky!

2011-11-17T13:45:00.000-08:00

One of the images I captured last week on my drive. This is the same river next to the Labrot & Graham Distillery only looking to one side. The weekend is coming. Are you ready? ENJOY!

Pisgah Presbyterian Church, Versailles, Kentucky!

2011-11-15T05:37:00.001-08:00

Setting out on an a leisurely drive Saturday afternoon to visit the horse farms around Lexington, I felt sure there would be fewer photo ops, as Fall's blustery days may have downed most of the leaves from the trees. Being a veteran photographer of this scenic area, I know seasons make no difference here, as beauty lies everywhere. Yet today, I felt I might want to push the creative envelope just a little.

In years past I've taken various images of the Pisgah Presbyterian Church, which is located literally minutes right outside Lexington, in Versailles. This beautiful, historic church, with its time worn gravestones scattered in the yard, was built back in 1784. Being the day after Veteran's Day, I thought a stop would be in order to photograph a few gravestones for a post commemorating my Dad.

It bears mentioning that walking amongst the gravestones and looking up at this historic church leaves you with such a surreal feeling. You find yourself conjuring up images of who these people might have been back in their day, what they looked like, and especially how they may have lived some 200 years ago.

While standing amongst the gravestones, I looked back at the church and noticed the sun was filtering through from one side of the church to the other, illuminating the stained glass windows. Hoping this would make for a nice composition, I chose to photograph two settings, both of which included the stained glass windows and the old limestone walls. Being an outdoor photographer at heart, I try very very hard to incorporate nature into all of my images, hence the tree branches gracing the top of the photo. But what I really feel seals the deal is the vine growing up the side of the limestone wall. Isn't it just beautiful. I hope you'll agree. I hope you like the effect I gave to the photograph too. ENJOY!

POSTSCRIPT: I noticed I have a new follower to my blog, Laura of Pretty Pix. Laura, I hope you enjoy the adventures I go on and the images I bring back to share with you and all of my gracious followers. WELCOME!

In Memory!

2011-11-14T09:23:00.001-08:00

I love you Dad. I miss you. You've been gone for many, many, many years, but your face will always be in my mind and your goodness in my heart. ENJOY!

Postscript: My Dad fought in the war. He was a tank mechanic out of Fort Knox. He suffered from PTS Disorder as many vets do today. In the end, PTS cost him his life. In the end, the war got him. But not before leaving behind five wonderful children. Thank you Dad.

Beautiful Woodford County, Kentucky!

2011-11-13T05:59:00.000-08:00

Saturday was a perfect day to take a drive through the Bluegrass Region here in Kentucky and see just what Fall had left on the landscape amongst the famed horse farms in my world. As I've said many times before, I consider this area my backyard, as it takes all of about 45 minutes for me to reach Highway 1681 and the Bluegrass Scenic Byway. After stopping to take a few images on my usual route, and a secondary route I frequent about once every year or two, I decided to take a five minute drive over to Woodford County to Labrot & Graham Distillery. The buildings and grounds are gorgeous at almost any time of year.

Fortunately, there was a tad bit of light left when I arrived at the distillery. After a quick walk and snapping a few photographs of the distillery buildings, and before heading home, I turned left out of the parking lot. A quick bend in the road and I'm pulling back into a parking lot next to the river situated alongside the distillery. The light was definitely waning now, but I composed a few images anyway, then got back in my car, and headed home.

Later in the evening I decided to check out what had transpired through the lens and downloaded the images from my drive earlier in the day. After culling through almost all of the images, this second to last image came in full view. It was the scene from the side of the river next to the distillery. One of the last two images I shot before heading home. I've said it a few times before, but it bears repeating here, "this is why I am a photographer." I hope you'll agree. ENJOY!

Baby Canadian Goslings!

2011-11-12T07:26:00.000-08:00

Have a wonderful weekend. ENJOY!

The Biltmore House!

2011-11-10T16:51:00.000-08:00

It's time, I felt, to post a few images of the Biltmore House. After all of the photos I have shared of my trip to Asheville this summer, I realized I hadn't shown you photos of the Biltmore. The estate was probably my favorite part of this trip, although I admit that the exterior of the estate house was so gorgeous. And it was such a perfect day. All be it was 90 degrees in the shade.

