Beaches and Shores

It is a little known fact that I must have a lake, an ocean, a seashore, a riverbed, or if all else fails, just a pond nearby to make all things right in my world. Water is one of the many driving forces that nurtures my world. Add to that a forest or a woods or a grassy plain, or even a mountaintop overlook, and my world is so much more. The many elements that make up our world also enrich our lives in ways we never imagined.

Oftentimes, I view photographs such as those like Jean's from the quaint island of New Zealand, or Barb from the snow covered Rockies in Colorado, or Frank from 'across the pond' in England, or Steve from the windswept coasts in New England, and I wonder just what it would be like to live in one of those beautiful places.

Then I remember a thought shared years ago, that I am sharing my world and its many experiences, through the images I capture. And that makes 'your' world so much more. I gathered a few of my favorite images I have captured over the years to share with you today. Images such as these from the Eastern Shore of Virginia, the shores and the bays of Lake Michigan, and Nantucket Island off Cape Cod, to share with you today. ENJOY!

Linking to Skywatch Friday and Foodie Friday and Everything Else

Vintage America

Lately, I have been posting my fair share of birds and waterfowl images. But last week I got to thinking about all of the wonderful places I have traveled over the past few years. There is rarely a place we travel daily or on a vacation that we don't find some historical artifact in some form or fashion.

Without the rustic, vintage, historical . . . without the rusted, aged, weathered . . . without these artifacts or historical places throughout America, my world would be far less interesting. On every occasion, no matter whether it is a day trip, a weekend or a longer journey, history surrounds us, and fortunately, I have embraced the vintage and historical factions in my travels. Throughout the states of Kentucky, Indiana, Tennessee, Michigan, Massachusetts and Virginia, I captured these images whether it be Spring, Summer, Winter or Fall. ENJOY!

Linking to Wednesday Around The World

One Thousand Posts

Way back in the year 2008, I began this blog with hopes of sharing my photographs with you. My blog started out as A Photographic Journal, and soon thereafter I changed the name to the one you find today. In the beginning I had no idea where this journey would take me or if anyone would follow along. Yet, along my journey I have found friends from half way across the globe in places like New Zealand and Australia. You come from places close by too such as Great Britain and Canada. And from places closer still such as Colorado and Maine and Massachusetts in the States.

You leave me comments. You compliment me. You inspire me. You are with me through good weather and bad, through remembrances and holidays, through every day and special days. And here on this landmark post, I find myself so very grateful for every word you have bestowed upon me. I leave you today with the hope that there are many more posts to come, in many years to come, provided you will have me. I also wanted to let you know that I am not moving my blog to my new website. My blog is staying right here so I can continue to share my journey with you. I promise to let you know when my website is up and running. And finally, I wanted to share a scene from a snowfall earlier in 2014 near my home in Louisville. This was during the 'winter that would not quit' as many of us folks here in the States now refer to it. THANK YOU!

Linking to Sunlit Sundays

Sea Dreaming!

I've been seadreaming! Of the seashore and shorethings. Of seagrass and seagulls. Of sailboats and lighthouses. I've no plans to visit the shore this year. I thought I would stay inland. However, a short trip to the shores of Lake Michigan might be needed. Perhaps. I've been seadreaming again . . . so I share with you mementos of beach days gone by. Almost certainly the seadreaming is a by product of the mild temps here in Kentucky the past few days. It's only going to get warmer later this week. Spring perhaps, ahhhhh.

I'm still playing with my Picnik software. I like the mirror mat I added to this image. I really like this software. Give it a try.

My sister left me a chocolate cupcake topped with layer upon layer of more chocolate from Gigi's Cupcakes and a beautiful Valentine card at my door today. She's the best. Thanks Jo. I love you so! Hope all of you had a heartfilled day. ENJOY!

Giving Thanks . . .

As if you haven't noticed by now, I get bored with header images often. I have no image to post today just a thought about my new header image I felt compelled to share. I felt a collage of images was in order. So I sat down at my computer and I thumbed through the "thumbnails" and I picked the images I wanted to show in the collage. I wanted some red, some yellow, obviously blues and greens, and I wanted to show summer and fall and winter and spring.

