I am a West Virginia native who has always loved photography. I have studied it for many years. I recently turned my hobby into a business. I do event photography, senior and family portraits. I also have several home décor prints and items available for purchase. Some of my photos have been used for book covers. I hope to soon have an on line store at this site.
Hello Friends! Tonight’s feature image is titled “The Gathering 42820a” and is available for purchase by the instructions at the bottom of the article.
The midmorning sun beckons them with a golden smile. They seem to come out from everywhere. The come from the oaks and maples. They come from the violets and Trilliums. The sunbeams draw them like the piper’s tune. The gathering has begun. Dark cloaks are adorned with markings of each house as they lightly settle onto the earth. I sometimes wonder if they hold court while they mine the wet sand for their precious salt. Do they set the rules for territory as the sleeping blooms begin to rise from the ground and into their days of glory? Or do they simply accept what the creator of all things has provided? The cold heart of science describes aerial combat and vanquished rivals even among the most seemingly peaceful of creatures. And yet here in my lens there appears no rivals on the common ground. No grudges held over past offense and no jealousy between the broods. Nature values balance in all things.
Hey Friends! Just a quick reminder that Lloyds Lens Photography is available for portraits!
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
Tobook me simply reach out using theContact Pageand we’ll set a date. If you’re within a 50 mile radius of Summersville West Virginia all travel fees are waived.
Hello Friends and thank you for your support of my page. If you have enjoyed the photos or the writings please let me know by commenting and sharing my work on your social media. I also want to invite you to Follow Lloyds Lens Photography on Facebook
If you would like to Follow me on Facebook the web address is
Did you know that I also do portraits by appointment? If you’re interested in a portrait session either message me on Facebook or Use the Contact form. The YouTube link below takes you one of my slideshows.
I’m now using Zazzle to fulfil orders. What this means for you is a secure way to place an order, discount codes & a broader product selection! Simplymessage me on Facebookoruse the contact form on my websiteand tell me which image you want and I’ll reply with a direct link to where you can place the order.
Lastly, all of the photos and writings are my original work unless otherwise specified and are not to be copied or reproduced without expressed written permission from the photographer
Hello Friends! Tonight’s feature image is titled “Elm 5920” and was taken especially for Forage Friday. All of the photos on my blog are my original work and are available for purchase by the instructions at the bottom of the article.
Disclaimer: This week’s Forage Friday post deals with a plant that is mostly gathered for its herbalism value. The information is only presented as trivia and should not be mistaken for an endorsement of treatment. Ad always, I encourage you to do your own research and seek the advice of a professional for any medical conditions.
There are few trees in North America that are more majestic than a mature elm tree. The tree has a beautiful spreading canopy that reminds me of an open umbrella.
Image Titled “Tipple Elm On Route 60” shows the spread of an American Elm
Even in it’s damaged state the mature elm near a coal tipple outside of Montgomery, West Virginia has a majestic canopy.
The American Elm is capable of reaching a height of 120 feet tall. That’s a little taller than a 10 story building. By contrast, the Japanese make beautful Bonsai trees from elms.
When I started reading about elms for tonight’s post I was actually a little surprised to find that the elm in general has such rich and vibrant history. In 1765 the first meetings of resistance to the British taxes took place under an American Elm in Boston, Massachusetts. That particular tree was the actual “Liberty Tree” referenced by the Founding Fathers. In 1775 the British felled that tree which lead to proliferation of the American Elm being planted as Liberty Trees and even the elm being used on some of the first revolutionary flags.
Elm wood has an interlocking grain that makes it really stable and dimensionally sound. That made it a great wood for things like bows and wheels. Elm chariots were found in a military inventory list in ancient Greece and Greek plows had parts made from elm wood. Elm rots on the ground like any other wood but it’s apparently able to resist rotting in water. Because of this it was prized for building ships and was even the material of choice for the original London Bridge.
When we talk about elm in a Foraging we’re usually referring to slippery elm which also called red elm. It’s the inner bark where the all the medicinal value is. The bark is mucilaginous and has a mild spicy flavor. It was used to treat a wide variety of complaints from simple coughs and colds to bullet wounds. It seems that Native Americans used both white and red elm for the same purposes.
Oddly enough, the FDA has actually given the stamp of Approval for elm bark to used in treating sore throat.
The inner bark has been dried and ground into powder for use as food by many cultures. It’s said that a broth made from elms is good for convalescing children and elders.
In 1812 the Norwegians used strips of elm bark to get through a famine. According to the Wikipedia article elm bark contains 45% crude protein and less than 7% fiber. I have to presume that the rest is carbohydrates. The inner bark of various kinds of trees are used similarly and having actually tasted a few I’m going to say that the pleasant flavor of elm bark could make it a good addition to the others that are not so pleasant.