The second image was taken while on my way back from the Conservatory. I looked up to see the flag flying over a veranda and though it would make a nice shot.

And this last image I took specifically because I wanted a close up of the exterior of the house with the architecture. Although I think this image might be a little out of focus, I still wanted you to see it.

The weekend is coming. Yippeeee. ENJOY!

The Blue Ridge Parkway!

2011-11-09T16:31:00.000-08:00

The beauty of The Blue Ridge Parkway continues to resonate in me when I wander through my image library. The blues are of sky blue days. While I have the luxury of wandering through my images whenever I choose, I realize you don't. And I just had to share another image I captured along the Parkway. ENJOY!

Jordan Pond, Bubble Mountains, Acadia NP, Maine

2011-11-08T16:01:00.001-08:00

Back in 2009 I posted this image of Jordan Pond. I captured this image in August 2008, the prior summer, and the Bubble Mountains in Acadia National Park, were green with foliage and Jordan Pond was beautiful on this crystal clear, blue sky day. It is the one and only time I had visited this far north in Maine and I enjoyed every moment. To me it was like a paradise. By that I mean, it was so drastically different from Kentucky. But further still, it was very different from many national parks I'd frequented in the past like Great Smokey Mountains National Park, and even Lake Superior National Seashore. I digress. The reason I'm posting this image again, is because this image has received more pageviews than any single image I've posted before or after. I'm not certain why that is, but I felt obligated to give it it's place in history and repost it. ENJOY!

Four Butts!

2011-11-06T06:59:00.001-08:00

When in Biltmore do what Biltmore visitors do, photograph nature. That is what I did and I have shared many images of my visit this past August with you. And then there are these. While I was on my way out of Biltmore, the first day I visited, I noticed sheep grazing on the countryside. So after a visit to the new Biltmore Village, I took the route out of Biltmore that took me right by these grazing sheep. I got out of my car, which I carefully parked on the side of the road, and walked up the hill. And there to my amazement were these four butts staring me in the face. And the entire time I stood photographing the sheep, those four butts stared back at me. I tried everything to get them to turn around. They did not. So without further ado, I give you those four butts. ENJOY!

Sitting Pretty!

2011-11-04T15:25:00.001-07:00

This little wren sat quietly by while I took his photo and then flew off to another perch in Bernheim. I took this image back in late summer near the wildflower meadow that I frequented. I did a textured version that I wanted to share first. As images go, this is one of my favorite images of 2011. I love the simplicity of its composition. So often we take images that elicit no emotional response, but in this case, every time I would swing by this image in my image library, it seemed to call to me. One thing I've noticed over my years of photographing nature is just how much I enjoy the simplicity of an image. And this one resonated with me. Have a fantastic weekend. ENJOY!

Hairy Woodpecker!

2011-11-02T15:54:00.001-07:00

I tried to photograph this Hairy Woodpecker making some racket up in a tree along the Sun and Shade Trail at Bernheim several weeks ago. It was difficult capturing his image without a blur as he was so busy pecking away. The Hairy Woodpecker is a larger rendition of the Downy Woodpecker which I discovered today when I looked up the Downy to doublecheck. This guy was really large and I had seen Downys often at my condo, so I took a peek at the Hairy Woodpecker on Google images. Waalaa! He's a Hairy. I had a sneaking suspicion.

When I took this image and wasn't totally happy with it, (sorry but catching this woodpecker not pecking or hopping from one branch to another was no easy task), I decided adding texture might be in order. I have this 'thing' for blurry images. I don't like blurry images. Having said that, I have to say, I like the look and feel of this texture effect a lot. ENJOY!

Matter Of Fact: Do you go back and read your post afer you've written it? I blog surf all over the net and the world in an effort to keep my mind fresh with ideas so I, in turn, can keep my blog fresh, and I notice so many blogs with misspellings and the wrong verbs. But in their defense, very few folks in life were proofreaders at one time. Actually truth be told, I not only was a proofreader, but my very first gig in advertising was as a typesetter. And wow was that way too many years ago to even think about!

Graveyard Haunt!

