Nature – Page 16 – LLOYD'S LENS PHOTOGRAPHY LLC

Reflections In The Mists

A morning stop at the junction of the Gauley River, New River and the Kanawha River was rewarded with a display of the mists rising up from the surrounding mountains. Fog and mists are inspiration for the imagination. While looking at the scene before my eyes it was easy to conjure up what it must have been like during the settlement era. There were no houses or roads. Just the river and the tree covered mountains with the occasional rocky ledge. If I close my eyes and focus on the image I can hear a Shawnee playing his flute as he sits on the bank. He’s working on a love song for his true love, drawing inspiration from the song birds. The tune has to be perfect because it’s the only dowry he has. I can also smell the fire from his camp as his breakfast cooks. He’s having fish from the weir he made yesterday. He’s wrapped the fish in wild aromatic herbs and the scent is amazing. The leaves of Carolina Allspice impart a lemon flavor to meal.

The young warrior pauses to make a mental note of the tune and turns towards his meal. He pretends not to notice that she has been watching him the whole time. He smiles as he watches her reflection in the calm pool along the river’s edge. Playfully he calls out, “If only there was someone who would share this meal with me!” With slight giggle his true love emerges from edge of the bushes. They embrace and I am called back to the real world. I pulled my truck back onto the highway and began my morning commute. However, as I did could have sworn that I saw the two lovers reflected in the river.

The Dirty Birdie

Color Photography, wildlife

For whatever reason Kanawha Falls is popular with one of the most under appreciated birds in North America. The Turkey Vulture. Also known as the Buzzard they can be seen soaring high over the mountains just minding their own business or patrolling the highways and railways looking for road kill. They’re generally non-aggressive and will quickly fly off when approached. Perhaps they’re aware of their reputation. I wonder how many times he’s been called a “Dirty Bird” to his face and shooed away. That’s bound to take a toll on one’s self image no matter how high you can fly.

Science says that he holds out his wings like this so he can get warmed by the morning sun but after thinking about what his life must be like I think he just wants a hug.

It’s a lonely world out there for someone who doesn’t seem to fit in. While on one hand it’s necessary to be on guard and protect yourself it’s just as important to not judge a person by their circumstances or their looks. Be kind to those who cross your path.

The Bunny

Color Photography, wildlife

The office of my day job is located in a reclaimed strip mine. What was once spoiled land is now a virtual wildlife preserve on the edge of the city. This little bunny lives raises it’s family on our parking lot. Every morning she can be seen munching on the clover with her brood. I wouldn’t say that she’s tame but she is accustomed to the presence of humanity. She actually allowed me to get pretty close for this shot. She had developed a little bit of trust in the workers who came to hwr home every day. Trust is a very fragile quality for as soon as I moved she took off like nobody’s business. I’ll continue to watch her and her babies and who knows, perhaps one day she’ll trust me enough to get even better shots.

Down Is Easy

Color Photography, encouragement

I grew up playing on cliffs similar to the one in the feature image above. (Sorry mom, I know you didn’t want me to. ). In those days I could free climb fairly well and would spend all day sitting on the edge and watching animals play in the valley below. Later in my late teens I went on my first organized mounteering exercise with the JROTC. When mom asked if I would jump off of a cliff because my friends did apparently the answer was yes. We spent all day repelling to the bottom and then climbing back up to do it again. On one trip back to the top my friend, Bobby, stopped to catch his breath and said “Down is easy but up is hard.” That little bit of profound observation has stuck with me for my entire life and the reason why is because of what he said next. “I have to keep climbing because home is on the other side of this mountain.”

Anything can become that steep mountain in our lives. And, it’s easy to give up halfway through a difficult journey. But the journey isn’t over until you have made it home again. It’s also okay to stop and catch your breath but don’t make your home there because there’s so much waiting for you at the top. Dig in deep within yourself and find that strength that I know you possess. Find handholds and footholds wherever you can and just keep going. Mountains are climbed one foot or even one inch at a time.

Tonight’s image was taken in Summerville Lake when it’s at winter pool. The cliff overhang is just a few feet off the surface of the water for most of year.

Balance In All Things

Color Photography, Thoughts and Musing, West Virginia

Life is all about balance. Mountains don’t exist without valleys. The Earth is never without a sky. Rivers dry up without clouds. Without gravity centripetal force would sling us into outer space. Why then should the ebb and flow of life not include the same pattern? At first, it might seem like a nice thought to always have things go our way. But soon the lack of a challenge to overcome would leave us without the joy of overcoming. In short, we wouldn’t grow and become physically, emotionally and intellectually weak. It’s a lot of work to go from the river in the valley to the mountaintop but when you stand on that rocky ledge overlooking the valley the view is enhanced by the thrill of winning the challenges. Of course you also have to pick your battles. The amazing view in tonight’s feature image was taken from a local bridge especially for you to enjoy while we ponder finding the balance together. Hopefully the lesson that we’ll learn is that if a storm, sunshine, mountains and valleys, Earth and sky can all exist in harmony together to create a fantastic view then perhaps all of the different ideas in today’s society can both maintain individuality and work in harmony to create a fantastic world.