Rain Forest Plants

Hurricane Sally Aftermath

Trees all over Baldwin County took a horrific hit. At Centennial Park in downtown Foley many of the majestic trees were destroyed.

An old Oak.

Debris from the Copper Kettle Tea Bar in downtown Foley, AL

A picket fence destroyed in the community of Josephine, AL.

A dock, water slide and other debris pushed into the backyard of a home on Perdido Bay at Bass Point, AL.

Debris of all kinds line the streets at Bass Point near the edge of Perdido Bay.

Household debris at the side of the road in Bass Point.

A twin masted sailboat washed ashore in the surge on Perdido Bay at Bass Point, AL.

Overturned power boat on Perdido Bay at Bass Point, AL.

Utility crews from Illinois work to restore power to residents in Josephine, AL.

Blossom

I don’t know what these orange colored blossoms are, but wanted to capture them before the oncoming hurricane blows them away.

Big Surf ahead of Cristobal at Gulf Shores, AL

Morning Light Through the Window

Contemplating the nuance of morning light

as it reveals patterns and textures

on the living room couch

is so much more interesting

intriguing

inspiring

than washing yesterday’s dirty dishes

still stacked in the kitchen sink.

Brilliance from Within …

… just look for the light.

Winter Reprieve

GULF SHORES, AL; March 6, 2020 – It was 68° F, there was no ice on the water, but it felt as if there could have been. Young folks were down at the edge of the shoreline, a few wading, some playing volleyball, many just lying in the sun, determined to get a tan before the end of their vacations. But elderly folks sheltered themselves from the northerly wind behind a public building, soaking up the sun’s warmth, glad for the reprieve of shoveling snow back home.

Dreary Winter Day on the Gulf of Mexico

There were a few people walking barefoot on the beach, but they were wearing their winter coats and avoiding the frigid water.

Wading in the Fog

Visitors wade in the Gulf of Mexico at Gulf Shores, Alabama this afternoon. The fog added a kind of mystery to the beach that brought out a few explorers, including a Great Blue Heron almost lost in the mist.

Record Breaking Cold

Frigid north winds blew the tops off two to three-foot waves rolling onto the beach, and brought record cold temperatures to the Gulf Coast last night. Sandpipers, Seagulls and Pelicans didn’t seem to be adversly affected by the cold, but there were precious few humans anywhere near the beach.

October Light

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Light in October is different than in June or February. The trees, the fence, the little trailer; they all plead, beg…like me…to hold on to the warmth even after the sun goes down. There’s no need for begging in June – the warmth will hold on. In February, there’s just no point in begging. But in October, in the deep south, leaves are still mostly green, the light is warm in every sense, but after the sun drops below the horizon…

Gulf Coast Beach in September

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We were here first. There’s plenty of room; do you have to sit so close? Or maybe the story is: Come! Join us we’ll all have a good time. But more likely it’s, “How’s the water, Mabel? What does George have in his hands?

I’ve often read that “great photos always tell a story.” But I don’t think a single photo can ever tell a complete story. Stories have a beginning, middle and end. A single photo can only capture a small fraction of the story. Without context, this is simply a photo of a group of people at a beach with a vast ocean of water in the background. Are they family? Friends? Recent acquaintances? Are they stranded on a desert island? What is the story?

 

Summer Fades

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The quality of light is changing, the air smells a little bit like autumn. Hardwoods are still in full-leaf, but they’re getting ready for the changing season. It’s difficult to put a finger on precise changes, but they are coming. Nature’s aromas are different, the air feels different, the light isn’t quite so crisp.

 

Uncertainty

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…Then what should we work for?

Only this: proper understanding, unselfish action; truthful speech. A resolve to accept whatever happens as necessary and familiar, flowing like water from that same source and spring.

Marcus Aurelius, “Meditations” translated by Gregory Hays

Summer Day with Great Blue Heron

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Storm Clouds Over Wolf Bay

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Civil War Canon Protects Mobile Bay

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Civil War canon at Fort Morgan, Alabama points toward Mobile Bay. The misty appearance is a result of condensation on the lens caused by taking the camera out of an air conditioned car into the very humid air of a tropical Alabama morning.

Surreal Surf

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Surf and clouds manipulated a little bit in Photoshop. This was created at Fort Morgan, Alabama a day after Hurricane Barry tore through New Orleans. Weather in southern Alabama wasn’t so horrible: a light breeze and some rain with a little flooding in places. The photo has been dramatized, sensationalized and colorized, but other than that – it’s exactly as I envisioned it.

Green Water, White Sand

Clear green water and briliant white sand line the beach of Santa Rosa Island, Florida.

Santa Rosa Island

The beach at Santa Rosa Island, Florida, yesterday, March 12, 2019.