Tag: Appalachian mountains

Crossing Over

Color Photography, Thoughts and Musing, West Virginia

There are many crossings in this world. Places where one leg of life’s journey ends and the next one begins. Human beings are a funny lot. We dream about moving forward into adventure but don’t want to leave the familiar behind. We can’t wait to graduate from school but spend the rest of our lives in nostalgia.

I occasionally pull out a playlist of music from the 80s and play the roll of a silly middle-aged man for my twenty something and thirty something coworkers. I recount the days and tell the stories of the times that formed who I am today. It’s entirely for entertainment purposes. The truth is that our glory days are ahead of us not behind us. We need to take the next step if we want to achieve our full potential. We need to trust the bridge and cross over into that new territory.

The image above was taken at Hawks Nest State Park in West Virginia.

Daydreaming of Summer

Color Photography

I can’t believe it’s still Winter. Well, more to the point, I don’t want to believe it’s still Winter. I’ve had enough of gray skies, muddy roads, cold and damp. I want to see green grass, blue skies and life everywhere I look. I miss the butterflies and honeybees that fill my yard. Warm weather brings songbirds to my mountain. I know each one of them by their voices. Some of them have returned every year to live in the brambles in the edge of my yard.

The Ironweed in the photo is a late summer flower. It emerges during the warmest part of the year.

Today I’m hiding from ice and snow but in my heart it’s still Summer.

We Are A Reflection Of Others

Color Photography, Thoughts and Musing

As humans, we tend to be a reflection of our friends and family. We absorb into ourselves the perspectives of those around us. I’m not certain where the quote came from but I’ve heard it said that, Just as water conforms to the vessel which holds it so does a man conform to his peers.” This why it’s important to surround yourself with people who have the right outlook on life.

If you surround yourself with people that constantly negative then you will eventually become negative yourself. But, if you can find those people who rise to the challenge then you yourself will began to rise. Subconsciously you will reshape yourself to fit the group.

I’ve been blessed with the best peers that life can offer. And I appreciate each and every one of you and I hope that I reflect you well!

Tonight’s image is on the Kanawha River. Looking out over Kanawha Falls in Glen Farris West Virginia.

A Country Sunday

Color Photography

A country Sunday is special thing. So with tomorrow being Sunday I thought I would share some memories with you. It starts with a quiet spot, a cup of coffee, a Bible and in the old days a copy of The Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, also known as Strong’s Concordance. (When I was a kid I used to think that it was the “exhausting ” Concordance. That book seemed to weigh slightly less than a 1973 Ford LTD. Carrying it to the table was an exhausting task.) After studying the morning lesson and having a hardy breakfast you go to the church for Sunday school and then preaching. After services are finished everyone gathers outside of the sanctuary and visits for few minutes. These days we head out to restaurant but it wasn’t always that way. Back in the day extended family would go the home of the patriarch and have a home cooked meal. The afternoon was spent with those who mattered the most. That’s how we kept the world small in the days before the internet. During the warm season the kids would have a change of clothes ready. After dinner we would climb trees or throw rocks at old cans. Sometimes we would start a game of touch football (American Football for my international friends) that would quickly become a full contact game complete with muddy clothes and skinned knees. Soon the familiar sound of mothers calling out to their sons would end the game. After a mild scolding for getting your clothes dirty the family matriarch hands out packages of leftovers and everyone goes home.

But it’s not a time to be sad. When the work week ends, Sunday will come again.

Strong in the Storm

Color Photography, Thoughts and Musing

It the middle of a open field on the property where I grew up stands this lone Yellow Poplar. Now, I presume that quite a few people won’t understand why that’s a little odd. These trees do not resist strong winds very well. They tend to be found in clumps. Alone, this tree has no protection against storms. And yet, it’s been there surviving everything the weather can throw at it. I’ve seen it covered in ice, heavy snow and blasted with cyclone strength winds. This tree should have broken a very long time ago. Yes it’s got a few battle scars. These are reminders of the storms that failed as it stood defying the gale force winds.

Sometimes we wonder why the storm happened in our lives. There will always be a storm. But branches and leaves will grow back eventually. Like this tree our strength isn’t in the branches that can be broken. Our strength is in our strong roots than anchor us in the storm.