THE 13TH DAY OF THE 7TH MONTH OF THE YEAR OF EMERGENCE

OWN A LIGHTHOUSE IN THE DELAWARE BAY!

http://news.yahoo.com/gsa-selling-lighthouses-215838326.html

These are only three of the lighthouses the Government has put up on the sale block!

SHIP JOHN SHOAL LIGHTHOUSE

BRANDYWINE SHOAL LIGHTHOUSE

MIAH MULL SHOAL LIGHTHOUSE

Some years ago, when we made the Delaware Lighthouse poster, I went out on the Delaware Bay with a local fisherman (Waterman) from somewhere around Bowers Beach in Delaware.  We went to visit all the offshore lights in the bay and spent an enjoyable day on the water photographing.  These three are actually located on the Jersey side of the border between DE and NJ.  I think the Govt. is actually giving these away free.  But be careful!  Ain't nothin free no more!  The annual maintenance will choke a horse, not to mention a central banker.

I have often thought what fun it would be to own one.  But!  After the romance wears off, like in an hour and half, the work begins.  Just think of the work and expense it would take to scrape and sand off the old paint on the outside alone.  Then putting on a new coat which would last only a year or two when you could start all over again.  Remember these things are in salt water and that stuff corrodes.  Then the Govt. tells you what else you must do under the contract of sale or whatever.  Just what I need.  More direction from them.  Course if the economy continues to tank, these things would be easy to arm.  But then you need a boat to go to shore to fetch supplies and that would be subject to piracy.  So I guess owning one might be a bit much. 

However if you decide to get one, let me know.  I would love to photograph your efforts.  I do love lighthouses, but don't think I'm stuck on stupid.  Well, maybe that's arguable too.  I have visited and photographed two thirds of the 330 some odd lights on the east coast from Florida to Maine and the thing that amazes me most is that how hard they are to find.  One would think that a structure you can see from ten to eighteen miles out to sea would be easy to see from land.  Not!  Since most were build in the mid to late 1800's all sorts of struff (trees and buildings) have grown up around them.  And most are in areas that are now almost residential.  So from the land side you really have to explore to find them.  I have seen two of them moved.  One on Block Island and the other on Hatteras Island.  Unbelievable feats of engineering in both cases.  I have been in and climbed a number of others, the most notable and difficult climb being Hatteras light, 208 feef of claustiphyobia.

I have visited most by automobile, but others by ferry (mostly in Maine), by foot of course, and in Florida by small plane.  I have my favorites for all sorts of different reasons, but Hereford Inlet in New Jersey has got to be the best for me.  Hatteras on North Carolina's outer banks is iconic as are Portland Head, Bass Head, and Marshall Point all three in Maine.  The offshore lights in the Florida Keys are spectacular whem seen from the sky, with water of all shades of the blue green spectrum and reefs galore.  Barnegat Light in New Jersey is classic and beautiful, but each lighthouse holds some special memories for me. 

Hereford Inlet

Cape Hatteras in the old position

Portland Head

Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse

Marsahall Point (This is where Forrset Gump's run stopped on the east coast)

Alligator Reef in the Keys

It is my hope that organizations can be formed to maintane these parts of our maritime history, without too much commercialization or ultimate destruction of some.  People's lives and livlihoods centered around these structures as other lives were saved. Beyond that, there is the romance of a three masted schooner fighting the wind, waves and darkness only to be warned of a rocky shoreline by a brilliant and constantly maintained shaft of light, or clanging fog bell, warning of danger.  What a relief it must have been to those early voyagers to see one of those lights of salvation on a stormy night.

I am glad that the Government is letting loose of these lighthouses and my hope is that they go into good hands and not be destroyed.  For once Washington is acting responsibly.  Now if they can only divest of some of the other trillion or so programs, maybe this country has a chance.

The 12th day of the 7th month of Emergence

I had the opportunity to photograph one of the chicadees that visit the feeder.

Of course in photography, lighting is everything and these little guys can be tricky to get all the appropriate things lit up...like the eyes.  Eyes, of course, are the window to the soul!  But in photography, you need light up those eyes and get them in focus.  Given all the black and white contrast around the head and what seems to be black eyes, this can be troublesome.

I remember a photographer, a friend, who was on the show circuit up in Maryland for years.  He had some particularly good images content wise.  But almost all of them were out of focus when he first started.  I would tease him unmercifully about the need for glasses as everything looked like it was taken for those 3-D glasses we used to wear in the movies.  That bad.  Finally, about the time I discovered my own need for glasses...........he discovered the answer to his focus problems.  We both showed up at the next shows fully adorned with the appropriate eye wear.  Made all the difference in the world.

However, I still have to depend upon the little green light in the Nikon view finder to make sure that these aging eyes still don't lie.

Remember to double click for full screen on the photo.

The 7th of the 7th of the year of Emergence

AN ANOMALY, of sorts!

Maybe the date, play that on the lottery today.  7-7-11

Or perhaps

THE KING OF DUCKS

This is a Canvasback duck I photographed in Cambridge, Md some years back.  You just go into town and head for the Choptank River (great name)  in the fall and winter.  Find the end of Oakley Street where it meets the river and look for ducks.  Take five gallons of cracked corn and you will be the most popular person around.  For a handful of "Bait" you can attract just about every species of duck, goose, and swan that participates in the Eastern Flyway.  The problem is getting one or two to separate from the gaggle you attract.

The Canvasback has been called the king of ducks because or their outstanding flavor as table fare and in the early 1900's were almost commercially hunted out of extinction.  So it is a treat to see a raft of them out on the water. 

So where is the Anomaly you might ask....and rightly so.

This guy, or gal, showed up for at least five years that I counted.   A long time to be seen in area where duck hunting is right up there with goose hunting followed closely by religion.  I don't think it was a true albino because of the smattering of black feathers.  The eyes are red as in other birds of it's clan, so no clue there.  It was just a treat to see it for so many years and to know to look for it with each handful of corn cast on the water.  Thank ya Lord!

The fifth day of the seventh month of the year of Emergence

CHICKADEE

These guys are always such fun to see.  Probably the bravest of the little birds to play around my camera!

Remember to double click for full screen.

Nuthatches are one of the most elusive.  This one pounds a black oil sunflower seed to remove the shell.

And how many of the raucous blue jays do we ever see at rest?

The fourth of July in the year of Emergence

I wish everyone a wonderful fourth.  And to those that are and have served, Thank you!

And to those long gone whose legacy is this great country, Thank you!

And yes, that is the full moon in this photo.

And to those in charge of the hamburgers, hot dogs, sweet corn, potato salad, and tomatoes...........don't forget the sweet onions!

Finally, to my family.....have a great day and I miss you all!

The third day of July in the year of Emergence

An old friend!

He helped to raise over eleven families over the course of three and a half years.

Talk about a warrior!

The first day of the seventh month of the year of Emergence

WOW!

Six months and the year is half gone, or is the glass half full?

Missy seems to be getting better, and that's a good thing.  And just when you think that things could not get any worse in the economic or world news, South Carolina wins the College World series with a bunch of not yet professionals just looking to do their school proud.  And proud they did.  Folks, if you haven't watched that show out in Omaha ...... do yourself a favor next year and tune it.  Brings back your faith in what can happen in this country.

Took this photo on Assateague Island in Virginia.  A nice great blue heron in his mating feathers. 

Remember to double click the image for full screen.