Tag Archives: Outdoors

Photography, Poetry

In Dreams

8 Comments

_MG_9904

 

I lay my head

Upon my pillow

I close my eyes

In dreams

 

I am walking in a meadow

The grass tall and waving

In the warm summer wind

Oxeye daisies grow among

The field of  green grass

Swaying to the beat

Of the passing wind

Butterflies flutter in the breeze

In dreams

 

In dreams

In dreams

 

A woodland path beckons

To travel endlessly

Traversing through stately maples

The murmur of the wind

Up in the leafy canopy

The rustle of leaves

On the forest floor

In dreams

 

In Dreams

In dreams

 

A gently flowing river

Dressed with cascading willows

Falling rain drops splash

The river’s surface

As I traverse along the river

A never ending river

With no end in sight

In dreams

 

In dreams

In dreams

 

Sitting by a lake

Quartz mountains enshrine

The sapphire waters

Sparkling in the morning light

A gentle breeze ripples

The clear lake waters

In dreams

 

In dreams

In dreams

 

Standing high on a mountain

Ruffled by strong winds

The land covered in mist

Dark clouds tumbling over

The distant mountains

I feel like the eagle

Soaring on the wind

In dreams

 

In dreams

In Dreams

Photography

Sheltered Nook

8 Comments

69S_3028

 

A rainy day. Out for a drive. A beaver pond beside the highway. The location is just south of Sudbury, Ontario. I have seen this site many times, but it just needed the right ingredients to work This all added up to a late fall composition. It does not come much easier than stepping out of your vehicle and setting up your equipment by the highway.

The leaves here are predominantly yellow and thinning out. This is a quiet peaceful scene that is a common scene in Northern Ontario. Yellowish brown grass to the green of the evergreens. You can view the beaver house to the right. The winter storage of food is on the left at the edge of the shoreline. As it turned out it was a cold hard winter just past.

Thank you for stopping by. I would like especially to thank those who have become subscribers. So until next time happy trails.

Photography

Bathtub Island, Lake Superior

6 Comments

Bathtub_Island_Superior

 

Bathtub island is a typical little island found on Lake Superior. Time worn with sparse growth of stunted trees. It is located at Lake Superior Provincial Park a good walk north of the Sand River mouth. There is a fairly large sandy beach here, along with sand dunes. Just north of this cove is Katherine Cove. I have walked from either direction. There is a trail off the highway that you can walk straight in to Bathtub Island. It traverses through sand dunes that are protected. So do not walk in the sand dunes. Very fragile.

This area is popular with tourists to swim in the clear waters of Lake Superior. Access to the little island is to walk along a sandbar just below the water’s surface. Very short walk. The reason this island is named Bathtub Island is that when you look on left of photo you will see the low rocky part of island. This creates an enclosed pool that is kept filled with lake water. As the waves surge in, the enclosure fills with water. I have made a number of trips in hopes of capturing this scene with the right lighting.

As I hiked into the beach one August evening, the sky was very dark and threatening. There was a bit of wave action to disturb the lake’s surface. The sun was settling to the west. This would be on the right side of photo. This gave a lovely warm glow to the rock face on the island. There were white clouds passing overhead at considerable speed. This created a problem due to low lighting creating slow shutter speeds. Thus I upped my iso to 400. Waited until there was fewer clouds sailing by, But at the same time mindful of the evening getting late. The result was as shown above. Take note of the lighting on the small shrub. A nice touch.

Well that is it for this week. Until next week happy trails

 

Photography

Design Elements

4 Comments

Sea Of Light

 

Lighting is a powerful tool to capture those unique landscape photos. My first impression of the mountains of Nicaragua was how am I going to create a composition. Where I come from there is rock, trees and water. What is missing in these mountains was water. With that in mind I sat and just observed. Before long I noticed these incredible displays of lighting happening before my eyes. There is for the most part clouds moving in the sky. This is what gives you that unique display of lighting that magically appears here and there.

Now I had to have design elements for compositions. From where I am the mountains were for the most part in the background. The highlands and hills in the foreground. But what really sets things off is the open spaces to be found. Look at the trees next time you are out. They have unique shapes and forms that give that extra artistic touch. Throw in the lighting and you get that unique photo as you see above. Do not forget the land contours in this part of the world. I find they are very unique. The contours can be used as a design element in your composition. If you can just watch and look at the scene before you as vertical and horizontal lines then you will be able to capture that great shot.

Everyone pretty much learned geometry in school. With that in mind look for geometric shapes to incorporate into your next photographic experience.  The curve of the hills; the tree shapes, plus how the land shapes look. There is lots to see out there once you get pass the outer layer.