When I was finished choosing images, I pressed the button and wa la, a new header image, accompanied by this ornate font I've been into lately. And then it happened, I got to looking at the images and noticed that all but one image was taken from my 35mm camera and not my digital. I surmise my eye can still see the beauty and quality of the 35mm film that I used to call every photograph I took. And then something else happened. I got to looking more closely at all of the images, and wa la, there are seven different states represented in my collage.

Manchester Farms in Lexington, Kentucky right, next door to Keeneland Race Course
The Barn at Myer's Cabin, Mustatatuck National Wildlife Refuge, Seymour, Indiana
Miner's Castle, along Lake Superior's National Seashore, Upper Peninsula, Michigan
Sunset, Morton's Overlook, and a beautiful Fall tree along the forest drive, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee
Looking out toward Eggmoggin Reach and a look back at the village of Stonington, Deer Isle, Maine
The Beach, Chatham, Massachusetts
A very frozen Cedar Falls, Hocking Hills State Park, Ohio

And then I got to thinking, hmmm!!! I've been busy traveling the Midwest, the Mid Atlantic and the Northeast these past ten years. How lucky am I? So I give Thanks to God for all of these fabulous opportunities. ENJOY!

Mosaic Monday!

A little something that I rarely do . . . Mosaic Monday. Thought a little color in your world might brighten your day. A few of my top photos from my summer trip to Cape Cod and Nantucket. It seems like ions ago and yet it's only been four months ago. Oh, before I forget, what is your favorite photo in the collage? ENJOY!

Historic Sandwich, Massachusetts!

Sandwich is such a nice small town on the Cape. If I didn't need to check in at the Inn I would have spent more time and actually walked out on the boardwalk. Even though they charge $10 to park your car. However, I did manage to get a few quick photos. It was a crystal clear day and there was a breeze. I don't have a filter on my digital camera so unfortunately the blue haze came through on the boardwalk images. It was a mild 79 degrees that day and after coming from 95 degrees, I was a happy camper. ENJOY!

Historic Dexter's Grist Mill, Sandwich, Massachusetts!

>
Just a few images of Sandwich, Massachusett's "famed" Dexter's Grist Mill. Beautiful area of the Cape. I spent my first day on the Cape exploring Sandwich before heading over to Centerville, which I discovered, was about a fifteen minute drive to the Inn. They were doing some sprucing up to the mill as you can see from some of the new boards. Supposedly there were swans in the pond by the mill but I didn't see any during my visit. The little town of Sandwich has some really great antique shops and other boutique shops, as well as some great places to dine. I spent several hours around the town checking out the beaches and the area.

It's going to be 95 degrees in Louisville most of next week. Could somebody please, please turn down the heat. I was really hoping to get out and enjoy some of this early Fall weather, but apparently Summer isn't quite done with us yet. ENJOY!

Chatham Harbor, Cape Cod, MA

This was such a beautiful perspective of the harbor at Chatham that I wanted to share it with everyone. I'm really missing the beach right now. For those of you who are within 200 miles of a beach, I'm jealous! Please click on the photo for the a larger image. ENJOY!

Postscript: I sat outside for a bit tonight as it as cool. The trees in the woods behind my condo are all turning. They are no longer their usual green. I'm afraid after .10 inch of rain in 3 weeks all the leaves will turn brown though. Ugh!

Beautiful Yarmouth Harbor, Cape Cod

Such beauty should be shared. One of my favorite pics from my trip. Click on the photo to get the full effect. Stay safe Cape Cod and Islands. ENJOY!

Seals, Chatham, Cape Cod

On my way out of Chatham, I stopped to see if the seals were hanging out at the dock waiting for leftovers. And, yes, they were. There was a bit of a crowd, but I managed to get a spot at the railing to take a few photos. I was on my way back to Centerville to the inn. The weather was perfect too other than a brisk wind. Chatham is a really cool little town. I only regret I didn't have time to stop and take in some of the boutiques and shops but it was getting late and I knew it would take a bit of time to get back to Centerville with all the traffic.




And here is why the seals were hanging out by the dock! Looks like he's about done.