2011-11-01T11:23:00.000-07:00

Halloween is behind us but before I move on I wanted to share a pic of the graveyard at my sister's house. My brother in law, Robbie, adds ghouls and goblins every year to his yard of creatures. I especially liked his graveyard rendition. After dark the ghouls rise and light up with spooky music. It was a hoot. The weather was fantastic with temps in the 60's yesterday and 50's early in the evening. The trick or treaters were out in force. Hope your Halloween was great! I'm feeling nostalgic as Spring, Summer and Fall are quickly moving us into Winter, so I conjured up a nostalgic header for your viewing pleasure. ENJOY!

Of Ghosts and Ghouls and Witches Too!

2011-10-31T08:06:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween to one and all. ENJOY!

All Hallowed Eve Eve!

2011-10-30T11:34:00.001-07:00

'Twas the eve before Halloween and all through the house, not a ghoul was stirring, not even a witch. ENJOY!

Postscript: How does one trick or treat in snow? Sorry northeasterns, but I think Mother Nature dealt you a bad hand!

Pops of Color!

2011-10-28T10:45:00.000-07:00

That's about all that is left of the Fall leaves here in Kentucky are pops of color. And knowing some of you folks have snow on the ground or a noreaster on the horizon, well I'm happy just to have pops of color still around. Is it me or does it seem like winter just can't wait to greet us? Have a wonderful weekend. ENJOY!

Bernheim Ablaze!

2011-10-27T08:56:00.000-07:00

I took a brief walk to the canopy trail at Bernheim recently. Along the trail sit several park benches. The backdrop of maple leaves ablaze in pops of bright orange was so beautiful, I had to take a few photos. Some of the trees leaves had fallen but there were still a few left which made for an interesting feel. ENJOY!

Singular Moments!

2011-10-25T09:39:00.001-07:00

One red maple leaf adrift on the forest floor tells a story of the changing seasons and times gone by. ENJOY!

Forest Path!

2011-10-24T14:02:00.001-07:00

Sometimes mystery is key. In the case of this post, the mystery is in the path not taken. I loved this image I took at Bernheim this weekend. The colors were scant but I didn't care. The path just seemed to go on forever. Most of the color I saw in the deep forest was yellow, but there were a few splashes of red and orange. Most everywhere the leaves are past peak in the parks around me. Hope your week is off to a good start. ENJOY!

Halloween Is Coming!

2011-10-23T09:12:00.001-07:00

In honor of this ghoulishhhh holiday, I give you my ghoulissshhhh header! ENJOY!

Color Splash!

2011-10-22T16:34:00.001-07:00

Just a little bit of color from one of the pics I took in Brown County last weekend. Hope your weekend is going well. The weather here is gorgeous! ENJOY!

Pumpkin Mania!

2011-10-20T14:06:00.001-07:00

Fall is going by so fast this year. I truly can't believe that it will be over soon. Once the leaves peak and fall, I know fall is not officially over but it feels that way to me. We really need to do something to spruce up early November to hold us over until Thanksgiving. Any suggestions would be appreciated. And oh, least I forget, I'm ready for the weekend. ENJOY!

The Farm Market!

2011-10-19T13:46:00.001-07:00

Here's another image from the Farm Market I stopped at on my way home from Nashville, Indiana, last weekend. They have such a fantastic old sign which was surrounded by flowers and fall mums. ENJOY!

Vintage Fall!

2011-10-18T16:41:00.000-07:00

It was a beautiful Saturday last weekend and I could not resist the chance to take a drive and take in some Fall color. On my way back to the interstate from Nashville, I stopped to take a few photos of my favorite wagon sitting next to the barn at the Farm Market I pass along my usual route to Nashville, Indiana, the small arts and crafts village in central Indiana. Love this wagon. Loved the weather. Now it's turning miserably cold and raining. Someone deliver me. ENJOY!

Purple Haze!

2011-10-15T18:06:00.001-07:00

Well, I felt a slight change of pace might be in order so I'm spreading a little "purple haze" to brighten your weekend. I mean seriously, I know you're inundated with orange and red and yellow from the Fall colors, so why not a little purple. This beautiful cabbage was growing alongside a gorgeous purple painted pumpkin sitting next to the sidewalk in Nashville, Indiana, today as I was strolling by. Naturally I had to stop and take a few pics. ENJOY!

