Rocky mountain creek flowing toward the viewer between dense shrubs and willows turning yellow and gold, near the Snowflake Trailhead in Breckenridge, Colorado.

Where the Creek Leads

|

Lens-Artists Challenge #418: Memories Memories have an interesting way of playing with our minds. Big or small, they stay vivid when they play an important part in our lives. That was true of this short, scenic trail in Breckenridge. We … Read More

Fall foliage at Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge, with Prairie Flameleaf Sumac in shades of red, orange, and yellow and the white, feathery plumes of Roosevelt Weed rising in the background.

Yellow Hues at Balcones Canyonlands

|

Whether you go on a long hike or a short walk, the sights at Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge will always please you. In the fall, you have vibrant colors from the Prairie Flameleaf Sumac (Rhus lanceolata) and Roosevelt Weed … Read More

Wide view of Texas bluebonnets and Indian paintbrush blooming together in a wildflower field at Inks Lake State Park, forming a natural red, white, and blue palette.

Saturated in Red, White, and Blue

|

Inks Lake State Park turns into a wildflower paradise most every spring, though not every year is as saturated with color as 2024 was. The 1,200-acre (486-hectare) park sits in the Texas Hill Country’s Highland Lakes region. Its granite-and-gneiss shoreline … Read More

A collage of six backyard birds — Northern Cardinal, Black-Bellied Whistling Ducks, Eastern Phoebe, Green Heron, Red-Shouldered Hawk, and Yellow-Crowned Night Heron — all photographed at the same pond within one hour.

One Hour, A World Apart

|

Lens-Artists Challenge #402: Looking Back at #1 – Wonder Most mornings, I meditate on the deck facing the pond behind our house. It’s become a quiet anchor to the day — the water, the light shifting through the trees, whatever … Read More

A small stand of Wild Bergamot in bloom, its lavender-pink flower heads rising on slender stems above green foliage, with a softly blurred stone courtyard wall in the background.

Touched by Light: The Textures of Wild Bergamot

|

Lens-Artists Challenge #397: Texture For this week’s Lens-Artists Challenge, Anne has chosen a topic close to my heart: texture. As she puts it, texture “gives us the visual quality of a surface — how rough, smooth, gritty, or soft it … Read More

A weathered wooden arch marks the trailhead entrance to Twin Springs Preserve, flanked by a stone foundation and framed by the dense canopy of Ashe Juniper (Juniperus ashei) and mixed Texas Hill Country brush.

Off the Beaten Path: A Quiet Afternoon at Twin Springs Preserve

|

I recently completed a two-part training on the Leave No Trace Seven Principles — a meaningful program that encourages us to be more mindful of protecting the places we visit and hike. For those unfamiliar, the seven principles are: Plan … Read More

A wide panoramic view of the Machu Picchu citadel bathed in warm sunlight, with terraced stone ruins in the foreground, the iconic Huayna Picchu peak rising sharply on the right, and the Andes mountains receding into a blue sky with wispy clouds.

Huayna Picchu: Standing on the Edge of the World

|

You’ve seen that photo before — the one of Machu Picchu with a dramatic mountain looming in the background. That mountain is Huayna Picchu, and the sweeping view below? That was taken from its summit, where I stood, slightly breathless, … Read More

Blue Pea

|

In mid-November 2025, I paid a visit to the Sunken Garden at the San Gabriel Park in Georgetown, Texas. Although small, the garden is known for its vibrant array of colors. In this particular visit, one flower caught my eye. … Read More

Overnight Storm

|

As predicted, we woke up this morning with lots of ice on the ground. There was a mix of freezing rain and ice overnight. Temperatures plunged into the teens (18ºF / -8ºC). We won’t cross the freezing mark probably until … Read More

Blue and Blue

|

On my first visit to Chalk Ridge Falls, I knew the falls would catch my attention for the most part. However, after spending some time around the falls, I took the hiking trail that goes along the Lampasas River. Along … Read More

1 2 3 4