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 “Bumblebee And Red Clover 81021a” and is available for purchase by clicking the thumbnail and reaching out to me on the contact page.
The still warm air forecasts an afternoon rain as I roll down the window of the big blue truck. The late summer bloom brings the bumblebees out in search of the sweet rewards of pollination. Her fur is covered in little grains of golden treasures as she investigates each individual floret. She hasn’t got a worry in the world. Her only focus is on accepting that blessing which God himself has placed in such abundance. I’m always in awe of how healthy and carefree wildlife seems. All they require is there for the taking. I’m aware that there’s also times of struggle but in general they can peacefully go about their business with little bother. Perhaps that’s why I’m drawn to the natural world. In observing the life around me I think I can partake of their peace.
Good night friends and be blessed throughout your days.
Announcement 2.0
For those who have been following me on Facebook and know of the struggle content providers have to get circulation from big tech I’ve been recommending for people to adopt MeWe as a social media platform. One of the problems I’ve run into on MeWe is that people don’t know how to navigate the platform. So to help with that I’ve created a permanent page on my website as a basic Basic Beginner’s Guide To MeWe I’ve tried to anticipate all basic questions there and You can bookmark the page to have as a reference and if you have any questions or suggestions don’t hesitate to contact me. I do still have a day job and I help admin several pages on both platforms so replies might be a little slow but I will answer you.
We also have the Lloyd’s Lens Photography Discussion Group on MeWe that is set up as a fully functional community. There you’ll not only be able to see and connect with me but you can also make your own posts and interact with each other.
Hey Friends! Just a quick reminder that Lloyds Lens Photography is available for portraits!
To book me simply reach out using the Contact Page and we’ll set a date. If you’re within a 50 mile radius of Summersville West Virginia all travel fees are waived.
If you’re enjoying my blog and don’t want to miss a post then you can sign up for email alerts on my website.
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! Simplyuse 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.
Clicking on the photo takes you tohttps://www.zazzle.com/lloydslensphotos?rf=238248269630914251Lastly, 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 photographerThank you again for your support of my page!♥️
Hello Friends! Tonight’s Feature Image is titled “Tiny Blessings 80721” and is available for purchase by clicking the thumbnail and reaching out to me on the contact page.
I don’t really believe in the mundane and especially not when it comes to nature. Even the most common life is special in its own ways. The daisy fleabane is one of our most abundant wildflowers in Appalachia and the little sweat bees are everywhere. Though small the sweat bees actually do the lion’s share of pollination wildflowers and stone fruit such as cherry and peach. In fact about 30% of crops in the United States rely on the tiny wings of a sweat bee to carry pollen between flowers. Some plants are reliant solely on the smallest bees. And while this tiny little bee can’t make honey it does something that the honeybees can’t do. It’s called “buzz pollination”. The little sweat bees will hang on tight to a flower’s anther and vibrate its wings. This causes the flowers to release their pollen and some crops like potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, pumpkins and blueberries require buzz pollination to become fertile. You may see honeybees visit these crops but they only gather the pollen left behind by the tiny sweat bees and sip the nectar. Without sweat bees you can even forget about the cranberry sauce at Thanksgiving. And the daisy fleabane? Well, plants like daisy fleabane and Queen Anne’s Lace provide the little sweat bees with an abundance of forage. This helps keep the number of sweat bees up and thus the sweat bees pollinate more of the food crops we rely on. So before you reach for a bottle of weed killer when you see those broadleaf plants in your yard or flick the little sweat bees from your arm think about how they are feeding us in return for just a little space in our lives.
Good night friends and be blessed throughout your days.
Announcement 2.0
For those who have been following me on Facebook and know of the struggle content providers have to get circulation from big tech I’ve been recommending for people to adopt MeWe as a social media platform. One of the problems I’ve run into on MeWe is that people don’t know how to navigate the platform. So to help with that I’ve created a permanent page on my website as a basic Basic Beginner’s Guide To MeWe I’ve tried to anticipate all basic questions there and You can bookmark the page to have as a reference and if you have any questions or suggestions don’t hesitate to contact me. I do still have a day job and I help admin several pages on both platforms so replies might be a little slow but I will answer you.
We also have the Lloyd’s Lens Photography Discussion Group on MeWe that is set up as a fully functional community. There you’ll not only be able to see and connect with me but you can also make your own posts and interact with each other.
Hey Friends! Just a quick reminder that Lloyds Lens Photography is available for portraits!
To book me simply reach out using the Contact Page and we’ll set a date. If you’re within a 50 mile radius of Summersville West Virginia all travel fees are waived.
If you’re enjoying my blog and don’t want to miss a post then you can sign up for email alerts on my website.
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! Simplyuse 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.
Clicking on the photo takes you tohttps://www.zazzle.com/lloydslensphotos?rf=238248269630914251Lastly, 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 photographerThank you again for your support of my page!♥️
Hello Friends! Tonight’s Feature Image was taken specifically for Forage Friday and is titled “Devil’s Walking Stick 80521” and is available for purchase by clicking the thumbnail and reaching out to me on the contact page.
