Teens learning about Big Meadows in Shenandoah National Park. Photo by Bruce Stambaugh This is the third installment of a series celebrating National Park Week. I often hike alone. But occasionally, I enjoy sharing my love of nature with others. The church I attend has a mentor/mentee program for youth. A friend and I each serve as mentors for two teenage boys. Knowing we all enjoy the outdoors, we took them for a day trip to Shenandoah National Park last summer. We had a riot. These energetic young men enjoyed every aspect of the trip. They loved the hikes and the enthralling views. They also ..read more

The opportunity I had hoped for. Photo by Bruce Stambaugh This is the second in a series celebrating National Park Week. On the afternoon of May 23, 2018, I decided to finish my day in Shenandoah National Park by hiking the Rock Spring Cabin trail. According to the park map, the trail wasn’t long, and I was curious to see the cabin. So, off I went, binoculars around my neck and camera across my shoulder. I soon reached the point where the trail joined the Appalachian Trail (AT), and I hiked on. I could hear birds chirping and singing all around me, but the lushness of the forest prevented me f ..read more

Hiking the Appalachian Trail in Shenandoah National Park. Photo by Bruce Stambaugh This is National Park Week in the United States. In celebration of our 63 beautiful national parks, this is the first of a series of photos I have taken in Shenandoah National Park. Shenandoah National Park has a storied and somewhat troublesome history, given how farmers and their hired hands were removed from the park before it was developed starting in late 1935. Though the land was rugged and steep in many places, over 2,000 folks lived, farmed, and worked on the 198,000 acres that became the first national ..read more

Spring’s colors brighten our days. Photo by Bruce Stambaugh Just in time for Earth Day, spring’s vibrant colors are at their peak here in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley. Ornamental shrubs, trees, and domestic and wildflowers are putting on a show for our pleasure and their propagation. This annual phenomenon has a caveat. Conditions change quickly, and weather conditions play a significant role in these rapid transformations. A windstorm or hard frost can instantly paint the landscape much differently. The tender and pastel leaf buds unfold quickly, exposing their infant beauty. The fresh foliag ..read more

A lone young man sits contemplatively among spring’s glorious colors. Photo by Bruce Stambaugh The Edith J. Carrier Arboretum in Harrisonburg, Virginia, is a marvelous place to contemplate life’s challenges, changes, and celebrations. That’s especially true in spring when the trees, flowers, and shrubbery come alive with their soothing colors. I went there to pick up a tree I had purchased in the arboretum’s annual fundraising plant and tree sale. What should have taken me only a few minutes turned into two and a half hours. The arboretum’s beauty drew me in like a bee to pollen. I strolled, n ..read more

A real-life abstract. Photo by Bruce Stambaugh My late mother was an accomplished artist. Her favorite medium was watercolor, and landscapes were her specialty. Occasionally, she dabbled in abstracts, using watercolors, acrylics, or oils. I thought of my mother when I saw this scene along a local river. Of course, I had to snap a photo of it. I’ve given you a hint about the bottom third of the scene. Can you guess the rest? If not, here’s the rest of the story. This photo was taken at the bend in the river. A quarter mile downstream, the water is still due to a low-head dam. Do you still need ..read more

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