Some people have inquired as to how I make the rusty papers I have been sharing on Instagram and on Facebook.  To tell you the truth, a lot of it has been experimental, but here are the basics.

Before you read any farther, if you are truly concerned about acid-free, archival quality papers and prints, read no farther.  Vinegar is used, and other chemicals as well, so this is not an acid-free process.  It is, however, a fun, creative process, and I still make books and cover books with these papers, because I don’t care if they will outlive me.  They probably will, anyway, because I am 71.  I make them to give ME pleasure, not future generations.  But if that happens, all the better.

First and foremost, you need to start collecting rusty things, preferably those that lie flat. Washers, gears, keys, nuts, hex nuts, various rings/circles, etc.  Sometimes you will stumble across these at flea markets, like the rusty stars I have.  Perhaps you have a scrapyard in your town that will let you go looking.  Others can be found in garages, old barns, or even purchased on sites like Etsy.  There are even links you can Google for how to rust new iron or steel objects yourself, although I admit I have not tried that.  So, after you have a good collection going, you can now move into the next phase. 

Let’s talk about paper.  You can use pretty much any type of paper, as long as it is not waxed like deli paper.  I have used watercolor, mixed media, drawing, old book pages, and mulberry papers.  Thin rice paper may not hold up to the abuse you are going to give it, but you could try.

How to Make “Plain” Rusty Paper

In addition to your rust collection, you will need:

• a small spray bottle or two
• a plastic craft tray (I ordered a nice set from Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B084YWVKBT?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details)
• white distilled vinegar (I get a gallon)
• vinyl gloves (unless you want your fingers to look like you’ve been digging in the dirt.)

I lay a sheet of paper in the craft tray, then liberally spray both sides with a 50/50 mixture of white vinegar and water.  Spraying one side only will make it curl.  Spray both sides, and it will flatten out again.

After the paper is wet, I lay my rusty stuff in a pleasing composition all over the paper.

I liberally spray it again, then let it start soaking and rusting.  I check on it periodically to juice it up a bit, if needed, and generally leave it overnight.  In the morning, I might even lay it out in the sun to get some drying time and lock the rust into the paper.  The more the rust leaks out, the better, I think.

When I feel it is ready, I remove the rusty bits (wear the gloves!).  If you feel that some of the areas could use more rust, (some things just don’t do well, especially if they are uneven and get little contact with the paper), now is the time to add more bits to the areas that seem too blank, spray that area again, and let it go for another night.

When you are satisfied, remove all rusty pieces and then rinse the tray and the paper in the sink with running water.  I lightly rub some of the crustiest looking places, because some of the metal flakes may actually come off.  I have a nice deep sink in the basement, with a disposal installed, so that sink gets a lot of crafting use.  You could use a hose in the yard, angle the tray, and rinse the paper from the top down.  Keeping the paper in the tray as you rinse helps it not to rip, because it will be kind of flimsy.

After it is rinsed, I carefully remove it from the tray and hang it up to dry with clothespins on a rope line, but you could lay it on an old towel and let it dry flat.

After it is dry, the paper usually will have some slight ripples or will want to curl, so I iron it flat on my ironing board.  Honestly, I use my iron only when sewing or crafting.  Ironing clothes stopped years ago!

Now For More Fun – Cyanotype Chemicals!

I took a cyanotype class, and I learned how easy it can be.  Typically, it is a process of coating some paper with the chemicals, letting the paper dry, laying it in a tray, then adding objects to the paper.  If they are lightweight, like leaves and grasses, you can cover them with a sheet of glass, to keep them from moving around.  If you are using metal objects, like old keys, or your rusty collection, no need for the glass.  Lay the tray in the sun for 2-3 minutes, then bring it back inside, remove the objects, and rinse it well with water.  Finally, to finish the developing process, spray it with hydrogen peroxide, and it’s done!  Let it dry.

Here are specific directions for cyanotypes, if you want to give this a go.  https://cyanotypestore.com/how-to-make-sunprints-printing-and-toning-instructions.html

Rusty Paper and Cyanotype, Combined!

Additional Materials Needed (that is, in addition to the previously listed materials for rusting paper.)

• Cyanotype chemicals, parts A and B https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08K1YZBQC?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details
• Hydrogen peroxide 
• a second small spray bottle
• foam brushes (any size)

This process I discovered accidentally.  It’s part of the “What if I…??” questioning that can make experimenting fun and sometimes end up with amazing results!

I had coated several sheets of paper with the cyanotype chemicals, and ended up not using one of the sheets.  After about four days of hanging in my basement, it had started to turn from its light green stage to a dull blue gray.  I decided to try my rusting technique on that paper.

I followed the directions in the same manner as outlined above for rusting.  I used the same water and vinegar, and let things rust overnight.  In the morning, I was quite surprised to see that some areas of the paper had turned bluish, others more blue green, in addition to the rust.  I rinsed it and dried it and kept experimenting.

I coated some more papers, let them dry for several days, sprayed a sheet with water and vinegar, added the rusty stuff, then took the tray out into the sun.  I left it out there for several hours.  It had dried a lot, so I took it inside, sprayed even more water and vinegar and let it sit overnight, so that the rust could develop more.  In the morning, it looked amazing!  It had puddles of darker blue, lighter areas, rust mixed in, etc.  I removed the rusty stuff, rinsed it, then sprayed it with the hydrogen peroxide, which brightened the blue even more. 

Needless to say, I cannot guarantee how any of these will turn out.  Different papers absorb more, the water to vinegar ratio is approximate, the cooking time varies widely, etc.  It’s all just experimentation, and fun.

Sometimes I coat just half of the paper with the cyanotype chemicals.  I might make random strokes of the chemicals on different areas of the paper.  Other times I coat the entire sheet of paper (one side only is needed, not both).  I suppose I could randomly “fleck” the chemicals over the paper. 

Now it is time for YOU to experiment.  Good luck in finding your rusty stuff collection.  It is the key to this working well.  The parts get crustier and crustier the more you use them.  I don’t rinse them or clean them.  And I do keep adding to my collection, whenever I can.

I plan to use these in bookbinding, paper crafting, and perhaps even frame one or two. 

Here is a book by DJ Gaskins (@djgaskins) that I adore.  See how the rusty papers could be used on the cover of a handmade book?  I will also scan/photograph each paper, and then it is a digital file that I can print over again, use as a texture over a photo, or even sell digitally.  Perhaps I will even sell some of the papers.  Who knows?  I will continue to do this until it becomes work, and no longer fun; then I will move on to something new. 

In the meantime, you have fun, but don’t blame your rusty, stained fingers on me.  I warned you to wear the gloves!

Follow me on Instagram. @camscamerashots

Naturally, people expect to see birds at an Audubon sanctuary, but birds don’t sit around and wait for visitors and then strike a pose, or organize a flyby just because someone has stepped onto the property.  There are zoos and aviaries for that sort of experience. 

We looked around, and I waved my arms at the paths and trees and tall grasses that reached above our heads.  I pointed out a tiny butterfly that landed near my feet. 

“There’s plenty to see here,” I thought to myself.  “You just have to know how to look.”

This time of year, I look for the orange berries on the bittersweet vine that dangles like beaded garland from the trees.  Milkweed pods are exploding with gossamer-winged seeds.  Common buckeyes still feed on purple asters, while cabbage whites and clouded sulphurs dance on the breeze.  Praying mantises move slowly among the tall grasses, looking for a place to deposit their egg cases.   Watch where you step, because a garter snake may be slithering along, unaware of your approach.

Tall grasses move in the breeze like fans doing the wave at a football game.  Yellow leaves drift down from above, while red berries gleam from the autumn olive shrubs. 

There’s plenty to hear, too.  A loud, crashing sound means that you’ve just disturbed a deer lying in the brush.  Look quickly to see the white tail bobbing away!  Blue jays cry to warn others of your presence, while woodpeckers drum high in the treetops, searching for food.  Dried sycamore leaves crunch underfoot, and chipmunks “squeak!” as they scurry away.

So I had a choice to make, while the man surveyed the scene.  Did I let him in on all of this beauty, or keep it to myself? 

I suggested a path for him to take, and he asked if there were ticks.  “I’m terrified of ticks.  Besides, my wife is waiting…”

“She’s right,” I said.  “There’s not much here to see.” 

Oatmeal, TX Bluebonnets on door in Burnet, TX. I love small town America.  Granted, I have not been in all of the small towns in America, but those I have been in have always piqued my curiosity and given me new insights.  On a recent road trip around Texas Hill Country, I traveled the smaller state and county roads and stopped in towns I picked out on the map:  Mason, Brady, Llano, Marble Falls, and even tiny little Oatmeal (I couldn’t resist the name).

Small towns are a relative term, I suppose.  Population can range from less than 200 people to 25,000 people and still be considered small, when compared to cities.  But regardless what state I am in, and which small towns I visit, they all have a number of things in common.

Wandering minstrel headed to the train station in Frostburg, MD Ice cream shop — and more — in Dripping Springs, TX. First, many of them are struggling to stay alive, especially if they are located far from any larger cities nearby.  Industry has left the area; the young people seek a livelier atmosphere, or they leave for college or the military and find lives elsewhere.  Superhighways have pulled travelers off the local roads.  The allure of the familiar, such as Walmarts and chain restaurants and hotels, appeals to many.  Travelers often want to get somewhere quickly, and they are not in the least bit curious about what they are passing by; they set the GPS and go, and small towns are usually not where the GPS routes them.  For these reasons, small towns are turning to other means to attract travelers — and business — to their Main Streets.  

The courthouse in Brady, TX. Old-time advertising in Graftom, WV Generally, the small towns that are most prosperous, in my opinion, are the county seats where the courthouse often dominates the center of town.  Law offices and bail bond businesses have employees, and they need places to eat lunch or meet over coffee.  If there is not a courthouse, small towns often turn to arts and antiques to pull travelers onto Main Street.  Some unique items can be found; there won’t be any “Target art”  or “vintage” items mass produced in Asia in these shops. 

There’s a sense of humor alive and well in Burnet, TX. Although I am not an expert on small towns, I do have a couple of suggestions for those that are trying to attract travelers.  First, make sure that there is a place where someone can buy a cold bottle of water, a hot cup of coffee, and find a bathroom to use.  A few food offerings would be nice, too, especially if there’s a regional specialty like pecan pie or barbeque.

I love vintage gas stations. This one is in Mercersburg, PA. Now for one of my pet peeves regarding small town businesses.  Above all, acknowledge me when I come into your shop.  Look up from reading the newspaper or chatting with your neighbor.  Make me feel welcome in your town.  

Third, know what makes your town unique:  When was it settled?  Why was it named “Dripping Springs” or “Boonsboro?”  What might be a local history tidbit I’d be interested in?  I think that anyone who works in a small town trying to attract and keep visitors interested should know these things.  I have too often been disappointed by people working in shops who tell me they have no idea about the history or, worse yet, tell me to go down the road half a mile to read the historical marker.  

The Seaquist mansion in Mason, TX. On the other hand, when I do encounter a local in one of the shops, whether an employee or not, I often find out the most interesting information, and I’m directed around the corner to a three-story mansion that’s being restored, or to a little waterfall that’s off the beaten path and one of the prettiest scenes around.  If I feel welcome in your little town, and I am interested enough to learn more about it, chances are good that I will tell my traveling friends to be sure to stop there, too, and sample the peach cobbler and look at the art.

On the street in Burkittsville, MD. Careless boating in Rock Hall, MD. My 18 months of photo walking found me in more small towns than most people I know have visited.  I always find unusual photo opportunities, good ice cream shops, and friendly people.  

My advice to you is to get off the highways, travel with a map, and pick out small towns along the state and county roads.  Get out, walk around, talk to the locals, and support local business.  You might just help a small town to stay alive.

<Copyright 2018; all photos for sale upon request.>

Bluebells 1 Bluebells 2 Every spring I say, “I have enough already.  Photos of Virginia bluebells look pretty much the same each year, so I don’t need to go looking for them again.”  Yet each spring, when the weather turns warm and the cherry blossoms are bursting forth in pink and white on Maryland trees, I find myself along the trails where the bluebells beckon.

Bluebells 6 Walking along bluebell-lined trails is so much more than merely finding another good cluster for my lens.  A walk along the Monocacy River, where the flowers faithfully emerge every April, regardless of how flooded their beds were in other seasons, is a reminder that even in this landscape that has seen the ravages of both storms and war, beauty will return. 

Bluebells 3 Bluebells 4 The sides of the path along the river are strewn with winter storm-damaged branches and trees, mingling with those from other years, which are slowly rotting away, returning to the soil from which they grew.  But scattered in patches among the detritus, mixed in with clumps of blue, are pink and white spring beauties, purple violets, creamy Dutchman’s Breeches, and yellow trout lilies.  These harbingers of spring appear for such a short window of time; I am always happy I decided to visit them again.

Bluebells 5 Bluebells 7 As I walked yesterday with friends, we were accompanied by the songs of birds singing for their mates, and a lovely breeze cooled us off on this first truly warm day of spring.  Yes, perhaps I do have enough photographs of bluebells.  However, I don’t have nearly enough of long walks on a beautiful spring day among the flowers.  I need renewal, too; I’ll return to the Monocacy at bluebell time for many years to come.

<Copyright 2018; All Photos are For Sale Upon Request>

White-throated sparrow American goldfinch What a beautiful day it is, and it promises to be beautiful most of this week, on the cusp of November into December.  I couldn't pass up a day like this to get out and walk at the Fred Archibald Sanctuary, now that Thanksgiving and holiday visiting are over.  

My goal was to photograph some birds today, so I took my big 200-500 lens attached to my Nikon D500, all perched on a monopod that I carried over my shoulder.  My mistake was in overdressing, because very soon I was peeling off layers, since most of the walk was in the noonday sun.

Praying mantis egg sack The last hangers-on. I was lucky enough to see and hear blue jays, bluebirds, field sparrows, white-throated sparrows, juncos, cardinals, goldfinches, a red-bellied woodpecker, and a downy.  Most of those birds know just how far to stay out of range of my lens, or to hide behind leaves and branches if they are closer.  I did manage to get a clear shot of a white-throated sparrow and a goldfinch.  However, now that leaves are off most of the trees, it is easier to spot the birds than in the summer.

As usual, I was alone in the sanctuary, but only in terms of humans.  I saw at least five deer who flipped their white tails at me as they bounded away, always too fast for me to focus the camera.

Milkweed beauty Last of the fall color My last blog post about safety in the sanctuary had over 2100 views, a record number.  I'm glad it was seen by so many, and I thank everyone who took the time to comment or message me, either thanking me for my suggestions or adding one of their own.

I hope to get out again before November is done.  When it's cold and icy, I won't be taking many chances.

<Thanks for reading my blog entry, which is part of a personal photography project to bring attention to and to benefit the Audubon Sanctuaries in Central Maryland:  Fred Archibald Sanctuary in New Market, MD, and Audrey Carroll in Mt. Airy.  The sanctuary is owned and managed by the Audubon Society of Central Maryland.  Volunteers are always needed to help with sanctuary management.  Copyright 2017 Cam Miller.  All photographs are for sale upon request.>

Praying mantis egg sack It's been a while since I walked in the sanctuary, for two big reasons.  The first is that my left knee was swelling on a regular basis, but I am happy to report that there has been much improvement since I eliminated inflammation-causing foods from my diet (sugar, dairy, and gluten were the main culprits) and I have started taking supplements like collagen, chondroitin, flax and borage oils, and turmeric.  The improvement in both the knee and the weather warranted a long walk today in the sanctuary.

Sycamore jewelry! The second big reason is that on November 4, one of my friends was injured in the sanctuary.  She tripped on uneven ground and fell hard, breaking both bones in her left forearm and fracturing a bone in her right ankle.  Luckily, she was not alone, and after calling 911, her friend was able to meet rescuers at the gate and lead them to where she was.  The ambulance was too big to fit down the old farm lane, so a pickup truck was called for to get her out. 

Magenta berries My friend's accident made me think long and hard about all of the walking that I do by myself in somewhat isolated areas.  It has taken me a few weeks to gain some perspective, so today while the weather was nice, I prepped myself for a safety walk, and while I was walking, thoughts of how I would approach this blog entry ran through my head.  I have come up with some things to consider when walking alone in areas like sanctuaries, state parks, and wildlife refuges.  These are in no particular order of importance.

1) Wear sturdy footwear.  Hiking boots provide even better ankle support if you should step on a walnut or into a depression covered with leaves.

2) Wear a high visibility vest.  It makes you easier to spot, and this time of year, various hunting is going on in rural areas, and although it is prohibited in places like state parks and sanctuaries, not everyone obeys the rules.

3) Take a fully charged cell phone with you.  Include "in case of emergency" information in the contacts of the phone, or carry that information on a card in your pocket, especially if your phone is locked and needs a passcode.  If cell service is an issue, carry a whistle, too.  It will help rescuers to locate you.  

4) Know where you are.  This may sound obvious, but if you are unaware of which trail you are on, or are not aware of landmarks like a stream or a pavilion, it may be difficult to tell rescuers where to find you.  If there is a map of the location, study it before embarking on your walk, so you can tell rescuers you are on the red trail, or in Area B, or whatever references may be on a map.  Also, let rescuers know if a pickup truck or an ATV may be needed to find you in a difficult-to-access area, so that time is not wasted.

5) Last but not least, text someone to let them know you are going alone on a hike or walk at the sanctuary, and text them again when you are home.  At least someone will know your last whereabouts if you are missing and no one knows where to find you.  As a side note, because I am single and live alone, my friend Norma and I have traded emergency contact information with each other.  Now I can call her daughter if there is an emergency, and she can call mine.  

Floating on air

I love our sanctuaries, and I do not want to let fear of having an accident keep me from going.  I will try to find a walking partner when I want to go in more remote areas, like alongside streams, but when I'm by myself, I will stick to the mowed pathways.  I'm also happy to report that after surgery to realign the bones in her arm and an orthopedic boot to help heal her ankle fracture, my friend is on the mend.  She has even been cleared for air travel, to visit her daughter for Thanksgiving.

In a time when we are so reliant on our cell phones to make immediate connections to the outside world, it pays to consider one's safety when walking alone in isolated locations that may have spotty service or none at all.  Be prepared, and be aware.  I know that from now on, I will err on the side of caution, so that I am able to return to the sanctuary for another walk on another day.

<Thanks for reading my blog entry, which is part of a personal photography project to bring attention to and to benefit the Audubon Sanctuaries in Central Maryland:  Fred Archibald Sanctuary in New Market, MD, and Audrey Carroll in Mt. Airy.  The sanctuary is owned and managed by the Audubon Society of Central Maryland.  Volunteers are always needed to help with sanctuary management.  Copyright 2017 Cam Miller.  All photographs are for sale upon request.>

Oct 6 - 1 Oct 6 - 2 People ask me why I go to the Audubon sanctuaries so often, and how I can find new things to photograph each time.  Why I go is probably the easiest to answer.  I go because I need the exercise, I like being out in nature with my camera, and the sanctuaries are close to home.  I'm not so sure I would drive an hour just to walk in a particular sanctuary, but both of these places are nearby, they are protected and maintained, and they are a great resource for Frederick County.

