Today is dreary day in the mountains of Appalachia. There’s been heavy rain and gray skies all day. By morning the ice and snow is supposed to return. On days like today I like to look at the summer images that I’ve taken. It makes me feel like I’m sitting by one of our rivers with a Zebco 33 and one of my favorite lures. The simple repetitive action of casting and slowly drawing the line back in has a meditative quality for me. I don’t even really care if anything bites. Like Zen archery ( or at least my understanding of it ) it’s all about clearing the mind and regaining focus. The image above was taken on the Meadow River during one of these trips. The spot is known mostly to locals and I’m sworn to secrecy as to the exact spot. Behind me a small campfire crackles softly making just enough smoke to keep mosquitoes away. It didn’t seem to bother the butterflies that danced and played on the buttonbush. I made one last cast into the river and slowly retrieve. There’s a tug on the other end of line. But, I let him go. Sometimes is not about the fish, it’s about the fishing and memories that are made.
Tag: quiet time
Cultivate Life
This old barn near Summerville West Virginia always seems to have something to offer my lens. I was raised in agriculture. I look at the old barns and think about the life that was housed there. Not just grain, hay and farming supplies but the people who worked the land. I can hear the ghostly echoes of conversations about life and love, business and pleasure. I can hear the footsteps of young people who think that they’re up to mischief but really are just learning about life. People who share work are investing in each other. Work parties often ended in generations of close friends. You may not have barns where you live but odds are that you do have people. I want to encourage you to reach out to a neighbor and offer to share in some work. You’ll be surprised to see how large your family really is.
Waiting for the thaw.
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.
A Path To Wander
Our paths are not always easy in life. Some roads are paved others are rocky and then there are the ones that are forbidden. If you’re a curious person like me then you know how hard it is to leave a mystery behind. There’s a locked gate in front of this road. I know from soil survey maps that it’s a strip mine. One of many in my area. And there’s actually a guard just out of sight here. The guard tolerates my stopping at the gate and snapping a few pictures every so often. Sometimes he wants to see how the image turns out. But I’m not allowed to see what is on the other side of the hill. The urge to see what is out there is a basic human drive. We’re all explorers at heart. We need to find out where the road goes and what is out there. It’s not always a physical road like this one. Sometimes it’s an idea or a question that provides the puzzle. Exploring is more than just seeing. It’s experiencing the goal. The sound of the birds in a hidden meadow. It’s the bite of the winter wind and the glimmer of ice while the land sleeps. It’s life in motion. It’s the difference between living and existing.
Cathedral Falls, A Natural Sanctuary
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.
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