Yearly Archives: 2017

I’m just back from my fifth trip to Costa Rica, but my first visit in many years. I’m always struck by both the beauty and diversity of such a relatively small country. I had a chance to revisit a few places, and also saw many new places. I studied monkeys […]

In addition to the magnificent grounds and gardens of Biltmore in Asheville, there is always something to see in the amazing conservatory. Built over a century ago, it has 7000 square feet of plants. Currently there is an extensive display of orchids, with hundreds blooming in lush variety. These are […]

I live around 40 minutes from Tennessee’s newest state park. Rocky Fork is just over 2000 acres, surrounded by an additional 7600 acres of national forest. When the land became available, buying and protecting it was the number one purchase priority in in the nation by the US Forest Service. […]

I live in east Tennessee and my mom lives in Asheville in neighboring North Carolina. Driving directly it isn’t much over an hour, but it usually takes me way longer. I pull over for what I intend to be a short photo stop at a scenic overlook and hours later […]

My dad was 50 when I was born, and though he could have been my grandfather he never seemed old. My childhood memories are filled with our shared experiences in the woods, and to me he always seemed an enthused and energetic friend. As a college professor he could shape […]

On my last day visiting the Zapata Peninsula I went with a wildlife guide to explore a trail known as Sendero Enigma de las Rocas. This part of Cuba has many rocks, forming caves both above and underground, and reaching into the sea. We started the expedition in a horse […]

I recently returned from The Birds in Flight Photography contest in Cuba. After visiting last year to explore the vegetation, I left wanting to see more of this amazing island. Most of my time on this trip was spent on the Zapata Peninsula, the largest protected area in the Caribbean […]

I visited Muir Woods on a recent trip to California. I enjoyed rare sunshine after weeks of rain and wind had closed it three times in two weeks, including the day before my visit. Fallen trees had closed a popular trail, but there were still many to explore. I was […]