America the Beautiful | Hawaii after Sunset The Big Island of Hawaii always has such beautiful, warm beaches no matter what time of year. The Kona Coast, the western coast of Hawaii, is also considered the sunny side of the island. This sunset image was captured along a northwestern shoreline path. Look closely in the background and you may see Maui’s volcano, Haleakalā, rising above the clouds, For the whole story with all images, see America the Beautiful | a 7 Image Story.
America the Beautiful | a 7 Image Story After the current virus crisis has subsided, our beautiful country will still be here for us to enjoy. These images remind me of the beauty in our country, in particular the Midwest, the Great American Prairie, and the American West. Really, any nice image from any part of the country can remind us of how lucky we are to be Americans.It’s easy to appreciate America while flying north along the eastern shore of Lake Michigan. On a clear day, you can see the lake shore forever!
O beautiful for spacious skies, For amber waves of grain, For purple mountain majesties Above the fruited plain! America! America! God shed His grace on thee And crown thy good with brotherhood From sea to shining sea!
America the Beautiful by John Williams & Boston Pops Orchestra
Yellowstone This Yellowstone landscape,accented with an Elk herd, reminds me of our raw American beauty. In the fall Yellowstone becomes a magical wilderness with fall color and the distinctive sound of an Elk bugling. Fall’s brown grasses provide contrast for the new forest growing through an old burned forest.
Badlands Storm South Dakota Thunderstorms rumble over the Badlands frequently during the summer months. In fact, they are one of the trademarks of the Great American Prairie. Nothing can remind us of America more than the Great American Prairie.
Illinois Tall Grass Prairie Illinois was once covered with tall grass prairie. This fertile land has been mostly converted to farming land. See The Great American Prairie | a 7 Image Story for additional information and images, Although Illinois was on on the far eastern edge of the Great American Prairie, it still contains several restored prairies to remind us of the natural beauty.
Montana High Country The Montana countryside is sky clear and filled with contrasts. This image reminds me of the big beautiful skies in Montana. With hay stacked sky-high, the Bridger Mountains stand many miles in the background.
Wyoming Grand Teton Flats The Grand Tetons get many clear mornings. Low lying fog along the Snake River lingers to make a beautiful American image. Teton country provides many contrasts between the flats and the mountains.
Platte River Nebraska The Platte River provides a beautiful sunsets in March and April each year as the Sandhill Cranes make their annual visit. In the distance, the last Sandhills are landing to roost for the night as the last good light rests in the west. Sandhill Cranesroosting with a beautiful sunset on the Platte River is truly America the Beautiful.
Each image will be posted individually this week with a bit more narrative under category America the Beautiful.
The Sunday Drive | Into the Sunset Sunsets on a Montana ranch can be fantastic. The Tobacco Root mountains provide the background. A Sunday sunset drive over gravel roads on the ranch provides a beautiful end to a nice weekend. For the whole story with all images, see The Sunday Drive | a 7 Image Story.
The Sunday Drive | Over the Snow Most of us don’t live close enough to Yellowstone NP to go for a Sunday drive. Still, many of us live near hills and mountains. When covered with snow, they make a nice scenic day drive. For the whole story with all images, see The Sunday Drive | a 7 Image Story.
The Sunday Drive | In the Hills Arizona can get pretty hot in the summer. A nice Sunday drive into the mountains can show you breathtaking beauty as well as much cooler air. And in the winter months, snow and ski runs might great you at the end of the road. For the whole story with all images, see The Sunday Drive | a 7 Image Story.
The Sunday Drive | a 7 Image Story When I was a young boy growing up on a Midwest farm, my parents often took a Sunday drive. It became a bit of a tradition. Now, we did not go every Sunday, but fairly often. Sometimes, the purpose was to “look at the crops.” Sometimes, it was to “just to get off the farm.” Sometimes, it was a short ride; sometimes a long ride. Occasionally, the Sunday drive took us all the way to Chicago’s Midway Airport to watch the planes land and take-off. Apparently, my parents were not the only ones to partake in this “tradition.” The Sunday drive was a relatively inexpensive way to showdown, spend family time, and enjoy the world around us.
Why remember those Sunday Drives now? With the world in crisis mode over the corona virus, states and even countries are issuing stay at home orders. It’s forcing us to slowdown a bit and value the simpler things in life. More people seem to be going for walks. Although the stay at home orders generally discourage travel by car except for the essentials, the slowdown somehow reminded me of those Sunday Drives. As some of the restrictions are raised, maybe the Sunday drive will make a resurgence. Or, perhaps a Sunday walk or bike ride will take its place.
Thru the Woods Spring is technically here. A nice spring snow shower made beautiful surroundings on my way to the grocery store this morning. The stay at home order does not say you must take the shortest route to the store. This route may be less traveled, but its beauty improved my mood for the day. On Gravel Roads The countryside in Montana contains numerous gravel roads running along old fence lines. Unless you live in a large city, back country, gravel roads aren’t all that far away for a lazy Sunday drive. In the Hills Arizona can get pretty hot in the summer. A nice Sunday drive into the mountains can show you breathtaking beauty as well as much cooler air. And in the winter months, snow and ski runs might great you at the end of the road. Over the Snow Most of us don’t live close enough to Yellowstone NP to go for a Sunday drive. Still, many of us live near hills and mountains. When covered with snow, they make a nice scenic day drive.
Each image will be posted individually this week with a bit more narrative under category The Sunday Drive.
Fine Art | Yellowstone Tree This Yellowstone Tree image came from a trip in the fall. Ground water and steam runoff from Yellowstone’s thermal features periodically floods the area around these lodgepole pine trees; killing them. Several geysers can be seen steaming in the background. Then silica precipitates upon the dead tree trunks creating the white “bobby sock” trees. This silica slowly impregnates the wood and over time, could eventually petrify the wood. These striking trees stand tall against mostly clear skies. For the whole story with all images, see Fine Art | a 7 Image Story.
Fine Art | Yellowstone First Snow There’s nothing like Yellowstone in the winter. Yellowstone always provides perspective and introspection. Every time I go to Yellowstone, the experience changes with new vistas, wildlife, challenges, and accomplishments. This particular visit was very short; only one day. The park was officially closed except for the north entrance and the road to Cooke City through Lamar Valley. This image comes from a place close to the north entrance. A snowstorm had fallen the night before, covering everything in sparkling fresh snow. The Yellowstone River, flowing north out of the park, was not frozen due to the thermal features of the park. For the whole story with all images, see Fine Art | a 7 Image Story.