Fall Magic!

2011-10-13T12:40:00.000-07:00

Just what the title says, Fall Magic! That's what Fall is to me. It's magical to look around you left and right and front and back and see reds, yellows, oranges, browns, greens. It's a magical array of colors blanketing our world for a few short weeks. Embrace it. I dug deep in the archives to bring you this beautiful forest image taken while visiting the Smokies several Fall seasons past. Have a great weekend everyone. ENJOY!

Goldenrod!

2011-10-11T15:29:00.001-07:00

OK, I'm really into the goldenrod right now. Only because I picked the perfect week, several weeks ago now, to photograph the wildflower meadow at Bernheim. The goldenrod was in full bloom. One week later, when I returned last weekend, it was mostly gone. I'm having a love affair with the bird boxes at Bernheim too. Perhaps a series of four of these images as gift cards could be in order. ENJOY!

Wildflower Meadow in Autumn #2

2011-10-10T14:48:00.000-07:00

I promised more wildflower meadow images. So here is another one to wet your whistle. This image taken at Bernheim is so beautiful with the white flowers, the yellow goldenrod, the tallgrasses, and of course, that gorgeous beautiful sky. Hope your week is off to a great start. ENJOY!

Gold Rush!

2011-10-08T15:13:00.001-07:00

I keep my promises. I promised you golds and reds and oranges and greens. I promised you Fall colors. ENJOY!

Wildflower Meadow in Autumn!

2011-10-07T16:19:00.001-07:00

It has been a real treat photographing the wildflower meadow in Bernheim this Fall. I'll be posting a series of images that I took the other week from the meadow just to keep all you guys primed for Fall's yellows, oranges, browns, reds and greens. Have a great weekend. ENJOY!

Reflection at Lake Nevin

2011-10-06T15:09:00.000-07:00

Oftentimes we take an image not knowing fully what the outcome will be. Basically I had to beef up the background of the trees in this image to get the reflection of the bridge to pop some. The light was not good at all when I took this image on my last visit to Bernheim. Still I like the reflection. ENJOY!

St. James Court Fountain in Autumn!

2011-10-01T14:03:00.001-07:00

This is the St. James Court Fountain in Autumn taken several years ago. More like five or six years ago to be precise. Having said that, now I'm going to say this and you may think I've lost my mind, but this image I'm posting on this Saturday when the St. James Court Art Show is taking place as I write, well, I don't really like this shot all that much. So I softened the original image to see if I would like it any better. And no, I don't. It's the lighting. And believe it or not this was shot with slide film. And usually I can shoot the light with slide film. However, on this particular day I was shooting for composition and trying very, very hard to drop out all of the noise in the background. Hence I got this image. Not the best lightwise but. Anyway here it is. You decide for yourself if it's worthy. ENJOY!

The Boathouse!

2011-09-30T05:35:00.001-07:00

I know what you're going to say, "Another image from Bernheim." Well, here's the thing you don't know. There are several areas of Bernheim I've not frequented and this happens to be one of them. There are several lakes at Bernheim. You've seen many images of the largest lake, Lake Nevin, and the waterfowl and birds that frequent that lake. There is the lily pond next to the arboretum with many varieties of flower gardens situated all around. And you've seen Two Ponds which is situated next to the Visitors Center and Cafe.

But last weekend I took a long walk, more like a hike, back to Mac's Lake. Mac's Lake is situated in a far northeast corner of Bernheim and actually buts up next to the highway that leads to Bardstown, Kentucky. The trail to Mac's Lake crosses the main access road which carries all of the traffic to the many areas within Bernheim. As you walk along the trail, the lake appears about 250 feet to the left of the trail. The lake stretches out alongside the entire length of the trail.

If you want to photograph the lake you have to walk through slightly high grass to reach the lakeside which I did on this particular day. And what to my surprise did I see, a cabin up on a hill on the opposite side of the lake and a tiny boathouse sitting right on the lake down from the cabin.

