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Pier Love

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If you’re like me, and I know many of you are, you come home from your travels with almost too many photos to look through, process, save or delete. How can it be that a simple 4 day trip to the Middle Peninsula of Virginia could yield over 400 photos?

Perhaps I should just PUT THE CAMERA DOWN.

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  Since that will never happen, it was time to get to work!  In reviewing the photos from my time on the Middle Peninsula of Virginia, it was clear that one object garnered much of my attention.

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What was it about this pier that kept catching my eye?

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Was it the obvious presence of it?

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Or it’s ability to stand quietly in the background?

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Was it more striking against the colors of a cloudy sunrise?

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Or did conversion to black and white bring out the beauty?

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Perhaps it’s attraction was stronger after a storm?

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Or maybe because it held memories of a lovely evening with friends?

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Whatever the reason, I came home with too many pier photos to count.  I’ve picked the best of the lot and shared them with you here.  And if you’re still with me after viewing the first 12, I’ll hope you can handle just one more.

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You may have seen this before.  It’s my favorite and as a amateur photographer, one that I am quite proud of.

Thanks for hanging in there with me as I present this photographic study of a Middle Peninsula pier.

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Home!

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Hello from the very rainy Commonwealth of Virginia!

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I’m back from vacation, during which I saw very little sun, but had a wonderful time!  Luckily, I only rode in about 6 hours of rain, 2 of which were the final hours before arriving home.  If you were to visit me right now, you would see drying bike gear everywhere!

I’m anxious to catch up with your blogs and plan to visit within the next 24 hours!  And of course, soon I’ll be sharing photos and notes from my travels.  I’ll hope that some of our rain pushes west in order to provide relief to the draught stricken!

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Infinity

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My contribution to Monochromia this week is of a dock that seems to go on forever. If you love black and white photography, you’ll like Monochromia.

LB's avatarMonochromia

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Some would say that overcast and rainy days are not fitting for vacations on the Chesapeake Bay.  On the contrary, these types of days encourage quiet walks and talks with friends (and loud, joyful laughing, too), cookouts on the beach, and if you’re me, even a bit of play in the water.

I’d also get up every morning and spend an hour or so with the camera.  Something kept me coming back to this dock and this perspective.

The dock, and the world, just seemed to go on forever.

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Purple Rain

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Despite the rain on the Middle Peninsula last week, each morning I woke to the sounds of the Chesapeake Bay and the beauty of nature.  As you read this post, which I wrote and scheduled before I hit the road, I’ll be riding through southeastern Kentucky.

Cross your fingers and hope that it’s not raining where I am, and I’ll hope the same for you (unless you are in draught conditions, of course!)

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Fresh from the Bay

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The first half of my vacation is over but the memories of the Middle Peninsula on the Chesapeake Bay, the Eastern Shore of Virginia, and the beaches of Delaware keep me smiling.  There is much I want to share with you but since I leave for Kentucky in the morning, I thought I would share just a few photos from our fresh crab and tuna steak shopping trip.

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Aren’t the colors of those crabs vibrant?  These photos are unedited; the color is true.

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The fisherman working that day, saw my camera and offered to let me walk out onto this fairly rickety dock.  From that vantage point I was able to photograph some of the surrounding docks.

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The weather those first three days was what some might consider less than “beachy”, but for me and my friends, it did not matter.

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We were happy just to be together and to explore the culture, marine life, and food that the Middle Peninsula of Virginia offers.

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What an incredible place!

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More photos from the coastline of Virginia and Delaware after I get back from my time on the bike!  Next stop … Kentucky!

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Vacation!

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You all understand the thrill of vacation.  The planning and preparation are over and the travel is about to begin!  I’ll be heading out to the Chesapeake Bay and then Bethany Beach, DE (by truck) and then back home to switch vehicles and head out on the bike to Kentucky.  Needless to say, I am excited!

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This photo is from my annual gathering with the GOAs.  We’ll be returning to this same island and I cannot wait to get to the Bay and bring out the camera.

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Gwynn Island is quite remote and I’m not even sure there is cell coverage. I do that know there is no internet, which means that I’ll be missing out on all of your gorgeous photos, captivating stories, and interesting updates.  Please let me know of any particularly important ones that I’ll miss while gone.

See ya soon!!

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Local Music

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The Waiting was over and the music began.  A fun mix of Blue Grass and Country.

The classic combination of fiddle,

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steel guitar,

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mandolin,

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and bass,

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combined with guitar and excellent vocals,

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 and the evening was made for great music.

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Southwest Virginia’s Crooked Road is “a place of beauty – a place of song” and all along Virginia’s Heritage Trail, musicians gather to play and celebrate the joy that is music.

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Waiting

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The local music scene in my neck of the woods is all about friends gathering to play in pizza houses, restaurants, and other small venues.  Musicians gather to raise funds for the local food pantry and animal shelters, but of course they also gather to spread the joy of the song.

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I arrived early to the performance space and was drawn to the site of the instruments … just waiting for the hands that will bring them to life.

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Belgian Beer and Mussels

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Are you a fan of mussels?  I wasn’t really sure if I was or not, but I definitely became one the other night!

If you haven’t visited Monochromia yet, and are a fan of B&W Photography, go on over for a visit!

LB's avatarMonochromia

Mussels (1 of 1)

What a treat it was to be invited to spend an evening with good friends, sharing fresh mussels and delicious belgian beer!   Yum!!  There are not many better ways to end the work day.

To be honest, I’ve often converted to B&W when the color and lighting of an image just weren’t right.  Involvement with Monochromia has encouraged me to think sans color when I am out and about with my camera, and to actively search for images that will celebrate B&W photography.  I had a feeling that mussels and beer might provide good subjects.  What do you think?

It seems that people often think of B&W photography as mostly dramatic, moody, and serious, so today I wanted to show the fun.  Those who know me will not be surprised by that!

Thanks so much for checking out Monochromia and if you’d like to come along for the ride…

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Above and Below

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A week or so ago, I was able to ride along the Blue Ridge Parkway with a couple friends.  It was a bright, summer day and clouds filled the sky.  What a joy it is to ride along that curvy parkway, feeling the wind and the sun, and to view this incredible scenery.

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We stopped at the Peaks of Otter Lodge for a short break and this time saw the clouds reflected in the water of the lake.

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Clouds above.  Clouds below.

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Thanks so much for stopping by today.  I’m very much looking forward to my vacation, which is coming up in just 6 days!

The Chesapeake Bay.  The Delaware Coast.   Kentucky.

Very different destinations and different modes of transportation.  There will be stories to tell and photos to share and I cannot wait. These past 9 months have not found me traveling much.  It is time to get back out there!

Be sure to visit Monochromia and check out some incredible B&W Photography!