Please remember that Forage Friday is presented as trivia and not to be mistaken for medical advice. Always use great care when identifying any plants you intend to consume and always consult multiple sources for accuracy.
Our mountains are full of incredible wildlife. One of my favorite plants is the one with the foreboding name. “The Devil’s Walking Stick”. It’s always sounded like the title of a B movie to me but it’s the name most people associate with tonight’s Forage Friday plant. It’s also known by several other names like Angelica Tree, Devil’s Club and Hercules Club. That last one is a good example of why scientific names are more important for some plants than others because a completely different tree will completely different usages also goes by Hercules Club. But tonight we’re talking about Aralia Spinosa. Which actually fun to say. ( For those interested the other Hercules Club is Zanthoxylum cluva-herculis. Not the topic of tonight’s post.)
Now I’m going to give an extra caution tonight. I’ve always been told that the berries of Devil’s Walking Stick are toxic. And they can be mistaken for elderberries if you’re not paying attention. If eaten in sufficient quantities the berries will cause upset stomach and its the seeds that carry most of the toxins. The plant has been suspected of causing poisoning to livestock but they’re favorable to birds, deer and bears. And I have heard that Native Americans ate the berries but I would have to presume that they removed the seeds and only are small quantities. Until I learn otherwise I’ll abstain from the berries myself.
However, in early Spring the shoots of the amazing leaves are edible raw or cooked and often used in aisian cooking. They are kinda special. The Devil’s Walking Stick has the largest leaves of any native plants. In fact most people mistake the leaf stem for branches.
A single compound leaf of The Devil’s Walking Stick.
The individual leaves can grow to be almost four feet long. When mature the stem is covered in thorns. If you double check tonight’s Feature Image you’ll see that the entire tree is bristling with rings of thorns. I’ve accidentally grabbed the trunk of this small tree to steady myself on a hillside just like this one and it’s a mistake you don’t want to duplicate!
The leaf of Aralia Spinosa attaches directly to the trunk. This tree has no branches.
I know that most of the people are looking at the photos and not believing that size of the leaf on such a small tree. That’s because it’s a compound leaf. It’s attached directly to the trunk so the tree has no need of branches. The winter form of the tree is kinda sad but the rest of time they are absolutely gorgeous! I missed getting a photo of the flowers but they’re equally impressive and have a lemony scent. If you keep bees then the Devil’s Walking Stick is a great option for honeybee forage as well.
Where this plant really takes its place is in herbalism. Aralia Spinosa is a member of the ginseng family. Here I feel the need to remind the reader that this is being presented as trivia and not medical advice. Also be aware that in addition to thorns this plant has a toxin that can sensitive skin to develop a rash.
A tincture made from the berries was a traditional treatment for toothache and rheumatism. Again I presume that the toxic seeds were removed prior to processing.
The roots were made into a poultice and applied to boils and other hard to heal sores as well as varicose veins.
For the most part it was the inner bark that was used. It was peeled and some was dried to be used in tea that promotes sweating. Fresh bark is strongly emetic and purgative.
History records that the roots were actually made into an eye wash. This surprised me because of all the irritation warnings associated with aralia spinosa.
This is very young Aralia Spinosa but it shows how the leaves spread out.
My closing thoughts are that this is another plant that has potential in the hands of a qualified expert but other than the edible young leaves probably should be avoided by a novice.
Good night friends and be blessed throughout your days.
Announcement 2.0
For those who have been following me on Facebook and know of the struggle content providers have to get circulation from big tech I’ve been recommending for people to adopt MeWe as a social media platform. One of the problems I’ve run into on MeWe is that people don’t know how to navigate the platform. So to help with that I’ve created a permanent page on my website as a basic Basic Beginner’s Guide To MeWe I’ve tried to anticipate all basic questions there and You can bookmark the page to have as a reference and if you have any questions or suggestions don’t hesitate to contact me. I do still have a day job and I help admin several pages on both platforms so replies might be a little slow but I will answer you.
We also have the Lloyd’s Lens Photography Discussion Group on MeWe that is set up as a fully functional community. There you’ll not only be able to see and connect with me but you can also make your own posts and interact with each other.
Hey Friends! Just a quick reminder that Lloyds Lens Photography is available for portraits!
To book me simply reach out using the Contact Page and we’ll set a date. If you’re within a 50 mile radius of Summersville West Virginia all travel fees are waived.
If you’re enjoying my blog and don’t want to miss a post then you can sign up for email alerts on my website.
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! Simplyuse 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.
Clicking on the photo takes you tohttps://www.zazzle.com/lloydslensphotos?rf=238248269630914251Lastly, 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 photographerThank you again for your support of my page!♥️
Hello Friends! Tonight’s Feature Image is titled “Late Summer Sweetness 80521” and is available for purchase by clicking the thumbnail and reaching out to me on the contact page.
