Port Isabel Lighthouse silhouetted against a fiery orange and pink sunset sky, with children playing on the steps and families relaxing on the grassy hill below, Port Isabel, Texas.

A Beacon Above the Bridge

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We used to spend time at South Padre Island a few years ago. The beaches there are clean and inviting, though the six-to-seven-hour drive from Austin can wear you down by the time you arrive. Anyone making that drive will … Read More

Ponderosa pines stand in a golden meadow at dawn, with hazy blue mountain ridges and soft pink clouds in the background near Pagosa Springs, Colorado.

Summer Daze, Mountain Mornings

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Lens-Artists Challenge #406: Summer Daze Anne sets up this week‘s Lens-Artists Challenge with a fact the whole country (and the world?) seems to be experiencing. She wrote, “My goodness it’s triple digits Fahrenheit… Heat waves come and go during the … Read More

Panoramic view from the Cinco Tinajas lookout in Big Bend Ranch State Park, with a sandy creek wash winding through green desert scrub toward distant mesas under a blue sky.

An Oasis on the Other Side of Nowhere

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Whenever I visit Big Bend Ranch State Park, just west of Big Bend National Park, one of my favorite hikes is the one to Cinco Tinajas. The trailhead sits about 1.3 miles (2.1 km) from the Sauceda Ranger Station, and … Read More

View over the red-tiled rooftops of Congonhas, Minas Gerais, seen from the terrace of the Sanctuary of Bom Jesus, with green mountains under a bright, cloud-filled sky.

Aleijadinho’s Masterwork — A Pilgrimage to Congonhas

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Lens-Artists Challenge #405: Adventures Welcome back from the Lens-Artists short break! This week, Ann-Christine has asked us to share adventures we have experienced “from long ago or lately.” I wholeheartedly agree with her that “every day is an adventure.” Take … Read More

Close-up of Grosvenor Arch, a golden sandstone double arch glowing in warm light against a blue sky, framed by a juniper on the right and evergreens below, in Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Utah.

Unprotected Views and Values

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You may wonder why I am reposting this article. On July 13, 2026, there was a new executive order reducing Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument from about 1.87 million acres to roughly 182,000 acres. That is a cut of about 90 … Read More

Cobblestone boardwalk trail winding beneath a dense green forest canopy in Parque do Cocó, Fortaleza, Brazil.

An Urban Oasis: Fortaleza’s Parque do Cocó

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When we were in Fortaleza in June 2026, one of the things we wanted to do after spending time with family was explore parts of the city we hadn’t visited before. Since this is my hometown, there wasn’t much left … Read More

A tall, sunlit red rock formation with jagged columns rises above a hillside of golden grass and scattered juniper at the start of the Indian Lodge Trail, Davis Mountains State Park, Texas.

Island in the Sky

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Davis Mountains State Park is one of the most scenic parks in Texas. Tucked into the Davis Mountains and close to The University of Texas McDonald Observatory, the Nature Conservancy’s Davis Mountains Preserve, and the Fort Davis National Historic Site, … Read More

A fiery sunset over rolling wooded hills at Kickapoo Cavern State Park, with deep orange and red hues blazing across dramatic clouds above a darkening landscape of live oaks and Texas brush country.

Wings at Dusk: Inside the Bat Caves of Kickapoo Cavern State Park

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The landscape west of San Antonio holds more surprises than most Texans realize. On a camping trip with friends to Kickapoo Cavern State Park — a rugged stretch of Edwards Plateau country in Kinney County — we discovered a place … Read More

A double rainbow arches over the rooftops and treetops of a residential neighborhood at dusk. The sky transitions from deep blue-purple on the left to vivid orange and magenta on the right. Both the primary and secondary rainbow arcs are clearly visible. Photographed in the Gardens of Teravista, Round Rock, Texas, on May 21, 2026.

Magenta Skies and a Double Rainbow

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Two days ago, after a series of thunderstorms rolled through our area in Round Rock, the sky outside our living room window began to glow in a way that stopped us in our tracks. It was just past 8:20 in … Read More

Tranquil pond reflecting a blue sky filled with white clouds, framed on the right by leafy green branches, with suburban houses and a grassy lawn visible across the water.

Lens-Artists Challenge #399: Stuck in Place

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At one time or another, some of us feel a lack of inspiration or motivation to photograph new things. Some people address those times by going out with only one lens. Others force a change in perspective by switching to … Read More

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