Moraine State Park - My Home Waters
Having spotted the colony of Cliff Swallows under the 528 bridge over Lake Arthur the day before I tried to time being there when they returned from foraging. When I first arrived there were no birds to be seen. Within moments the flock began to arrive. As one parent lands the others all must flutter in place while departing adults swoop away. The play of their shadows on the underside of the bridge caught my eye while I tried to frame and capture the fast action.
Waiting for the Foragers to Return
There's a large colony of Cliff Swallows right under the 528 North bridge over Lake Arthur in Moraine State Park, PA. My father lives only a few miles away and I have seen them there for many years. Believe it or not I'd actually forgotten they were there as it's been so long since I've been there during nesting season. I witnessed large flocks of them arriving back to their nests with the morning's catch of insects freshly hatched off the lake. They'd all try to land and get inside to feed the young at the same time, resulting in little swarms of swallows. Once all the food was distributed I got to enjoy having them all fly in circles around me. They began to climb the warming air caused by the rising sun on the lake, the bridge itself caught the lite wind angling it upwards. I'd thought there were a lot just at the one little section of bridge I happened to be standing under. It wasn't until the entire flock, the whole bridge full in fact, was all the way up that I saw the size! I didn't even try to photograph the swarm as I became enthralled by just being in the moment. It was then that I noticed these two little guys peeking out of their mud houses.
I'm falling out of my own internal rhythm. It's not strife, anxiety or fear causing my soul to seemingly flounder against the shell of my existence. It's the open spaces themselves that are appearing along the inside of the exoskeleton called "ME." Only, am I shrinking inside, or does it just no longer fit right? Am I due for a molt or is the entropy of age catching up? I feel restless to find out while at the same time feeling calm and ready. Now to just wait. See what transpires.
Here's a shot I'd taken in July of 2018 while visiting my home area. Having lived and worked in Pittsburgh for so many years I always name that as my "hometown." I always thinks of hidden little spots like this one. I think of the smell of ferns & pines, the sound of them talking to me as the wind passes through their stands. That is part of what I call "home."
I've been sitting on this photos since I took it over two months ago. I thought I'd keep it until I had something to really "say" about my life up to this point. Well, two months later and I just turned 50 years old and I still don't have anything to really "say." I've been an artist all my life but will never be known as one. After years of experimenting and working in a variety of mediums I eventually choose photography as my means of expressing myself. Unfortunately this coincides with a time when being a photographer is greatly devalued. This has resulted in my never having become rich or famous (which was never a goal to begin with). It has also caused moments of self doubt and feelings of worthlessness at times. Being an artist still has power over my identity. It's changed over the past ten years from being what medium I working in to how I live my life on a daily basis. It's no longer so much about the method of how I create something but about experiencing life as it unfolds and trying to really appreciate what is happening around me. Life seems to keep placing me in the exact right places at the exact right times. I don't take any of it for granted. I'm a very fortunate man indeed, even though I am not wealthy or popular. My barometer is my family, especially my daughter. I'm also constantly amazed at how my timing seems to just "work out." Take this photo for instance. I've come to this dock at night for many years just to think. I ended up here randomly after a night in self reflection, listening to the drums of the Tuchux as I sat nearby their encampment. I happened to have my camera and tripod and decided to take a self portrait. By the time I took this shot, holding still as I meditated, the moon had risen above me. I left feeling resolved to continue trying to be the best father & husband I could be. It's how I stand against the darkness in the world. #morainestatepark #lakearthur #artist #artistsofinstagram #art #selfportrait #artistlife #artwork #nightscape #fs_longexpo #nightshooters #nightimages #longexposure #longexposures #longexposureshots #nightsky #nightphotography #longexposure_shots #buddhist #buddhism #learningthedharma #meditation #spiritual #spirituality #mindfulness #pennsic #pennsicwar #tuchux #worldprime #earth_shotz
I took this soon after returning to my hometown area after an 11 hour drive. While I love where we currently live in Wisconsin, I do truly miss this amazing lake. This particular spot where "Old 422" runs into it from the east is a favorite location. So many memories. My grandfather used to take us bicycling up and down the old highway. My father used to launch his boats from here. (Sometimes without incident!) When I fished I'd often wade in the waters as I walked down the submerged road, trying to catch pan-fish on a fly-rod. I've no clue how many times I've come here to simply watch the waterfowl, or the sun set. Going to the Pennsic War for me truly was about going "HOME" and not in the sense so many other attendees imply. I can recall being a kid and my Italian grandpa getting all worked up about "Gypsies" when he'd see the tents going up on the other side of the lake. So while I can say I enjoyed my time at the Pennsic War, it was being home and seeing my family, and being able to enjoy the PA landscape, that I will always treasure the most. #Pennsic #Pennsicwar #Pennsicwar46 #morainestatepark #lakearthur #naturalpennsylvania #wildernessculture #outdoorlife #getoutside #liveoutdoors #getoutstayout #getoutthere #naturelover #lifeoutdoors #optoutside #loveoutdoors #outdoorsy #outdoors #nature_perfection #scenicpa #travelpa #explorepa #theoutbound #ventureout #in2nature #thegreatoutdoors #naturewalk #getoutdoors
An August Sunset Welcomes Us Home
After a nearly eleven hour drive from our house in Wisconsin we found ourselves HOME. I love this lake, and our first night home the sky gave me a little show. I cannot even begin to try to calculate how many sunsets I've seen from this vantage point. #morainestatepark #lakearthur #naturalpennsylvania #wildernessculture #outdoorlife #getoutside #liveoutdoors #getoutstayout #getoutthere #naturelover #lifeoutdoors #optoutside #loveoutdoors #outdoorsy #outdoors #nature_perfection #scenicpa #travelpa #explorepa #theoutbound #ventureout #in2nature #thegreatoutdoors #naturewalk #getoutdoors
After a long drive from Wisconsin it felt so good to wake to a beautiful lake view sunrise. I'm HOME! I even had a young eagle fly across my field of view. #morainestatepark #lake #lakearthur #butlerpa #forest #naturalpennsylvania #wildernessculture #outdoorlife #getoutside #liveoutdoors #getoutstayout #getoutthere #naturelover #lifeoutdoors #optoutside #loveoutdoors #outdoorsy #outdoors #nature_perfection #scenicpa #travelpa #explorepa #theoutbound #ventureout #in2nature #thegreatoutdoors #naturewalk #getoutdoors
The view from near the bridge on 528.