Oct 6 - 3 Oct 6 - 4 How do I find new things to photograph?  The change of seasons helps a lot.  Right now, seeds and berries are plentiful, leaves are changing color, and a variety of birds are migrating through the area.  In the winter there will be bare trees, frosty surfaces, and animal tracks in the snow.  The seasons also bring a variety of insects that are plentiful in summer, but not so much in fall.

Sometimes, I shoot with only my macro lens; or I use only my point and shoot.  Other times, I carry a really big lens (like today) and l challenge myself to use it close up as well as far away.  I look up, down, and all around.  

Oct 6 - 5 Oct 6 - 6 Finally, where I walk is a sanctuary not only for plants and animals, but for humans, as well.  Other than the sounds of birds and chipmunks and occasionally overhead flights of planes and geese, I am usually alone with nature.  The distractions and distressing news of the modern world are left behind.  As I walk, I am usually thinking about how to write this blog; I'm not stressing over things over which I have no control.  It's an hour of peace, which many of us need in today's world.

Oct 6 - 7 Oct 6 - 8 Come walk in the sanctuary with me.  We don't have to say a word...

To raise funds for hurricane relief, please consider purchasing a butterfly print from my Wings of Hope collection.

<Thanks for reading my blog entry, which is part of a personal photography project to bring attention to and to benefit the Audubon Sanctuaries in Central Maryland:  Fred Archibald Sanctuary in New Market, MD, and Audrey Carroll in Mt. Airy.  The sanctuary is owned and managed by the Audubon Society of Central Maryland.  Volunteers are always needed to help with sanctuary management.  Copyright 2017 Cam Miller.  All photographs are for sale upon request.>

Oct 3 - 1 I'm in the planning stages of a macro photography class and workshop, so today I walked at Audrey Carroll in search of berries, insects, small flowers, webs, and fluffy seeds so that I could practice my focus and my composition.

Oct 3 - 2 Macro photography can be tricky because of the extremely small depth of field.  You may be aiming to have the head of the bug very sharp, but you move, the bug moves, and the plant moves.  They can all conspire against sharp images.  Nevertheless, I practiced with my 100mm Tokina lens, and I found plenty of subject matter.  I'm showing you the sharpest, most successful shots.  There are many unsuccessful ones on my memory card!

Oct 3 - 3 Closeup photography can also be achieved with a small point-and-shoot camera; no really expensive cameras and lenses are needed.  Steady hands, good lighting, and lots of practice shots will yield good results.

If you are interested in learning more about macro photography, consider taking my class at Frederick Community College on Saturday, October 21.  Here is a link to register:  Register

Oct 3 - 4 Oct 3 - 5 Oct 3 - 6 Oct 3 - 7 Oct 3 - 9 Oct 3 - 8 To raise funds for hurricane relief, please consider purchasing a butterfly print from my Wings of Hope collection.

<Thanks for reading my blog entry, which is part of a personal photography project to bring attention to and to benefit the Audubon Sanctuaries in Central Maryland:  Fred Archibald Sanctuary in New Market, MD, and Audrey Carroll in Mt. Airy.  The sanctuary is owned and managed by the Audubon Society of Central Maryland.  Please do not bring pets into the sanctuary.  Volunteers are always needed to help with sanctuary management.  Copyright 2017 Cam Miller.  All photographs are for sale upon request.>

Sept 30 - 6 Sept 30 - 5 On this last day of September, I walked the Fred Archibald Sanctuary hoping to see some migrating monarchs, but it was chilly and windy, and the butterflies were not to be found.  If they were hunkering down somewhere, I did not find them.

Sept 30 - 4 Sept 30 - 3 Goldenrod is still in full bloom in the sanctuary, and the paths have recently been mowed, making walking there much easier.  Thank you to volunteers who do this work; it is much appreciated!  Other flowers still blooming are fleabane and some wild aster.

Sept 30 - 2 Sept 30 - 1 Milkweed pods are exploding with their wispy seeds, looking like great puffs of cotton.  Yellow leaves rain down from trees up above, and tall grasses are going to seed, waving their fluffy fronds in the breeze.  A few insects are still feeding on the plant life, and birds are beginning to work on the berries.

This beautiful fall weather just beckons one to go outside; consider a walk in one of the sanctuaries.  

To raise funds for hurricane relief, please consider purchasing a butterfly print from my Wings of Hope collection.

<Thanks for reading my blog entry, which is part of a personal photography project to bring attention to and to benefit the Audubon Sanctuaries in Central Maryland:  Fred Archibald Sanctuary in New Market, MD, and Audrey Carroll in Mt. Airy.  The sanctuary is owned and managed by the Audubon Society of Central Maryland.  Volunteers are always needed to help with sanctuary management.  Please, do not bring dogs into either sanctuary and obey the posted rules. Copyright 2017 Cam Miller.  All photographs are for sale upon request.>

Tickseed or false sunflower? If goldenrod makes you sneeze, don't come here! If September were in a coloring book, the page for the Frederick County Audubon sanctuaries would need many yellow crayons.  Too bad Crayola just retired "dandelion" and replaced it with a new blue, because yellow is the color most predominant right now.  The fields at both sanctuaries are filled with goldenrod, and at Audrey Carroll, spikes of small yellow flowers poke their stalks above, seeking attention.  

Summer has taken its toll on this butterfly. Monarch on pastels The yellow flowers might be tickseed or "false" sunflowers, or perhaps they are Helianthus.  Whatever they are, they are pretty, and on some country lanes, they are in such abundance that people stop to take photos.  

Purple thistle stands out against a sea of yellow. A monarch feeds on goldenrod. Right now, monarch butterflies are taking advantage of the last of the purple thistle and the abundant yellow flowers to fill up on nectar, preparing for their long journey to Mexico.

This is a male. See the scent "pouches" on the lower wings near the tail? Sept 24 - 7A painted lady head on. At the Audrey Carroll sanctuary today, I was looking for any recently tagged monarchs.  I found plenty of monarchs, but none with tags.  Perhaps the tagged ones knew they were ready to begin migration and have left; perhaps the monarchs I saw today are newly emerged from their chrysalises and they are preparing for their flight.  Regardless, I got a good walk and lots of great butterfly images today at the sanctuary.  I hope you're not tiring of them!

Last but not least, a few more.  Enjoy!

Black swallowtail and friends

Yellow flowers, yellow background, male monarch

Painted Lady on goldenrod

To raise funds for hurricane relief, please consider purchasing a butterfly print from my Wings of Hope collection.

<Thanks for reading my blog entry, which is part of a personal photography project to bring attention to and to benefit the Audubon Sanctuaries in Central Maryland:  Fred Archibald Sanctuary in New Market, MD, and Audrey Carroll in Mt. Airy.  The sanctuary is owned and managed by the Audubon Society of Central Maryland.  Volunteers are always needed to help with sanctuary management.  Copyright 2017 Cam Miller.  All photographs are for sale upon request.>

Happy Fall!  My favorite season is here, so I walked the Fred Archibald sanctuary this morning to check on its progress.  The grasses are super tall in the front part of the sanctuary, obscuring the goldenrod, but in the rear section, it is in full view.

A few butterflies were working the last of the purple thistle.  Leaves are starting to turn color, and berries are getting red.  Enjoy my photos from today, and don't forget to visit and support your local sanctuaries!

Sept 21 - 1

A few monarchs were busy on the thistle.

Sept 21 - 2 Sept 21 - 3

Dogwood leaves and berries.

Sept 21 - 4

A persimmon and a fly.

Sept 21 - 5

This bumblebee was sleeping.

Sept 21 - 6

I liked how the fence follows the rolling slopes.

Sept 21 - 7

A monarch on goldenrod.

Sept 21 - 8

Goldenrod dominates the landscape in the back of the sanctuary.

Sept 21 - 9

A monarch caterpillar munches on milkweed leaves.

To raise funds for hurricane relief, please consider purchasing a butterfly print from my Wings of Hope collection.

<Thanks for reading my blog entry, which is part of a personal photography project to bring attention to and to benefit the Audubon Sanctuaries in Central Maryland:  Fred Archibald Sanctuary in New Market, MD, and Audrey Carroll in Mt. Airy.  The sanctuary is owned and managed by the Audubon Society of Central Maryland.  Volunteers are always needed to help with sanctuary management.  Copyright 2017 Cam Miller.  All photographs are for sale upon request.>

Sept 16 - 1 Sept 16 - 2 What a beautiful day for the monarch tagging project at the Audrey Carroll Sanctuary near Mt. Airy!  This popular family activity was in full swing by the time we arrived.

My sister Erica and her husband Fredi, who arrived late last night from Heidelberg, Germany, for a family wedding later this afternoon, came with me on the walk.  We found the monarch tagging station and listened to the demonstration on how to capture a butterfly, and then we grabbed a net and took off.

Sept 16 - 3 Sept 16 - 4 We walked to the location where I always see butterflies, and sure enough, as soon as we arrived, a monarch flew right to a thistle in front of us.  I used the "under the butterfly" technique and snagged it on my second try!

Erica took possession of the net and kept the butterfly loosely protected in the netting as we walked our way back to the tagging station.  Happily, we were the first ones to arrive with a monarch, and a large group of kids and adults watched as the butterfly was tagged.

Sept 16 - 5 Sept 16 - 6 Carol, the butterfly lady in charge, removed the monarch from the net.  She identified its sex (male) and showed us the little sticker.  It has a strong, waterproof adhesive.  She applied the sticker to the "mitten" shape on the monarch's wings, and recorded the data, including sticker number, date, "wild or raised," and sex.  She placed the butterfly in my sister's palm, where it rested for a moment and then flew free.

Later, hopefully in Mexico, the sticker on this butterfly will be read and recorded, indicating that this tagged monarch made it safely on its trip there.  The data is used to help study the migration paths of these beautiful butterflies.

Sept 16 - 7 All it all, it was a great morning, and we're so glad we went!

To raise funds for hurricane relief, please consider purchasing a butterfly print from my Wings of Hope collection.

<Thanks for reading my blog entry, which is part of a personal photography project to bring attention to and to benefit the Audubon Sanctuaries in Central Maryland:  Fred Archibald Sanctuary in New Market, MD, and Audrey Carroll in Mt. Airy.  The sanctuary is owned and managed by the Audubon Society of Central Maryland.  Volunteers are always needed to help with sanctuary management.  Copyright 2017 Cam Miller.  All photographs are for sale upon request.>

Red Admiral Today I visited the Fred Archibald Sanctuary for the first time in a while, and although I did not go intending to photograph butterflies, I was pleased to find a Red Admiral feeding on some goldenrod.  It reminded me of one of my favorite encounters from July of 2013, back when I was in my year of daily photo walking.  It certainly bears repeating today, because it is a story of hope and faith.

Sept 10 - 2 On that particular day, I was visiting the National Shrine of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton in Emmitsburg, and inside the bascilica I met Sister Pat, from Michigan.  She was a docent that day, and we got to talking. 

I mentioned photographing butterflies, and she launched into the most amazing story about her friend Irma, who had recently died at age 60 from cancer.  Irma was sure she was going to heaven, and before she died, she told Sister Pat that she would come back after her death and visit her as a butterfly. 

Sept 10 - 3 After Irma's death, Sister Pat came out of mass one day to find that there was a butterfly on her car.  She took pictures of it, and it flew to the handicapped parking sign, then returned to land on her chest.  Sister Pat talked to the butterfly, addressing her as Irma.  When she opened the door to her car, the butterfly flew inside. 

Sept 10 - 4 Sister Pat drove to Irma's house to show Irma's husband the butterfly.  Butterfly Irma stayed inside the car, posing on the windows so that Sister Pat could take pictures.  Later, Sister Pat let the butterfly go free.  Sister Pat looked in a butterfly identification book and found that the butterfly was a Red Admiral.  When telling her chiropractor about this incident, he wrote down the name and then scrambled the letters.  He found "Irma Ladder" within the scramble.  Sister Pat believes that this butterfly was Irma's ladder to heaven.

Now I have to tell you, I am not a Catholic, nor am I a regular churchgoer, but it is stories like this that confirm my belief that there is a higher power, and that one only needs to look as far as nature for evidence.  

To raise funds for hurricane relief, please consider purchasing a butterfly print from my Wings of Hope collection.

<Thanks for reading my blog entry, which is part of a personal photography project to bring attention to and to benefit the Audubon Sanctuaries in Central Maryland:  Fred Archibald Sanctuary in New Market, MD, and Audrey Carroll in Mt. Airy.  The sanctuary is owned and managed by the Audubon Society of Central Maryland.  Volunteers are always needed to help with sanctuary management.  Copyright 2017 Cam Miller.  All photographs are for sale upon request.>

Monarch Dun Skipper What a wonderful butterfly walk we had this morning at the Audrey Carroll Sanctuary!  The weather was perfect, and the butterflies were plentiful.  A dozen people showed up, most of whom are Facebook friends or camera club members (many are both), and we had a great time spotting the various kinds.

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Female common yellowthroat We began along the trail on the left side of the sanctuary.  If you go, walk left at the parking area, and follow the path until you come to the first path on your left.  Follow it past the house and the fenced in garden, and walk straight ahead to to the nesting boxes you can see in the distance.  Around 10 am, all of that area is in bright sunshine, which is when the butterflies are most active.

Some of the group in the distance. Summer Azure Today we saw variegated fritillary, great spangled fritillary, eastern tiger swallowtail, black swallowtail, orange sulphur, checkered white, summer azure, painted lady, monarch, and numerous little skippers.  I was thrilled to see the painted lady, but it stayed well in the distance or behind flowers.

In addition to the butterflies, we saw goldfinches, flycatchers, common yellowthroats, and hummingbird moths.  We walked some areas twice over, and then went to the higher ground, where we found a welcome breeze.

Variegated Fritillary Great Spangled Fritillary If you have been reading my blog entries all along, you will note that I have expanded my project to include both Fred Archibald and the Audrey Carroll sanctuaries.  Each has different terrain, and each is a great place to walk, see birds, and enjoy nature.  The sanctuaries are always in need of volunteers to help maintain them, so please check out the links below to see how you can help.  

To raise funds for Hurricane Harvey relief, please consider purchasing a butterfly print from my Wings of Hope collection.

Happy Labor Day, everyone.  Keep an eye out for school children and buses, and obey those speed limits in school zones.  School starts tomorrow!

<Thanks for reading my blog entry, which is part of a personal photography project to bring attention to and to benefit the Audubon Sanctuaries of Central Maryland, which include Fred Archibald and Audrey Carroll.  To learn about volunteering, click here.  Copyright 2017 Cam Miller.  All photographs are for sale upon request.>

This bumblebee waits out the rain under cover of the thistle. The butterfly walk I had planned for this morning was rained out, but I went to the sanctuary anyway, not only to see if anyone was intrepid enough to show up in the rain, but also to find out the answer to my question:  Do butterflies fly in the rain?  It turns out I could have Googled that answer (it is no, because their wings are too heavy from being wet), but I wanted to see for myself.  After all, birds fly in the rain, so what about butterflies?  

Although the main attraction at the sanctuary for the butterflies, the purple thistle, was loving the rain, the butterflies were not.  I found one lone bumblebee that appeared to be asleep at the base of a thistle bloom.  

August 29 - 3 I thought I would give you some tips for photographing in the rain.  First, dress everything for the weather:  rain gear and rubber boots for yourself, and rain gear for your camera.  I use a waterproof cape that I made for the camera, but even a jumbo sized Ziplock bag with a hole cut for the lens will work well.  Here are some resources for camera covers at B&H. 

Grasses and seeds and droplets make a pretty abstract. When using a camera cape or cover, it helps to use the lens hood.  It will provide a nice, hard surface to snug up the rain sleeve around the lens, while keeping the lens an inch or so out of the elements.  Keep a couple of microfiber cleaning cloths in your pocket and check the front of the lens often for water droplets or mist.  It is also best to use a tripod, which frees your hands for wiping down the lens, making adjustments to the camera settings through the plastic or under the cape, and enabling you to use slower shutter speeds in low light conditions.  When shooting in the rain, you will probably need a higher ISO.  Check the histogram and adjust your settings so that your shots are not underexposed.

If your backpack does not have a built in rain jacket, you can use a plastic trash bag to cover the bag while you're wearing it.  Shake it off, lay it on the ground, and you have a place to set your camera bag down for a minute while you get out your gear.  Pack some dry clothing in your car so that when you are done shooting, you can strip off the wet stuff and change into something dry; there's no sense in soaking the seats of your car for the drive home.

IncomingOne of my favorite rain shots, at Antietam. Some of my favorite photos were taken in the rain, so don't let gentle rains and showers spoil your camera outing.  However, in downpours, high winds, and thunderstorms/hurricanes, use common sense and don't take unnecessary risks.  Have fun with your photography, no matter the weather!

<Thanks for reading my blog entry, which is part of a personal photography project to bring attention to and to benefit the Fred Archibald Sanctuary in New Market, MD.  The sanctuary is owned and managed by the Audubon Society of Central Maryland.  Copyright 2017 Cam Miller.  All photographs are for sale upon request.>

http://www.centralmdaudubon.org/faasmap.htm

King of the thistle Can we share? It's definitely butterfly time at the local Audubon sanctuaries.  Frederick County is lucky enough to have two:  the Fred Archibald sanctuary in New Market, and the Audrey Carroll sanctuary near Mt. Airy.  Both were made possible by the generous donation of farms to the Audubon Society, guaranteeing that the sanctuaries will remain undeveloped so that we and future generations may enjoy them.

Quite the pair! Cabbage white on ironweed. Although most people visit Audubon sanctuaries for the birds, I have been going lately for the butterflies.  I led a butterfly walk through Fred Archibald on Saturday morning, but the purple thistle favored by the butterflies was in the distance off the paths.  At Audrey Carroll, there is plenty of it right along the paths.  Today I saw butterflies of all kinds, as well as some hummingbird moths.

Monarch on ironweed. Definitely a flutter-er! If you want to see the butterflies, here is what to do.  Plan on getting to the sanctuary around 9:30.  Butterflies generally do not feed until the sun is up and the air is warmer.  I find they are quite active between 9:30 and 11 am.  Wear long pants (ticks are present in any area with grasses), sturdy closed-toe shoes, and a hat.  Bring along some water.

Fritillary and friend August 27 - 21Black swallowtail on thistle To see the butterflies, you will not need binoculars, but you may want them for the birds.  To photograph the butterflies, you will not need a long lens at this sanctuary.  A tripod may be helpful unless you are able to shoot at a high enough shutter speed to lessen the chance of blur.

