Natural Life – Page 19 – LLOYD'S LENS PHOTOGRAPHY LLC

The River Awakens

Morning in the mountains of Appalachia can be spectacular. The fury of old man winter is no match for the warm southern sun. Fire bursts over the mountains and the frost shrinks back little by little until nothing is left.

The Kanawha River blazing with the light of a new day begins to shake itself free of its icy cage. The river has work to get done today. Barges must be moved and energy has to be produced. Downstream there’s hot steel to be quenched and tempered. It’s a very busy day ahead for the mighty Kanawha River.

Pretending

Color Photography

Today circumstances colluded to prevent me from participating in the corporate Monday. (I’ll try to hide my disappointment 😁) My moment of freedom allowed the opportunity to drop by Cathedral Falls and catch an image of the frozen waterfall. The winter scene awakened the child in me and soon I could imagine myself as some Paleolithic hunter tracking a woolly mammoth on the ice. Never lose your ability to pretend. Adulthood doesn’t always mean that can’t play hooky and have an adventure.

Waiting for the thaw.

Color Photography

I’m Setting here in my recliner with my dog and we’re dreaming of warmer temperatures. The Arctic blast has turned my mountain into an icy prison. We’re looking forward to the smell of the moss covered forest floor and a game of chase in the yard. On days like this I like to go into my archive and pull out pictures of warmer times. The image of ground pine here was taken in August at Carnifex Ferry State Park in West Virginia. The trail that leads to the Gauley River passes through a stand of virgin timber. It’s been a little over a decade since I was all the way to the river. Perhaps when winter is over I take you dear readers on a virtual tour.

Cathedral Falls, A Natural Sanctuary

Color Photography, travel

About one mile East of Gauley Bridge West Virginia is Cathedral Falls. The cascade of water is about 60 feet high and the stream that feeds the falls is call Cane Branch. The little roadside park is easy to access so I stop by often. The path to the base of the falls is left in what is best described as a natural state. If you are sure-footed it’s no big deal. I water is only ankle deep in most places and if you can avoid slippery rocks you can walk right up the stream. If you can be there in the right light it’s one of our best photo ops. The image here was taken in the Spring. The air at Cathedral Falls is highly oxygenated due to the cascade. It’s a good place to go and just quietly exist as part of God’s creation. The cascading water seems to carry away the stress and anxiety that clings to the soul after a day of making modern life work. Green ferns and moss grows everywhere in the canyon. Birds and butterflies are often present. The birds sing their songs and butterflies seem to dance to the tune.

Cathedral Falls is one of God’s special spots. I’m happy to share it with you but you should see it for yourself.

Forest Dweller

Color Photography, Thoughts and Musing

Mankind is a wild animal. We hide it with technology, office buildings and fashionable clothes but in our hearts we instinctively know we must be free to roam. We crave the fresh air and sunshine. We need to find that special spot where we can center our thoughts and breathe. There’s something refreshing about the the smell of the stones and the trees along some fern covered forest floor. If you can sit still enough for long enough nature begins to welcome you home. More than once I’ve had small birds get curious enough to land just out of reach. Sometimes I have fallen asleep only to wake up at the sound of footsteps creeping ever closer. I open one eye and slowly turn my head to see a deer nervously trying to figure out who is on the path.

We live in a age and wonder. The technology in my phone was only science fiction when I got my first job. It has allowed me to share my perspective with the world. Even the pictures taken by the camera can be instantly sent across the planet. Yet with all this access there’s still a drive to be free from it all and just quietly exist.