Black is beautiful. When it comes to black in wildlife, that saying is spot-on. The American black bear (Ursus americanus) you see above was photographed at Big Bend NP, near one of the park’s busiest and most popular trails, the Lost Mine … Read More

Lens-Artists Challenge #366: City Mouse/Country Mouse This week’s challenge prompted me to take a good inventory of whether I’m a city mouse or a country mouse. If you’re unfamiliar with the concept, it originates from an Aesop’s fable. Tina brought … Read More

Lens-Artists Challenge #364: Quiet Moment “Where is your serene sanctuary? Is it the warm comfort of sipping your morning coffee as the world gently comes to life around you? Perhaps it’s the peaceful moments spent doing yoga by yourself.” That … Read More

The Rufous Hummingbird (Selasphorus rufus) is known as one of the feistiest hummingbirds in North America. I should know that well because on our recent trip to Colorado, I tried to photograph this tiny bird in flight, but I was … Read More

In May 2025, I briefly mentioned the Japanese expression shinrin-yoku in a post about national forests. Shinrin-yoku is a concept that was developed in Japan in the 1980s as a form of natural therapy and stress relief. In English, it … Read More

Lens-Artists Challenge #353: Stormy We have had our share of stormy weather in Texas. I have shared photos of the infamous 2021 Snowmaggedon, as well as other ice storms. However, whenever I think of storms, the Rocky Mountains come to … Read More

During our travels, I often include trips that pass through national forests or lodging stays within them. The Japanese have an expression that encompasses the feeling I have when I am in a national forest. They call it shinrin-yoku, which … Read More

Lens-Artists Challenge #325 – Gratitude Today, let us swim wildly, joyously in gratitude.Rumi There is so much to be grateful for. When I saw Tina‘s Lens-Artists challenge, I was at a loss as to what I would share. I wanted … Read More

The Centennial State, a moniker for Colorado, is a land of natural wonders. In this post, I’ll share three of Colorado’s landmarks in monochrome. I opened with a photo of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park as seen … Read More

Something about reflections bring up a calming feeling to my eyes. To augment that sensation, if you remove the distracting colors, then the image invites the viewer to spend time and explore all of its nuances. I want to share … Read More