Yellow swallowtail on purple thistle. Sip, sip, sip! Park at the roadside parking area and walk to the left of the gate.  Take the path on your left, which curves, and after the curve, take the first path on your left.  You will go by a farmhouse and a fenced in garden.  Continue on the path straight ahead to the nesting boxes, and you will see purple thistle all along the pathways.  Ironweed, ragweed, goldenrod, and Queen Anne's lace are also abundant.

There were cicadas, too! Enjoy your visit to the sanctuary; please obey the posted rules and leave the pets at home.  Perhaps I will see you there at the walk I am leading Tuesday morning, August 29, at 9:30 am.

<Thanks for reading my blog entry, which is part of a personal photography project to bring attention to and to benefit the Fred Archibald Sanctuary in New Market, MD.  The sanctuary is owned and managed by the Audubon Society of Central Maryland.  Copyright 2017 Cam Miller.  All photographs are for sale upon request.>

Love the pinks in this one. The "balls of light" in the background are called "bokeh," which is caused by the blades in the lens when shooting "wide open." On my walk with actual birders on Saturday, one of them stopped the group along a pathway and said, "Let's see if we can 'pish up' a common yellowthroat."  Everyone got quiet while she created a sound that simulated the kind of noise we all make when imitating a leak that has suddenly sprung from a hole in a hose.  It's a spraying kind of a sound that apparently will attract birds like the common yellowthroat, who come to see who's in their neighborhood.  For those of you who doubt that this is an actual "thing," here's a website to verify it!  https://www.thespruce.com/pishing-to-attract-birds-386698

Dew drop reflection Common buckeye butterfly Anyway, on this beautiful, clear summer morning, the dew was hanging in droplets on the grasses and sunlight was backlighting the seed heads.  I toted both my big camera lens and a second camera with my macro lens.  Both came in handy today.

Female common yellowthroat Male common yellowthroat I stopped where we "pished" on Saturday, and yes, it worked.  A little couple came to check me out.  It was more successful for me today because I was alone, and not with a group, who probably make the birds more wary about approaching.  On the left is the female common yellowthroat, and on the right is the male.  They know just how to hide in the leaves, but occasionally hopped into view of my lens.

Eastern pondhawk dragonfly As I was leaving the sanctuary, a gorgeous green dragonfly landed in front of me on the grass near my feet.  I have seen turquoise and black and brown dragonflies, but not this beautiful green.  It is an Eastern Pondhawk, which I will add to my "collection" of dragonflies.

Partridge pea is one of the wildflowers in bloom right now. Three women were entering the sanctuary as I was leaving.  All three are sisters -- one from Florida, one from near Gettysburg, and one from Carroll County. They said the sanctuary it is listed the "Fit, Fun, and Over Fifty" meetup site, which sounds like something to check out for new adventures.  I gave them some tips about what to look for, and off they went.

Happy eclipse day, everyone.

<Thanks for reading my blog entry, which is part of a personal photography project to bring attention to and to benefit the Fred Archibald Sanctuary in New Market, MD.  The sanctuary is owned and managed by the Audubon Society of Central Maryland.  Copyright 2017 Cam Miller.  All photographs are for sale upon request.>

Birders and their scopes. Put a needle on that vinyl record, and see what it plays! On the third Saturday of each month, the Audubon Society of Central Maryland sponsors a nature walk at one of its sanctuaries.  During an "even" month, like August (the 8th month), the walk is at Fred Archibald.  On the "odd" months, like September (the 9th month), the walk will be at Audrey Carroll.  Today I joined the walk at Fred Archibald, which began at 9 am.  It was billed as the "Summer Wildlife Walk," knowing that this is not a time to see lots of birds, but there is always something to see at either of the sanctuaries, no matter the time of year.

A moth suns itself A cicada suns itself. Today's walk was led by Crystal, Bonnie, and Kathy, who are members of the Audubon Society and local bird clubs.  You can always tell the birders from the photographers, because they are usually wearing not only their binoculars, but carrying tripods with birding scopes attached.  The way they walk the sanctuary is different from me, because they tend to stop in one place for a much longer time, listen to bird calls, and gaze off into the far distant treetops.

Right away we saw a flock of cedar waxwings flitting about over the grasses and into the trees.  They were likely catching insects on the wing.  Of course, they stayed well out the range of my camera, but those birders with their scopes got some great views.

Pearl Crescent butterfly Male widow skimmer dragonfly (I think) I found dragonflies, a few butterflies, and some insects.  It was nice to walk with others, even at a very slow pace, to talk about birding locations, cameras and lenses, and trips both planned and taken.  

The next walk is at Audrey Carroll on Saturday, September 16, at 9 a.m., where the focus will be on monarch tagging.  This is one not to miss, although I will have to miss it.  Monarchs should be plentiful in the sanctuary that day, if the weather is good.  Tiny little stickers will be put on their wings, which does not impede their flight at all.  

Female widow skimmer dragonfly (I think) Here is a link to future walks at the sanctuaries:  Nature Walks.  Thanks, everyone, for coming out to the sanctuary today.  It was nice to see new faces!

<Thanks for reading my blog entry, which is part of a personal photography project to bring attention to and to benefit the Fred Archibald Sanctuary in New Market, MD.  The sanctuary is owned and managed by the Audubon Society of Central Maryland.  Copyright 2017 Cam Miller.  All photographs are for sale upon request.>

Water was like jewels on this plant. The grasses are putting out seeds. I can't believe it's been eleven days since I last walked the sanctuary.  Between taking kids to and from camps, being out of town for four days, and the rain we have had, I was glad to get back to do a walk there.  I was pleased to see that some of the pathways had recently been mowed.  Volunteers do this work, and if you like mowing, contact the sanctuary management, and I'm sure your help will be welcomed!  

Beads of water edged every blade of grass this morning. Ladybug on grass This morning I knew the walk would be wet, so I took my long walking stick to wave in front of me on some of the wooded paths, so that I would not end up draped in web filaments.  Grasses were beaded up with dew and soon both my boots and pants were soaked.  I invested in an expensive pair of waterproof shoes that are not waterproof at all, so I am very disappointed in them.  I will purchase a spray for them to see if it helps.

Fall webworms More webworms Fall webworms are quite visible in the trees now, along roadsides as well as in the sanctuary.  Often confused with tent caterpillars, fall webworms form their webs in late summer on the ends of branches.  The webs are full of small brown, hairy caterpillars.  Tent caterpillars are seen in the spring and they are black with a white or gold stripe.

Delicate grasses with tiny water beads The goldenrod is getting ready to burst into bloom, and in a couple of weeks, masses of yellow will fill the sanctuary.  Monarchs will be plentiful, feeding on the nectar to fill up their energy stores before heading to Mexico.  I'll let you know when it's time to see the monarchs.  We can walk there together!  Maybe my shoes will truly be waterproof by then.

<Thanks for reading my blog entry, which is part of a personal photography project to bring attention to and to benefit the Fred Archibald Sanctuary in New Market, MD.  The sanctuary is owned and managed by the Audubon Society of Central Maryland.  Copyright 2017 Cam Miller.  All photographs are for sale upon request.>

Female common yellowthroat Widowskimmer dragonfly It seems that whenever I go to the sanctuary, I see far more insects than birds.  Today I toted my big lens, hoping to photograph some birds.  They were out enjoying this beautiful cool, breezy morning as much as I was, but they made sure to stay far away.  I saw and/or heard a blue jay, bluebirds, robins, sparrows of all sorts, mourning doves, tree swallows, a cardinal, and common yellowthroats.  I even saw a murmuration of starlings swirling far in the distance.  Alas, only a female yellowthroat posed for my lens, but I was happy to find her.

Pink grasses Fall is coming soon to the sanctuary.  The grasses are waving their seeds around.  I loved the reddish pink ones that glowed in the sunlight and danced in the breeze.  Milkweed plants are busy generating their fluffy seeds inside their still-green prickly pods.  Caterpillars are emerging, and soon will be forming their chrysalises before transforming into something with wings.  After Googling the one I found in the photo, I learned it is the Danaus plexippus, and it will become a monarch butterfly! Danaus plexippus: This one will be a monarch butterfly!

Virginia creeper Like a vinyl record! Upon leaving the sanctuary, I found a sunlight sapling with Virginia creeper climbing up its trunk, as well as a well-spun spiderweb woven between branches.  Be careful if you walk in any of the wooded areas, so as not to end up with a face full of spider web, and perhaps even its denizen, stranded into your hair.

I found my friend Mary, another photography enthusiast, standing by my car as I was leaving.  I wish I had had the time to walk it again with her, but my day ahead is filled with jobs to be done.  She was wearing sandals, so we both agreed she needed sturdy footwear, which luckily she had in her car.  The grasses are getting tall, and they are usually wet.  I directed her to the last blooming milkweed in the sanctuary, where she is likely to find a monarch.

Tomorrow should be just as nice as today.  I hope you visit the sanctuary -- please sign in at the little pavilion, and that way, I will know you were there!

<Thanks for reading my blog entry, which is part of a personal photography project to bring attention to and to benefit the Fred Archibald Sanctuary in New Market, MD.  The sanctuary is owned and managed by the Audubon Society of Central Maryland.  Copyright 2017 Cam Miller.  All photographs are for sale upon request.>

Monarch on milkweed Three and more! Around 10 am is feeding time for the monarchs; the sun has warmed up the flowers, the nectar is flowing, and the butterflies are flocking to the only milkweed left in bloom at the sanctuary.  All other milkweed has gone to seed, but there are a few flowers along the horse farm fence line.  If you go in the next couple of mornings, park at the sanctuary gate, and step over the rail on either side.  Walk down the hill to the pavilion, and take the path to the right, up to the horse farm.  Turn left at the fence, and the milkweed is on the left, between the second the third nesting boxes.

Another beauty. Groundhog from a distance. Upon leaving the butterflies, I walked a different part of the sanctuary this morning, and on my walk I saw more butterflies, Eastern kingbirds, a black swallowtail butterfly, a rabbit, and a groundhog.  

Photo with the DSLR Photo with the pocket camera The fall webworms are busy building their tents at the ends of branches, and I came across a walnut tree branch encased in filaments.  It surrounded leaves and walnuts, and caterpillars were busy crawling around inside the webby tent.  I decided this would be a good test of a closeup with my new pocket-sized camera, so I took a shot with my DSLR zoomed in on filaments at the tip of a walnut (photo on left) and another with the pocket camera (photo on right.)  I practiced some more in the house this morning and read a few tips online about how to get sharp focus where I want it to be (and not the camera), and I had more success.

Chickory flower with pocket camera in macro mode A cicada I also tried the pocket camera on a chickory flower, and I was pleased with the focus and sharpness.  I used the macro setting on the camera.  Of course, I always edit my photos, so that I can bring out the best parts of each shot.  A cicada also flew to a strand of grass near me, so I used the DSLR to zoom in on it.  The photo with a pocket camera would have been too tiny.  I think walking with both kinds of cameras is going to be a good compromise for me.

In the next few weeks, the goldenrod and ragweed will be in bloom, attracting even more monarchs.  I enjoy watching how the change of seasons affects what lives in and depends on the sanctuary to sustain life.

<Thanks for reading my blog entry, which is part of a personal photography project to bring attention to and to benefit the Fred Archibald Sanctuary in New Market, MD.  The sanctuary is owned and managed by the Audubon Society of Central Maryland.  Copyright 2017 Cam Miller.  All photographs are for sale upon request.>

Leaves in the morning light Come into my web! Today I decided to change things up a bit and visit the Audrey Carroll Sanctuary near Mt. Airy, but still located within Frederick County.  We are fortunate to have two large sanctuaries right here in Frederick County.

This brochure has information about the sanctuary, and in particular, information about Audrey Carroll, the woman for whom the sanctuary is named. http://www.centralmdaudubon.org/faasmap.htm

As with the Fred Archibald sanctuary, there are trails and woodland and natural habitat.  Trails are mowed and between them in the open areas is an abundance of native plants and grasses, which provide cover and habitat for various kinds of birds and wildlife.  Some sparrows nest on the ground, so grassy cover is essential to keep them out of view of hawks and other predators.  I have disturbed deer on my walks that were lying in the grasses, too.

A skipper surveys his domain. An acmon blue butterfly I was happy to meet Mark Kulis today, with whom I have been corresponding via email.  He is the committee chair for sanctuaries at the Audubon Society of Central Maryland, and today he was doing some maintenance at Audrey Carroll.  The sanctuaries depend on volunteers for much of the maintenance at both sanctuaries (there is a lot of brush to clear, weeds to pull, and grass to mow), and another volunteer named Karen was weeding.  She told me she recently retired and has been busy with volunteer outdoor activities ever since.  I'm hoping to meet with the board of directors in September to talk about ways that this blog and my photos can assist with supporting the mission of the society and the sanctuaries in particular.

Ruins of the dairy Ghosts of the dairy There is an old diary milking station on the property, with ghostly figures spray-painted on the walls.  It has really become overgrown since my first visit there about three years ago.  Another difference on this sanctuary is the presence of a house (used for sanctuary business) and a pond.

If you're looking for a good place to take a walk and enjoy nature, try out one of our two Frederick County sanctuaries.  Don't be deterred by a locked gate.  Park by the gate and step over the low rail on either side of the gate.  Obey the posted rules and enjoy!

<Thanks for reading my blog entry, which is part of a personal photography project to bring attention to and to benefit the Fred Archibald Sanctuary in New Market, MD.  The sanctuary is owned and managed by the Audubon Society of Central Maryland.  Copyright 2017 Cam Miller.  All photographs are for sale upon request.>

Queen of the Lace! We can share. We've had quite a bit of rain, and my Brazilian houseguest Carmen just bought a new camera and lens.  We attempted to go for a walk this morning, but the light rain foiled our plans.  This afternoon when the sun came out, we headed for the sanctuary to give her new camera a "field test."  

Small butterflies were out in force, feeding on the only flowers blooming right now, which are primarily the Queen Anne's lace.  They are sharing the flower space with bees.  Carmen stopped to take photos of water droplets, insects, flowers, and of course, the butterflies.

Milkweed bug family reunion. Orange sulphur butterfly Someone had been through the sanctuary since my last visit a week ago, cutting down some saplings.  Managing growth is important to maintain proper habitat for wildlife and birds.

It was great to see some sunshine after all the rain.  I predict that with the sunshine predicted for the next few days, rapid growth of the native grasses will be evident along the pathways.

This tree was watching me. Monarch brakes for a landing! If you decide to visit the sanctuary, don't be discouraged if you see the gate closed and locked.  It is always closed and locked.  Just park near the gate, and walk to either side of it, stepping over the low pipe rail.  Then continue on down the hill and into the sanctuary.  You will see a small pavilion; be sure to sign in to let the managers know you were there.

<Thanks for reading my blog entry, which is part of a personal photography project to bring attention to and to benefit the Fred Archibald Sanctuary in New Market, MD.  The sanctuary is owned and managed by the Audubon Society of Central Maryland.  Copyright 2017 Cam Miller.  All photographs are for sale upon request.>

Gray hairstreak butterfly. Ray focuses on something tiny. I met my friend Ray when he enrolled in one of my photography classes at FCC, accompanied by two sign language interpreters.  It was the first time I had had a deaf person in one of my classes, so I had to get used to looking at Ray when I spoke, and not at the interpreter.  When one of them said, "Did you get my email?" I looked at her and said, "No," not realizing it was really Ray who was asking me that question, so I quickly changed my answer to "Yes."  Having the interpreters in class took a little getting used to!  Ray took both my black and white photography and my flower photography classes, and we have kept in touch.

The most popular plant in the sanctuary! Yesterday's rain clings to the back of a leaf. Last night Ray messaged me that he would be walking the sanctuary, although he didn't mention a time.  When I arrived, I saw a parked car, but I did not see him.  I decided that the smart thing for me to do was to walk the sanctuary the opposite way I usually go, and sure enough, halfway around I found Ray.

We both were using our macro lenses.  I pulled out my pen and paper, and we were able to ask questions of each other using the pad.  Of course, pointing out butterflies, beetles, and dragonflies was easy, and we needed no words for that.

Cicada shell on lichen covered tree trunk. A cicada shell on the fence On our walk, we found a number of cicada shells, which I mentioned yesterday that I would have to look for.  There were also just a few milkweed plants in bloom, and they were heavily visited by bees, beetles, and butterflies.  Our macro lenses got a good workout.

A skipper on milkweed. Lichen grows on the top of each fence post. When we parted, I reminded Ray to check for ticks; he decided to stay a while longer.  I'm so glad we found each other this morning.  Now another friend is aware of the sanctuary, and I'm sure he'll visit it again.

<Thanks for reading my blog entry, which is part of a personal photography project to bring attention to and to benefit the Fred Archibald Sanctuary in New Market, MD.  The sanctuary is owned and managed by the Audubon Society of Central Maryland.  Copyright 2017 Cam Miller.  All photographs are for sale upon request.>

One of the many deer trails crossing the meadows. Virginia tiger moths hiding under a blade of grass. When I opened the door of my car this morning at the sanctuary, I was greeted by a cacophony of cicadas, which is one of the true sounds of summer in Maryland.  On my walk the chorus continued, with the additions of the cries of a crow, the bellowing of a bullfrog, the drumming of a woodpecker, and the warbling of a wren.  The only man-made sound was the occasional airplane or jet overhead.  Try as I might, I could not find a cicada to photograph; perhaps when they leave their dried shells on tree limbs, I will see the only physical evidence that they were inhabiting this peaceful place.

Can you see me now? Female common yellowthroat with breakfast. Summer heat is taking its toll on plants as flowers and grasses are drying and moving into seed production.  Dragonflies and other insects, like moths and tiny butterflies, still flit from perch to perch.  Nesting season is winding down, as fledglings try their hand at capturing their own food.

Halloween pennant dragonfly Black leaf-footed bug (yes, that's the name). I was pleased to photograph my first Halloween pennant dragonfly, which is so named because of the orange and brown bands of color on its wings.  The adult dragonflies eat mosquitoes, flies, and gnats.

The next time you are in the sanctuary, use your ears and listen to the sounds around you.  Perhaps you'll hear a chorus of cicadas, too.

<Thanks for reading my blog entry, which is part of a personal photography project to bring attention to and to benefit the Fred Archibald Sanctuary in New Market, MD.  The sanctuary is owned and managed by the Audubon Society of Central Maryland.  Copyright 2017 Cam Miller.  All photographs are for sale upon request.>

The teasel is nearing the end of bloom. Wild bergamot seed heads This morning my friend Elizabeth accompanied me on my walk through the sanctuary.  The butterfly garden did not have much action, as the wild bergamot, the main attraction, is fading quickly.  The seed heads are attractive purple orbs, but they no longer lure butterflies and bees or hummingbird moths in the numbers that were present a few days ago.