I should also mention, I'm anxious for fall to get underway. I can't take another 96 degree day like yesterday. This weekend it's supposed to be 79 and beautiful on Saturday and low 80's Sunday. I can't wait! ENJOY!

Ospreys, Morris Island, Chatham, Cape Cod

On my day trip to Chatham while visiting Cape Cod a few weeks ago, I drove out to the wildlife refuge, which I posted about earlier on. During my visit at the refuge, I photographed an osprey nest filled with life.



The osprey parents were feeding their young as I walked across the wildlife refuge and got a little closer. Apparently too close for the Mom who had some food in her clutches and took flight, then Dad followed. As I walked away from the nest to give them their distance, Mom and Pop returned to the nest and continued feeding the youngsters.







It's worth mentioning that the wind was blowing about 15 miles an hour and picked up to about 25 miles per hour while I was at the beach, making it really difficult to get any decent photos of these beautiful creatures. ENJOY!

Rose House, Nantucket

I missed this house in full bloom by two weeks. But here it is anyway. As you can see from the reflection off of the windows in the tour bus, it's not the greatest photo. What is so odd, is the driver was whizzing by so fast, I saw the house and just that quick I snapped this photo. Turned out the photo was nice if not for the reflection. Still I think it's a cute house. Can someone please tell those drivers in Nantucket to slow down a bit. Much nicer weather we're having than most of the summer. So get out and have a great weekend everyone. ENJOY!

Sunset, Brant Point Light, Nantucket

Pulling out on the ferry after a long day on Nantucket, the sun was coming down. I tried and managed to get the light in the lighthouse as it blinked by me. Hope everyone is having a good week. The weather is in the low 80's here but we'll return to low 90's later this week. I can feel fall just a bit in the air. It's around the bend. No, not the bend I went around to get this image. I've been working under a deadline, but I am seeing a light at the end of tunnel. ENJOY!

Nantucket Island Images

Such a beautiful afternoon to photograph lighthouses and beach houses. The Nantucket Island Tour host was moving fast along the road around Nantucket Island. I managed to get a few photographs in spite of her haste. This is beautiful Sankaty Head Lighthouse. Did you know this is the first lighthouse to receive a Frensel lense as its original equipment. This was back in 1848. Fishermen dubbed it the "blazing star" as it could be seen 20 miles away. This lense was replaced in 1950 by aerobeacons, but the original lense was preserved and is on display at the Nantucket Whaling Museum. I wished I'd had time to stop there and check out some of the history. ENJOY!

Reflections, Boat Basin, Nantucket

Photographing the Boat Basin was a huge treat on my day trip to Nantucket. There were so many different things to photograph. However, the reflections in the water I found mesmerizing. Even though it was breezy after the rainstorm that day, I wanted to capture some of the boats and the images in the water. My favorite image in this post is the first one you see. I realize it's not the best image, but I like the simplicity of showing only the hulls and the water. Something about the bright blue tops on the dock posts just distracts me from the reflection.

I have an affinity to wooden boats. If you can't tell from past Nantucket posts as I featured a very "big" wooden boat as well. If I lived near water and could afford a boat, it would be "wooden". ENJOY!

Inner Harbor, Nantucket, Massachusetts

There was considerable sunlight shining through after the storm during my trip to Nantucket Island. This is one of my favorite views of the harbor. Hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend. The major heat broke this week and now we only have low 90's but this week up and coming we'll be in the high 80's late into the week and I can't wait. I've already enjoyed the slightly cooler weather considering just how hot it was at the end of last week. I'll be posting images of Nantucket the next few weeks. You are allowed to say "enough already". It's just, I'd never been to Nantucket so I can't help but show everyone how cool it is. ENJOY!

Cape Cod Trip 2010, Nantucket Boat Basin

DAY TRIP, THE BOAT BASIN, NANTUCKET, MASSACHUSETTS

As I mentioned in my last post, the sun came out in the late afternoon after an unbelievable downpour during my day trip to Nantucket. In the late afternoon I took the Nantucket Island Tour, mainly to rest my feet, but also to get my bearings on the size of the island. It is only about 7 miles wide and you realize how small it is when you can take an island tour in an hour. After I finished with the Island Tour, I walked back over to the Boat Basin to take a few images while the light was better. This first image is one of my favorite photos from my Nantucket day trip, the Cottages at the Boat Basin. It's such a uniquely different place to walk around. There are cottages, shops and then you have boats of every size and configuration. Yachts, sailboats, motor boats, and at running the risk of repeating myself, more yachts. Surreal.



