HDR Photography
Bays Mountain in Northeast Tennessee is home to a large public park with a cool nature center, some pretty hiking trails, and a large reservoir. Sitting in a little bowl on the top of the mountain, and allowing only a single boat (a barge for showing guests around the lake) means that the water is often exceptionally smooth, leading to amazing reflections on days like these.
For the most part I don’t find the vast unending crops of the midwest all that aesthetically pleasing. But I have to admit that early in the morning there’s something about the way that the newly risen sun hits a few patches of mist here and there over these fields that is kind of captivating.
The tranquil Nitobe Memorial Garden at the University of British Columbia is a very peaceful place to wander and ponder.
This one was hanging out on some prime real estate, quenching his thirst.
Early morning on the Laurel Fork. Before the morning mist burns off, walking along the river is like walking through a fantasy novel.
In order to get to Laurel Falls from Hampton, TN you need to inch along a narrow ledge above the river or, especially when the water’s high, take the high water route up and over. Definitely worth it.
The view from the balds of the Roan Highlands is out of control.
The Chan Centre for the Performing Arts on the University of British Columbia looks like a building out of someone’s vision for the future. In fact, it’s been used as the backdrop for buildings in the future in many sci-fi TV shows!
Captured on the hike on the AT from Hampton, TN to Laurel Falls, across Laurel Fork on one of several crossings. So peaceful in the morning!
So peaceful. Another shot of Seattle’s Kubota Garden.
Despite the water in the man-made Buckeye Lake being at the lower winter level over concerns about the structural integrity of its earthen dam, and the ensuing economic problems this causes for local businesses, or maybe because of this, the lake is serene around dusk. Not currently being deep enough for boats, the only disturbances are the odd catfish or blue heron. Very peaceful.
I captured this shot on the way up to Laurel Falls on a stretch of the AT near the Tri-Cities region of East Tennessee. Along the way there were a bunch of camp sites near the creek, and all I could think was how great it would be to wake up to this scene. I will definitely be going back.
I visited Seattle’s Kubota Garden for the first time during a recent trip and I was pleasantly surprised. It is quite a pretty public park.
Scattered throughout the park were these vibrant hydrangeas.
The Roan highlands are a great place for a day hike!
Views like these almost make you forget about the elevation gain as you climb toward the cascades.
Decaseconds 