The whole scene was so serene that I wanted to capture the serene feeling it left me with so I took several images. The first image shows the boathouse and the lake with the forest reaching down all around it. It is such a tiny quaint boathouse. There was just a hint of Autumn in the foliage around the lake which I tried to capture in this image as well. To my joy I was all alone in this less traveled area of Bernheim and that made it more special to me.

I realized when taking a closer look that while I captured the boathouse sitting by the lake that I also had captured its beautiful reflection in the water. So I've cropped the original image to come in closer so you can get a better view of the reflection. It's amazing the things we photograph and don't realize they are there until we take a closer look.

If you are anywhere near Louisville this weekend, I urge you to drive in and visit the St. James Court Art Show. It starts today and lasts until Sunday evening. It is one of the top art shows in the country with hundreds of artisans and craftsmen and is a sight to behold. Have a great weekend everyone. ENJOY!

Monarch Migration!

2011-09-27T13:56:00.000-07:00

Every year in late August, the Monarch Butterfly begins its migration south to overwinter. They migrate in the western United States from Canada and the northern Rockies to Monterey where they overwinter. In the Eastern United States, they migrate from Canada and the northern United States flying south down into Texas and then on into Mexico to overwinter there. Their Mexican winter home was a secret known only to locals until 1975 when a scientist discovered them.

In late September of 2003, on my way home from a trip to the Upper Peninsula in Michigan, I drove home via Wisconsin and Illinois. Stopping southwest of Chicago at Goose Lake Prairie to visit the tallgrass prairie there, I just happened upon migrating Monarchs. Wow was that a sight to behold! There were hundreds and hundreds of them everywhere. Not only was it my first visit to a tallgrass prairie, but I had never seen a migration of anything other than perhaps Canadian Geese before in my life. I doubt I'll ever experience anything like it again.

I had not seen a Monarch Butterfly all spring or summer this year until Saturday at Bernheim when I stopped to take in some beautiful purple wildflowers blooming next to the wildflower meadow. There were two Monarch Butterflies there amongst the wildflowers. One flew away toward the south and the other stuck around for me to get a few images. I had been wanting to photograph a Monarch all summer yet hadn't seen not a single one. I was happy this one decided to grace me with his appearance long enough to take a few photographs. ENJOY!

Fall Prelude!

2011-09-24T13:43:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite places to visit this season at Bernheim has been the wildflower meadow situated just inside the main gate. This afternoon, after a long hike, I stopped at the meadow to take a few photos of the goldenrod before heading back home. But what stole the show today was the old wooden bird box sitting in the meadow that I had photographed back in the summer. Only today it was awash in yellows and purples and whites from all of the beautiful flowers growing around it.

Oh, how I love Fall and can't hardly wait for the leaves to start to turn their reds and oranges and yellows. And least I forget tomorrow will be three months til Christmas. Oh my gosh. ENJOY!

Please Indulge Me!

2011-09-23T15:20:00.000-07:00

I can't help myself. I took so many different photographs of the sunflowers and the sunflower fields while at Biltmore in August Here's another view. I think I have a love affair going on with these beautiful flowers. How can one not? They are so sunny and happy. And with all the rainy days around here of late, who can blame me for another "sunny" post. Have a great weekend everyone. ENJOY!

Rainy Days and Mondays!

2011-09-19T16:55:00.000-07:00

A litle bit of sunshine on a rainy Monday here in the midwest. ENJOY!

Waterlily!

2011-09-17T08:47:00.001-07:00

A little something to get your weekend off to a beautiful start. These gorgeous waterlilies were blooming in The Italian Garden at the Biltmore Estate back in late summer. You know me. I had to photograph them. And as usual, and need I say it again, and as usual, the sunlight drowned out the detail and the shadows were very dark, but of course, I had to try to bring it back to life. Not sure if I got there but here's the end result. ENJOY!

Last Blooms of Summer!

2011-09-15T15:38:00.000-07:00

Just a few of the last blooms of summer growing along the old decaying fence at Bernheim recently when I visited. Can't believe that summer is bidding us adieu and fall is knocking at our door. ENJOY!

Vanda Sansai Blue Orchid!

2011-09-12T16:59:00.000-07:00

Just a little bling from the Conservatory at Biltmore. Wouldn't it be great if these beautiful orchids were jewels? Yes! ENJOY!