Long mornings and early evenings slowly creep back into the mountains. Not so much that you’d notice right away but in another month or two the midday will seem very short. Subtle changes in the flow of the light begin to wake up Joe-Pye-Weed as it forms it’s pink cloud-like blossoms. It seems to tower above the all the other plants except for the trees. Although the flowers are just beginning to bud the sweet scent already surrounds the spots in which they grow. The little bumblebees can’t resist that promise of the nectar that crave so vigorously and are already exploring the blooms to scout out their claims. I wouldn’t be surprised if one day science discovered that these early visitations are a form of grooming that bloom. And that the best worked flowers produced the sweetest nectar and most potent pollen. Neither would it be a surprise to find that the bees mark these flowers in some way so that they know what plants they’ve groomed. My childlike imagination sees the little bees indexing each individual floret and saying to herself, “that one’s mine, that one’s mine, that one’s mine…”. She has an innocence of her own as she claims the whole plant and moves on to the next one as the soft morning ebbs towards noon.
Good night friends and be blessed throughout your days.
Announcement 2.0
For those who have been following me on Facebook and know of the struggle content providers have to get circulation from big tech I’ve been recommending for people to adopt MeWe as a social media platform. One of the problems I’ve run into on MeWe is that people don’t know how to navigate the platform. So to help with that I’ve created a permanent page on my website as a basic Basic Beginner’s Guide To MeWe I’ve tried to anticipate all basic questions there and You can bookmark the page to have as a reference and if you have any questions or suggestions don’t hesitate to contact me. I do still have a day job and I help admin several pages on both platforms so replies might be a little slow but I will answer you.
We also have the Lloyd’s Lens Photography Discussion Group on MeWe that is set up as a fully functional community. There you’ll not only be able to see and connect with me but you can also make your own posts and interact with each other.
Hey Friends! Just a quick reminder that Lloyds Lens Photography is available for portraits!
To book me simply reach out using the Contact Page and we’ll set a date. If you’re within a 50 mile radius of Summersville West Virginia all travel fees are waived.
If you’re enjoying my blog and don’t want to miss a post then you can sign up for email alerts on my website.
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! Simplyuse 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.
Clicking on the photo takes you tohttps://www.zazzle.com/lloydslensphotos?rf=238248269630914251Lastly, 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 photographerThank you again for your support of my page!♥️
Hello Friends! Tonight’s Feature Image is titled “Tranquil Crossings 80521” and is available for purchase by clicking the thumbnail and reaching out to me on the contact page.
Warm breezes ascend from the New River Gorge as I stand on the edge of the overlook in envy of the Hawks. They call it a Bird’s-eye view and I would agree with the exception that a bird could so easily catch the wind and force it to take him to any point on the horizon. I’ve mentioned before that as a child I would open my jacket and pretend that I was flying through this very canyon. That was one fantasy. The other was based a little more on science. A giant paper airplane! One that I could launch from this very spot and glide all the way to Fayetteville. Or beyond if the thermals were right. I could imagine myself leaning to one side or the other to control my craft. Maybe I would even do a loop or two around the New River Gorge Bridge before sailing off into parts unknown. In my imaginations I can feel the wind on my face as I wave to the people below. Eventually I would have to land but in a child’s mind it’s no big deal. I’d just land on a train and ride it back home. Never lose those childhood imaginations. Who knows, at the rate technology is going I very well could climb into a drone that looks like a giant paper airplane one day and ride the same winds as the hawks through the Gorge.
Good night friends and be blessed throughout your days.
Announcement 2.0
For those who have been following me on Facebook and know of the struggle content providers have to get circulation from big tech I’ve been recommending for people to adopt MeWe as a social media platform. One of the problems I’ve run into on MeWe is that people don’t know how to navigate the platform. So to help with that I’ve created a permanent page on my website as a basic Basic Beginner’s Guide To MeWe I’ve tried to anticipate all basic questions there and You can bookmark the page to have as a reference and if you have any questions or suggestions don’t hesitate to contact me. I do still have a day job and I help admin several pages on both platforms so replies might be a little slow but I will answer you.
We also have the Lloyd’s Lens Photography Discussion Group on MeWe that is set up as a fully functional community. There you’ll not only be able to see and connect with me but you can also make your own posts and interact with each other.
Hey Friends! Just a quick reminder that Lloyds Lens Photography is available for portraits!
To book me simply reach out using the Contact Page and we’ll set a date. If you’re within a 50 mile radius of Summersville West Virginia all travel fees are waived.
If you’re enjoying my blog and don’t want to miss a post then you can sign up for email alerts on my website.
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! Simplyuse 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.
Clicking on the photo takes you tohttps://www.zazzle.com/lloydslensphotos?rf=238248269630914251Lastly, 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 photographerThank you again for your support of my page!♥️
LLOYD'S LENS PHOTOGRAPHY LLC 