Just love the Joshua Tree National Park. The Dr. Seuss like trees just make me smile. Being there, just a thrill.
Thundering /
Bridal Veil Falls at Yosemite.
First - almost! /
This is one of the first trip digital photographs I ever took. It is at a Frank Lloyd Wright house, Falling Waters, in the Laurel Highlands of Western Pennsylvania. The house was built in 1935 for the Kaufmann family - prominent merchants in Pittsburgh. Loved going to the downtown Kaufmann store growing up in Pittsburgh area with lunch at the Tic Toc Room. American Institute of Architects named Fallingwater the "best all-time work of American architecture." It was opened to tours in 1964. Worth a trip.
BYW the camera was a Nikon 40 that was never off "auto."
River Walk /
We took about a 2 mile hike along the Pee Dee River at Morrow Mountain State Park in NC. It was actually along now what is called Tillery Lake. It was nice for about the first mile than it was not well maintained. There were lots of fallen trees to clamber over, steep and crumbling path at the edge of the river and super hot, even before nine. We ended about 300 yards from the dam and watched scores of Osprey diving for food and some GBH as well. We were advised to watch for rattle snakes as they were "on the move" and with all the rocks and roots we were cautious as well as hot.
Nice start at the parking lot.
One of several skittish Great Blue Heron
Nice Osprey, about 150 feet was as close as one got
The dam, turn around point
Reed /
On a low mountain at Morrow Mountain State Park on a hot and humid evening a hazy sun sets.
"He will not crush the weakest reed or put out a flickering candle. He will bring justice to all who have been wronged." Isaiah 42:3 NLT
Colonial Williamsburg Uber /
Need a ride? A nice lazy summer day's trip available at Colonial Williamsburg is a great way to see the town.
Drama Desk (2 photos) /
American novelist Eugene O'Neill, Nobel laureate in Literature, wrote at this desk while he lived at Tao House, his home near Danville, CA. It was here he wrote: The Iceman Cometh, Long Day's Journey into Night, and A Moon for the Misbegotten. His personal life mirrored the tragic and difficult people he wrote about. His marriages and his children did not fare too well. The daughter, Oona, he disowned because at 18 she married the 54 year-old Charlie Chaplin, actually lived longer and more fruitful life than her two siblings both of whom committed suicide. The second photo is of the living room just off the den where he wrote. The home is beautiful in a idyllic setting and a far cry from the lives lived here. It is a National Park site but rarely visited. There were 3971 visitors for 2017 the year we were there.
Welcome Landmark /
Scotts Bluff (usually with no apostrophe) in Western Nebraska was one of the primary waypoints on the Oregon and Mormon trails. Rising steeply 800 feet over the Platte River, it was an important guide and point of reference as the pioneers needed to be over the Rocky Mountains before winter, this aided them by knowing arrival here beyond a certain date they likely would not make it that year. The road up makes this sweeping curve and then through a tunnel. At the base you can walk beside ruts from the thousands of wagons that made this journey west.
Ahoy (2 photos) /
Since I mentioned Bernard, Maine, yesterday I thought I would show a couple of the lobster "shacks" on the shore of Bass Harbor.
Safe Harbor /
This is another panorama shot - taken at Bass Harbor, Maine. The village of Bass Harbor is on the right side and the village of Bernard on the left side. A favorite lobster pound, Thurston's is in Bernard and an excellent harbor side restaurant in Bass Harbor, The Seafood Ketch. Both will show up in Eats! someday.
Foggy Mountain Breakdown /
Well, we didn't but it still reminded me of that Blue Grass song first done in 1949. This is the famed Linn Cove Viaduct - the last section of the Blue Ridge Parkway to be completed. It opened in the 1980's and cost over 10 million dollars. This shot is from the start of the north end with fog rapidly cutting the view to zero in about five minutes. I like how the road just disappears. And if you don't know the story of Foggy Mountain Breakdown, check out this from NPR:
https://www.npr.org/2000/04/01/1072355/npr-100-earl-scruggs
If you don't know the song listen here and watch for some folks you might know:
Emmense /
You can feel a bit insignificant standing alone on the edge of Death Valley. The white in the photo is not clouds but salt on the valley floor.
"It is God alone who judges; he decides who will rise and who will fall."
Psalms 75:7 NLT
What a State /
The Barter Theatre is the official State Theatre of Virginia and is a very special place, a real treasure in Virginia. It opened in 1933 and is one of the very last professional year-round repertory theatres in the United States. The current building was extensively renovated in 1996 but was originally Sinking Springs Presbyterian Church built in 1833, is the second-oldest theatrical building in the United States and the oldest continuing theatre. It is worth the trip to watch a play in this venue and you have lots of super options for dinner, crafts, music and more in Abingdon.
Superior Sunset /
That is Lake Superior at the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. Lake Superior was a gorgeous deep blue and the sunsets both night were quite nice. The lake is rather clear and a neat activity was a boat tour over other vessels sunk in the strong storms that are characteristic of the lake.
Just a Reminder... /
...it is not always hot. Amish winter washday. Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.
Color Palette /
On a ridge with a steep canyon between this vantage point and a portion of Artist Point. Death Valley continues to enthrall.
Box n' Bug (3 photos) /
This is the end of the Ice Box Canyon trail near Las Vegas. The trail is about 2 miles long and ends at this rock wall with a series of three pools. I am at the second about 20 feet up the third was just past the light rock and the first near the floor of the canyon. The second photo is from the same spot looking back down the trail It was a neat place and I saw my first "in-the-wild tarantula.
Death Valley /
The white substance on the floor of the valley is salt. You are looking at the lowest place, 230+ feet below sea level in the US. Death Valley is breathtaking. I just loved the park and really anxious to return and see much more of it than is possible in a couple of days. This view only shows a small portion of the park.
Bird Week VI: The Desert /
We end our sixth bird week with this non-desert species found in the desert this day, once again at the Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve. This is an male Northern Shoveler in breeding plumage. A striking bird. They feed by skimming water with their beak.
"We were filled with laughter, and we sang for joy.
And the other nations said,
'What amazing things the Lord has done for them.'
Yes, the Lord has done amazing things for us! What joy!
Restore our fortunes, Lord, as streams renew the desert." Psalm 126:3,4 NLT
Bird Week VI: The Desert /
This curious bird is another resident of the Henderson Bird Viewing Venue Preserve - see yesterday's post. He is called a Crissal Thrasher and is found in southern Nevada and the southern deserts of CA, AZ and NM. They are usually hard to spot, being secretive and preferring dense brush however, no one told this specimen. He was happily singing out in the walkway for several minutes. My first spotting of this bird.