It was a beautiful morning in the sanctuary. We photographed droplets of dew, dragonflies, and wildflowers, chatting as we walked about the camera club we both belong to, the Frederick Camera Clique.  We thought an outing to the sanctuary to practice macro photography would be a good field trip.  I wish I'd had my macro lens on my camera today, because there were lots of great closeup opportunities of bugs and water. Water droplets line up on the grass.

Milkweed bug on a milkweed pod. Milkweed beetle

We saw two different types of red and black insects on the milkweed plants, which have finished blooming and are now forming pods.  The photo on the left is a milkweed bug; it feeds on the leaves and stems of the milkweed.  It will not sting or bite.  They can, however, kill the milkweed plant, which is beneficial to monarch butterflies.  The insect on the right is the milkweed beetle.  They, too, are harmless to humans and feed only on the milkweed plant.

A cabbage white sips a dogbane flower. We had a good walk this morning, and now another friend has visited the sanctuary who had not been there before.  I'm sure she'll visit it again.

<Thanks for reading my blog entry, which is part of a personal photography project to bring attention to and to benefit the Fred Archibald Sanctuary in New Market, MD.  The sanctuary is owned and managed by the Audubon Society of Central Maryland.  Copyright 2017 Cam Miller.  All photographs are for sale upon request.>

July 16 - 1Backlit leaves glow in the evening sun Backlit sycamore leaves I decided to take a walk this evening, to catch a different light other than in the morning.  There were very few insect visitors to the wild bergamot in the butterfly garden, but I did disturb a couple of rabbits grazing on the clover.

It was after I left the garden that I realized my first mistake.  I had forgotten to check the status of the camera battery.  It was very low, so I knew I had to carefully select my shots.  My photography friends love it when I admit I make mistakes -- it makes them feel better about theirs.  But honestly, they don't know the half of them.

I found this fawn hiding behind grasses. For these walks, I am challenging myself to shoot in manual mode, where I have control over the shutter speed, the aperture (which affects depth of field), and the ISO.  It is all a balancing act to get the right exposure.  There is a little gauge in the bottom of the viewfinder inside the camera that you try to "zero out" in order to get a good exposure.  But I am still very much a reactionary photographer.  Tonight I saw a fawn in the woods, and I adjusted the settings to account for the deep shade.  

Trust me, there's a beautiful common yellow throat in this shot! Later, I saw a common yellowthroat in bright sun.  I didn't check my settings.  I just fired away, which resulted in two errors.  The shot was seriously overexposed, AND it ate up what little battery power I had left.  You'll just have to trust me that somewhere in this washed out photo there is a bright yellow bird.

Native grasses These cross-hatched grasses caught my eye. I purposely created lens flare by shooting into the sun. So today's lesson is to be prepared.  Check the camera settings, check the exposure, and check to see that you have either enough battery power or a spare battery in your bag.  I resolve to do a better job with all of these.  

By the way, the big benefit of walking at the end of a sunny day is dry shoes!

<Thanks for reading my blog entry, which is part of a personal photography project to bring attention to and to benefit the Fred Archibald Sanctuary in New Market, MD.  The sanctuary is owned and managed by the Audubon Society of Central Maryland.  Copyright 2017 Cam Miller.  All photographs are for sale upon request.>

Wet grasses and bokeh caused by the lens Marlene takes a shot Thank goodness for the new waterproof shoes I bought yesterday.  After the storms moved through yesterday, there was a lot of water left on trees and grasses at the sanctuary.  Combined with the humidity, today's walk was definitely a wet one.

Water droplets lay like crystal beads on the grass. This morning, my friend Marlene came with me.  It was her first visit to the sanctuary, and I hope to introduce many more people to it.  I also have been in contact with members of the board of directors of the Audubon Society of Central Maryland, and they are pleased about my project.  We're discussing ways that my work can benefit the sanctuary, so stay tuned!

Jewel-like beetles mate on a leaf. A widow skimmer dragonfly Today's lesson is on the minimum focusing distance of a lens.  I am using a large 200-500mm lens, and I have to back up at least five feet from whatever I am focusing on to get the subject sharp.  Without that distance, the lens will not focus, either automatically or manually.  

Hummingbird clearwing moth on wild bergamot. Black swallowtail butterfly on wild bergamot So let's say I want to focus in on some little beetles on a leaf.  I need to back up at least five feet until the leaf is in focus.  Then I can use the zoom feature to zoom in on the beetles, and they will be sharp.  Marlene had a 70-300mm lens on her camera, and she had to back up about 4.5 feet to get focus.  Every lens has a minimum focusing distance.  Some will find focus only a few inches away; others, a few feet.  It pays to figure out what your minimum focusing distance is, to save frustration when trying to focus on something close by.

Eastern Kingbird Backlit leaf and shadow The wild bergamot will only be in bloom a few more days, so if you want to see the hummingbird moths in action, you need to get to the sanctuary soon.  The butterfly garden is on the left soon after entering.

Click this link for directions to the sanctuary:  Fred Archibald Sanctuary, New Market, MD

<Copyright Cam Miller 2017 - All Photos Are Available for Sale Upon Request>

I have embarked on a new personal project that combines my love of walking, nature, and photography.  A few miles from my home is the Fred Archibald Audubon Sanctuary, which is owned and maintained by the Audubon Society of Central Maryland.

My goal with this project is to bring attention to the sanctuary by walking it as often as I can and capturing the beauty and diversity of its wildlife, insect life, and plants.  It will evolve over time, but I intend to find ways that this project can benefit the sanctuary and others like it.

As always, I love to teach both my readers and myself something in each blog entry by including information about nature, history, photography, and science. Today's lesson is Who Was Fred Archibald, the man for whom the sanctuary is named?  He generously donated his New Market farm to us so that we and future generations may enjoy it for years to come.

Come join me on a walk sometime, and we'll enjoy the sanctuary together!

<Click all photos to enlarge.  Hover mouse over photo for caption.>

A hummingbird moth reminds me of a flying crawfish! A jeweled bead of water graces a blade of grass. Cabbage White butterfly Widow skimmer dragonfly A field sparrow eyes me from a distance. The last flowering milkweed plant drew a crowd! Mullein plants have medicinal properties. A widow skimmer gleams copper in the sun. Can a widow skimmer detach its head? This fawn was curious about what was happening on the other side. This is what was happening on the other side! Time to skedaddle! A perfect yellow swallowtail enjoys wild bergamot. Another hummingbird moth on wild bergamot. There were many seen this morning.

Boyers Mill Sunset The almost full moon was set to rise tonight at 8:09, so I set up my camera in my usual spot overlooking the farm on Boyer's Mill Road.  The farm has been sold and will soon be developed, so I take as many opportunities as I can to catch the moon rising over the farm.  In the future, the moon will rise over a sea of rooftops instead of over a pasture with cows grazing in the waning light.

Clouds obscured my view of the moon, but as the sun set behind me, the clouds took on hues of yellow and pink and purple.  The cows moved a little closer to the barn.  Flocks of blackbirds crossed the sky in front of me.  A gentle breeze cooled the air around me.  

Even though I did not see the moon, the scene in front of me was even more beautiful and peaceful than what I had anticipated.  It was enough.  It was more than enough.  Good night, moon, wherever you are!

<All photos are for sale upon request.>

Be My Valentine

This light painting features a number of items that my mother has given to me, including the wonderful Victorian button-up boot, the handmade lace petticoat it sits on, the gilded ceramic bowl next to it, and the string of pearls that spill out of the bowl.  I decided to create a composition that looks as though a Victorian lady is preparing to go out for the evening to meet the man who sent her the Valentine.  She has stepped away from her dressing table for a moment, to answer the summons of her mother, who wants to ensure her daughter will be properly chaperoned for the evening.

The Valentine card was created from a photo I took of a print in an antiques shop, which was also where I purchased the lace fingerless gloves.  A handkerchief, a solitary rose, and a bottle of perfume complete the composition.

Think of items you have that perhaps your mother, father, or grandparents owned.  What story could those items tell if I created a light painting of them for you?

Happy Valentines Day!

Garage Shelf

Widowed a few years ago, Clare was ready to move from her two-story colonial into condo living.  She knew she needed to let go of some items, including the vintage tools her late husband John had collected.  Using some of the tools she gave me, I added a few items from my own set of props to create the composition in this light painting.

Now Clare will have prints made of this photo to share with her son and daughter.  And most importantly, she can let go of the collection, passing them on to a friend who will appreciate them as much as John did.

Consider a light painting for your mementos.  Get your Grandmother's teapot out of the box it's stored in, or pull out from the closet those Matchbox cars and Pez dispensers from childhood.  I'll create a composition with your items to create a light painting you'll love.

(Although this story is fictional, I offer it as an example of what can be done with objects that are near and dear to your heart.  Most of the items belonged to my late husband, Jim, and I use the push drill, the needle-nosed pliers, the wire cutters, and the Craftsman screwdriver on a regular basis for my framing.)  

Click photo to enlarge and/or to purchase.

19 - Lander 1 19 - Lander 2 I can't believe this is my first photo walk of 2017.  The month is slipping away quickly, which some people love, because it brings us nearer to spring.  However, today was a springlike day, in some respects, so I treated myself to a walk along the C&O canal towpath, to find some woodpeckers.

19 - Lander 4 Now, to find woodpeckers, all you really have to do is listen.  The big birds, like the pileated, will drum very loudly, while smaller ones, like flickers and downies, will "talk" as they work their way up a tree trunk in search of insects.

19 - Lander 3 I walked north along the section of the canal by the Lander Lock House, near Jefferson.  I heard lots of woodpeckers drilling away, but some were across the river, and others were across the railroad tracks.  Closer to me, I could hear lots of things other than woodpeckers.  A rooster crowed about every 30 seconds.  Chickadees chirped in the treetops.  The rumble of a train far away soon gave way to blasting horns and rumbling freight cars.  A couple of women passed me on horseback -- on the first trip, they were gossiping about their ex husbands; on the return trip, they were complaining about their bosses.  They had a good gabfest while ambling along the path.

19 - Lander 5

19 - Lander 7 19 - Lander 6 I turned around at the Catoctin Aqueduct, which collapsed in 1973 and was rebuilt using the majority of its original stones; it was reopened in 2011.

On my return trip, I was finally rewarded with a nearby yellow-bellied sapsucker.  Even if I had not found a woodpecker at all, I would have been satisfied with my walk today.  It was great to get outside, enjoy the fresh air, and listen to everything going on around me.

All photos in "My Photo Walk" are available for sale upon request.

30 - Worthington 1 30 - Worthington 5 It snowed this morning, fast and furious flurries that left the ground white in most of Frederick County.  Of course, the wind picked up and blew it all away, but that wind, combined with the flurry, made for a very chilly walk at Worthington Farm, part of the Monocacy Battlefield.

I met Facebook friend Theresa Wiltrout there, so that we could walk along the Ford Loop, hoping to find some birds to photograph.  Theresa just got a new big telephoto lens, so I packed mine, and off we went.  We talked and walked, seeing an occasional chickadee, but nothing we could get in range.  Alas, no woodpeckers, either.

30 - Worthington 3 30 - Worthington 2 After we emerged from the Ford Loop, we tackled Brooks Hill, which was mostly uphill on a winding trail.  Brown leaves sprinkled with snow crunched under our feet.  Theresa and I used our walk to learn about each other, since it was the first time we had actually met.  We found we have a lot in common, and we plan to do another walk again, soon.

30 - Worthington 4 I shot snowy leaves, a cow, and a farm scene from the top of Brooks Hill, but it wasn't until I looked at the photo in the computer that I realized I could see the Stup's Auto "graveyard" in the distance across Rt. 355, on Ball Road.  Look at the top of the farm photo, and you'll see it, too.

Thanks, Theresa, for a great walk.  Hopefully we'll both have better luck on our next birding adventure!

All photos in "My Daily Photo Walk" are available for sale upon request.

The historic houses of worship in downtown Frederick are open annually for touring the first Monday after Christmas.  Each year the tour seems to draw more and more people, making it difficult to find parking, to get into and out of the churches, and certainly to take photos inside of them.  But of course, the tour is not for photographers, but for everyone.

This year, I decided to make it primarily a walk downtown, photographing spires from parking deck roofs and interesting things in windows and along the way.  I did go inside of St. John's, where I did a swipe with my camera to create the white lines on the lighted tree.

It was a good evening downtown with lots of people, and the tour was yet another of the great reasons to visit downtown Frederick.

26 - Church Tour 2 26 - Church Tour 3 26 - Church Tour 4 26 - Church Tour 5 26 - Church Tour 6 26 - Church Tour 1

All photos in "My Photo Walk" are available for sale upon request.

12 - New Market 2Santa's lying down on the job. 12 - New Market 3Mr and Mrs watch the traffic go by. The past few days I've been in a funk.  It feels like my get-up-and-go got up and left me.  I've been sitting too much, knitting too much, and just being pretty much house bound.  I suppose I could blame it on the cold weather, but real cold weather hasn't even arrived yet.

In the past, a walk outside has often been the cure, so when the sun came out and the temps hit 50, I drove to my little town of New Market to check on the progress of the streetscaping.

Workers were putting the finishing touches on new plantings between the curb and the sidewalk.  The sidewalks in the main part of town are all inlaid brick, and although they are pretty, I can just envision the new trees they have planted sending out roots to upheave them and create new trip hazards.  I hope they designed the walks with some sort of protective barrier to prevent that from happening.

12 - New Market 1 12 - New Market 4These new gutters must have been pricey! New street lights line the road, placed about every 40 feet, but I am not a fan of them.  I appreciate the light they provide, and the fact that they are energy efficient, but the poles are pure white and the lanterns are black.  The poles look like white pvc pipe.  If only they were black, they would be so much more attractive.  The owner of the Santa Fe Trading Company, where I stopped in to inquire about a jewelry repair, agreed with me.  The old black lanterns that used to light the street were so much more vintage, in keeping with the look of the town.  I'll volunteer to paint a few of the white poles black to see how residents like them.

12 - New Market 5 The sunshine and vitamin D intake, along with the fresh air, did me some good, but here I am again, sitting at the computer, instead of moving more.  Perhaps I'll think about resuming my daily photo walks in January, barring any blizzards.

All photos in "My Daily Photo Walk" are available for sale upon request.

Someone asked me recently about what kind of camera bag is best, and I knew I could not answer without a long explanation.  I’ll take you through the kinds of bags I own, and for what occasion, so you can choose for yourself.

First and foremost, any camera bag has to be well made and comfortable to wear.  Many people are fond of the cross-body bags known also as a sling bag.  The benefit of a sling bag is that you can rotate it to your side, and then unzip and reach into the bag without having to take it off.  However, as a somewhat full-chested female, I find them uncomfortable.  In the store, they feel fine when empty.  But take along three five pound bags of flour, put them into the bag you’re considering, and try it on again.  If it’s hard to breathe, or cuts sharply across your chest, don’t buy it.  Here is a popular sling bag by Lowepro:  http://store.lowepro.com/sling-bags/slingshot-edge-150-aw

I prefer a backpack style, which evenly distributes the weight across my back.  I usually just let one strap fall, and then rotate the bag to the side, so I can reach my gear.  The wrap around feature of the flap covering the gear makes it simple.  I have a backpack in both small and large sizes.  The small has a zippered pocket for a tablet, and the large has room for a big laptop.  The gear compartments will hold a camera body with lens attached, and one or more additional lenses, depending on the size of the bag.   The top zippered compartment is roomy enough for a bag lunch, wallet and keys, and extras like memory cards, spare batteries, etc.  Here is the small type I have:  http://store.lowepro.com/fastpack-bp-150-aw-ii  The larger is here: http://store.lowepro.com/fastpack-bp-250-aw-ii

Both backpack and sling bags may offer tripod pockets and straps to accommodate a small folded tripod on the outside of the bag.  When selecting a bag, also consider whether it has a built in rain cover that can be pulled out and used when the heavens open up.

I have the two backpack sizes for very different reasons.  When I am doing a daytrip with a lot of walking, the small is perfect.  Mostly, I am wearing the camera, so the backpack holds the extra stuff.  When I am traveling by air, I take the larger bag.  Into it go my laptop, external drives, IPad, Kindle, reusable water bottle, sunscreen, wallet, keys, etc.  The camera bodies, folded tripod, and lenses are in my hard sided wheelie bag, which I fit into the overhead bin.  Later, at my destination, I repack the backpack with the camera gear, and off I go, leaving the wheelie bag and other electronic gear in my room.  Here is a link to a good travel bag for camera gear:  https://www.thinktankphoto.com/collections/airport-series/products/airport-takeoff

When I am out on a photo walk with the big camera, I know I will be wearing the camera, so sometimes all I want is a small bag to hold an extra lens, filters, cleaning cloth, and a spare battery.  In that case, I use a bag like this:  http://store.lowepro.com/adventura-sh-140-ii  I suppose a large cross-body purse would fulfill the same function.

When I am walking in a city, which I rarely do, I don’t want to look like I’m toting expensive camera gear.  I also want to be able to combine the functions of a camera bag and a purse, as well as hold the bag close to my front.  I have a Kelly Moore bag like this:  http://store.kellymoorebag.com/products/evangeline?variant=15098557063  I wear it with the removable cross body strap.  A more "stylish" bag like this is suitable for weddings and special events, when I am the guest and not the photographer.  Men may prefer the messenger bag look for use in the city.

Traveling with the car, such as when I go to a wildlife refuge near home, I usually work out the of the trunk.  Many of the photos are taken from within the car, with the windows rolled down.  In that case, I pack all of my gear into a cargo organizer, and work from it.  There’s no need to pack a bag, only to unpack it when I get there.  If I am spending the night, I take the organizer into the hotel to put it all back into order, check the camera settings, etc.  Here is a cargo organizer I love, because it has stiff sides and won’t collapse:  https://www.amazon.com/Rola-59001-M-O-V-E-Rigid-Base-Organizer/dp/B000E81VN8/ref=sr_1_8?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1481404977&sr=1-8&keywords=cargo+organizer  I put lenses, camera bodies, chargers, filters, remotes, batteries, cleaning supplies, etc. into the compartments.  Of course, this organizer system is only good when I’m driving on a road trip, and not flying anywhere.

To summarize, when it comes to a camera bag, the answer may be that you need more than one.  If you’re in a city, you may not want to advertise that you’re carrying a lot of gear.  If you’re hiking, you want to lighten the load.  If you’re attending a wedding, you don’t want to wear a big black backpack.  Don't buy a bag that's too big; you'll end up feeling like a pack horse, with a sore back and shoulders very soon.

