Category Archives: Photography

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To Bare or Not To Bare

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I drive past this field most mornings on the way to work.

I’ve been watching and waiting for the day when 1) I had the time and 2) when the sun was shining, in order to catch the one tree, of the many that ring that field, that has held on to it’s leaves.    The orange leaves catch the light beautifully.  I love the shadow being thrown from the hay bale and the barely visible moisture steaming from it.

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It wasn’t until today though that I noticed the dramatic difference between that tree and another nearby.

One bare … one still leaf covered.

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Reflections – Your Suggestions Please!

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Upon arriving home each evening, I hit the switch to turn on the tree lights and am struck by the simple beauty of  lights reflected in the window.

So, of course I reach for the camera … and I’ve taken 25 fairly awful pictures.

I’m told I have a decent eye … so why can’t I capture the image that I visualize?

Any suggestions for this rookie photographer?

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Foggy Morning in Radford

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You may remember me saying that I often head out the door in the morning without a clue as to the weather or the temperature.  This morning, when driving to accomplish the mundane task of getting the oil changed in the truck, I was fortunate to witness the beauty of a foggy morning.  By the time I got home an hour later, I had stopped twice to shoot the silhouette of trees and once, the beautiful view shed that Radford offers.

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Unknown's avatar

This just makes me happy …

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I know … the quality of the picture isn’t great, but the tree and the lights sure are!

Lights on a tree really do make me happy.  I look forward to turning them on every morning and have them glow in the background while I sip my coffee and enjoy your latest blog posts and email messages.  Or picture this: the lights on the tree in the evening, a lovely beverage and a book.

Ahhh …. contentment.

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Remembering Summer and Old Bridges

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I truly am a four season fan.  Just when I tire of heat, it grows cooler.  When I think I’ve had enough of the cold, the warm air returns.  I truly do try to embrace whatever mother nature serves up each day, and I often walk out the door without having a clue as to what the temperature is.

So why the remembrance of a hot August day at the beginning of a mild winter?  I came across these pictures when looking for a particular photo that I took over the summer.   The lush, green hues against the old crumbling bridge took me back to a fun day on Big Walker Creek in Giles County, Virginia.  What a contrast to the colors of early December.

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Unknown's avatar

It Just Caught My Eye

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I took a different route to work this morning and the site of this church in the morning sun just caught my eye.  So, of course you know that I just HAD to stop, turn around and take some pictures.

And STILL managed to get to work on time!

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24 Hours in Charleston: Thanksgiving 2012

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When your only child has only one day off of work for the Thanksgiving holiday (my favorite of the year!), you travel to see him.  It’s a 6 hour drive from Radford, VA to Charleston, SC and I was on the road by 6am Thanksgiving morning.  Traffic was light and the drive was easy and I was excited to see Andrew and to explore a bit more of his adopted city.

I’ve managed to take two short but fun trips to Charleston in the 6 months since Andrew relocated, both of which lasted only 24 hours.  Someday I’ll get to stay longer, but for now, I’ll take what time I can get with my child and the City of Charleston.

   

The cooking began almost soon as I pulled in the driveway, with dinner time coinciding with the second half of the Redskins / Dallas game.  Now, normally I would NOT be found in front of a TV while enjoying this wonderful holiday meal, but when you have 24 hours and it’s the biggest game of the year for a Redskin fan, you do what you have to do.  And for those who are not fans of the game, WE WON!

We did find time to squeeze in a visit to one of Andrew’s two places of employment. The Hibernian Society was formed in 1801 with the hall dedicated in 1841.  Yes, it is a men’s only organization, but I can appreciate the history of the building and the philanthropy of the society.  The sign out front boasts the fact that the presidency alternates between a protestant and a catholic.

   

After dinner, we filled up our go cups (a great southern tradition) and in the dark of the evening, walked the historic streets of Charleston.  I did not have my camera with me, and that may have been a good thing because I am not sure I would have been able to capture the beauty of those centuries old homes in the low light.  The three pictures seen here were taken during my first visit this past May.

I’ll be working on nighttime shooting for future visits. What a lovely evening that was … strolling through alleys and alongside the battery, enjoying my wine, my child and history.

   

The next morning found us exploring The Angel Oak. Estimated to be 300 to 400 years old, this live oak is 65 ft tall and offers 17,000 sq ft of shade.

I love the way these old live oaks hang over the streets.  Andrew was patient as I asked him time and again to pull over so I could take pictures.

The colors found in the grasses and the wetland marshes are gorgeous!

One of the goals of this visit was to walk the The Arthur Ravenel Jr Bridge.  Completed in 2005, the bridge has a 2.7 mile pedestrian (and bicycle) walkway.  I could not stop taking pictures … what an amazing structure!

      

After a quick lunch, I got back on the road.  I’m fortunate to have an adult child that I’m proud of … and to have him live in such a wonderful place, is an added bonus.

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Grayson County: A Weekend Without Technology

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I’m always grateful for time with friends … even more so when that time is spent in an early 20th Century farmhouse in Elk Creek, Virginia.  Seven women, the cares of family, work and life left at home, gathered for a weekend in Grayson County.

Grayson County is in far Southwest Virginia and is the home to the Mt Rogers Recreation Area and the highest point in Virginia (5728 ft).  The twisty, hilly road to our weekend getaway took us through the mountains and by thousands of acres of Christmas Tree Farms and pumpkin patches.

Our farmhouse (Shepherd’s Retreat ) was actually a Sears Home, built in 1909.  Sears was one of the largest companies to sell mail order homes. “Entire homes would arrive by railroad, from pre-cut lumber, to carved staircases, down to the nails and varnish. Families picked out their houses according to their needs, tastes, and pocketbooks. Sears provided all the materials and instructions, and for many years the financing, for homeowners to build their own houses. Sears’s Modern Homes stand today as living monuments to the fine, enduring, and solid quality of Sears craftsmanship” (http://www.searsarchives.com/homes/history.htm).

While only an hour and a half from home, and 12 miles from the nearest gas station / small store, it was almost a step back in time.  No cell phone, no internet, essentially no TV and definitely no college football!

The lack of technology was not a problem for this group of women.  With no restaurants any where near by, delicious meals were prepared in a kitchen filled with light and the sounds of friendship.

   

Card games were played, and songs were sung.  At times, the house echoed with laughter, talk and dancing; at other times, peace and quiet reigned as books were read, walks were taken and naps were indulged in.

    

The beauty of our surroundings had me reaching for my camera time and again.

   

(Ruth Babylon, the real photographer, took the last picture)

Frosty mornings ….

… led to gentle, warm sunny afternoons ….

… and gorgeous sunsets.

As the weekend came to an end, we felt grateful to share such treasured friendships.  We were recharged and ready to get back to life outside the farmhouse.  And isn’t that what friendship and freedom from the distractions of technology should do?