Color Photography – Page 38 – LLOYD'S LENS PHOTOGRAPHY LLC

Making Space For Nature Has It’s Rewards

Hello Friends! Tonight’s Feature Image is titled “Raspberry 30221” and is available for purchase by clicking the thumbnail and reaching out to me on the contact page.

The sounds of the water of Little Elk Creek flowing over the sandstone draws me to the edge of my yard. The bushes are full of Goldfinches and Chickadees making their songs while darting through the newly formed leaves. I happened upon a gift brought in by the very same songbirds. While surveying the dense undergrowth that forms a protective layer between the yard and high water I found new raspberry canes growing in a spot where they’ve never sprung up before. Black raspberries are treasured as much by the songbirds as they are by the naturalist. I’ve invested some time preparing a sanctuary for the little birds and in return they’ve sown seeds into my soil that we’ll both enjoy. The canes are small now but they do have some bloom and if the bees cooperate as they normally do I’ll have a new patch of tart little fruits to enjoy on a hot day.

As a youth I would walk the country lanes and forest edges and anytime I felt a little thirsty I could reach out almost anywhere and pluck a few ripe brambles. The juice would wet my whistle just enough to give me some relief as I moved on to the next patch.

As it stands now my place has a few wild canes along the perimeters but I see that changing little by little as nature rewards my indulgences with new resources. The berries are growing just a few feet from the apple tree I gave space to a couple of years ago and it looks like I’ll have a small crop of both this year. When you make space for God’s creation he pays you back with dividends.

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.

I want you to join my group on MeWe: https://mewe.com/join/lloydslensphotographydiscussiongroup

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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.

WELCOME TO LLOYD’S LENS PHOTOGRAPHY

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Have you checked out the Zazzle Store?

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! Simply use 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!♥️

Quiet Time At Cathedral Falls In Spring 2021

Color Photography

Hello Friends! Tonight’s Feature Image is titled “Quiet Time At Cathedral Falls 42821” and is available for purchase by clicking the thumbnail and reaching out to me on the contact page.

Cathedral Falls in Gauley Bridge, West Virginia is one of our most popular destinations. It’s a small park. So small that you wouldn’t even have enough room to park a dozen vehicles comfortably. The pathway to the base of the Falls is little more than a deer trail but crossing the creek on the wooden foot bridge is like entering another world where the trappings of modern life cannot pass. Oh sure, you still have cell signal. You can sit down on a rock or a log and stay on the internet until you’re battery is completely drained. But your desire to do so is left behind on the other side of that little wooden bridge. You do need a good pair of river shoes. Something that can handle the mud of the trail and the alga on the rocks in the water for safety sake. I chose a pair of completely rubber sandals because the base of the Falls is usually covered by an inch or two of water outside the pool at bottom. A small island of dry gravel provides just enough space to keep my gear dry as I begin to work.

The voice of the Falls is loud enough to push away the noise of the highway less than a hundred yards from the spot but gentle enough to make for a peaceful setting. A constant breeze is drawn down the cliff face by the flowing water and forms a protective shield against the biting insects. A small group of what appears to be cliff swallows glides through the small box canyon and up into a crevasse to disappear inside the rock as nature plays out the lyrics of the hymn Rock Of Ages. The mountain receives them effortlessly and they stay in their shelter for the whole time that I was there.

With the little birds tucked away safe in their hole I turn my attention to the falls and the logs that lay at the bottom.

Image Titled “Quiet Time At Cathedral Falls 42821vp” and is available for purchase by clicking the thumbnail and reaching out to me on the contact page.

This has always been a place where you can find your quiet time. The beauty of the mountains seems to focus on this spot. I imagine that people came here to get away from whatever daily stress they had even as far back as the Adena and beyond. I can envision what it looked like before the road and nearby town. The Appalachian Wildflowers were in great abundance and the little creek was teaming with “crawldads” ( crayfish ). A lone Adena sits by the pool at the bottom and selects certain pieces of slate shale for his tools and art. The stone isn’t as hard as flint but flint is a rare find here. He patiently grinds out points for hunting and hooks for fishing. Using a small piece of granite or sandstone he engraves a suckerfish into a large piece of black state. This was an emblem of his people and they relied heavily on the species. He may not have known my God but he appreciated the world that was created for him.

I sometimes wonder who was more civilized. The people who go about their lives in a rush to get things done or those who simply existed in a world where most things they needed were at their fingertips? I suppose that I’m just blessed to have the best of both worlds when all I have to do is step across that little wooden bridge and enter a natural cathedral.

Good night friends and be blessed throughout your days.

Announcement 2.0

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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.

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The Joyful Singer & Another Update On The Songbirds

Color Photography, wildlife

Hello Friends! Tonight’s Feature Image is titled “Joyful Singer 42821” and is available for purchase by clicking the thumbnail and reaching out to me on the contact page.

Few things are more pleasant than the Appalachian Spring. I love being surrounded by the rugged beauty of my mountain and especially when it’s full of life. As I was walking out to my forest sanctuary the young robin perched himself right at the threshold in the snag of a dead birch tree. This tree is actually a hazard to one of my sheds but I just haven’t gotten around to bringing it down. Especially after it became the favored stage for one of my best singers. The little guy’s heart was so full of joy that his song rivaled that of a mockingbird. He had one of the most complex songs of any robin that I’ve ever heard. I actually didn’t realize it was a robin until I zoomed in with my long lens. Typically I pay close attention to the bird calls. It’s almost like forest sonar. If you can focus in on a particular area then the birds will tell you what’s going on in their individual zones. When they fall silent you know that a predator is near. Other birds like the Magnolia Warblers will make a specific sound when they spot a brown headed cowbird. The cowbird is a brood parasite like the cuckoo and a few others. They will remove the eggs from a songbird’s nest and lay their own in its spot. Cowbirds will even punish a songbird for rejecting it’s egg by destroying all the eggs in the nest. I’d seen a pair of cowbirds at my feeders a few weeks ago and became concerned but the organized response from the locals were actually quite impressive. The Warblers made their warning calls and all the birds returned to their nests except the blue jays. They actually came in and flew directly over the cowbirds while crying like hawks. One even dove at the male cowbird and chased it out of the yard. It’s interesting to know a common foe brought together various species that normally compete at my feeders. Robins also make a distinctive call when they see anything that’s out of place so to have this one sit in the branches above me and make such a wonderfully peaceful sound let me know that the pest birds have moved on. It’s also I sign that the local birds no longer see me as a threat and that my efforts to desensitize them to the point where I can get some nice shots of them is working.