Lowepro is probably the leader in affordable, durable, camera bags.  They’ve even got this great interactive bagfinder tool, to help you choose.  http://www.lowepro.com/bagfinder

Now that I’ve gone to the effort to write this long blog entry, detailing the various aspects to consider in a camera bag (or two), if you’re truly appreciative, you can buy me this Ona bag I’ve been lusting after.   Any color; I’m not picky: https://www.onabags.com/store/messenger-bags/the-prince-street.html?color=antique-cognac

Happy bag shopping!

8 - WL 1 8 - WL 2 This morning I walked the wildlife loop in its entirety:  3.2 miles.  I saw a couple older than I who walked all of it yesterday, so I determined that it was my mission to do the same this morning.  Of course, it took me twice as long as it should have, because I took a ton of photos.  But that's how my walks always turn out.

I chose to leave my big camera and lens in the car, and walked instead with my small camera body with my 16-300mm lens attached.  It has a great range, and I was able to photograph both near and far.

8 - WL 3 8 - WL 4 The sun made a brief appearance during my walk, before it rose behind a socked-in sky.  The loop begins in a wooded area, where I heard plenty of small birds.  They flitted about, taking care to hide well in the brush, away from my camera.  It emerges onto marshes, where mist still hung over the water from the cold night temperature.

Ducks were swimming, and flocks of swans flew overhead.  To my right, I saw the pavers busy on the beach road.  Just before rounding the bend into the wooded area that parallels the beach, I encountered a large great blue heron, perched on a birdhouse.  He kept his eye on me, but did not move.  I was able to get a few shots just before the sun disappeared.

8 - WL 5 8 - WL 6 In the wooded area, I could hear the waves crashing against the beach, small birds chirping, and ducks and geese calling to each other.  It was truly peaceful.

When I came upon the area known as the duck pond, not only were there ducks, but beautiful trumpeter swans preening in the morning light.  

8 - WL 7 I didn't encounter another person during the entire walk.  The birds and I had the place to ourselves.  Perhaps tomorrow, I will do the walk again.

All photos in “My Daily Photo Walk" are for sale upon request.

Today my sister Erica and I are in Richmond, VA, on a road trip to Lynchburg.  We're spending the night with friends, but before arriving at their house, we went to the Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens in Richmond.  We arrived around 3:30, and they let us stay until dark, when floods of people arrived to see the lights display set up all over the grounds.

Enjoy these photos.  The night was perfect for them!

28 - Ginter 1 28 - Ginter 2 28 - Ginter 3 28 - Ginter 4 28 - Ginter 5 28 - Ginter 6

All photos in “My Daily Photo Walk" are for sale upon request.

What a great night it was downtown.  There was the usual hustle and bustle, but the holiday spirit is building, and people were out enjoying the cool night air with friends and families.  My friend Norma and I went downtown to practice a little night photography, and I took my tripod and only my wide angle lens.  We walked several blocks, photographing store fronts and spires, then went to the top deck of a parking garage and into Mt. Olivet Cemetery.  It was an enjoyable experience overall, and I hope you enjoy the photos!

25 - Frederick 1 25 - Frederick 2 25 - Frederick 3 25 - Frederick 4 25 - Frederick 5 25 - Frederick 6 25 - Frederick 7 25 - Frederick 8 25 - Frederick 9

All photos in "My Photo Walk" are available for sale upon request.

23 - Archibald 2 23 - Archibald 3 We needed a break from the kitchen today, the day before Thanksgiving.  My sister Erica is here from Germany for her first U.S. Thanksgiving in 34 years, and although we are not hosting the family event, we are doing most of the food prep.  We brined the turkey and made stuffing, a flourless chocolate torte with raspberry sauce, fresh cranberry relish, mashed sweet potatoes, and roasted Brussels sprouts with bacon and onion and cranberries and walnuts.  Tomorrow we will roast the turkey, make the gravy, and cook green beans.  Other family members are bringing items to round out the traditional menu, and we will meet at my sister Anne's house in Mt. Airy.  It will be nice to have almost everyone together.

23 - Archibald 4 23 - Archibald 5 To take a break, Erica and I walked at the Fred Archibald Sanctuary off Boyers Mill Road in New Market.  As soon as we arrived, Erica spotted four does along the trail, who took off after they spotted us.  Other wildlife we encountered were lots of bluebirds, chickadees, and other small birds too far away to identify.

23 - Archibald 7 23 - Archibald 1 At the end of the walk we saw the horses, who always saunter over to the fence to see if we brought them any treats, and who always quickly lose interest in us once they discover we didn't.

23 - Archibald 6 It was nice to be out in the fresh air.  We'll be back in the kitchen again, very soon.  Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

All photos in "My Photo Walk" are available for sale upon request.

18 - Longwood 4 18 - Longwood 1 My plan for today was to photograph eagles at the Conowingo Dam, but lots of road construction delayed my arrival, and when I got there, there was not a parking place to be had.  Determined not to waste this beautiful day, I looked at a map and realized I was only about 35 miles away from Longwood Gardens.

18 - Longwood 2 18 - Longwood 3 I texted my friend Kris, and she met me at Longwood, where we took a long walk through tree-lined paths.  The sky was so blue and the color was so bright on the leaves that it almost hurt the eyes.  

Along our walk we saw flaming red maples, rusty orange Sequoias, and golden ginkgos.  Very few flowers were along the paths we took, but I did find some small cyclamen and a container of robust carnivorous pitcher plants, S. leucophylla.  We stopped for a few minutes to watch the synchronized water show set to music.

18 - Longwood 5 18 - Longwood 6 On the way home I did stop by the dam around 3:30, where there was finally plenty of parking, but the sun was too low in the sky, and the dam was shading the water.  The few eagles I did see were far up into the tops of the trees.

Overall, despite many hours driving, the day turned out fine.  I got a good walk with a good friend on a beautiful day in a beautiful place.  I'm kind of glad it turned out that way.

(Click any photo to enlarge; hover mouse over photo for caption.)

All photos in "My Daily Photo Walk" are available for sale upon request.

All photos in "My Daily Photo Walk" are available for sale upon request.

13 - Ohiopyle 1 13 - Ohiopyle 2 Sunrise comes a little later than the time shown on my phone here in Ohiopyle, because it takes a while for it to get up over the hills.  

13 - Ohiopyle 3 13 - Ohiopyle 4 I left shortly after sunrise to walk the area around the falls, hoping that there would be steam rising from the water, and I was not disappointed.  No one else was out walking this morning; if they were out, they were holed up in the cafe, eating hotcakes and drinking coffee.  I had the place to myself.

The pedestrian bridge over the river was covered with frost, as were the leaves in the grasses and the metal railings along the walkways.  

13 - Ohiopyle 5 13 - Ohiopyle 6 On my way back to my sister's cabin, I had to stop to take a photo of the beautiful red barn just starting to feel the warmth of the sun.

There's plenty of photographic opportunity here in Ohiopyle.  Thanks, Anne, for owning a cabin here!

All photos in “My Daily Photo Walk" are for sale upon request.

Lilypons is a great place to take a walk in any season.  The waterlilies and lotus are finished, the frogs are hibernating, and the wildflowers and grasses have all dried brown, but on a beautiful day like today, there was plenty to see.  I saw a few turtles and a great blue heron too far in the distance for my camera.  But there is beauty in the dried cattails and lotus leaves, the white bark of the sycamores against the darker trees, and the calls of the migrating songbirds.  There was a couple biking along the paths, but for the most part, I was alone with the sky, the breeze, and the colors of autumn.  I hope you enjoy my photos!

11 - Lilypons 1 11 - Lilypons 2 11 - Lilypons 3 11 - Lilypons 4 11 - Lilypons 5 11 - Lilypons 6 11 - Lilypons 7 11 - Lilypons 8

All photos in "My Daily Photo Walk" are available for sale upon request.

Yesterday I gave a presentation to an audience of non-photographers.  It was actually at a luncheon for seniors, where I presented a talk about my daily photo walks in Maryland.

After the presentation, a man came up to me with a list of questions.  I answered them all, but one of them caught me off guard.  He asked, "How many of those photos did you edit?"  I must have had a surprised look on my face, because I guess I thought the answer would be obvious.  I hesitated a moment, and then I said, "All of them!"

"All of them?" he repeated. 

"Yes," I told him.  "While there's no substitute for 'getting it right' in the camera, nearly every digital photo can benefit from simple editing, especially if you shoot RAW images."

I went on to explain that most of my editing involves cropping and a few basic lighting adjustments, such as opening up some shadows or reducing overly bright areas on some shots.  For example, in this shot of a pitcher plant, all it really needed was a little straightening and a minor lighting adjustment.

Many times, a good crop is really all that's needed to find the "photo within the photo."  That's all that was needed to turn this photo of a yellow swallowtail from "ho-hum" to "wow!"

The photo on the left of a great blue heron was shot in the early morning hours, just before sunrise.  Many people would have tossed this photo, because it is far too dark to use straight out of the camera.  But what a difference opening up the shadows did!  Other minor adjustments involved a little sharpening and adding a little saturation to the blues to bring out the sky.  Editing turned this image from a throw-away to a definite keeper.

Other types of editing that are often used by photographers are removing distracting elements like power lines or brown spots on flower petals, adding a texture over an image to disguise a flat white sky, or adding new elements like a flock of flying geese to a winter farm scene.  

If you want to learn more about the power of editing your photos, let's talk.  I can show you how to take your images from "ho hum" to "wow" through the magic of editing.

All photos in in this post are available for sale upon request.

I love driving through wildlife refuges.  I don't care where they are:  Delaware, Maryland, Florida, Pennsylvania, Virginia.  As long as there are birds to see and photograph, I am happy.

My favorites in the Mid-Atlantic region are Blackwater near Cambridge, MD, Bombay Hook near Dover, DE, and Chincoteague in Virginia.  I've only been to Merritt Island in Florida, but I loved it there and will return this winter.  

I spent yesterday afternoon and this morning at Bombay Hook.  There were even some snow geese there.  Here are this morning's photos.  I'll post yesterday's in a separate blog entry with some tips for photographing birds in refuges.

Mallard Pair II Mallard Pair III Northern Pintail Early Morning Sentinel Great Blue and Friends In Flight Perfectly Positioned Straddler Morning Watcher Morning Watcher II American Avocets in Flight Savannah Sparrow

All photos are available for sale upon request.

That crazy lady in my neighborhood was at it again this morning.  She had her camera on a tripod poked into bushes, between slats of fences, and pointed up into tree branches.  It was foggy, quite damp, and she hadn't even brushed her hair.  Dog walkers and exercisers just stared at her as they passed by, afraid to ask questions, because they were sure they'd be trapped into a nonsensical conversation if they'd commented.  

Did I mention that crazy lady was me?  My camera had the macro lens attached, and strung from weeds and branches, and between slats of fences, I usually find fabulous webs glittering with beads of water on foggy mornings.  That was definitely the case this morning.

My shoes and socks are soaked, but I had fun.  I certainly did give the neighbors something to talk about.

6 - Macro 1 6 Macro 2 6 - Macro 3 6 - Macro 4 6 - Macro 5 6 - Macro 7 6 - Macro 8 6 - Macro 9 6 - Macro 10

All photos in "My Daily Photo Walk" are available for sale upon request.

25 - FAA 2 Goldenrod gets a bum rap.  Just because it hangs out with its pal ragweed in late summer and early fall doesn't mean that it's the cause of your sneezing and red itchy eyes.  It's actually ragweed that is to blame for that.  The pollen of goldenrod is too heavy to blow far from the flowers, and unless you are handling it or are in close proximity for long periods of time, it's not the one causing your symptoms.

25 - FAA 5 However, goldenrod does profusely fill our roadsides, wild meadows, and sunny hillsides.  It attracts all manner of bees and butterflies, who dine on its nectar.  Today I chose the Fred Archibald Audubon Sanctuary in New Market for a walk on a glorious September afternoon, knowing that the meadows would be filled with goldenrod and native grasses.  I was hoping to see some monarchs, who fill up this time of year to fortify themselves for their upcoming flight to Mexico.  I was not disappointed.

25 - FAA 1 In addition to the monarchs, I saw the red-spotted purple butterfly and the great spangled fritillary.  Don't you just love those names?  I saw lots of honeybees and bumblebees, and even a 5" long praying mantis.  

My walk was quite enjoyable, and I hope you enjoy the photos.  Pardon me while I....achoo!

25 - FAA 3 25 - FAA 4 25 - FAA 6 25 - FAA 7

All photos in "My Daily Photo Walk" are available for sale upon request.

20 - GFF - 1 20 - GFF 2 Who doesn't love the fair?  This is the last week for The Great Frederick Fair, and Monday through Wednesday, admission is free for seniors 65 and older up until 3 p.m.  So, what better place could I have chosen for a photo walk today than the fair?

Kids were all over the place, wearing elementary school T-shirts and chaperoned by teachers and parents.  So basically, it was us seniors and tons of kids under 10 at the fair this morning.  Food vendors were just beginning to open up; the midway is closed until much later in the afternoon.

20 - GFF 3 20 - GFF 6 I wandered through the usual exhibits, seeing the chickens, canned goods, tomatoes, pumpkins, and commercial vendors.  It was muggy and humid, but I got a good walk in.  Thursday night I'll return for some night photography fun with the lights.

Enjoy my pix!

20 - GFF 4 20 - GFF 5 20 - GFF 7 20 - GFF 8

All photos in "My Daily Photo Walk" are available for sale upon request.

27 - Owls Head 1 27 - Owls Head 5 On our trip down the Maine coast, we stopped at Owls Head State Park, where two trails split.  The one heading uphill goes to a lighthouse, and the one heading downhill leads to a rocky beach at the base of the cliff upon which the lighthouse sits.

27 - Owls Head 6 27 - Owls Head 7 27 - Owls Head 2 Norma and I walked first to the lighthouse, where a group of cyclists were taking a rest in the grass below the steps, admiring the ocean view.  It was 9:30 in the morning, and the lighthouse would not open until 10.  We chatted with the small group, then walked back to the path leading to the beach.  At the beach, we photographed seaweed and rocks and shells.

27 - Owls Head 4 Upon leaving the lighthouse, we stopped at the small town, where there is a post office housed in a Victorian home, a general store, and a small harbor.  Fishermen were working on their boats while gulls tussled with each other on the beach to firmly establish who was in charge.  The marina had great shingled outbuildings, some hung with lobster buoys.

27 - Owls Head 3 Owls Head is such an authentic coastal village:  no trendy shops, lots of working boats, and a few small homes clustered by the post office.  The park and lighthouse draw you in, but the harbor and village are places that deserve some time if you should ever visit with your camera.

12 - Lilypons 3 12 - Lilypons 2 Although any season is a great time to visit Lilypons, summer is when the water lilies reach peak bloom, soon to be followed by the lotus.  Norma and I walked around this morning, seeking water lilies and frogs, and we wanted to check on the progress of the lotus.  Only a few lotus in the sale area were in bloom.  The large ponds have a few weeks to go.

12 - Lilypons 4 12 - Lilypons 5 We were fascinated by the water tanks holding live fish for sale; the green plastic roof reflected on the water in some of the tanks, and with the bubbles floating by, great abstract images were possible.  After the fish tanks, we visited the koi pond, where fish at least 15" long came to see if we had food.

12 - Lilypons 6 12 - Lilypons 1 We found a frog who patiently posed.  A nearby snake slithered into the growth near the raised water ponds under the trees.

This will be the first of many visits this season, I am sure.  Lilypons is always a favorite location for both a walk and for photos.

All photos in "My Daily Photo Walk" are available for sale upon request.

A visit to Brookside Gardens in Wheaton, Maryland, never disappoints.  Even though we've had nothing but days on end of dreary weather, friends Norma and Connie and I visited there today, knowing that we'd have diffused light and plenty of wet flowers to photograph.  The butterfly house has recently reopened, too, so that was a special treat.  We managed to dodge the hordes of elementary school kids who had just exited on a school field trip.

Enjoy the photos!

2 - Brookside 5 2 - Brookside 6 2 - Brookside 7 2 - Brookside 8 2 - Brookside 9 2 - Brookside 10 2 - Brookside 11 2 - Brookside 1 2 - Brookside 2 2 - Brookside 3 2 - Brookside 4

All photos in "My Daily Photo Walk" are available for sale upon request.

6 - C&O 1 I went to church today.  With me in the sanctuary were Robin, Flicker, Chickadee, Cardinal, and Wren.  The sanctuary was decorated with bluebells, white bleeding heart, violets, spring beauties, and Dutchman's breeches.  The sky was blue and the air was fresh.  

Whenever I walk in a beautiful place, at one with nature, I feel a spiritual connection.  All feels right with the world as I walk among its beauty.

My walk today was along a section of the C&O Canal, between Noland's Ferry and Point of Rocks.  You don't have to travel far down the path to find the bluebells, but the small white wildflowers greet you first.  I did not encounter another person on my 2.25 mile walk; I had it all to myself.

Enjoy these photos.  I hope you get out to experience a peaceful nature walk soon, too.

6 - C&O 2 6 - C&O 3 6 - C&O 4

6 - C&O 5 6 - C&O 6 6 - C&O 7

All photos in "My Daily Photo Walk" are available for sale upon request.

2 - BB 4 2 - BB 5 2 - BB 6 One of my favorite places to walk is along the Ford Loop at Worthington Farm, part of the Monocacy National Battlefield.  This Civil War farmhouse was the scene of some serious fighting, but today it is a peaceful place where we can enjoy nature.

The Ford Loop is listed as 1.6 miles long, and the first half of it parallels the river.  After that, it parallels the fields where cows graze.  I wanted to check on the status of the bluebells along the river today.  They are a little early, but today's rainy weather cleared up, and with the promise of frost and even snow the rest of the weekend, I didn't want to miss them if they were in bloom.

2 - BB 7 2 - BB 1 As with the bluebells at Riverside Park, there did not seem to be as many this year.  The masses of blue were more like small clumps, here and there.  But they did not disappoint.  I also saw spring beauty and Star of Bethlehem.  

Next week will be quite cold, and I hope the bluebells will still be there, and not harmed by the frost.  I'll do one more check on Riverside Park next week.  Enjoy!

2 - BB 2 2 - BB 3

All photos in "My Daily Photo Walk" are available for sale upon request.

29 - Bluebells 1 29 - Bluebells 2Most were tight buds. Today I visited one of my favorite places to photograph Virginia bluebells along the Monocacy River.  It's still a little early, and the day was breezy and chilly, but I took a good long walk, hoping to not only check on the bluebells, but to see if I could spot any other wildflowers, like Dutchman's breeches or trout lilies.

The place I love to find bluebells is at Riverside Park by the Walmart near the intersection of Rt. 26 and Monocacy Blvd in Frederick.  The park has soccer fields and a boat ramp, as well as a paved walking/biking path that parallels the river.  Once you park in the lot, follow the paved path by walking under the bridge that carries Monocacy Blvd overhead.

