Hello friends! Tonight’s feature image is titled “Wild Geranium 4220” and is available for purchase by the instructions at the bottom of the article.
New Life rises from the forest floor as the Cardnials call a tune for the sun. All over the mountain the green things are filling the view. At my feet I noticed the tiny purple buds presented to the world. The wild geranium is a great source of joy in the Appalachian Spring. It’s usually among the first plants to rise and bring color to my world.
Wild Geranium 33020a
They always inspired contentment with the changing season.
I take the opportunity to just sit among them and enjoy the real world as a part of creation and not just in creation.
Hey Friends! Just a quick reminder that graduation will be here before you know it. Lloyds Lens Photography is available for portraits!
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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 “Christmas Fern Fiddlehead 4220”. All of the photos are my original work and are available for purchase by the instructions at the bottom of the article.
Springtime on my mountain is a magical world where the primeval forest rises from the muddy earth to live again. Among the tiny wildflowers and mushrooms what looks like an alien lifeform rises from its slumber.
Fiddleheads In Black and white 4220b
These are wild Christmas Ferns. Now, I was recently asked about edible Fiddleheads and to be honest they’re something that I have never messed with. My understanding is that you should never eat the fuzzy Fiddleheads and that you should always limit your consumption of any fern because they do have some carcinogens that build up if too much is eaten at once.
The ferns in general are pretty thick here and it does give the impression that a tiny T-Rex could emerge from forest floor at any time.
A colony of Fiddleheads
Sometime in the summer the ferns will form spores and be carried by wind and rain to new locations but only a few will find just the right spot to germinate and grow.
Fiddlehead under yellow birch 4220
I have been told that this particular variety of Fiddleheads should be an indication that Moral Mushrooms are present but to date I have not found them yet.
But I do have the beautiful spirals of the Christmas Ferns and the lush greenery that they will produce in the next few weeks.
Christmas Fern Fiddlehead 4220 in black and white.
Hey Friends! Just a quick reminder that graduation will be here before you know it. Lloyds Lens Photography is available for portraits!
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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 “Easter Lilies 32120” and is available for purchase by the instructions at the bottom of the article.
Certainly Easter Sunday 2020 will live in our memories for a long time. Up until now, I have purposefully avoided talking about Covid 19 on my blog. I’ve done so because I wanted my photos and stories to be a place where people can escape the major concerns of the day and find some peace of mind. But tonight I feel the need to acknowledge the world situation. Tonight, Christian people from all over the world find themselves facing the reality that the cherished tradition of a sunrise service on Easter Sunday is distributed. There will be live broadcasts on social media and we’ll make the best of the situation but it won’t really be the same. In short, We’re having a “Day 2 experience”.
When Christians celebrate the passion of Christ we talk about the crucifixion and we rejoice the Resurrection. However, we don’t really seem to give much thought to the day between these two events.
Day 2 had to be the darkest day in Christianity. The Messiah had been publicly executed and sealed in a tomb. He was betrayed by one of his own. His followers including the 12 disciples had been scattered and were in hiding. For all they knew the soldiers would come for them next. And, this all occurred in the middle of a disaster. The bible says that when Jesus died the sky turned black and the earth shook.
Today, we have this pandemic that will keep most of us secluded. We hide our faces when we go out. We’re threatened with forced quarantine if we assemble together. It is indeed a dark day in history… But just wait. Day 3 is near. On day 3 we get the greatest miracle of them all. The Light returns. The Light that is the life of all men.
When we read the biblical account day 3 is somber at first but it ends in joy. And so this Easter I want to encourage you to be strong of heart. The season of darkness and the sickness that plagues us is coming to a close. Our lives will change and it’s likely that we’ll have to deal with aftermath but eventually that too will pass. We have God’s promise that the end will be better than the beginning so we can look forward and live in hope that He will perform what He promised.
Hey Friends! Just a quick reminder that graduation will be here before you know it. 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 “Mayapple 33020a”. Tonight’s photos were taken just 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.
Tonight’s Forage Friday post is a plant that has been known to cause fatalities. While extracts from Mayapple are used in modern pharmaceutical preparations this one is definitely not for home remedies.
