Stepping Stones
Before I arrived, a child had arranged a line of stones at the base of a naturally-stepped waterfall. He had made the line in such a way as to not block the flow of water and not be washed away. Draw what lessons as you may from the boy’s action; I just thought it was beautiful.
Evening Rises
A change in the weather came this week. We transitioned from days that were sunny, hot, and dry to days of dark, cold, and wet. The rapid change made for lovely sights in the wetlands and ponds. Mists rose and were shaped by chilly breezes, staged before an emerald background of fresh new leaves. Soon the weather will change again that is one of the things we can really count upon, isn’t it?
Berea Falls under Cloudy Skies
This evening and for the third time, recently, I tried photographing Berea Falls from an overlook deck in the Cleveland Metroparks. The first time I tried I had my best camera with me but ran out the battery with no spare on hand! The result was only so-so but showed potential for the site. The second time I tried on a sunny evening — brilliantly-lit treetops and dark, shaded gorge did not go well together. This evening my camera (the “middle” one) had a battery plus spare, and the overcast sky evened out the lighting. A tripod wouldn’t work from this location — scrub trees growing up around the deck block some of the view — but I found a way to elevate myself above the worst of the obstructions. I settled for f/11 at 1/60th of a second, and engaged image stabilization on the lens. I think it was a winning combination! I’ll be back another cloudy day armed with tripod and hiking gear to explore this beautiful area more thoroughly.
Sunrise reflected in still waters with lens flares all around.
Today was a nearly perfect mid-September day to be outdoors; I had to spend the day in the office. During my drive, however, I stopped briefly to take in the brilliant sunrise over Baldwin Lake in Berea, Ohio. Baldwin Lake is really a wide section of the East Branch Rocky River. A little farther downstream the waterway narrows and flows over a stony dam near the center of town. This morning, in the open shadows, the waters actually looked more like ice as they flowed over flat rock near the edge. Streams falling and splashing on rocks below were reminiscent, perhaps of icicles. But we’re getting ahead here… it will be winter soon enough. My respite was all-too-brief; I forced myself to look away from the sun, the blue sky, the dark and reflecting waters. I packed up my camera and headed out for my day indoors: it was a great day to be outdoors; I was in my office.
Shadowy morning light gives flowing water an icy pallor.
Chair Factory Falls on a beautiful autumn day.
We saw a news item about the Thursday dedication of a new area within the Lake Metroparks: Chair Factory Falls. Today was a beautiful day for a trip there so, after quick shopping for the week’s groceries, we headed out. The Falls turned out to be probably the most beautiful natural water feature I’ve seen in the Northeastern Ohio area and were a short walk from a convenient parking lot. We encountered a couple of people who warned us that the hike back out of the gorge was tough but worth the effort. They underestimated our vigor for while the path out was steep, it was an easy climb for the two of us and more than worth the effort. Of course the cameras came with us and we shot many photos but I’ll show only two here. The parking lot was adjacent to the Metroparks’ Old Stone School landmark. Stone walls, fallen leaves, and an antique water pump made for a rustic scene.
A hand-operated water pump stands at the south wall of the Old Stone School, a property of the Lake Metroparks.
Today She Who Must Be Obeyed and I went on a minor grocery shopping trip. She said that, when we returned home, she would get some work done around the place… like cleaning out her car. Exposure to the glorious fall day, however, changed Her mind. She suggested a hike in the Brandywine Falls park, near Peninsula, Ohio.
A winding wooden walkway leads down to a lovely view of Brandywine Falls.
Brandywine is a beautiful place where a natural waterfall flows over a stone bed, carving and smoothing the rock. A deep gorge extends downstream of the falls, shallow and safe for hiking, surrounded by woodland.
In the morning shadows, the falls move among autumn colors.
We spent a good long time in the woodland downstream of the falls, hiking the hilly earthen trails, and stopping frequently to take photos. There’s a lot to see if you slow down and look around.
A portion of a colorful leaf cropped from a much larger image at 100 percent.
Yes, She was seduced as I had been a day earlier. Her noble and ambitious plans were put aside for enjoyment of the day. Nothing done, again. Ha-ha!
Then again, as a philosopher* once said, “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”
*Ferris Bueller, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, 1986.
