What is that we love about old barns? Is it the rusty old tin on the roof? Is the texture of weathered wood? Is it the skeletonized framework? I don’t really know why but I love old barns.
I have taken several pictures of this one and processed several versions but it just feels right in black and white.
Image was taken on Muddlety Creek Road in Nicholas County West Virginia
Remember that trip to the lake?
Remember the innocence of our summer vacations? We spent warm days playing in the cool water. Remember the coins? They were not real money. They were aluminum disks leftover from a project but to us they were real pirate silver lost in a storm and found by two boys. We take turns tossing them in the water and then diving into the deep. I remember how the water got cooler as we dove deeply into murky depths. The real treasure we found was the adventures and the memories of Summer on the lake.
This image was taken at the Salmon Run portion of Summersville Lake in Nicholas County West Virginia.
Okay, so I have written this and started over.
Then I didn’t like the way it sounded so I erased it and started over.
But, my writing wasn’t perfect so I deleted and started over.
And once again it wasn’t making sense so I started over.
Eventually I realized what God was trying to point out to me. Sunday is about a chance to start over. To delete the mistakes and have a fresh start. Christianity is about having the opportunity to allow Jesus Christ to erase all our sin and let us start over. It’s not just on Sundays, it’s every hour of every day for as long as it takes to be restored. That is the hope we celebrate on Sundays. That’s the hope we live with every day.
Image was taken in Deepwater West Virginia which is in Fayette County.
There are few pleasures of life that are better than greeting the sunrise. The crisp mountain air fills my lungs as the golden light washes over me. It makes me feel energized. The rest of the world fades into the background. My whole world at this moment consists of nothing but the three rivers which join at this point, the mountains in distance and the morning sun. I will hold this moment in my spirit for the rest of the day. The Shawnee say that it’s bad luck to make camp where three rivers join but I respectfully disagree. This place is blessed by God. Today will be a good day. I take one last deep breath and climb back into my truck. I only have a moment to enjoy the view but the moment will be all I need.
Image taken in Gauley Bridge West Virginia on February 3rd 2018 on my way to my day job.
Yesterday I wrote about finding little blessings I notice when I am able to wander off the beaten path. Sometimes the little blessings wander out to find you. This little fawn would come into my dad’s yard and bed down every day a couple of years ago. I don’t own a lens any larger than 300 mm so that means I have to get close. For this little guy that meant slowly stepping out into the yard and allowing him to think that he was well hidden in the grass. It seemed to take forever to gain his confidence as I stretched out in the grass near to him and pretended to be ready for a nap myself. The trick is to make it seem natural to be there. Moving cautiously but trying not to look like a stalker. Whitetail deer communicate with tail movements. Most people know that a raised tail means danger but few know that a low quick wagging if a deer’s tail means that all is well. Learning what tale the tail is telling takes a little practice. Using my flattened hand to mimic a mother doe at ease and crawling around like I was grazing eventually paid off as the fawn began to relax. I followed suit and laid down fully about twenty feet (approximately 6 meters) away. I purposely began to breathe slowly and rhythmically as if falling asleep. The little fawn curled up and soon he was in dream land. I hope to get more wildlife photography to share with you as time goes on. My mountains hold many such little blessings.
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