While we tend to think of foraging as a human activity we also have to recognize that animals need to eat to. Especially if those animals are intended to sustain us in some way. Again, elm turns up as an option there as well. In the Himalayan mountains elm is,so popular as a good fodder for livestock that there’s concern about deforestation. I have a belief that this would be an easy problem to overcome with good propagation techniques and paddock rotation. Elm seems to coppice well and it’s a pretty fast growing tree. I have one that reached a height of 15 feet tall in 8 short years and that’s with me trimming it back every so often.
All of this is really just scratching the surface of what elm trees have to offer and that’s without going into detail about Dutch Elm Disease that has almost taken away the American Elm like Chestnut blight took the American Chestnut. But perhaps we’ll save that for a different post.
Hey Friends! Just a quick reminder that Lloyds Lens Photography is available for portraits!
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
Tobook me simply reach out using theContact Pageand we’ll set a date. If you’re within a 50 mile radius of Summersville West Virginia all travel fees are waived.
Hello Friends and thank you for your support of my page. If you have enjoyed the photos or the writings please let me know by commenting and sharing my work on your social media. I also want to invite you to Follow Lloyds Lens Photography on Facebook
If you would like to Follow me on Facebook the web address is
Did you know that I also do portraits by appointment? If you’re interested in a portrait session either message me on Facebook or Use the Contact form. The YouTube link below takes you one of my slideshows.
I’m now using Zazzle to fulfil orders. What this means for you is a secure way to place an order, discount codes & a broader product selection! Simplymessage me on Facebookoruse the contact form on my websiteand tell me which image you want and I’ll reply with a direct link to where you can place the order.
Lastly, all of the photos and writings are my original work unless otherwise specified and are not to be copied or reproduced without expressed written permission from the photographer
Hello Friends! Tonight’s feature image is titled “Virginia Pine In Bloom 5220” and is available for purchase by the instructions at the bottom of the article.
The big blue truck idles slowly through the forest edge to the bench where my wife and I had a mobile home parked early in ourlife together. I had refused to move the small pines when they were only a few inches tall. We moved from that spot decades ago and now these pines form a privacy shelter for the site.
In mid Spring in our area the pine sends out clouds of airborne pollen that coats everything. In some years we joke about the Department of Highways needing to bring out the snow plows and clear that pollen from the roads.
Image Titled “Virginia Pine 5220b”
They are really just getting started in these photos. I have seen days when the breeze would pick up and the pollen coming from the pines looked like smoke rising into the air. They really go into production in a few weeks. The pine pollen can be real trouble for those of us who suffer from allergies but there might be a little benefit from all that yellow stuff floating in the air. Some herbalists say that pine pollen not only stimulates the immune system ( thus the allergic reaction) but might also prevent some types of cancer, increase testosterone levels, promote weight loss and lower blood pressure. ( This is according to a quickie Google search and only presented as trivia)
I asked Google how much pine pollen humans ingest per year without trying to but she didn’t seem to have an answer. I suspect that it’s quite a bit because there’s so much of it this time of year. The loblolly pine (not pictured ) can produce as much as 5 pounds of pollen per season per tree. When you consider that my home state of West Virginia is the third most forested state in the USA that’s a lot of pines pumping pollen into the air. We have to be getting enough to have a little effect on our nutrition.
As I ponder the oncoming pollen storm provided by the pines in my area I decided to head back to the house and make sure that my snow shovel was accessible. Just in case the pollen falls overnight. 😉
Hey Friends! Just a quick reminder that Lloyds Lens Photography is available for portraits!
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
Tobook me simply reach out using theContact Pageand we’ll set a date. If you’re within a 50 mile radius of Summersville West Virginia all travel fees are waived.
Hello Friends and thank you for your support of my page. If you have enjoyed the photos or the writings please let me know by commenting and sharing my work on your social media. I also want to invite you to Follow Lloyds Lens Photography on Facebook
If you would like to Follow me on Facebook the web address is
Did you know that I also do portraits by appointment? If you’re interested in a portrait session either message me on Facebook or Use the Contact form. The YouTube link below takes you one of my slideshows.
I’m now using Zazzle to fulfil orders. What this means for you is a secure way to place an order, discount codes & a broader product selection! Simplymessage me on Facebookoruse the contact form on my websiteand tell me which image you want and I’ll reply with a direct link to where you can place the order.
Lastly, all of the photos and writings are my original work unless otherwise specified and are not to be copied or reproduced without expressed written permission from the photographer
Hello Friends! Tonight’s feature image is titled “Buttercup 5920” and is available for purchase by the instructions at the bottom of the article.