29 - Bluebells 4 29 - Bluebells 5 While walking the path, you can see an island to your right, which seems inaccessible, until you cross over a drainage area filled with large rocks that is some distance along the path.  After the drainage area, take the footpath to the right and follow it until you see the end of the island on your right.  Down the dirt path to your right will be a small wooden planked walkway that you can use to cross over to the island.  It is on the island where the bluebells are abundant.

The bluebells were in tight buds on the east side of the island, but I circled the entire island, and on the west side, a few were in bloom.  In a week or so, there will be knee-high blue everywhere.  Today I did not find any of the aforementioned wildflowers, but I did see violets, spring beauties, purple hensbit, and carpet upon carpet of lesser celandine, an invasive species that is taking over.  It carpets the ground on either side of the path and drapes itself down the banks of the river.  It will soon be in full bloom, covered with yellow flowers.

29 - Bluebells 3 The Monocacy is an amazing river.  It floods every year when heavy rains come, but the wildflowers seem to recover and bloom each year, reminding us that spring is a time of renewal.  Hopefully, in about a week, we will all be treated to a bluebell bonanza.

All photos in "My Daily Photo Walk" are available for sale upon request.

22 - Florence 3The most unusual hardware store in Arizona 22 - Florence 5The current courthouse Almost the entire town of Florence, Arizona, is on the National Register of Historic Sites.  The brown "historic district" sign lured me in from the highway on my travels from Tucson back to Phoenix.  I just can't resist those signs.

When I arrived around 9:00 in the morning, all was quiet in this small town.  Businesses were just beginning to open their doors.  The old-timers who like to sit on benches under the shade of awnings, keeping an eye on all town doings, were just beginning to settle into their places.

22 - Florence 7Celebrating 150 years 22 - Florence 1Why do they need so many fancy hats in Florence? I should have asked. I found easy parking on the street and walked from one end of the town to the other.  Numerous old adobe-style buildings had historical markers attached to the sides, indicating which were originally private homes, the town jail, the old courthouse, the town's hotel, etc.  All of these buildings were now finding other uses, such as the original town hall/police station, which now houses a copper shop.

22 - Florence 6 22 - Florence 2 Florence boasts the most unusual hardware store in Arizona, and it may well be one of the most unusual in the U.S.  It's billed as a True Value hardware, but it is much more than that.  Inside are historical displays, cases of jewelry, racks of clothing, a wall of very fancy hats, a talking dummy that is triggered by motion (he tells about the store's history), as well as the usual hardware fare.  The people inside were very friendly and used to tourists asking questions.

The original courthouse is now a museum and visitor center; the old hotel houses clothing shops; the sidewalks have been given a thorough streetscaping treatment, and the town has a definite "old time" flair without being touristy.  Lots of history and interesting things happened in Florence, if you read what's at this link:  History.

22 - Florence 4 22 - Florence 8Former police station turned copper shop. As I left town, the old-timers were firmly in place, keeping  an eye on a newcomer like me.  They nodded as I passed, assured that I had not disturbed the peace.  Another day was underway in Florence, Arizona.

All photos in "My Daily Photo Walk" are available for sale upon request.

8 - Lilypons 1 8 - Lilypons 2 What a beautiful day!  I had absolutely no excuse not to get out and do a photo walk, so I chose Lily Pons, mostly to see if there was any nesting activity going on in the big sycamore where the great blue herons have nested in years past.  For some reason, they abandoned the nests last year, but I am hopeful that they will return.

No great blues were nesting today, and in fact, I only saw one who flew away before I could get a photo.  I walked all around, seeing red winged blackbirds, swallows, a mockingbird, a pair of mallards, and about a dozen Canada geese.  It really was very quiet, wildlife wise, at Lilypons.

8 - Lilypons 4 8 - Lilypons 5 However, the snapping turtles were doing some rolling around in the water together, occasionally sticking a head up for air.  I found a couple of large single snappers, too, taking advantage of a swim around or a bask in the sun.

Today I was using a camera I rarely use, to see if I want to keep it or to sell it.  It is one of those super zooms, 42X.  It does a good job with the zoom if you have it on a tripod.  Otherwise, the zoom at its maximum tends to magnify any movement on my part.  But it also does not have features I have come to love in a camera, such as moving the focal point around, shooting in RAW, viewing the histogram after a shot, or an articulated screen.  The viewfinder is also very tiny.  I've decided it will leave my inventory and hopefully go to a beginner who will be happy to use its automatic features and be thrilled with the zoom.  

8 - Lilypons 3 8 - Lilypons 6 After all, if you are going on a photo walk, you don't to have to lug a tripod, and you do want to be able to check your shots for proper exposure.  At least, I do.  And today, my camera was not able to meet my demands, even if the shots turned out to be fine.

All photos in "My Daily Photo Walk" are available for sale upon request.

Being a "northerner," it always amazes me when I see house plants like philodendron and poinsettias and croton growing outside in Florida.  I also love the way Spanish moss hangs from the trees and bushes, gently swaying in the breeze like gauzy curtains.  Yesterday I walked the Harry P. Leu Gardens, which are beautiful.  The rose gardens and camellias are not to be missed.  Alas, the roses had just been pruned when I was there, but the camellias were still going strong.  These gardens are definitely worthy of spending an entire afternoon next time you're in Orlando.

25 - Leu Gardens 1 25 - Leu Gardens 2 25 - Leu Gardens 3 25 - Leu Gardens 4 25 - Leu Gardens 5 25 - Leu Gardens 6 25 - Leu Gardens 7

All photos in "My Daily Photo Walk" are available for sale upon request.

19 - Centreville 2 19 - Centreville 4 In my experience, St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Centreville, Maryland, is different than most churches in that it doesn't lock its doors when services are not in session.  This small, historic church was founded in 1694, and the cornerstone for the present church was laid in 1834.  I had  been inside this church back in 2013 in my first year of photo walking, so I knew that it was not only beautiful, but that it has seven Tiffany windows and that work on the chancel was done by Gorham & Company of New York.

When I opened the door today, organ music filled the air.  The organist was practicing for Sunday's service.  Norma and I asked her for permission to photograph the interior of the church, and she asked that we inquire at the church office, which we did.  Permission was granted.

19 - Centreville 3 19 - Centreville 1 The Tiffany windows are behind the altar, and there is an alarm system that is activated to protect them if anyone should approach beyond the warning sign.  However, during the organ practice, the alarm was off and the sign was moved, so that we could take photos.  The organ pipes are also beautiful; they are located to the right of the chancel.

At the time, I did not plan ahead to make this my photo walk, so I neglected to take a photo of the outside of this beautiful church.  I found a painting online, which I have included here.  The artist was not identified.

If you get a chance to visit Centreville, stop by this church.  It's worth a visit.

All photos in "My Daily Photo Walk" are available for sale upon request.

14 - Cunningham 3 14 - Cunningham 4 Although it was 17 degrees when I did my walk at Cunningham Falls, the allure of seeing frozen falls was enough to make me go.  I bundled up well, putting on two of everything, and my bundling up paid off; only my face was cold.

I wore my hiking boots, which I was a good choice, because the entire trail to the falls was snow-packed, but none of it was icy.  This is the second anniversary of when I broke my ankle on ice, so if the trail had been icy, I would probably have turned around.  

14 - Cunningham 2 14 - Cunningham 5 A number of other people had the same idea I did, so I was not alone.  Couples and families, and even one other photographer, were out today walking the trail to the falls and enjoying the cold air.  One family had a couple of dogs that they entrusted to the 10 year old twins to look after, which meant that the dogs and their leashes kept winding around my tripod legs, and requiring a lot of chasing after the dogs as they got loose on the trails.

14 - Cunningham 6 After leaving the falls area, I drove Catoctin Hollow Road, stopping in numerous places to park the car and walk along the stream that flows down the mountain, parallel to the road.  The stream was rushing with water, but ice had formed on many of the rocks.  I love how the edges get a lacy look.

14 - Cunningham 8 Tonight it will snow again, so today was the perfect day to walk the trail and see the falls.  

All photos in "My Daily Photo Walk" are available for sale upon request.

7 - Fox Haven 5 7 - Fox Haven 1 I had the pleasure of attending a wildlife photography talk today at Fox Haven Farm on Poffenberger Road, so beforehand, I walked what I could of the property and drive.  It was still snow covered in spots, quite muddy, and the majority of Poffenberger is gravel, so it was muddy and slippery.  I chose instead to walk the paved drive and part of the paved road.

7 - Fox Haven 4 Along the road I encountered John, a friend from the camera club.  We chatted about the farm, and then along came Dick Bittner, the farm manager.  He was also one of the photographers who presented today.  Dick told me the farm numbers nearly 600 acres, and it is used for conservation practices and environmental education.  He encouraged me to return when the ground is firm and the snow is gone, to enjoy the plantings, the birds, and the wildlife on the farm.

7 - Fox Haven 2 The talk today was given by Steve Ferendo, along with Dick, and the two of them drive Poffenberger almost daily to observe the wildlife there:  foxes, beavers, deer, mink, muskrat, and many species of  birds, including owls, raptors, songbirds, and waterfowl.  They shoot from the car, because the wildlife does not feel threatened by the vehicles; they will scatter if you try to emerge from the car.

7 - Fox Haven 3 I learned a lot, enjoyed the presentation, and met new people today, as well as saw some people I know.  I will surely return to Fox Haven for some of the great presentations and activities, as well as to walk in better weather.  There is much to see!

All photos in "My Daily Photo Walk" are available for sale upon request.

5 - Gettysburg 5 5 - Gettysburg 1 My friend Norma and I went to Gettysburg today to not only walk in the downtown area, but to see a photography show by Facebook friend Andrew Smith at the Adams County Arts Council.

We parked at the garage near the train depot, and walked up and down the streets that form the "square" in the downtown area.  We saw the Lincoln Hotel, the Majestic Theater, and the old Lincoln Diner.  

5 - Gettysburg 4 5 - Gettysburg 3 We went in and out of shops featuring old fashioned penny candy, antique clocks and watches, gift shops, Polish pottery, and an art gallery.  I found lots of topics for my camera, including the glass blocks in a window that looked out onto an alley.  The wavy glass blocks made interesting patterns of the of siding on the building across the alley.

5 - Gettysburg 2 5 - Gettysburg 6 Not many people were out and about today in downtown Gettysburg.  Of course, it was a weekday, and it is not the height of tourist season.   We enjoyed meeting Andrew and seeing his photographs, which are on display for a few more weeks.  Speaking of being out and about downtown, I hope to see some of you downtown tomorrow evening for Fire and Ice.  Please stop in to the TAG Gallery at 216 North Market, to see the show and to say hello!

All photos in "My Photo Walk" are available for sale upon request.

3 - Rain 2 3 - Rain 1 It was getting so dark outside when I went out to do my walk, that streetlights and yard lights were starting to come on.  The wind was blowing ominous-looking skies my way, but I think I found the only window in time today when there wasn't active rain falling.  I took the umbrella with me, just as a precaution, and I wore my boots.

There are two drainage ponds in my neighborhood, so I walked to each to check them out.  One is generally 90% dry, but not for the past week or so.  The combination of melting snow and rain has filled the bottom of it quickly, and ice chunks remain in place.  The other pond is much smaller, and it was merely ice covered, without much interest.  The storm drains were working overtime, with rivers flowing into them.

3 - Rain 3 I was amused by the leftovers from the melted snowman in my yard; I picked up the hat, carrot, and buttons on my way into the house.  Hopefully, the snowman decor won't be needed again until next year, if the groundhog's prediction is accurate.

All photos in "My Daily Photo Walk" are available for sale upon request.

2 - Holly Hills 2 2 - Holly Hills 1 (Click any photo to enlarge; hover mouse over photo for caption.)

The trouble with the aftermath of a blizzard is finding safe places to walk that are also interesting to photograph.  Unfortunately, options are limited in the immediate area.  In the early mornings, the melted snow has turned to black ice (this morning).  Sidewalks in small towns are haphazardly shoveled, which means forays in the streets.  Woodland trails are not clear or are quickly turning into a muddy mess.  Therefore, even though I am not fond of walking in subdivisions (don't get me wrong, I live in one), I decided today that a subdivision would have to be the place.

Holly Hills is a golf course community that parallels Rt. 70.  It is anchored by a large clubhouse on a hill overlooking the homes.  There was a walking path next to the road that had been cleared, so I didn't have to walk in the road.

Flocks of robins were high overhead in the trees.  Otherwise, there was very little activity, since kids were in school and homeowners were at work.

2 - Holly Hills 4 2 - Holly Hills 3 It's days like this that I have trouble getting motivated to walk, despite the decent weather.  But I knew I needed to clear my head of all the projects I have running through it.  The long hill back up to the clubhouse was good for me, too.  I've included one photo from early this morning, which I stopped to photograph on my way out to do errands.  The fog lay over the snow, with clear sky above.  It was beautiful.

All photos in "My Daily Photo Walk" are available for sale upon request.

1 - Downtown 3 1 - Downtown 1 Today was a super busy day.  It started with a meeting at 8 a.m. for Easels in Frederick, and then at 9:30 I went downtown to help with hanging the Associates Show at the TAG Gallery.  

During a lunch break, I walked about six blocks along Market Street, and then back.  Along the way, I peeked into windows of shops that weren't open today, and there were quite a few, since it was a Monday.  Rain started falling just as I finished the walk.

1 - Downtown 2 1 - Downtown 4 This Saturday is First Saturday downtown, with one of its most popular themes, "Fire and Ice."  While you're out enjoying the fire jugglers and admiring the ice sculptures, visit the local galleries, most of which have new shows.  I have light paintings hanging in the Associates show -- stop by 216 N. Market Street to say hi!

All photos in "My Daily Photo Walk" are available for sale upon request.

31 - Rose Hill 1 31 - Rose Hill 2 I went to Hagerstown today to attend the reception for the Cumberland Valley Photographic Salon, in which I have a piece on display.  Before the reception, I walked in Rose Hill Cemetery, which is something I have been meaning to do for a while now.

Today's visit was just perfect.  The snow was cleared from the roads inside the cemetery, the sky was blue, and the temperature was in the upper 50's. It was a wonderfully refreshing feeling to walk in this peaceful place.

31 - Rose Hill 3 31 - Rose Hill 4 One of the areas I found was the Confederate Cemetery, where nearly 2500 soldiers from the battles of South Mountain and Antietam are buried.  This public cemetery, established in 1866, is one of two Maryland cemeteries where Confederates are buried in large numbers.  The others are in Frederick.  Only Union soldiers are buried at Antietam.  Anyway, the Confederate Cemetery was completely under snow, and because there are no gravestones in this section, I will have to revisit it sometime in the summer to learn more. 

31 - Rose Hill 5Snow Angel On my walk, bluebirds flitted from headstone to headstone, all around me.  There was a woodpecker in one of the trees, and chickadees and cardinals were present, too.  I thought that it might be nice to know that one's final resting place is frequented by families of bluebirds.

The walk was good; I will return.  It is a large cemetery with mature trees, and their bare branches were elegant against the clear sky.  There is so much more to see at Rose Hill than I was able to discover today.

All photos in "My Daily Photo Walk" are available for sale upon request.

30 - Lone Tree 2 For a while now, I have been wanting to walk to a good vantage point to see if I could photograph a lone tree that I pass on Gas House Pike.  Anyone who knows me knows that I love a lone tree.  When I pass it on the road, only the top of the tree is visible.  Today, I made the choice to do my walk there, to discover the rest of the tree, because the field it is in is still covered with snow.

I parked by the Aldi Distribution Center, and walked over its plowed piles of snow, and into the first field.  The snow was at least a foot deep still, with a slightly crusty top.  Before I even reached the treeline dividing the fields, I was huffing and puffing from the effort; and I still had a good distance to go!

30 - Lone Tree 1 30 - Lone Tree 3 In places, I sank up to my knees in snow, but I was committed.  After all, snow was already in my boots, and I was halfway there.  No turning back!

I crossed into the farm's fields at the treeline, then walked up the incline until I could see the entire tree.  It was good.  It has a nice shape.  There was some clutter at the bottom, but it did not detract from the tree.  The sun was off to the right of the tree, causing lots of shadows on the snow.

I rested a little, then began the long walk back to the car, my boots filled with snow.  I'm glad I made the trek, but my legs feel it tonight.  

All photos in "My Daily Photo Walk" are available for sale upon request.

29 - Downtown 1 29 - Downtown 2 My walk today was downtown.  My new computer came in!  But the challenge became where to park.  Streets still have lots of snow, and although spaces have been cleared out by the meters, they were all occupied.  One of the parking garages was full.  

I parked on the top floor of one garage, then walked five flights down; next I walked to the computer store, and then along Market Street to the TAG Gallery to pick up a box there for the upcoming "Box Show."  Now, juggling the two boxes, I took a few photos along Market Street.  It was hard finding photos of things that were not covered with snow or slush but I managed a few.

29 - Downtown 3 29 - Downtown 4 I returned to parking garage, back up five flights of stairs to the top, and then quickly parked in a tow zone, long enough to load the computer.  So, I got a lot of walking and stair climbing in today, and that was what counted.  

In case you're wondering, I am now completely Apple.  I got a new iMac (my old PC had been upgraded to the max, and it was groaning from overload).  The rest of the evening will be spent with installing software.  But I'm happy to be typing this blog on the new machine, and everything is smooth sailing, so far.  

All photos in "My Daily Photo Walk" are available for sale upon request.

Today's trip was to Sandy Point State Park.  There was a ton of activity going on there, as workers were preparing for the big Polar Plunge to be held there this weekend.  Multiple green porta-potties, wire fencing, white plastic tents, and orange caution cones don't make for great photos, but my friend Gary and I did manage to walk out onto the beach before getting fenced out.

As usual, when there is a flat, white sky, I have to embellish.  I hope you don't mind.

28 - Sandy Point 1

28 - Sandy Point 2

All photos in "My Daily Photo Walk" are available for sale upon request.

You can see my work on display at the following venues:

Circle Gallery, Annapolis, Members' Show:  through January 23.
TAG Gallery, Frederick, Members' Show:  through January 31
Lowe House of Delegates Building in Annapolis, January 15 - April 11
TAG Gallery, Frederick, Associates Show "New Voices 6 x 6," February 5 - 28
Washington County Museum of Fine Art, Hagerstown, January 23 - April 10
Ward Museum in Salisbury, Maryland, June - September, 2016

27 - Antietam 5 What a beautiful day it was!  The temps felt like spring was in the air, and because I was kid-less today, I wanted to get out and find a great place to take photos, away from my neighborhood.  Antietam filled the bill, so my friend Norma and I headed there.

