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May

the Grounds at Legends Deer Ranch

When summer comes, I like to escape to my favorite getaway spot along the Pere Marquette River between Ludington and Scottville to see the wildflowers in what I consider to be my personal field of dreams.

There is something special about coming back day after day to check out the progression of growth of wildflowers on your own land. Today these wild daisies on family land along the Pere Marquette River look splendid. I linger to study them and try to build an image that honors how good they make me feel.

Capturing Memories

Michigan abounds with new life in spring. I love traveling the countryside looking for views like this one along Iris Road in Mason County.

Super Moon

Beach House Aglow

Come With Me

Fifty-Five Thousand Sunrises

Fast Sunrise

A mother watches over her newborn calf. Conrad Road, between Ludington and Scottville, is an area rich with pastoral scenes.

When I saw the clouds on this afternoon I went in search of a picture in the countryside. After driving up and down rural roads for a time, I remembered a farm northeast of Scottville I had photographed one winter's day. As it came into view, I knew I had found my picture. The scene reminded me of the "Wizard of Oz" before the tornado takes away Dorothy's home.

This willow tree graces the Ludington beach near the entrance to Stearns Park. Often it frames picturesque views of Lake Michigan. On this night, the tree takes center stage, leaving an anchored freighter to play a supporting role.

In photography and in life, getting close to someone or something brings out feelings you have never felt before. That's the kind of strong feelings I seek when I am fortunate enough to be on the Lake Michigan shoreline with my camera on an evening like this.

Having multiple camera lenses is a blessing and a curse. After a long snowy hike back from Big Point Sable Lighthouse, I spotted six bald eagles in a row of tall white pines about a quarter mile ahead. Of course, I had my wide-angle lens on my camera, and I scrambled for my telephoto as each bird took flight and soared overhead. Once I had the proper equipment ready, a seventh bird, an immature bald eagle, came into view.

This scene reminds me of the one-on-one battle between man and fish Ernest Hemingway wrote about in The Old Man and the Sea. Serious fishermen are like serious photographers; they dream day and night of being there to experience those exhilarating, unforgettable moments they can't imagine living without. For some it goes beyond being a pastime; it is an important part of their being.