Hiking in Pisgah National Forest

It was late by the time I pulled into the Big East Fork parking lot. I had been there before, but time does a number on memory and I had forgotten how far the trailhead was from the intersection in town. I pulled in and got my gear together, then with my new headlamp started to make my way down the trail. I was able to find a nice spot about 40-50 yards down the trail and by midnight, my dog Buck and I were sacked out in the tent. I awoke in the early morning and was grateful I had brought a fleece. With the elevation change in the mountains, it had gotten quite cool over night. For just a couple of days in the mountains, I had a pretty good sized load and was glad I wasn't climbing all over timbukto with my pack. I spent the next day hiking alongside Shining Creek, stopping here and there to splash a little in the water or to make photos. As the daylight started to fade away, I made my way back to camp for a nice hot meal. It had been a beautiful day and I was grateful to visit Pisgah once again. I made my way to bed at nightfall and in the morning, quickly packed up to make my customary stop at Looking Glass falls. I always feel a sense of peace when I visit Pisgah and always look forward to the next trip.

Flower Garden

One of the things I love about this time of year is to watch the flowers grow. Each morning for the past several weeks, I would get up early and even before I get that first cup of coffee, I would peer out in my backyard to see if the flowers in my garden had started blooming yet. Eyes barely open, looking bleary-eyed without my glasses, I would see no signs of color, then shuffle away grumbling and start the coffee maker. Then my Daylilies would start to swell up with a bloom, each day the bud getting larger and larger. I waited for it to pop open until that magical day came. Pop! A burst of color! And each day after, more and more would burst open. What a miracle!

My flower garden is pretty simple. I have some Daylilies, Gladiolas, and Four O'clocks. I also have a few weeds. It's inevitable. I also have some ardent gardeners as friends whose gardens I also enjoy (thanks for the some of these flowers, Wes). And each day, I get to watch it unfold.

A Stormy Night in Vaucluse

I like a good storm and as I looked out the window, I could see the clouds darken as the night approached. I had been meaning to head out to Vaucluse to shoot pictures and last night was
a perfect time to do so. I grabbed my camera bag, Buck the Wonder dog and jumped in my Jeep. I wondered whether I would make it there before the bottom fell out. It had started to
rain as I headed to my shoot and when I got there, the dark manacing clouds were right behind me. I parked in an empty parking lot and quickly followed the train tracks to where I would shoot from. Across the street, was a family sitting out on there front porch. It reminded me of the importance of simple pleasures. I smiled as I continued down the tracks. There is a beautiful pond there and as I setup my camera, the wind picked up and the rain slowly started to drizzle. I could see it coming across the pond, as I focused on the dam across the pond. I snapped several shots, turned around, refocused and shot some more. I grabbed my stuff and headed back to the Jeep as the drizzle continued. I could have stayed out all night! It was a beautiful evening, with a nice breeze and low humidity. As I got ready to head out, I stopped to shoot a couple of the buildings. An old Post Office, that is still in operation, and a couple other buildings. Vaucluse is in the area known as Midland Valley and like other areas, it's changing. I'm glad I captured this place, this moment in time before it was too late.

Changing Seasons

I finished cutting the grass this afternoon and sat in my backyard drenched with sweat. I thought about the fact that it's the middle of May and we've already reached numerous days in the 90s. "Summer is closing in," I thought, as I slugged down another glass of water. It felt good to feel the breeze blow across my skin, as I sat there looking over my work. When I came inside and started looking through photos for my weekly post, I came across this picture that I had taken earlier in the year. It was a good reminder that all seasons come and go.

Grace Avenue Morning

A couple of weeks ago when the morning temperatures were still in the 50s, I set out early to get some shooting in before work. Aiken is known for it's thriving horse community and I wanted to search around to show off Aiken's best. On my way to work each morning, I drive past Ford Conger field, which is the site of Aiken's steeplechase. During the spring, it's beautiful as the temperature changes and the fog floats above the ground. You can see the morning mist and the horses in their stalls waiting to get out. On the particular morning that I was shooting, I didn't see a whole lot of activity in the stalls across from Ford Conger field, so I jumped in my Jeep and started driving. I went down Grace Avenue and there it was--the sun slowly rising, casting an orangish haze over the field. I got out and leveled my camera as the horses and riders made their way to the training track. "So that's how they get out there!", I thought as the shutter clicked one by one.

Aiken Training Track

Aiken, SC--Early morning at the track.