While that is it for now. Spring is slowly evolving here. Art shows are happening. Greeting fellow artists. So until next time happy trails

 

Photography, Poetry

Magic Of Light

5 Comments

A Touch Of Light

 

A cafe in hand

A chair beckons

A mountainous view

Off to the east

Darkening in the coming

Of the night

A refreshing cool breeze

Dispersing the day’s heat

The parrots have returned

To where ever they roost

The white plumed garza

Long since gone

The sky dark and threatening

Clouds a somber grey

A beam of light

Emerging from the clouds

To cast a golden ray

In a moment of glory

Over a rounded hill

As the clouds roll on

The light slowly fades

Darkness descends once again

While I sip my cafe

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photography, Poetry

I Am A Student

5 Comments

 

 

Mountain Clouds

 

I am a student

Of Mother Earth

Of Mother Nature

I have opened my soul

I listen with my ears

I view with my eyes

I smell with my nostrils

To all that is offered

By the wilderness

That we live in

From the grandeur scenes

In the far distance

To The beauty at hand

The singing of birds

The mating sound of frogs

The call of the predator

The smell of the woods

The sound of running water

The murmuring of the wind

In the leafy canopies

Mother Nature has much to offer

If only we notice

Photography, Poetry

A Wee Tree

3 Comments

Sunlit Grass

 

A long uphill slope

The sky in turmoil

Darken clouds rolling on

A touch of color

From the evening sun

The north wind blowing

Over the parched land

A wee tree swaying

Before the surging wind

Standing desolate and forlorn

 

A clump of grass

Knee high in height

Parched and dry

Moving to and fro

Before the billowing wind

A golden evening hue

From a beam of sunlight

Intensifies the glowing grass

The sky continues to darken

The clouds streaming on

As the sun lowers

 

 

 

 

Photography, Poetry

A Vastness

8 Comments

 

A Vast Land

Standing on a hill

The vastness of the land

Spreads before me

My lodging but a dot

On the large scale of things

A beam of light

From the setting sun

Caresses the sun burnt hills

I stand in awe

With the hills unfolding

Before my squinting eyes

The feel of the breeze

Freshening on my face

A cool welcome from

The heat of the day

A common experience

In the mountainous country

 

Far in the distance

On an open hillside

Movement can be spotted

It is the ganado cresting

A brown splotched rise

Herded home by trailing young boys

Mere dots in the fading light

 

 

It is also a sign

That I too must leave

To follow the winding trail

Down the sloping hill

Before darkness engulfs me

The trail takes a diagonal

Through a field of maize

The stalks standing forlorn

In the evening half light

A fence line appears ahead

The trail running parallel

The descent is quick

An adobe home appears

Soon lost in the dimness

 

The Rio Trentino materializes

Hopping from rock to rock

The shallow river is crossed

The road beckons ahead

A patch of red roof

Appears in the near distance

Nestled on a sloping hill

A place to rest

Ones weary legs

Photography, Poetry

A Whimsical Isle

8 Comments

Superior_2014

 

A whimsical isle offshore

Evergreens crowd the center

Struggling to maintain hold

Among the worn rocks

The trees are dwarfed

With inadequacy of food

Time and time again

The ravages of Lake Superior

Overwhelm the tiny island

After each bout of ferocity

The little trees still stand

A testament of strength

To withstand the brutality

Of the unforgiving waters

 

With a lowering sun

The water is calm

A rare moment it is

The trees stand bold

In the evening solitude

White clouds flirting

Across the blue sky

Reflecting upon the water

The horizon turning pink

From the sun’s glow

 

The shadows are creeping

Over the reposing land

Darkness has now descended

The isle mere silhouette

Upon the placid waters

The sky is clearing

The stars luminous in the night sky

The moon casts a silver glow

Over the diminutive isle

There is a sense

Of quietude and peace

Along the rugged shoreline

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photography, Poetry

El Chile, A Poem

6 Comments

_MG_9904

 

Off in the distant

The mountains stand tall

In the converging mist

The morning air cool

The sun not yet appeared

Dark shadows cover the highlands

It is the season to be dry

 

The Rio Trentino meanders

Through the lower valley

Arching boughs over the water

Of a near dry river bed

Mist rises from the river

To mingle with the smoke

Of the breakfast fires

From the brick and mud chozas

 

The sky becomes enlightened

The mountains and highlands

Ghostly in the moving mist

Open fields cover the hillsides

In shades of green and brown

Ganado appear on the exposed hills

Flights of Garza wing overhead

Gleaming snow white in the mist

To land among the Ganado

Feeding on stirred up insects

As the Ganado graze

 

The air is alive

With flights of parrots

Flocking to the soybean fields

For their morning feed

The air is warming

The sun rays filtering

Through the shadowy mist

To enlighten the highlands

With bands of light

 

Black Vultures take to the skies

To catch the air thermos

Warming in the morning air

Gliding high above the land

Searching for carrion

The throaty haunting cries

Of the Congo monkeys

Echoes upon the mountains

As they feed upon fruit and leaves

High in the tree branches

Along the Rio Trentino River

 

The mist is thinning

A sun lit El Chile emerges

From the swirling mist

Regal and graceful behind

The rolling sunlit hills

Billowing white clouds appear

A golden glow enshrines

The rugged mountain scene

A momentary spectacle

That is soon lost

The wind is increasing

Blowing from the north

A haze now appears

With the mist frittering away

Leaving a hazy scene

As the morning advances