The Hawk’s Nest State Park overlook is one of my favorite places. When I was a small child I lived next door in Lovers Leap,West Virginia. The cut stone and general architecture reminds me of an old world castle wall. In contrast, I still think the coin operated binoculars look like a robot from a 1950s science fiction film. The old gnarled tree in early Spring provides an interesting focal point. In the valley below is the New River. The New River is one of only three rivers in the world that flows from South to North. I love to stop and walk out onto the overlook and feel the wind blowing up from the gorge below. This is what it feels like to be on top of the world.
Category: Back and White Photography
Sunday… A day of hope
Okay, so I have written this and started over.
Then I didn’t like the way it sounded so I erased it and started over.
But, my writing wasn’t perfect so I deleted and started over.
And once again it wasn’t making sense so I started over.
Eventually I realized what God was trying to point out to me. Sunday is about a chance to start over. To delete the mistakes and have a fresh start. Christianity is about having the opportunity to allow Jesus Christ to erase all our sin and let us start over. It’s not just on Sundays, it’s every hour of every day for as long as it takes to be restored. That is the hope we celebrate on Sundays. That’s the hope we live with every day.
Image was taken in Deepwater West Virginia which is in Fayette County.
The Orange Story
One of Christmas traditions that my family practices is peppermint candy and oranges. Every year my grandfather would buy a crate of oranges and bag them up with peppermint candy to hand out to friends and family. This was the thing he looked the most forward to every year. The story behind this gifting tradition goes back to the Great Depression. He came from a large family and during those times almost nothing was bought from the store. They played with hand carved wooden toys. They wore handmade clothes. The food was raised and harvested at home. An exotic fruit like the orange was a luxury. But his father would splurge at Christmas and there was enough money for each child to have one orange and a large piece of peppermint candy. One year one of his sisters had just finished peeling her orange and dropped it into the dirt. My grandfather couldn’t allow her to go without Christmas and gave her his orange. The simple act of sacrifice became an expression of love every year. The true meaning of Christmas is sacrificial love. The original gift that was given was the child in manger who grew up to hang on a cross and restore to us that which was lost.
EntwinedÂ
We grow as one.
We live as one.
We strive together ever upwards.
I will carry you to the sky, you will keep me rooted in the earth.
We are more than friends.
We are more than lovers.
We are one life, one path, one determination.
We are entwined.
Coin Operated Binoculars 1
I love the coin opreated binoculars at Hawks Nest State Park in West Virginia. When I was a kid they reminded me of robots from a 1950s science fiction movie. Maybe it’s the chrome in combination with the lenses but I can’t help but think “Take me to your leader” when I see them.
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