This morning I showed up for sunrise. At the same time I was standing here a Manatee swam past. Just another day on the island. Have a wonderful Sunday friends.
Pyramid Falls Along the Rail
Last summer we took the rail through the Canadian Rockies and along the way was Pyramid falls where the conductor slowed down enough to get a few shots. I stood in the opening between cars to catch this. It was last year but as I think back I can still hear the rushing of the water and feel the mist in the air. One of many such spectacular sights as we wound our way from Vancouver to Jasper. A trip I recommend.
Morning Glow
The glow of the mountain tops as the sun rises over Queenstown. I was on a mountain one morning concentrating on getting everything in focus and I goofed, the background got blurred. I later learned about hyper-focal distance which is a combination of aperture, lens size and distance to ensure everything is in focus. It’s a complicated calculation but luckily there is an app for that. On second thought, I like the effect of the blur and I’ll work on my hyper-focal distance calculation another day. Have a wonderful weekend everyone.
Longboat Key at Dusk
The other night I visited the northern tip of Longboat Key. This is one of those spots that only locals seem to know since it’s a little difficult to get to. To get here you have to walk in the water due to beach erosion. The water was warm and inviting which made my task all the more enjoyable. This section has a lot of toppled trees from hurricanes and so it’s a rather surreal landscape. On one of the stumps sat this pileated woodpecker who was not so shy as he let me get quite close. Lets just say this is one of those little corners of heaven, right in my own backyard.
Sunset Through the Trees
This sunset from behind the trees produced and interesting effect I hadn’t anticipated. It was more luck, I didn’t plan it this way. In any case, I hope everyone gets a chance to pause and view a sunset from time to time, it’s food for the soul. A sunrise will do also but that takes a little more effort. I once heard someone say that the reason we like staring at a fire is that flames are similar to the nature of our soul. I think that’s also why we like watching the sun set and rise. Reminds us of something.
Queenstown Sunrise
Actually this sunrise is from a mountain that overlooks Queenstown. When you get up here before dawn it’s pretty chilly but heats up right after the sun rises from behind The Remarkables which you can see here. This is private land but we got permission from the owner to be here. Typically only the mountain sheep and deer are here thus the name Deer Park Heights. I think the quiet and solitude of this place so high up yet so close to civilization was something that left an impression on me, like so many other beautiful things about the country of New Zealand.
Emerson Pond at Dawn
One morning last week I captured this just after sunrise. Everything seems so peaceful in the morning and to me this pond is a reflection of that. After capturing this I went a little ways up the road to another pond and was treated to the chatter of all the birds. I’m not sure chatter is the right word because sound of the Osprey is more like a cry-out warning the neighborhood that he’s up and awake. I think if I was a critter I’d take note, because other than the occasional Eagle, the Osprey are the head honchos. Anyway, it’s a nice experience to watch the morning rituals of the wildlife before I start my own busy day.
Jasper Park Lodge
This is where I’d like to wake up tomorrow morning. I did last summer, but now with the heat in Florida it’s looking real good. So I’ve been thinking where I’d go this summer and the Canadian Rockies are right up there at the top of the list where they should be. Maybe I’ll come back here, …maybe. Of course there are so many other beautiful sights to see, a good problem to have. But if you haven’t been, put Jasper at the top of your list. Me, I’ll ruminate a bit more, and then I’ll be off, to somewhere good.
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Jensen Beach
This is a sunrise over a very long and inviting beach I took a couple of weeks ago on the east coast of Florida. When I first arrived the turtle patrols were out looking for new nests and checking existing ones by GPS coordinates. I got there before sunrise on a Sunday so these folks are indeed dedicated to the well being of the turtle hatchlings. It was good to compare the beaches here to those on the west coast near my home, of course I’m partial but these beaches were inviting and unique in their own way.
Glenorchy Reflection
Glenorchy in New Zealand on a brisk morning. Glenorchy is about an hour drive north of Queenstown, is surrounded by mountains on all sides, and is at the northern end of Lake Wakatipu which is a very long lake. This shot is looking towards Mount Earnslaw which is prominent in the area. With all this at every turn I could understand why the people of New Zealand seem to have an outdoors lifestyle. Being surrounded as such they seem generally happy and healthy. Of course it’s hard to generalize, but that was the impression I was left with, and I think it’s not far off the mark. I had an overwhelming desire to explore every stop we made. I’m pretty sure I’d still be there hiking through the hills and valleys if I stopped at each vista we came across. And who knows, I might even be a little healthier.