It began with a single bird feeder several years ago and has grown into a major endeavor, with multiple feeders, houses and bird baths scattered across the backyard. When we moved here, we didn’t realize Texas is a major bird hub, with several migration paths running north and south and many bird species staying year-round. As a photography enthusiast, I couldn’t resist the chance to expand my hobby. The photo below was taken during last year’s cold spell, with temperatures in the 20s. I was sitting in my living room with the window open, capturing birds bathing right in front of me. We had to keep adding hot water to the bowls to prevent the water from freezing.
A male cardinal inspecting the bird baths. It was freezing cold, so we had to keep adding hot water to prevent the baths from icing over. The birds appeared untroubled by the chilly weather.
On one of our early visits to Kauai, when it was still possible to drive to the north coast without a reservation, we stopped by the roadside to capture this image of young taro plants growing in a flooded field.
Young taro plants in a flooded field reflecting in the water, with Mountain for Background, Hanalei, Kauai
Add Boucher trail, Chiricahua National Monument
David and I were backpacking in the beautiful High Sierra. We started on the east side from the trailhead at North Lake near Bishop, California, and crossed the Pacific Crest at the 11,423 feet Piute Pass. From there, we picked up the John Muir Trail on the west side, following it along the South Fork of the San Joaquin River until we arrived at the Evolution region.
On the third day, as morning broke, we hiked along the John Muir Trail in the Evolution Valley. The water was high and calm, and McClure Meadow provided a fantastic reflection of the mountains and clouds in the distance.
Our return journey took us over the 11,972 feet Bishop Pass, eventually arriving at the South Lake trailhead.
Dramatic Sky over McClure Meadows and reflection in the calm river along the Pacific Crest Trail, Evolution Valley, California
It’s a grueling 4,400 ft. ascent out of Seiad Valley when heading north along the Pacific Crest Trail. This marked the beginning of a 50-day, 3-state, 2-country, 1001-mile hike, spanning from California through Oregon and Washington into Canada. On that initial evening, I reached a high point on the ridge below Lower Devil’s Peak and hastily set up camp as the sun dipped behind distant mountains. Despite the scorching 100-degree heat I had endured in Seiad Valley, patches of snow persisted on the ridge, providing a welcome means to keep my water cool.
Setup camp on Lower Devil’s Peak along the Pacific Crest Trail near Seiad Valley, California
It was an autumn trip for Charles and me to the Eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains. The main goal was to photograph the Aspen forest changing colors. We spent the night near the South Shore of Mono Lake and got up early to photograph the Tufa formations. The water of Mono Lake, at an elevation of 6,380 feet, has a salinity level 2-3 times higher than the ocean. Tufa is formed by the interaction of freshwater springs at the bottom of the lake and the highly alkaline lake water. Recently, the water level in the lake dropped due to water diversions from its tributary streams, exposing the Tufa formations.
Tufa formations partly submerged in lake water and clouds overhead during a gorgeous sunrise at South Tufa, Mono Lake, California.
