I’ve been laying low from posting about our Boston trip so as not to be disrespectful to the events transpiring in Boston.

Thankfully we were safe at home by Sunday night, the evening before the Marathon. Our entire long weekend was filled with events attended with marathon runners and observers, and our prayers continue to go out to all.

Boston is a beautiful and interesting city, reminding me in many ways of our hometown of Philadelphia.

Rich in beautiful architecture and historical buildings, Bostonians were warm and friendly, and we felt right at home there.

Always entertainment happening in and around Quincy Market.

Old North Church, ‘One if by land, Two if by sea…”

It was there atop the steeple of the Old North Church where The lanterns were hung to signify the route taken by British troops. Upon seeing the lights, the British tried to break down the doors to the building while the Sexton escaped through a back window.

“Wacky Chad!” This guy was hilarious and very talented. You can visit his website…

http://www.Wackychad.com

Boston was a fantastic place to visit. If you’ve never been there I recommend it. Personally, we can’t wait to get back there and enjoy the food, history, and friendliness that city has to offer.

You know what scares me?

My daughters (both of them) reactions to bees.

Everything is calm, and suddenly a bee appears and you would swear a ten foot mass murderer just appeared and was chasing them down the street.

All sense of rationalization goes right out the window; hands waving wildly, shouting, sheer panic.

It was time to do something about it. When they realized that there was no harm and the bee was probably attracted to whatever they had in their hair or whatever it is that women wear that smells so nice, they then calmed down and listened to what I had to say…

“Please calm down. They won’t hurt you,” were my words, as I thought of how much of a bee magnet I am and that I get bit just for the hell of it or so it seems, and often. Shhhh!

“Here, take the camera, they just want to get the pollen. Seriously, you ladies are beautiful but the bees, they’re not interested!”

And with that the youngest took the camera, took a deep breath, and started taking some pretty nice shots.

The funny thing is, it’s just bees that scares them, not alligators or snakes in the wild, not bears in the wild, not red wolves in the wild, but bees, which even potentially scares me more…

“Whats that breathing down my neck?”

“Just a bear, Dad.”

Lets hope that never happens.

I have this game I used to play with the kids and their cameras in their phones. I’d be driving and I’d yell of a subject I’d see and they’d have to get a good picture of it.

To do so, that’s turning the phone into camera mode, framing and shooting. The results of which made for a lot of good laughs and really bad shots, and this would all last for about five minutes before they would bail out on me.

With the iPhone’s they became much better.

Soon they were taking really cool shots very quickly.

As we walked on the beach last week, they both took turns with the Nikon and as my youngest had the camera, I looked over at her and said…

“Lady with a shell in her hand.”

It was on!

She quickly brought the camera up while clicking it ‘on’ with her right thumb,  focusing she snapped this shot in seconds, in sports mode, firing about three shots.

I started laughing after I saw the photo.

I really don’t know what kind of use this new-found talent is, but it made for a really cool shot of a lady about ten feet away with a shell in her hand that we cropped  up close.

One thing is for certain, they both love photography.

Mission accomplished!

PS: Have I told you yet how much we love this camera?

Every time I see a Cardinal it reminds me of a story I know, about a Cardinal like the one pictured above and a young boy.

A brief encounter, an accident, and a boy changed forever, and afterwards this boy vowing to always be a champion for anything or anyone too small or incapable of defending themselves against something or someone bigger.

Cardinals are usually edgy when near people. In fact, they will give you a certain amount of room and then fly off into the brush.

This day, this particular guy, he allowed me to get within almost six-foot of him, which is extremely close for a bird of this kind.

He sat there, bobbing and adjusting his head to focus on me. I stood there and appreciated his beauty and also took the time and  thanked God for amazing creatures like this.

I took a bunch of shots, some of my best I’ll save for later, and then I backed away and did what I always do, thanked the subject for the opportunity to photograph it.

The reason I take so many photographs of birds and encourage my children to do the same is for the challenge.

