bite of winter – LLOYD'S LENS PHOTOGRAPHY LLC

The Duel Begins

Hello Friends! Tonight’s Feature Image is titled “Ice Flow 20921” and is available for purchase by clicking the thumbnail and reaching out to me on the contact page.

Old Man Winter isn’t really one to give up his seat easily. His icy grip clings desperately to the very bones of the mountains. He commands the clouds to gather above and shield him from the growing strength of the sun. But his days are numbered. Over the next several weeks the age old duel between the light and the darkness will take place in my mountain home. Ice will flow from the rocks as if the earth herself is casting out the deep cold. On the 20th day of February I have already noticed the new leaves peeking up between the blades of grass as new life emerges from a shell of frosted snow. And shortly after 9:00 AM this morning I sat down at my desk and for the first time since October the morning sun struck my eyes directly. Throughout the winter months it seldom peeks above the ridges until much later in the day. But today I was greeted by a warm smile and a ray of hope that the green thing will awaken soon. It always comes in stages. First the herbs and then the trees. Not too many days from now we will look to mountains and see patches of bright red as the maples awaken and soon after that the redbud will burst forth in pink glory followed by the Dogwood and then the rest of nature. As look at both the ice and the new leaves in the grass I’m reminded not to judge the end by the beginning. Life is a work that’s in continual progress. Hold on and have faith. The season of shadows will pass soon.

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

Click the link below to jump to the Basic Beginner’s Guide To MeWe.

https://lloydslensphotographyllc.com/guide-to-mewe/

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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https://lloydslensphotographyllc.com/

Lloyds Lens Photography web link — Click here to visithttps://lloydslensphotographyllc.com/

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=238248269630914251

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

Thank you again for your support of my page!❤

The Sparrow’s Song

Color Photography, winter

Hello Friends! Tonight’s Feature Image is titled “A Day For Blankets 120220” and is available for purchase by clicking the thumbnail and reaching out to me on the contact page.

The deep cold of the polar vortex pulls North America back to the Pleistocene. Each tiny snowflake glistens like a gemstone in the odd sunbeam that breaks through the low clouds. I watch from the window and listen to the tiny song sparrow that huddles somewhere in the deep cover of a hemlock thicket. He doesn’t complain. In spite of his tiny size he doesn’t seem to be bothered by cold. If the weather is nice he thanks God in song for the sunshine. When the rain comes he thanks God for worms that come up from the ground. And when it’s cold he thanks God for the shelter of the thick branches. His heart seems to made of fire and he warms himself from within. He is unseen by man but God doesn’t blink. God knows his every need and has provided it ahead of time. A few strips of bark and twigs along with down that the breeze brings in and the little sparrows are warm and cozy the cold north wind breaks through the mountains. And here am I in my own home nested beneath the quilts and pillows hiding from the frosty gale. And still my own heart is warmed by the sparrow’s song of gratitude. It is clear to me that my needs are met as well.

Good night friends and be blessed throughout your days.

Announcement:

I am adding additional social media to my network. Eventually, I’ll be leaving Facebook behind for a multitude of reasons. Even though the Lloyd’s Lens Photography page is strictly non-political I have been restricted from interacting with followers with no explanation for why. But it’s not just that. For years now Facebook has throttled content providers in general. They encourage us to grow our audience and then want to sell us back the access to them. In addition, they collect and sell the data from our interaction. So Facebook has become an entanglement of thorns. In response I have created the Lloyd’s Lens Photography Discussion Group on MeWe. We can still interact directly on the blog but starting today I’ll be looking for more platforms that respect the privacy of my followers and don’t limit who gets to see the post.

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

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.

https://lloydslensphotographyllc.com/

Have you checked out the Zazzle Store?

The Bite Of Winter 2020

Color Photography

An old joke goes that if you don’t like the West Virginia weather all you need to do wait a few minutes and it will change. Almost as soon as the Forsythia bloomed in Smithers the bitter cold settled. The waterfall at the old wall has all but stopped flowing. I’ve always thought that icicles look like teeth. In my imagination the waterfall becomes the very bite of winter itself. However, this is normal. This time of year we have a series of cold and warm weather. And it’s a good thing too. The frost heave is how nature sews the seeds of a lot of the wild plants. The cold makes the water in the soil expand and stand up then as it thaws it covers the seed. This action also opens the protective cover of some seed allowing germination to take place in next few weeks. By late March ( At my latitude ) most of the bitter cold will be gone and we typically have a light dusting of snow near the Easter holiday. I haven’t really looked into it but my gut feeling is that the longer days excite the jet stream in the upper atmosphere and the cold Arctic air is pulled South this time of year.

For now I’ll just bundle up in jacket and wait until old man winter loses his teeth and retreats back to the North.

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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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.

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

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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.

https://lloydslensphotographyllc.com/

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.

https://youtu.be/FDcrY6w8oY8

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! 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.

Thank you again for your support of my page!❤

Seeking A Sign, My Natural Calendar

Color Photography

Today cold winter weather has me longing for green trees, brightly colored flowers and a warm breeze. If I concentrate hard enough I can almost smell the honeysuckle. As usual, the second week of January finds me done with winter. Santa Claus has come and gone, the festive lights are put away for another year and Christmas candy has all been eaten. What’s a person to do in the digital age other than pull out some photos that warm the soul even if the body still feels the chilly air. This is time I begin to watch the buds on the trees. It’s really early to see any sign of change. Normally it won’t be until March before the trees start to wake up from the long slumber that began in late October. But, like a schoolboy waiting for the last bell to ring I wil watch the clock. The deep frost is the first sign of change. That began today. The next phase is the deep snow. Usually that comes between the last two weeks of January and the first two weeks of February. Between Valentine’s Day and the end of March it’s a little random but the March winds mean that the season is changing. Next we start noticing less of a need for heavy jackets in the last week of March but don’t be fooled, that’s just a setup for the Easter snow. My guess is that there will be bunny tracks in a powdery dusting of winters last hoorah this year. Historically speaking, that’s it. Then the warmth comes back to the mountains and the honeysuckle blooms for real. I really don’t have much to base this on other than recollection and gut feeling but it helps me look for the next goal as the snow falls outside of my window.

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

Tonight’s Feature Image is titled “Black Swallowtail And Honeysuckle 1” and is available forpurchase by using the ContactForm on my website. ( justclick on the the bell below)

(Note, I do not share or sell contact information. 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.

Old Man Winter’s Last Fit… (I hope)

black and white photography

Old man winter is a stubborn one indeed. We have invited him to leave with singing frogs, nesting birds and open bloom but he doesn’t want to leave. Today he threw a tantrum and hurled cold rain, sleet and snow at us. His antics have made a complete mess of the local fishing pier. I suppose that some weather just doesn’t understand that he’s not welcome anymore. However, I have a plan. I simply refuse to be a fun host to Old Man Winter. Instead of going out to play in his muck and mud I’m going to snuggle up under a warm blanket and sleep until he gives up and goes back to the North. 😉 Have a blessed evening everyone!