Image Titled “Joyful Singer 42821b” and is available for purchase by clicking the thumbnail and reaching out to me on the contact page.

Not only did the robin sit on his perch and relax enough to continue his song but he kept it up the whole time I was there. So now I’ve got him and a few of the chickadees as well as the female cardnial comfortable with me. Oh, and one of the Carolina Wrens is still coming to peek into my window occasionally. The Towhee is still coming around but hides in the thickets while I’m out. I’m sure he’ll get more comfortable eventually.

Good night friends and be blessed throughout your days.

Announcement 2.0

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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.

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Forage Friday #105 Cuckoo Flower

Color Photography, Forage Friday

Hello Friends! Tonight’s Feature Image was taken specifically for Forage Friday. All photos found on my website are my original work unless otherwise specified and are 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.

The rain settles out in my Appalachian Mountains and with the emergence of the sun I’m drawn out of the house for a bit of fresh air. I’ve given a strip of space around my yard back to nature and with the expectation of trimming back some trees that would endangere my house I let what wants to grow there be there. Occasionally something new to me pops up and get to learn all about it and observe it throughout its life cycle. That’s how I was introduced to the cuckoo flower. Cuckoo flower gets its common name because it appears at about the same time that the Cuckoo bird begins to make it’s distinctive call. Which struck me as odd because because the Cuckoo is a native of North America and the Cuckoo flower is native to Europe and Asia. But Cuckoo flower is also known as milk maids so perhaps it didn’t get to be called Cuckoo flower until it arrived here.

Cuckoo flower is a type of mustard and that puts it in the Brassicaceae family just like broccoli and cauliflower. It’s been here in North America long enough to have been naturalized and a common “weed” in yards and gardens. Like many so called weeds cuckoo flower actually comes with some benefits.

For the naturalist and wildlife lovers cuckoo flower attracts the orange tip butterflies which at this point I believe to be a European species but I could be wrong. I have noticed that they seem to attract insects of many types. There are actually three different insects on the flowers in the Featured Image. One looks like a flea beetle and I’m guessing that it’s the wings of a tacinid fly sticking out from behind one of the blooms. The third I haven’t identified. But they all seem to like the cuckoo flower. And with good reason. In spite of the bitter flavor cuckoo flower is rich in vitamin C and can be eaten raw or cooked. The young plants are said to have the mildest flavor and are compared to watercress. But because the flavor is pungent small portions added to other ingredients is recommended.

Cuckoo flower isn’t often mentioned in my herbal manuals but it has been used as a digestive aid. Something that I seldom point out is the timing of gathering medicinal herbs. For cuckoo flower the medicinal values are highest when the plant have flowers. There are mentions that the plants are used internally for chronic skin problems and asthma.

There’s not really much more on cuckoo flower. I’m presuming the short season and strong flavor keeps it from being popular and is therefore left for the butterflies. But if times were tough and we needed nutrients it is a resource that’s available early when regular garden plants are just getting started.

Good night friends and be blessed throughout your days.

Announcement 2.0

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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.

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First Bumblebee Encounter 2021

Color Photography

Hello Friends! Tonight’s Feature Image is titled “Daily Duties 42821a” and is available for purchase by clicking the thumbnail and reaching out to me on the contact page.

The big blue truck delivers me to my home in the Appalachian Mountains. I’m greeted by my little songbirds who are little more tolerant of my presence this Spring. Most of them still take to the trees when I come out but they don’t retreat as far as they used to. As I remove my gear from the cab of the truck I give them the same “Hi-lo” whistle I use anytime I see them. I think it helps them to recognize me. They always seem to call back in their own songs. I notice that my white azaleas are blooming now. The pure white flowers are slightly bruised by the rain but still smell just as sweet. The local bumblebees would seem to agree. As I approach the bush to inspect them a huge bumblebee comes out to see who’s intruding on her daily chores. She’s not aggressive. She doesn’t charge me or attempt to get too close in any way. She seems to simply be inquisitive. Her curiosity doesn’t destract her from her duties however. After a few seconds she’s back on the job collecting pollen to carry back to her nest. Because of the amount of fur and colors I think she’s a leafcutter bee. They sometimes form colonies but unlike a hive each bee tends it’s own young and lives separate from the others. She’s busy but she doesn’t seem to be stressed about it. She takes her time and truly seems to enjoy her task. As an individual she’ll pollinate far more plants than an individual honeybee. Lao Tzu was correct when he said that “Nature doesn’t hurry and yet everything is accomplished.” Perhaps one day mankind will remember that as well.

Good night friends and be blessed throughout your days.

Announcement 2.0

I want you to join my group on MeWe: https://mewe.com/join/lloydslensphotographydiscussiongroup

Click the link below to jump to the Basic Beginner’s Guide To MeWe.https://lloydslensphotographyllc.com/guide-to-mewe/embed/#?secret=GJGnIQEVHc

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.

WELCOME TO LLOYD’S LENS PHOTOGRAPHY

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