27 - Antietam 4 We did not walk a route, but rather parked the car in multiple places, then walked to find the best angle on different scenes.  At the Visitor Center, flocks of birds were working the trees, and I got a beautiful male cardinal against the brilliant blue sky. 27 - Antietam 3

27 - Antietam 2 27 - Antietam 1 I treated some of these photos with a texture, to add moodiness to them, and mainly because I like to do it!

I hope you got out today -- it was a beautiful day for an adventure.

All photos in "My Daily Photo Walk" are available for sale upon request.

You can see my work on display at the following venues:

Circle Gallery, Annapolis, Members' Show:  through January 23.
TAG Gallery, Frederick, Members' Show:  through January 31
Lowe House of Delegates Building in Annapolis, January 15 - April 11
TAG Gallery, Frederick, Associates Show "New Voices 6 x 6," February 5 - 28
Washington County Museum of Fine Art, Hagerstown, January 23 - April 10
Ward Museum in Salisbury, Maryland, June - September, 2016

25 - Dig Out 3 There comes a time, when you are restricted to walking your neighborhood after a big snow, that all of the photos begin to look alike.  After all, just a glance at Facebook, and 80% of the photos I see in my newsfeed are of buried cars, paths dug into the snow, and decks piled with snow.  The other 20% are of birds at feeders.

25 - Dig Out 1 So knowing that, I have only one photo today of the typical sort, and that is of my house, finally dug out from the snow, thanks to the contractors who take care of our development.  After doing a little more clearing, I walked on the road up to Rt. 144 along Mussetter Road, to see how the road is faring.  It's rough, but passable.  

The other photos I have for you today have been treated once again with textures, to give a different look to what would otherwise be a white and blue scene.

25 - Dig Out 2

Be careful after dark.  It was on a day just like today that I broke my ankle.  The roads were clear and wet in most places, after sunshine and plows worked on them.  I left in 43 degree weather to walk to a friend's house for dinner and a movie, but when I left around 10 pm, the wet roads had frozen to black ice.  One step is all it took.  Rest assured, I am in for the night.  I'll not risk black ice again.

All photos in "My Daily Photo Walk" are available for sale upon request.

You can see my work on display at the following venues:

Circle Gallery, Annapolis, Members' Show:  through January 23.
TAG Gallery, Frederick, Members' Show:  through January 31
Lowe House of Delegates Building in Annapolis, January 15 - April 11
TAG Gallery, Frederick, Associates Show "New Voices 6 x 6," February 5 - 28
Washington County Museum of Fine Art, Hagerstown, January 23 - April 10
Ward Museum in Salisbury, Maryland, June - September, 2016

24 - Blizzard 4 24 - Blizzard 6 My goal today was to determine if the vent to my fireplace was blocked by snow.  I have this idealized picture in my head of me sitting by the fireplace reading a book all afternoon, but I didn't want to take a chance on asphyxiation.  So, well bundled, out through the garage I went. 

First, I had to dig a pathway through snow that was in places four feet deep.  I needed it only cleared enough that the snow came up to my knees, not my waist.  By the time I got around the back of the house to the deck, I discovered that the vent was clear, so I checked on the bird feeders and then returned by the same route I took, stopping to create a little snow shovel art on the way.

24 - Blizzard 1 24 - Blizzard 3 I next struggled out the road, only to be blocked by the piles of snow that the plows had left, but my neighbor Tom dug a hole for me to get out.  Once on the road, I took a decent walk around the neighborhood, chatting with those who were out and checking on the progress made on clearing driveways.

The farm that I photograph so frequently was looking serene in the snow.  The cows were huddled near the barn. 

It was great to get out, walk around, and soak up some sun.  My book and the fireplace await me.

All photos in "My Daily Photo Walk" are available for sale upon request.

You can see my work on display at the following venues:

Circle Gallery, Annapolis, Members' Show:  through January 23.
TAG Gallery, Frederick, Members' Show:  through January 31
Lowe House of Delegates Building in Annapolis, January 15 - April 11
TAG Gallery, Frederick, Associates Show "New Voices 6 x 6," February 5 - 28
Washington County Museum of Fine Art, Hagerstown, January 23 - April 10
Ward Museum in Salisbury, Maryland, June - September, 2016

21 - Ivy 1 21 - Ivy 3 You who are Downton Abbey fans will get the blog title today.  I couldn't resist.

I had to go downtown today for a paid still life job (yay!) and while I was there I ran some errands on foot.  Nothing really jumped out at me today (I don't know how you do it, Bill Adkins!), but the ivy caught my eye.  I love how it leaves tracery on the walls after it is pulled off.  It finds cracks and crevices to squeeze through.  It can be solid green or variegated, and it's hard to kill.  So, ivy today it is!

21 - Ivy 2 All photos in "My Daily Photo Walk" are available for sale upon request.

You can see my work on display at the following venues:

Circle Gallery, Annapolis, Members' Show:  through January 23.
TAG Gallery, Frederick, Members' Show:  through January 31
Lowe House of Delegates Building in Annapolis, January 15 - April 11
TAG Gallery, Frederick, Associates Show "New Voices 6 x 6," February 5 - 28
Washington County Museum of Fine Art, Hagerstown, January 23 - April 10
Ward Museum in Salisbury, Maryland, June - September, 2016

Ice!  My favorite winter activity is photographing ice in the streams and at the edges of the Monocacy River at Gambrill Mill, part of the Monocacy National Battlefield.  There are rocky banks and pebble beaches where you can get close to the ice, and there's even a pond that freezes solid and clear, slick as a mirror.  It's not safe for walking on, but I can lay my camera right on the ice to get great macro shots on the pond.

If you go, use a macro lens or a point and shoot in flower mode.  Be sure to hunt for ice in the streams around the parking area first.  Then follow the boardwalk, and when it ends at the Trail sign by the river, follow deer trails through the weeds and grasses to get close to the river.  There is a rocky beach that usually has great abstract ice formations locked in place.

Get out soon and find ice near you, before a thick layer of snow covers it all.  Enjoy!

20 - Ice 1 20 - Ice 2 20 - Ice 3 20 - Ice 4 20 - Ice 5 20 - Ice 6 20 - Ice 7

All photos in "My Daily Photo Walk" are available for sale upon request.

Check out my current "What a Deal" offering for reduced prices on featured
prints at this link:  What a Deal

You can see my work on display at the following venues:

Circle Gallery, Annapolis, Members' Show:  through January 23.
TAG Gallery, Frederick, Members' Show:  through January 31
Lowe House of Delegates Building in Annapolis, January 15 - April 11
TAG Gallery, Frederick, Associates Show "New Voices 6 x 6," February 5 - 28
Washington County Museum of Fine Art, Hagerstown, January 23 - April 10
Ward Museum in Salisbury, Maryland, June - September, 2016

19 - New Market 2 19 - New Market 1Short and to the point! I decided to stick close to home today, due to the cold and wind, so I chose one of the back roads of New Market.  I parked at the Methodist Church and walked down North Alley to the middle school and back.  I was well bundled up, but it is hard to keep fingers and faces warm, I think.  I felt very sorry for the poor guys who were doing road work today, especially the guys holding the Slow and Stop signs on the one lane portions of the road.  They have to stand in one place the entire time.

The pond was frozen, and there was no one else but a dog walker along the alley.

19 - New Market 3 19 - New Market 4 It was a quick walk, but I did it.  I'll be checking out ice formations tomorrow!

All photos in "My Daily Photo Walk" are available for sale upon request.

Check out my current "What a Deal" offering for reduced prices on featured
prints at this link:  What a Deal

You can see my work on display at the following venues:

Circle Gallery, Annapolis, Members' Show:  through January 23.
TAG Gallery, Frederick, Members' Show:  through January 31
Lowe House of Delegates Building in Annapolis, January 15 - April 11
TAG Gallery, Frederick, Associates Show "New Voices 6 x 6," February 5 - 28
Washington County Museum of Fine Art, Hagerstown, January 23 - April 10
Ward Museum in Salisbury, Maryland, June - September, 2016

18 - Jug Bridge 1 18 - Jug Bridge 3 Because it is a holiday and schools are closed, I launched into Grandma mode and entertained the kids today.  Of course, that meant they needed to go on my walk with me.

We bundled well, and I chose a place where they could run to stay warm (and burn off a little energy).  The old road to the 1940's Jug Bridge seemed like the perfect location.  

I told Caden we would be visiting a spooky old bridge.  He saw the asphalt that was heaved up in places, the peeling yellow stripes on the road, and the weeds growing up through the cracks.  The graffiti that was sprayed on the concrete in places was also a source of fascination.

18 - Jug Bridge 4 18 - Jug Bridge 2 High above us was the current bridge that carries Rt. 144 over the Monocacy, and I pointed out that that was the bridge we drove on to get to our current location.  On the other side, I showed him the ruins of the oldest, original Jug Bridge.  He began to worry that the bridge we were standing on would soon fall, too, and Carly wanted to know if anyone fell into the water when the old bridge collapsed.  I assured them both that the bridge would not fall yet for many years, and that no one was hurt when the oldest bridge fell.

We skipped and hopped back to the car, with pink cheeks and runny noses.  The walk was quick, but it did the trick.

All photos in "My Daily Photo Walk" are available for sale upon request.

Check out my current "What a Deal" offering for reduced prices on featured
prints at this link: What a Deal

You can see my work on display at the following venues:

Circle Gallery, Annapolis, Members' Show:  through January 23.
TAG Gallery, Frederick, Members' Show:  through January 31
Lowe House of Delegates Building in Annapolis, January 15 - April 11
TAG Gallery, Frederick, Associates Show "New Voices 6 x 6," February 5 - 28
Washington County Museum of Fine Art, Hagerstown, January 23 - April 10
Ward Museum in Salisbury, Maryland, June - September, 2016

I waited too late to get out into the snow, I must admit.  Logic told me that if there was a good bit on the surfaces now, there would be even more, later.  Well, not so.  It was mostly melting on contact, so I had to really hunt to find something for my macro lens.

I'm happy to let my Eastern Shore friends have this snow.  They don't get it often enough, especially for kids to enjoy.  We'll get ours, soon, I'm sure.

17 - Snow 2 17 - Snow 3 Snow on a web Drips in a row

All photos in "My Daily Photo Walk" are available for sale upon request.

Check out my current "What a Deal" offering for reduced prices on featured
prints at this link: What a Deal

You can see my work on display at the following venues:

Circle Gallery, Annapolis, Members' Show:  through January 23.
TAG Gallery, Frederick, Members' Show:  through January 31
Lowe House of Delegates Building in Annapolis, January 15 - April 11
TAG Gallery, Frederick, Associates Show "New Voices 6 x 6," February 5 - 28
Washington County Museum of Fine Art, Hagerstown, January 23 - April 10
Ward Museum in Salisbury, Maryland, June - September, 2016

16 - Monocacy Aqueduct 5 16 - Monocacy Aqueduct 1 It turned out to be a beautiful day, and lots of other people had the same idea I did:  to walk or bike along the C&O Canal at the Monocacy Aqueduct near Dickerson.

The wind was blowing when I arrived, and the sky was gray.  But the wind blew out the gray and left blue in places, with puffy white clouds.  All of that great light made for a sunlit walk along the path.

16 - Monocacy Aqueduct 2 16 - Monocacy Aqueduct 3 I took my biggest camera, with the 28-300 mm lens attached, in case I saw any good birds.  As usual, I was on a hunt for woodpeckers.  

A photo walk for woodpeckers means lots of stopping and listening.  The pileated woodpeckers can be heard knocking on the wood.  Others, like the downy and the red-bellied, will chirp while working the bark.  I did see a couple of red-bellied, and even a red-headed woodpecker, but they were quite far in the distance across the canal, and my photos of them are very fuzzy.

16 - Monocacy Aqueduct 4 16 - Monocacy Aqueduct 6 There was a flock of cedar waxwings working one of the trees that had berries.  They were beautiful, flashing yellow in the sun.

While standing on the aqueduct, I could see the train bridge and the top of Sugarloaf Mountain peeking above the trees.  A great blue heron flew by, too, and landed on the rocks at the edge of the river.

So, I had a good walk in beautiful weather and even saw some woodpeckers.  All is well!

All photos in "My Daily Photo Walk" are available for sale upon request.

Check out my current "What a Deal" offering for reduced prices on featured
prints at this link: What a Deal

You can see my work on display at the following venues:

Circle Gallery, Annapolis, Members' Show:  through January 23.
TAG Gallery, Frederick, Members' Show:  through January 31
Lowe House of Delegates Building in Annapolis, January 15 - April 11
TAG Gallery, Frederick, Associates Show "New Voices 6 x 6," February 5 - 28
Washington County Museum of Fine Art, Hagerstown, January 23 - April 10
Ward Museum in Salisbury, Maryland, June - September, 2016

15 - Thomas 5 15 - Thomas 2 Oh the irony of it all.  C. Keefer Thomas bought a farm called Araby and moved his family there to escape the war.  He thought he'd be safer there.  On the morning of July 9, 1864, he and his family and the slaves he had working the farm had to hide in the basement while a battle raged for hours on their farm.  When they emerged, they found their farm in shambles and hundreds of dead and wounded soldiers in the fields.

Today, Thomas Farm is part of the Monocacy National Battlefield.  The barn, farmhouse, and a stone outbuilding still stand, and the surrounding fields are still farmed.  The only battle taking place there today is along I-270, which borders the farm.  Thousands of commuters clog the busy highway twice a day during rush hour.  The noise of the highway is hard to escape.

15 - Thomas 4 15 - Thomas 1Worthington Farmhouse, across I-270 There is a trail that borders large fields, which are marked off by tree lines.  I walked the loop today, flushing lots of robins, doves, a few chickadees. and probably a few flickers.  I did have to keep an eye out for groundhog holes, which were frequent along the tree line.  From one side of the fields I could see the top of the mansion at Gambrill Mill, and from the 270 side, I could see the Worthington farmhouse.  

15 - Thomas 3 Today, in keeping with the Civil War theme of the walk, I treated all of the images with the same preset from Texture Effects, giving the photos an aged, vintage look.

The walk was not exciting, but it was long, and at times I felt all alone in the center of large fields, with robins for company.  Perhaps there were other, unseen souls walking with me, too.

All photos in "My Daily Photo Walk" are available for sale upon request.

Check out my current "What a Deal" offering for reduced prices on featured prints at this link: What a Deal

You can see my work on display at the following venues:

Circle Gallery, Annapolis, Members' Show:  through January 23.
TAG Gallery, Frederick, Members' Show:  through January 31
Lowe House of Delegates Building in Annapolis, January 15 - April 11
TAG Gallery, Frederick, Associates Show "New Voices 6 x 6," February 5 - 28
Washington County Museum of Fine Art, Hagerstown, January 23 - April 10
Ward Museum in Salisbury, Maryland, June - September, 2016

14 - Merle 5 14 - Merle 1 Curious about the beaver damage I saw back in November around Merle Lake in the Lake Linganore area, I chose to do my walk there today.  When I last visited, I walked around the entire lake, surprised to see fully mature trees gnawed away in very precise cuts.

Knowing that it might be a little muddy, I took my walking stick to help me navigate the rooty and hilly areas; the stick would also come in handy if I had to fend off any beavers!  About 10 minutes into the walk, I saw a large brown animal in the distance.  "Damn!" I thought.  "Those beavers are big and move faster than I thought!"  It turns out that the animal was really a chocolate lab named Abby, who was off the leash.  Her owner was running well behind, not aware that anyone else was on the trail.

14 - Merle 2 14 - Merle 3 One of the trees on the side of the lake with homes was completely felled.  It probably happened the night after I first saw the damage.  It's a good thing it fell into the lake, and not into the lakeside homes.

I saw and heard juncos, cardinals, white throated sparrows, chickadees, and a few hawks flying high in the sky.  There were lots of mallards on the pond.  As I finished the walk, a pair of swans appeared on the lake.  The golden color of the water comes from the reflected brown hillside next to the pond.  The swans were busy bathing and preening.

14 - Merle 4 I can tell you there are a lot of empty bird feeders behind the homes in Lake Linganore.  Don't be surprised to hear cardinals knocking on your windows, asking for a fill up.

All photos in "My Daily Photo Walk" are available for sale upon request.

Check out my current offering for reduced prices on featured
prints at this link: What a Deal

You can see Cam's work on display at the following venues:

Circle Gallery, Annapolis, Members' Show:  through January 23.
TAG Gallery, Frederick, Members' Show:  through January 31
Lowe House of Delegates Building in Annapolis, January 15 - April 11
TAG Gallery, Frederick, Associates Show "New Voices 6 x 6," February 5 - 28
Washington County Museum of Fine Art, Hagerstown, January 23 - April 10
Ward Museum in Salisbury, Maryland, June - September, 2016

13 - CC 5 13 - CC 2 It must have been preening hour for the birds on Carroll Creek.  Mallards were busy working their bills through their feathers all along the creek.  They were balanced on the edges of the submerged pots that house the waterlilies and lotus in the summer.  Even the birds in the faux-painted fountain on the Community Bridge were engaged in grooming.  

13 - CC 3 Along the creek there were only one or two other walkers, all well bundled up against the cold.  I walked from Market Street to East Street and back again at a brisk pace to keep warm, even though I was well dressed for the weather.  

13 - CC 1 13 - CC 4 Clumps of ice were forming at the base of some of the reeds that remained in the creek.  They looked like glass jewels shining in the afternoon light.

Here are some walking tips for cold weather:  1) Wear a fleece lined hat, not just a knit hat.  The fleece helps to cut the cold, but it comes right through a knit hat.  2) Always pack tissues -- cold air makes noses run.  

Stay warm on your photo walks, too!

All photos in "My Daily Photo Walk" are available for sale upon request.

You can see my work on display at the following venues:

Circle Gallery, Annapolis, Members' Show:  through January 23.
TAG Gallery, Frederick, Members' Show:  through January 31
Lowe House of Delegates Building in Annapolis, January 15 - April 11
TAG Gallery, Frederick, Associates Show "New Voices 6 x 6," February 5 - 28
Washington County Museum of Fine Art, Hagerstown, January 23 - April 10
Ward Museum in Salisbury, Maryland, June - September, 2016

12 - Rock Hall 1 12 - Rock Hall 5 Norma and I walked in little Rock Hall, Maryland, today.  We felt like we were walking on a movie set of quaint and colorful buildings, but no one actually used or inhabited those buildings.  It was pretty much "closed for the season."

12 - Rock Hall 6 We parked at a cluster of very colorful buildings no bigger than backyard sheds.  Each was painted a different color, and they were all around a larger building, which was the visitor center.  These cute little buildings were small businesses, mostly gift shops.  I thought they were pretty ingenious;  rents ranged from $175 to $500 a month.  I want one for teaching small photography classes!  All were closed for the season, including the visitor center.

12 - Rock Hall 4 12 - Rock Hall 2 Along the main street we passed shops like a clothing store, a yacht brokerage, an old fashioned general store, and a quilt shop.  All closed.  