In early Spring one of the first green plants to burst through the leaf litter is the Mayapple. The only edible part is the fully ripe fruit and even then the seeds must be removed. Something that I have never tried because as soon as they ripen the wildlife snatches them up. In fact I’ve only seen the ripe fruit once in my life and it had already been nibbled. So no Mayapple taste tests for me.
“Mayapple 32420”
When the shoots first come up the twin leaves are wrapped around the stem and the marble sized flower bud has already formed. They’ve always reminded me of the stereotype vampire wrapped in a cloak at this point.
In the past I’ve mentioned that some plants may not be good as forage for food but that they are a more of wild cash crop and that’s where Mayapple comes in on my forage plant list. The plant contains a cytostatic substance called Podophyllotoxin that was once part of a drug that was used topically to remove warts. But because it is a substance that inhibits cell growth it’s being researched for possible use in treating cancers. If you can locate a buyer they usually buy it by the pound. The top search result on Google comes from August of 2019 and shows $4.00/lbs. Ginseng normally goes for around $600 to $800/lbs and at first it sounds like a low price for Mayapple but when look at the time and energy invested in harvest Mayapple pays off in the lbs/hr.
An emerging colony of Mayapple
Mayapple grows in large colonies that at times can cover the whole mountainside with lush green foliage. Whereas Ginseng is more commonly found as a single plant here and there. So when you figure the time investment Ginseng might not even pay minimum wage.
A colony of Mayapple almost ready to bloom.
Mayapple grows from a long thin rhizome. What looks like a colony might actually be single plant. The vine-like root system is connected with the rest of the forest by mycorrhizal fungus that transports nutrients to the roots and even may carry chemical messages between the herbaceous layer and the trees towering above. (For more about how plants talk to each other check out this article on LingQ)
If you choose to make Mayapple into cash crop it’s this root that the buyers want. Some will buy it freshly dug but most want it cleaned up and dried. Always wash the roots in cold water and hang them up to dry out of direct sunlight and with plenty of air flow to avoid mold from forming. It’s common for this type of root to lose 7 times it’s harvest mass in the drying process. When the root is brittle enough to snap without bending it’s done. A preservation tip is to store it in paper and not plastic. It needs to breathe to prevent mold. If you think about the bagged salad from the grocery store it usually gets slimy after a few days and that’s what’s going on happen to Mayapple roots if you put them in plastic. ( A great idea that works to keep salad fresh is to place a paper towel or napkin in the bag. )
Timing is also important for harvesting Mayapple roots. Most buyers will want roots that were harvested in September and October because that’s when it’s most potent.
Native Americans used Mayapple for various treatments but it’s just too toxic for me to be comfortable with. But as a way to gain a little extra spending money it can be a great natural resource.
Hey Friends! Just a quick reminder that graduation will be here before you know it. 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 “Napping Violet 4220” and is available for purchase by the instructions at the bottom of the article.
Violet didn’t feel particularly blue today. In fact she was her cheerful sunny self. However, being a bright personality all the time was hard work and even though she hadn’t left her bed all day she was tired. So she laid down for a nap. The small twig on the forest floor made a perfect pillow for her head. Her life was simple and yet wild at the same time. In the past she had considered a move away from the mountains but her roots were just too deep here. No, she would stay where she was planted. After all, it was her perennial duty to bring joy to that spot every year. She didn’t even mind living in the shady part of the forest.
When we think about violets we have a tendency to think that violets are always blue. Well, the ones that are deeper in the forest are yellow. The ones that occur in my little forest sanctuary have smooth leaves but the yellow violets are known for having fuzzy leaves. They have two types of flowers. Chasmogamous ( Latin for open marriage) flowers in the early Spring. These flowers exchange pollen with other plants but later in the summer this violet will produce cleistogamous flowers without pedals or scent. These second blooms will self pollinate and produce a natural clone of the parent plant.
The yellow violets are sometimes mistaken for pansies but pansies have 4 pedals that point up where violets only have 2 upward pointing pedals.
When I saw the one in tonight’s feature image it looked so much like it was resting that I couldn’t help but write about the things that a sleepy violet might be thinking about.
Hey Friends! Just a quick reminder that graduation will be here before you know it. 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 