Luminous Full Moon

A luminous moon rising tonight.

Moon Rising                                                                          © Joni L. James

Many men walk by day, few walk by night. It is a very different season.

--Henry David Thoreau

Autumnal Equinox: Blessings Await

Autumnal Equinox

Autumn Lake                                                                           ©Joni L. James

Autumn blooms amid the waning light and cooling temperatures. Fog rises from the warmth of land and water to greet the cool air. The sun will dissipate the fog and the brilliance of fall foliage will paint the landscape. Autumnal blessings await.

Kodachrome 64 Series

 I revel in Nature. I revel in the beauty of Nature. To preserve the experience. To preserve that moment of beauty and bear witness to it,  is why I photograph. I hope if my image is seen by someone, they will experience that moment. Perhaps they will be grateful, inspired, more aware, more knowledgeable, or be in awe of the Earth.

At the very core of my nature photography and my study of Nature is my spirituality. It is my connection to  the Great Mystery. The vehicle to my deepest self. The manifestation of All That Is. It is a deep connection in which my Self cannot be separated.

Nature photography is what I do.I have photographed for 32 years. For the first 25 years, I shot Kodachrome 64 slide film with Pentax K1000, Pentax MX, and Pentax LX. I studied, I read, I photographed, and I experienced. In 2005, I switched to digital cameras.

So to pay homage to my early visions in nature photography, I will be sharing images from my early days before digital photography. They will be simply titled, Kodachrome 64 Series. Not many of my slides have been scanned to digital but they will appear in posts from time to time.

Grateful for where I have been and grateful for where I am. And always blessed by the beauty.

A Serendipitous Moment                                                        ©Joni L. James

Oh Great Mystery . . .

My Mantra

A Touch of Autumn Color

A touch of autumn color at Burkhart Creek County Park early this morning. 

A Touch of Autumn Color              ©Joni L. James

"The leaves fall, the wind blows, and the farm country slowly

changes from the summer cottons into its winter wools."

-   Henry Beston, Northern Farm

The Perch-- Paying Homage to a Fallen Neighbor

A stalwart neighbor fell on September 10, 2012. In the twenty years I have lived at my home, a Tulip Tree, has stood through all seasons on a point at the lake. I named it The Perch. All through the years, it persevered as the soil around its roots eroded away. Its posture changed as more and more soil disappeared through ice, snow, waves, and yes, the 2008 Flood. After 2007 (and likely the result of the flood), instead of standing rather upright on the lake point, it began to lean outward over the water.

From 1993 (and I am sure before), to September 9, 2012, the tree provided a safe and efficient location to perch for many birds. The birds used its branches for resting, preening, safety, and hunting. Bald Eagles, Double-crested Cormorants, Red-tailed Hawks, Red-shouldered Hawks, Green Herons, Great Blue Herons, Ospreys, American Crows, owls, and numerous species of songbirds enjoyed its branches for an unobstructed view of the lake. 

Each time I looked out my window, I always checked The Perch for the presence of interesting bird species. The majority of the time I was rewarded with a view of an eagle, heron, or hawk. The tree was most beautiful in the early morning as fog would hover magically throughout the lake. As the sun would crest the treeline, The Perch would be backlit by sunlight resulting in silhouettes of perching birds.

I already miss The Perch. When one lives close to Nature and attends to the seasons, the land, and its creatures, you appreciate the presence of non-human neighbors.They are a part of my home. Once again, bearing witness to my local wildness. 

The Perch before leaning              ©Joni L. James             

Bald Eagle Flying from The Perch                                     ©Joni L. James

Two Great Blue Herons Perched                                               ©Joni L. James

Great Blue Heron on The Perch       ©Joni L. James

The Perch-- Fallen (on right)                                                ©Joni L. James

The Perch-- Fallen                                                                         ©Joni L. James

Solitude

SOLITUDE

                                                                                                   ©Joni L. James

"I have lately got back to that glorious society called solitude."-- Thoreau