At one end of Main Street we found a coffee shop, Java Rock, that WAS open.  We went inside to get a cup of coffee and to warm up. The barista told us all about Rock Hall.  She said that the town pretty much closes up until the yacht owners return in the spring (like the swallows to Capistrano).  However, during the season, Rock Hall apparently rocks!  Festival after festival are on the annual calendar, including the very popular "Pirates and Wenches" the first weekend in August.  She also told us about Eastern Neck Wildlife Refuge, and was very knowledgeable about the birds to be seen there.  We decided to make that our next stop.

12 - Rock Hall 3 12 - Rock Hall 7 Quaintness abounds in Rock Hall.  It's very, very, quiet in the winter.  I think the residents like it that way.  They need to rest up for the summer season!

All photos in "My Daily Photo Walk" are available for sale upon request.

You can see my work on display at the following venues:

Circle Gallery, Annapolis, Members' Show:  through January 23.
TAG Gallery, Frederick, Members' Show:  through January 31
TAG Gallery, Frederick, Associates Show "New Voices 6 x 6," February 5 - 28
Washington County Museum of Fine Art, Hagerstown, January 23 - April 10
Ward Museum in Salisbury, Maryland, June - September, 2016

9 - Funkstown 2 9 - Funkstown 1 It was a backwards camera kind of day.  Those days are the rainy, misty days that are constantly building up a layer of moisture on the lens.  I wear my camera backwards on days like today, so that the lens faces my chest; I flip it around when I want to take a photo.

Funkstown is on the outer edge of Hagerstown, along Alt-40.  It's a quaint little Civil War era town, with stone and brick houses lining the main street.  There's a fire department, a post office, and clustered at one end of town, a number of antique and vintage shops.  

9 - Funkstown 3 9 - Funkstown 4 A lot of people had the same idea as I did today, which was to visit Funkstown and poke around in the shops.  I parked at the fire department and walked to the other end of town, passing many old homes that were still nicely decorated for Christmas.  

Hudson House antiques is located atop a hill in a beautiful white home from the 1800's.  It has many rooms of beautiful antiques, and every room was still highly decorated for Christmas.  Perhaps it is always that way.  It has lots of glittery, gilded looks, and highly polished, high end antiques.  I left that shop and went to Roostervane Gardens across the street, which was filled with small collectibles and live plants.

9 - Funkstown 5 9 - Funkstown 6 Down the street I ventured into a few more shops, all of which had a number of visitors, and then I headed back to the car.  It was great to see a little town like Funkstown so busy on a gray, wet, foggy January Saturday.

All photos in "My Daily Photo Walk" are available for sale upon request.

8 - Wilde Lake 1 8 - Wilde Lake 2 I dropped off my nephew Tim at BWI this afternoon, but beforehand, we did a walk at Wilde Lake.  There's been a lot of bald eagle activity there, so we went to check it out.  

As soon as we parked the car and walked toward the lake, we saw eagles flying overhead.  Some were perched high in the trees.  Altogether, we saw about seven different birds.  All were too far away for my little camera to properly photograph, and the primary purpose for today was a walk, so walk we did.

8 - Wilde Lake 3 8 - Wilde Lake 4 Wilde Lake is surrounded by a paved path, and we followed it around the lake.  Sometimes it went through neighborhoods, and other times it was in wooded areas.  There were a few mothers with kids in strollers out walking, too.

8 - Wilde Lake 5 Other birds we saw were crows, gulls, mallards, and Canada geese.  Every now and then and eagle would fly overhead.

Goodbye to my walking partner of late.  Safe travels back to Germany, Tim.  It was great to see you!

All photos in "My Daily Photo Walk" are available for sale upon request.

7 - Mussetter 2 The location I chose to walk today is where many in the neighborhood choose to walk their dogs -- and clearly they do not feel obligated to pick up the poop.  I had to keep eyes down at all times to avoid stepping in piles of it.  I will spare you the photos of those.

This area along Mussetter is north of Rt. 144, and at its end is the farm that is slated for development.  I chose to walk it from my house to Rt. 144 and back, passing the big water tank, the daycare center, and the open fields.  That's where people frequently park their cars and let the dogs out, and obviously they feel that picking up the poop is not necessary.  But I disagree, and I digress.

7 - Mussetter 1 I found a few nests and berries in various trees, but I liked the graphic lines of the dried Queen Anne's lace the best.  In the end I got a good walk, I was able to navigate the piles successfully, and my ears were cold at the end.  A hot cup of tea was waiting to be brewed at home.  Ahhh....

All photos in "My Daily Photo Walk" are available for sale upon request.

6 - Best Front 6 6 - Best Frost 1 Wow!  Today's walk was both invigorating and beautiful!  The frigid temps last night and the clear, still skies produced magical, crystalline hoar frost on surfaces, and I captured its beauty this morning at Best Farm, part of the Monocacy National Battlefield.

6 - Best Frost 2 The fields, which had the stubble left from harvest, were glittering with crystals.  I parked by the entrance gate on Rt. 355 and walked far into the field to capture crystals with the macro feature on my amazing little camera.  (For those who want to know, it's the Nikon P7800.)  Feathery crystals were formed along stalks, corncobs, and green leaves.  What I was most thrilled to find were dandelions covered in crystals.

6 - Best Frost 5 6 - Best Frost 3 I walked the length of the lane, under the great overarching tree, to the farmhouse.  Leaves in the grass were covered in crystals, as well as sticks lying in the yard.  Everything was icy and beautiful.

I had the place to myself, but as I walked back, five cars arrived to visit the site.  I am happy I got there before footprints marred the frozen grass, although I did leave a few, myself.

6 - Best Frost 4 Enjoy these photos.  In this case, the "early bird" got the benefit of beautiful crystals on a crystal clear January morning!

All photos in "My Daily Photo Walk" are available for sale upon request.

5 - Riverside 1 1 - Riverside 2 Today was one of those days when I was totally uninspired to do a walk.  It was probably the cold snap.  Curling up at home with a book in front of the fireplace was much more appealing.  But one thing led to another, and I did a walk after all.

The bird feeder needed filling; it was not functioning properly; I went to buy a new one; I did my walk on the way home.  As I said, one thing led to another...

When I arrived at Riverside Park, which parallels the Monocacy River, the woods were alive with twittering birds.  I thought they might be starlings, there were such large flocks of them, but I think they were actually sparrows.  I also saw flocks of robins and several downy woodpeckers.  All were too high in the trees to get good shots today.

1 - Riverside 3 1 - Riverside 4 Ice was beginning to form along the river's edges, and in the areas where there were isolated pools of water, the surface was ice coated.  The sky was brilliant blue and I had the paved walkways to myself.

The book and fireplace are calling my name.  Keep warm, everyone!

All photos in "My Daily Photo Walk" are available for sale upon request.

3 - Audubon 1 3 - Audubon 2 Today was a great, sunshiny day for taking a walk at the Fred Archibald Audubon Sanctuary near my house.  The grassy paths were a little squishy in spots, but overall, they were walkable.  The bare trees, beige grasses, green walkways, and brilliant blue sky made for a colorful fresh air walk today.

3 - Audubon 4

3 - Audubon 3 3 - Audubon 6 There were not many birds visible (or audible) today, probably due to the hawk that was seen flying around.  Tim and I did spot a few blue jays and of course the ubiquitous vultures soaring on the thermals.  We also saw deer trails through the underbrush and occasional deer tracks in the mud.

A horse came ambling to the fence line, but quickly lost interest in us when he realized we had no treats to offer.  A good, back-scratching roll on the ground was his next activity.

3 - Audubon 7 I hope you got outside today to enjoy the sunshine, too!

All photos in "My Daily Photo Walk" are available for sale upon request.

2 - Annapolis 1 2 - Annapolis 2 Annapolis is always a fun place to visit, and whenever I need to drop off work at the Circle Gallery, I take my walk down to the harbor area.  There are great little shops to step in and out of, and usually there is no lack of interest for the camera.

Today Tim and I walked to the harbor, but we were disappointed to find that it is all blocked off, undergoing some sort of renovation.  Alas, no boats were seen today, at least in this part of Annapolis.

2 - Annapolis 3 2 - Annapolis 4 2 - Annapolis 5 Lots of tourists were out enjoying the sunshine, as were we.  

A short blog, but here are a few pix from today.  Enjoy the sunshine while we have it!

All photos in "My Daily Photo Walk" are available for sale upon request.

1 - Suglarloaf 5 1 - Sugarloaf 2 Many people and cultures have traditions for the first day of the New Year:  eat black eyed peas, make a resolution, visit the temple, or avoid sweeping the stoop.  Some of these traditions are connected to superstition, others to family ritual.  One such ritual, encourage by America's State Parks, is to take a hike.  Free ranger-led hikes are conducted at parks in all 50 states on New Year's Day.

Sugarloaf Mountain is not a state park, but a privately owned one.  I had been on a hike there before, so I chose it for today's hike with my nephew Tim.  We dressed warmly and I took my walking stick.  At the uppermost parking lot, we followed the blue trail uphill along easy paths, until it took a rocky turn toward the top.  That's when I had Tim take my photo.

1 - Sugarloaf 1 1 - Sugarloaf 3 At the summit, we looked out over the Potomac River, then chose the orange trail down.  Halfway down, I realized we should have gotten a map.  This trail was narrow, steep, and very rocky.  Luckily, there were trees to grab onto for stablility, in addition to my walking stick, which came in very handy.

At the steepest point of the descent, I threw out all dignity and chose to slide down in the dirt on my rear end; the man behind me said, "Better dirt than hurt."  I liked him instantly.

1 - Sugarloaf 4 When we finally arrived at the bottom, we were at the eastern parking lot, which meant more walking on flat road, but it was invigorating, and I was just thrilled that I had negotiated the trails without fear or injury, which proved how much my balance and agility have improved in the past year.  My broken ankle from 2014 did not bother me at all, but my knees do feel the effects of all that climbing and negotiating around rocks and trees and ruts.  I am very proud of myself for completing a challenging hike today.

Happy New Year to all!

All photos in "My Daily Photo Walk" are available for sale upon request.

31 - Hanover 1 31 - Hanover 5 Spelling variants were a topic of discussion on my walk today in Hanover, PA.  My German nephew Tim and I went there in search of shoes at the Clarks outlet store, formerly Hanover Shoes.  Hanover is named for the German city of the same name, but there, it is spelled with two n's - Hannover.

We parked in Hanover near the old theater (parking fees there are such a bargain!) and walked first to the shoe store.  There is a tree contest in the downtown shops every year, and this year, the Clarks tree was in the rear of the store, where a large display paid homage to Hanover Shoes.  Everything in the display was from the 1950's:  the silver tree, the rotating color wheel, bubble lights, old photographs, old post cards and booklets, and of course, Hanover shoes.  

31 - Hanover 3 31 - Hanover 2 We left the shoe store and headed for Famous Wiener Lunch - or Famous Hot Weiner (note the spelling difference), where two different signs on the corner building proclaim lunch in two variations.  Inside they had a tree decorated with gift cards, and we ordered the Famous Weiner special (all the weiners in the menu were ei, not ie, which is actually the correct spelling).  We asked our server about the difference, and she said that when the next generation of owners opened a second location, they changed the spelling -- who knows why?

31 - Hanover 4 31 - Hanover 6 Our next stop was the bookstore, which is in an old church.  It has beautiful ceilings and a friendly owner.  He told us where we could find a Heidelberg township sign so that Tim could photograph it later.

We walked to the Carriage House and got hot coffee and then I drove Tim to see the both the Snyder's Pretzel factory and the Utz Potato Chip factory.

We had a good walk in Hanover, no matter how you spell it.

All photos in "My Daily Photo Walk" are available for sale upon request.

30 - Industry 5 30 - Industry 4 I teased my sister in Germany yesterday that with all the lousy weather we've had recently, we're starting to grow mushrooms on our skin.  However, on my walk on Industry Lane today, I did find mushrooms.  Lots of them were growing up between brown pine shats under a group of pine trees.  

30 - Industry 3 A walk in an industrial area can be a challenge for finding something interesting for my camera.  However, I do like a challenge.  I like looking for things that I would not normally notice if I were just driving by.

30 - Industry 1 30 - Industry 2 I went to Industry Lane today to visit my favorite framer, Ken's Art and Framing, to pick up some glass I had cut.  As I was leaving, I noticed a drainage pond loaded with geese and ducks.  A great blue heron was also standing watch on the pond's edge.  So I decided to do my walk around the pond, under the pines, and along Industry Lane itself.  

Industry Lane has glass companies, storage units, warehouses, insulation companies, a radio station, a T-shirt imprinting company, and a community center.  There's not too much here that's photogenic, but I did find a few subjects in addition to the birds and the mushrooms.  There's always more than you think you'll find, if you just get out and walk.

All photos in "My Daily Photo Walk" are available for sale upon request.

29 - Monrovia 3 29 - Monrovia 1 Most people around here have heard about the railroad bridge where the trucks get stuck.  In general, the clearance under this bridge is too low for most tractor trailers, and all too often, one gets stuck while attempting to go under it.  The road is a very busy one, and any time this happens, traffic backs up for hours while air is removed from the tires, or some such fix, to get the truck unstuck.  There are numerous warning signs, including height sensors and flashing lights, but drivers still tempt fate from time to time.

Nestled around this railroad bridge is the tiny little community of Monrovia.  One of my readers suggested I walk there, so today I did.  I drove under the bridge and parked at a building that had a "For Lease" sign in front.  Then I looked around.

29 - Monrovia 5 29 - Monrovia 4 A number of commercial establishments are located in a cluster, including a flooring company, a builder, a U-Haul place, an automotive shop, and storage buildings.  There are also two large, abandoned sites with crumbling buildings posted with "Keep Out" signs.

I walked around, dodging traffic, photographing the abandoned sites.  A train even went over the bridge, its iron wheels screeching on the rails.  My curiosity about the abandoned buildings was growing, so I walked back to the commercial cluster and went into the beautifully painted one that was a former First National Bank, 1908.  It is now occupied by ProFast Commercial Flooring.  A man whose office was in the elegant former board room (original ceilings and carved paneling intact), told me that I needed to speak to Cathy, whose office was in another building.  She is evidently the local historian.

29 - Monrovia 2 Cathy told me that the largest building next to the tracks was a general store.  I was able to find some information in the Maryland Historic Sites online.  If you compare the photo in the online information, you will see how much the building has deteriorated.

29 - Monrovia 7 As I left Cathy's office, I was greeted by another man outside, who told me that the building directly across the road used to be the post office.  However, it is such a large building, with a ventilation system on top, that I suspect it had more than one use, such as a creamery or a mill.  I had asked Cathy about it, but she was unsure of its origins.

29 - Monrovia 6 I treated today's photos with textures from a program I recently purchased from Topaz Labs, called Texture Effects.  So really, Monrovia does not look quite as grungy as these photos may seem.  But I liked the look, and so I went with it.

No tractor trailers got stuck while I was there.  It was just a quiet afternoon on a busy road.  Not a great place for a safe walk, but a good place for interesting photos, to be sure!

All photos in "My Daily Photo Walk" are available for sale upon request.

28 - Church Tour 1 28 - Church Tour 2 The annual candlelight tour of the historic Frederick Houses of Worship is always a good event for photographers.  As a new photographer, it is a humbling experience when you realize that photographing in low light is much more difficult than one anticipates.  A lens that is capable of a large aperture (between 1.8 and 2.8 is preferable) and a tripod are essential pieces of equipment if you want to get good photos.

I have done this tour almost every year for the past six years, and honestly, the photos begin to look alike year after year.  As I progress in my skills, and in my equipment, I do find I can achieve better focus, but the crowds also increase, especially with good weather, so sometimes it is difficult to get good shots, even with good equipment.

28 - Church Tour 3 28 - Church Tour 4 Norma and I visited a few of the houses of worship tonight, trying to get shots in between groups of people or without brazenly setting up a tripod in the middle of an aisle while an organist is playing a hymn.  It was nice to see lots of people out tonight enjoying the tour, and the churches were beautifully decorated, as is always the case.

28 - Church Tour 7 Some of the best photos were outside of the churches, like the puppy, the shot of the steeple between buildings, and the decorated door of the Tyler Spite house, one of Frederick's most fabled doorways, with its cast iron whippet.  

28 - Church Tour 5 28 - Church Tour 6 A bit of rain began to fall as we ended our walk, which did not deter the visitors, I am sure.  Until next year, may these houses of worship continue to inspire, comfort, and witness joy.

All photos in "My Daily Photo Walk" are available for sale upon request.

26 - Great Falls 1 26 - Great Falls 2 After all the rain we've had, the local rivers are running full and muddy brown.  The Potomac River at Great Falls on the Maryland side is no exception.

I like to go places like Great Falls when I have someone along for the walk; my nephew Tim arrived from Germany yesterday, so I took the opportunity to have some company with me today.  I'd been wanting to revisit Great Falls, so today seemed like a good day for it.  Apparently lots of other people thought so as well, because there were lots of families out enjoying this great location.

26 - Great Falls 3 26 - Great Falls 4Virginia side Great Falls is a wonderful combination of history and nature.  Informative signs explain about the C&O canal and how the locks worked to allow barges to travel the canal along changing elevations.  The working barge that takes tourists through the canal and the locks accompanied by reenactors dressed in period costume was docked and covered for the winter.  The water in the canal was green and scummy.

We walked along the canal to the Olmstead Island trail, and then followed the paths and bridges to the main body of the Potomac.  Water was raging through the rock chasms, looking like coffee with cream.  Rocks on the island were bright green with lichens.

26 - Great Falls 5 26 - Great Falls 6My nephew Tim At the Potomac, we could see tourists on the Virginia side.  Suddenly a kayaker appeared below us on the rocks.  He was surveying how to proceed now that he was at the main body of water.  He couldn't climb up the rocks, and his only choice was to put the boat into the raging waters again.  We don't know what he did.  We didn't particularly want to witness a boating accident today.

26 - Great Falls 7 The Potomac gave us a great display of force and the power of nature.  It's always a good place for a walk.

All photos in "My Daily Photo Walk" are available for sale upon request.

25 - Xmas 6 25 - Xmas 3 Merry Christmas!  When I saw the fog this morning, I decided to do my walk in downtown Frederick.  It had been a while since I made a tour of the fabled Clustered Spires, so I walked around downtown finding the churches.  A few were even open and welcoming visitors.

I walked for about 30 minutes, passing only a few people out with their dogs.  Everyone else was tucked inside, enjoying a lazy morning.  I used a texture on the sky because it was a foggy white, so that lends these photos a moody look.

25 - Xmas 2 25 - Xmas 5 A surprise and welcome find were some dewy spiderwebs in fences and trees.  

Happy holiday to all.  I hope your day is a good one.

All photos in "My Daily Photo Walk" are available for sale upon request.