They are fast, agile, beautiful, and if you can become good at it, I’m thinking you can eventually be good at photographing almost anything.

The story?

I need to keep that for myself.

It was inspirational and one of the big reasons photography is so important to me today.

Capture images of things important to you.

Contrary to the lyrics in the fantastic song ‘Dust In The Wind,’  nothing last forever, not even the earth and sky.

Found this pic from many years ago taken with my Nikon FE-2, scanned it into the computer and here it is.

The water down there is truly this beautiful as are the ruins, and for me, Indiana Jone’s-like adventures seemed abundant. Ha.

Oh, Mexico…isn’t that a James Taylor song?

Yes, I believe it is!

James Taylor’s, Mexico

Bald Eagles, whether in captivity or in the wild are an awe-inspiring site.

This one seemed very content with its mate (not shown).

For more information on the Bald Eagle, please click here!

Finally home and sitting here with my daughter, she selected this photo because of the personality of this creature, a Black-crowned Night-Heron, closing it’s eyes, then opening them, playing a game of sorts, and yet all he wanted, we’re pretty certain, was sleep, so we took the shot and moved on.

“And there was light!”
Couldn’t help but think of that being said in a ‘James Earl Jones’ kind of voice as I consumed an excellent tasting cup of unleaded coffee this morning. Hard to get sometimes on the road.
Sea and sky, so simple and beautiful simultaneously. Light separates the darkness.
Almost home. So many interesting subjects found and admired on this road trip;
Alligators, raptors, bears, airplanes, helo’s, forest fires, people, food, more people, even more food, BBQ (my favorite food), traffic, zero traffic, and during it all, an overwhelming sense of calm, spirituality, and family bonding. More to come soon…

Three quarters of the earths surface looks like this?
Perfect!

Standing alone on the beach gives you time to reflect and be thankful for all that encompasses ones life. It is what I was doing early this day, giving thanks for everything, the good, the bad, it all plays a part in whom we are.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?”
I turned towards the voice as the old man stood there five or so feet from me.
A million thoughts seem to flash through ones mind in an instant and my first thought was ‘my super dynamite ninja skills are not what they used to be, I didn’t even sense this guy near me or hear him coming’

“Absolutely”, I replied.
He looked out towards the sea as I did, both of us silently standing there, taking in the incredible beauty.
“All the money in the world doesn’t matter if you can’t appreciate the simple things in life,” he said.
“Stop and smell the roses,” I replied.
“No time like the present,” he added.
“Easy come easy go,” I smiled.
There was a pause…
He looked over at me.
“Got it figured out yet?” he asked.
“Stopped trying years ago,” I said.
“Smart man.”
“I used to think so, then I got smart,” I laughed.
“It’s about living in the present, taking it all in, then waking up the next day and trying to do it just a little bit better,” he said.
“Problem is, most people don’t know about the word ‘it’ in that phrase. It throws them off course,” I said looking over at him.

The old man was all of five foot five, hundred and thirty pounds, hunched back, dark brown wooden cane, he reminded me of my grandfather, had that weathered face from working out in the elements his whole life.

“What is ‘it’ to you?” he asked me.

“Everything you can’t put a price tag on or buy with money,” I replied, nodding my head, staring out at the sea, thinking about my wife and kids, family, health, standing here, it’s all ‘the it’.

“It’ll all works itself out. You reap what you sow”, he replied.
“I hear that. I’m in good hands.”
“Always there when you need em,” he smiled.
“Day and night,” I grinned. I was liking this very wise old man.
“Just have to ask,” he laughed.
“Twenty four seven,” I laughed.
“Like the Maytag man,” he said.
“Or 7-11, oh thank heaven.”
‘Ever read Psalm 40, Kid?”
“It’s my favorite,” I smiled, looking over at him.
“One of mine as well. Keep reading. It’s good for you, especially in this world .”
“I hear that.”
“Hearing is believing. Reading is better.”
The old guy turned and shuffled away.
“Hey, nice talking to you,” I said.
“Yup. I’m always around.”