There was test that all Appalachian kids had to pass. In the Spring when the Buttercups were in bloom we had to pass a trial by nature in order to find the answer to one of life’s most important questions. “Do you like butter?” If the buttercup casts a yellow glow onto your chin then all who were gathered could see that the answer was yes. Amazingly, everyone passed! We all liked butter. Not margarine ( which is now referred to as “plant butter”.) It had to be “actual butter from the utter”.
Those were the days when magic was real. A buckeye in your pocket was a sure way to have good luck and a Granddaddy long legs ( also known as a harvestmen) could certainly point you in the direction of lost cattle.
Every Spring my lawn is blessed with a carpet of Buttercups. The bright yellow polka dots always make me feel like a kid again. And while the buttercup’s powers of divination are based on childhood games and excuses to giggle they do still have the magical ability to make me smile.
Hey Friends! Just a quick reminder that Lloyds Lens Photography is available for portraits!
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
Tobook me simply reach out using theContact Pageand we’ll set a date. If you’re within a 50 mile radius of Summersville West Virginia all travel fees are waived.
Hello Friends and thank you for your support of my page. If you have enjoyed the photos or the writings please let me know by commenting and sharing my work on your social media. I also want to invite you to Follow Lloyds Lens Photography on Facebook
If you would like to Follow me on Facebook the web address is
Did you know that I also do portraits by appointment? If you’re interested in a portrait session either message me on Facebook or Use the Contact form. The YouTube link below takes you one of my slideshows.
I’m now using Zazzle to fulfil orders. What this means for you is a secure way to place an order, discount codes & a broader product selection! Simplymessage me on Facebookoruse the contact form on my websiteand tell me which image you want and I’ll reply with a direct link to where you can place the order.
Lastly, all of the photos and writings are my original work unless otherwise specified and are not to be copied or reproduced without expressed written permission from the photographer
Hello Friends! Tonight’s feature image is titled “Dogwood Flowers 5220a” and is available for purchase by the instructions at the bottom of the article.
The crystal blue sky is flawless as I ease my way up the old logging road towards the spot where I used to play as a kid. I’m amazed at how much the landscape gas changed in 40 years. Once, there was only the trees and bushes on either side of the road and the road itself was mostly compacted mud. The trees formed a little dome here and in the middle of the road was a large puddle. It was only a few inches deep but it seemed to be 20 feet across. It was about this time of year that we’d start finding frog’s eggs floating in huge masses. We’d catch tadpoles and newts to be a pet for the day here. As I looked around at all the changes one of the consistencies was the Dogwood Flowers. I used to mark the spots where I found them because I knew that there would be a Dogwood snag close by. When a Dogwood tree dies naturally it tends to stand for a while and only the butt of the tree rots. The result is a walking stick that you can just break off at ground level. Then, you wedge the top of the tree between two larger trees and you can break that pretty accurately. The Dogwood stick wasn’t really as strong as one that was cut and cured but it was strong enough for a young boy on a day hike.
Image Titled “Dogwood Flowers 5220b”
Today, I mostly appreciate the Dogwood for its beautiful flowers but during the time when I actually had to use a cane the one I carried most was made from a Dogwood that was taken from this very spot. At some point in my youth I decided that I wanted a hiking stick that was a little nicer than the ones that I would just pick. So I got out a hatchet and cut a nice straight one. It was actually too large to be practical but this was my first woodworking project. I took it home where my dad and grandfather helped me to peel it and sand it down smooth. Even today I find something therapeutic about sanding wood. The end of the stick finally cracked several years ago so I cut it down again and put a regular handle on it. I still have it today. It occasionally sees use but for the most part it’s now a carrier of my memories.
Hey Friends! Just a quick reminder that Lloyds Lens Photography is available for portraits!
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
Tobook me simply reach out using theContact Pageand we’ll set a date. If you’re within a 50 mile radius of Summersville West Virginia all travel fees are waived.
Hello Friends and thank you for your support of my page. If you have enjoyed the photos or the writings please let me know by commenting and sharing my work on your social media. I also want to invite you to Follow Lloyds Lens Photography on Facebook
If you would like to Follow me on Facebook the web address is
Did you know that I also do portraits by appointment? If you’re interested in a portrait session either message me on Facebook or Use the Contact form. The YouTube link below takes you one of my slideshows.
I’m now using Zazzle to fulfil orders. What this means for you is a secure way to place an order, discount codes & a broader product selection! Simplymessage me on Facebookoruse the contact form on my websiteand tell me which image you want and I’ll reply with a direct link to where you can place the order.
Lastly, all of the photos and writings are my original work unless otherwise specified and are not to be copied or reproduced without expressed written permission from the photographer
LLOYD'S LENS PHOTOGRAPHY LLC 