This image is of the Dockmaster's Quarters. Even the Dockmaster has a flower box.



I've always had an infinity to wooden boats and this big boat docked next to the Dockmaster's Quarters is no exception. It was huge so I really couldn't get a picture of the whole thing. I think I heard someone say it offers tours of the harbor, but I could be wrong.



You have to admit, it's pretty daunting. ENJOY!

Cape Cod Trip 2010, Nantucket Island

DAY TRIP NANTUCKET, MASSACHUSETTS

This first image is the entrance to Straight Wharf where the Hy-Line Cruise Ferry arrives and departs. Close by as you walk along the Boat Basin is the Nantucket Bike Shop, only one of many bike shops on the Island.





As you walk southeast away from Straight Wharf, you'll encounter many shops along the walkways of the Boat Basin. There are shops selling handbags, artwork, decor, fashion. You can find almost anything amongst these shops. I tend to favor all of the beautiful flowers growing outside the entrance to each shop and the window boxes overflowing with beautiful blossoms. It definitely added to the surreal feeling I experienced walking along the Boat Basin.

My sister gave me a rundown of what the Island would be like as she had visited several years ago, but there is no comparison to the actual experience as you walk the Wharf areas and the Boat Basin itself, stroll the cobbled streets and shops in Downtown Nantucket and see some of the outlying island area such as Sisconset. For those you who live in New England and may visit Cape Cod and the Islands, I'm sure I'm boring you to tears, but for me it was truly a treat to see Nantucket!







One other aspect of Nantucket that held true from all of the photos I saw online while planning my trip, was the many bikes you'll find sitting idle against the lightposts and trees around the docks and throughout Downtown Nantucket.





Walking along the docks of Old South Wharf you'll find many shops scattered throughout. My favorite aspect of the shops had to be the colorful flags blowing in the breeze hanging outside almost every shop along the dock. The flags and all of the beautiful flowers and bushes added such charm to this whole experience. This particular image below is one of the main walkways boasting many a flag and is arguably one of my favorite photographs from my trip. I took some of these photos before the storm and some after. This image I photographed in late afternoon to capture the beautiful colors of all of the flags.



The oddity in my day trip to Nantucket surely was the weather. As we pulled away from Hyannisport, fog shrouded the Kennedy Compound. As we neared the Island, dark clouds loomed in the west. After departing the Ferry and walking about the Boat Basin and throughout the immediate downtown area, lightning and thunder began to break out and a huge downpour followed. Many streets and some shops were flooded. I held up in a shop happy to be out of the weather. I had had the foresight, however, to bring my umbrella. Something told me the weather was going to be iffy. As the rain let up I would trapse between shops. At one bike shop, the guys were literally sweeping waves of water out of the shop and down into the gutters. After about an hour of this scenario, the rain stopped, the sun began to peek out from behind the clouds and low and behold the rest of the afternoon and evening was beautiful. Again, surreal.

I invite you to click on each image to view a larger version. ENJOY!

Cape Cod Trip 2010

DAY TRIP WOODS HOLE, MASSACHUSETTS

I felt a quick day trip was in order last week to shoot a few photographs of Nobska Point Lighthouse and take in a few shops in Woods Hole. The main road to the lighthouse sort of guts out into the peninsula away from the mainland. The weather was a bit cloudy so no real sunshine to speak of. There were signs posted that the property next to the lighthouse was private land. I read on a website that the owner of the house is actually the commander of the Coast Guard Sector, Southeastern New England. You're rather limited as to where to stand to take photographs as the road wrapped tightly around the lighthouse.





When I first pulled up to Nobska's small little parking area, the ferry was making its way to Martha's Vineyard. The vineyard sits in the background of this image.



Hope everyone is staying cool this week as I know many of us are under heat advisories. I was out yesterday and starting feeling peeky and had to get inside. It's not fit for man nor beast. Enjoy!