Appalachian history – Page 2 – LLOYD'S LENS PHOTOGRAPHY LLC

Time Spent On The River Is Not Wasted

As look upstream at the New River the water looks very cold. The green of spring and summer is nothing more than a fond memory in a collection happy summers. The pop of Fall Colors has faded to a reddish brown. I have listened to and read multiple stories of fishing at Fayette Station. Some tell me that they have caught the biggest fish ever in the frigid waters while others say the fish were small but plentiful. After all the fish fish tales I have come to the inevitable conclusion that the real catch was time with loved ones. Parents and children, children and grandparents and all the best friends gather in this spot to try for the one that got away. I suppose that wiley rascal is still out there hiding in some deep eddy of new river taunting fishermen by tugging on lines and stealing bait. That’s it’s purpose in life. To entice us out away from the electronic devices or whatever is on T.V. to cast a line in the water and spend time with someone special.

Antique Service Desk Bell — Ring this bell for Facebook

Recently, I’ve been made aware that many of my posts on Facebook are being buried in the feed. So, if you don’t want to miss a post then you can sign up for email alerts on my website at the bottom of theWelcome Page

Welcome To Lloyds Lens Photography — Visit My Website

Tonight’s Feature Image is titled “Upstream” and is available for purchase by contacting me on Facebook or by using theContact Form on my website. (Note, I do not share or sale contactinformation. EVER)

4X6 is $5.00

5X7 is $10.00

8X10 is $15.00

Some cropping may be necessary for certain sizes.

Antique Service Desk Bell in Black and White — Ring this bell to order prints or schedule portraits

I’m also available for portraits by appointment. Use the Contact Form or message me on Facebook for details.

Taking The Long Way

Color Photography, West Virginia

If I concentrate on it I can remember a time before Interstate Highways in my area. Every road was the scenic route and every road was the long way home. Oftentimes the road was a single lane and when you met someone coming from the other direction each would have to move one wheel off of the pavement so that there was enough room to pass. Most of the time people would idle in the middle of the road and have a conversation with their windows down. I can remember being late for appointments because two people sat in the middle of the road for several minutes with traffic backed up behind them on either side. Sometimes it lead to an internal conflict of protocol. Is it more rude to block the road or to interrupt the conversation?

Thankfully we now have social media and there’s no need to block traffic for a status update. In the 70s a car was usually large enough to seat 6 adults in relative comfort and quiet drives though the country was a good way to relax.

A slow drive through the mountains was rewarded with grand views of the valley below. If the road was remote enough you could spot wildlife on the edge of the forest. Time was more generous then and the slower pace allowed for one to experience life instead of spend it. We tend to think of an open road as a symbol of freedom but I have to wonder if we miss the point when we’re just reaching the next destination as quickly as possible.

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. Recently, I’ve been made aware that many of my posts on Facebook are being buried in the feed. So, if you don’t want to miss a post then you can sign up for email alerts on my website at the bottom of theWelcome Page.

Tonight’s Feature Image is titled “Crossroads In The Gorge” and is available for purchase by contacting me on Facebook or by using the Contact Form on my website. (Note, I do not share or sale contactinformation. EVER)

4X6 is $5.00

5X7 is $10.00

8X10 is $15.00

Some cropping may be necessary for certain sizes.

I’m also available for portraits by appointment. Use the Contact Form or message me on Facebook for details.

The Mail Pouch Tobacco Barn And The Drive By Photographer

Color Photography, Landscapes, West Virginia

A quiet country road in the Appalachian Mountains is incomplete without at least one Mail Pouch Tobacco Barn. The once large West Virginia based tobacco company would paint your barn for free. Of course, there was a catch. They got to paint an add on at least one side of the barn. But it was a good deal for the farmer and cows are not known to be concerned about the color of their barn. There was a second Mail Pouch Tobacco Barn just a few miles away from the one in tonight’s feature image but it finally sucome to the ravages of time. These old barns are really a form of endangered history. The one pictured here has been a challenge to even get a decent picture of. It’s in a place where you cannot pull over and it’s in a blind curve to boot. I have driven by multiple times with my camera hanging out of the window and snapping photos as I pass. After a few years of practice shots I finally got one that I could publish. I guess that determination eventually pays off.

Tonight’s Feature Image is titled “Mail Pouch Tobacco Barn In Zela” and is available for purchase by contacting me on Facebook or by using the Contact Form on my website. (Note, I do not share or sale contact information. EVER)

4X6 is $5.00

5X7 is $10.00

8X10 is $15.00

I’m also available for portraits by appointment. Use the Contact Form or message me on Facebook for details.

I Dare You ( part 3 )

black and white photography, Fiction Story

If you’re joining us in the middle of the story please read I Dare You part 1 and I Dare You part 2.

The shadow disappeared into a thicket of hemlock trees. Did you see that? I whisper. It’s way too big to be the cat. Not taking our eyes away from the spot where we saw the shadow we move slowly away this part of the trail until we reach a point where we turn to run. Just as we make a break for it we can hear something large crashing through the forest. The sound of twigs snapping and branches breaking is accompanied by heavy footfalls on the bare earth on the trail behind us. I scream “He’s gaining on us!” You glance back up the trail to see a large humanoid shape. His long stride gives him a great advantage in the chase but our adrenaline is making up the difference. With the pounding of our hearts beating in time with our pace we run to a point where the trail goes downhill. My toe catches a exposed tree root. As I try to regain balance I crash into you and we both go down. We land just off the trail and come to a stop in the high weeds. The light goes out from the impact but in the moonlight we see the shape of our pursuer rush past us. He’s still on the chase. He didn’t see us fall. You observe. We continue the hide in the weeds until we can no longer hear the footfalls. “You and your dares” you mutter as we pick ourselves up from where we landed. The light is broken but we can see that trail ends just ahead. In the distance we can see the old derelict mansion in the moonlight.

You can now jump to part 4 to see how the story ends 🎃

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 don’t want to miss a post then you can sign up for email alerts on my website at the bottom of the Welcome Page.

Tonight’s Feature Image is titled “Echoes In The Mists” and is available for purchase by contacting me on Facebook or by using the Contact Form on my website.

4X6 – $5.00

5X7- $10.00

8X10- $15.00

I am also available for portraits by appointment. Rates will vary depending on the type of session.

The Zebra Swallowtail Butterfly

Color Photography, Thoughts and Musing, wildlife

Gently gliding on the warm breeze she sails through my field of vision and softly lights on the sweet clover. She is something special. Her distinct stripes and long “tail” identify her as the Zebra Swallowtail butterfly. While she feeds on the nectar of flowers her young feed exclusively on the pawpaw tree. Once a favored fruit in the Appalachian Mountains the pawpaw (AKA pond Apple or custard apple ) is almost found only in the wild. Because the fruit has almost no shelf life commercial growers found no use for it. As a result it was not cultivated and is not nearly as abundant as it was even just fifty years ago. Because the the tree is so important to the butterfly their numbers have also declined. But on the old homesteads found on edge of civilization the pawpaw still grows and even thrives in a few places and so does the Zebra Swallowtail butterfly. If you see one during the breeding season then you can be sure that a pawpaw patch is nearby. If you’re an adventurous connoisseur of natural foods or vantage crops then it’s worth trying to find the pawpaw in season and give it a try.

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.

Prints of the Feature Image are available for purchase by contacting me either through Facebook or via the Contact Form on my website. Simply mention the title of the post and let me know what size print that you would like.