On the first full day of spring, I experienced a couple of lifetime firsts. In the nation’s capital, nature’s beauty thrilled me. Hours later, on the way home, it dismayed me.  The morning could not have gone better despite the heavy rush hour traffic. I had arrived at the Tidal Basin later than planned. Still, the crowds admiring the cherry blooms in peak bloom were much smaller than anticipated. Cherry blossoms around the Tidal Basin, with the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial in the foreground and the Lincoln Memorial in the background. Photo by Bruce Stambaugh I trekked the arch from t ..read more

It’s no joke: April 1 used to be New Year’s Day ..read more

Cherry blossoms line the western Tidal Basin with Arlington, Virginia, in the background. Photo by Bruce Stambaugh Since childhood, I have wanted to see the beautiful cherry blossoms around the Tidal Basin in Washington, D.C.. That was a long time ago for this grandfather. I saw calendar photos displaying these historic trees’ beauty year after year. It wasn’t just the trees’ pleasing pink color. The symmetry of the blooming ornamentals, as they curved around the Tidal Basin, drew me into the photo. Add in the Washington Monument in the background, and I was hooked. I had to see that inspiring ..read more

A spring equinox sunrise over Holmes Co., Ohio. To those living in the Northern Hemisphere, welcome to the first full day of Spring 2024! For those in the Southern Hemisphere, welcome to the first full day of autumn. Enjoy your day wherever you live. © Bruce Stambaugh 2024 ..read more

Our suburban home near Harrisonburg, Virginia, faces north. That requires me to constantly check east and west around dawn and dusk for any hint of a colorful sunrise or sunset. My chances of catching a lovely sunrise have to be more intentional. The older I get, the easier it is for me to sleep past the sun’s morning appearance. Seniors seem to have a sleep cycle similar to that of newborns. I fall asleep fine, but staying asleep is another matter. Consequently, my awakenings in the middle of the night contribute to my sleeping pattern. I toss and turn and then sleep soundly until sun up. So ..read more

My wife and I drove to the Edith J. Carrier Arboretum on the James Madison University campus in Harrisonburg, Virginia. It’s a beautiful place for a respite in any season, and we are grateful to have it so close to home. Mature hardwood deciduous trees dominate 87 of the arboretum’s 125 acres. A large pond serves as its centerpiece. A small stream runs through the center of the arboretum, located in a ravine with thickly wooded hillsides. The arboretum has been open to the public since 1989. People visit the arboretum for many reasons. The arboretum’s patrons include JMU students, local school ..read more

A reflective sunset in the eastern sky in Rockingham Co., Virginia. Photo by Bruce Stambaugh No two sunsets are alike. That should be no startling revelation. Each sunset has its unique evolution, however. Some last just seconds with only a hint of orange, while others splash the western sky with a painter’s palette’s worth of colors. Sometimes, a sunset defies both stereotypes and logic. That’s when a photographer’s fun begins. Our home in Virginia’s verdant Shenandoah Valley faces north. Consequently, I need to check the western sky well before dusk for the ingredients for a decent sunset. I ..read more

Day hiking the Appalachian Trail in Shenandoah National Park. Photo by Bruce Stambaugh I always needed a clarification. I was the marketing coordinator for a continuous care facility 10 miles from home. Part of my responsibilities included writing a quarterly newsletter that featured people from every aspect of the campus. I interviewed residents in the nursing home, assisted living, independent living, and even employees. Most residents welcomed me into their living space, gladly answered my questions, and allowed me to photograph them, often with a piece of quilting or carving they had done ..read more

A male Red-bellied Woodpecker at the suet feeder. Photo by Bruce Stambaugh It’s been a slow winter for feeding birds. Both the number of birds and the kind of species coming to my birdfeeders are down. I have my suspicions, but I’m not exactly sure why. It could be the two roaming black cats that wait stealthily for lunch. Or, it could be the loss of cover. My neighbor cut down two mature trees on our property line. Or, it could be the inconsistent weather of cold and warming here in the Shenandoah Valley. Or, more likely, there are simply fewer birds. In a recent report, Cornell University es ..read more

Cloud iridescence or irisation. While walking with my wife in our suburban neighborhood, we spied this cloud iridescence or irisation. Though not uncommon, this irisation occurred in a cirrocumulas cloud. Irisations usually occur close to the sun, which you can see in the photo. It was at the leading edge of the atmospheric river system that pummeled southern California. I checked the radar when we returned home and found that the rain clouds ran from Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley to Dallas, Texas. But where does the word “irisation” originate? You can thank Iris, the Greek goddess of rainbows ..read more