Acadia National Park

Halfway through a week in Acadia National Park, Maine.  It is absolutely breathtaking everywhere, I'm not sure I'll be leaving...ever.

It's raining now so I took the time to edit some of my favorites so far.  There's many more to edit and more to shoot!

Enjoy

ND OD

I love neutral density filters...maybe a bit too much.
You decide.
(just wait for my trip to Maine in July)

I'll be making a bench out of that driftwood,
if I can manage to drag it off the beach.

Re-bar... just another day at the beach

3-4 foot waves

Early Spring Hike

I spent a couple hours hiking around the woods "near" the Trolley Line Trail (I never seem to stay on trails).
The skunk cabbage is blooming, one of the first definite signs of Spring.  I'm fascinated by these little blossoms, they maintain a balmy 72 degrees inside and on chilly spring days if you peek in you'll find honeybees taking refuge.

I trudged happily through boggy marshes in my (formerly) shiny new hiking boots and tried to get lost, I found a tiny waterfall and giant tree fungi (whom pleasantly allowed my to pose with them).

Pining for spring

Despite what some large mystical rodent may have divined it's still very much wintertime in NW Pennsylvania.  March is quite a schizophrenic month, it melts then freezes then rains then freezes and snows over the ice then rains over the snow.  Everything is white then brown then brownish white then brown again then greenish brown then finally Spring truly arrives.  I love spring.

Here's some shots from this week.

And don't forget to text REDCROSS to 90999 to donate $10  to Japan relief.   It's a great way to help such a huge need, and it doesn't get any easier.

Rock Creek Falls in winter

I drove through the blizzard today to revisit Rock Creek Falls.  The steep snowy slippery climb down was well worth it.  I bent the crap out of my cheapo tripod while falling off a log, almost dousing my gear and nearly getting hypothermia but I got a bunch of great shots and somehow managed to climb back up the ravine without injury or death.  Check out day 269 for an autumn version.

...twohundredninetyseven/threehundredsixtyfive...

I started the day hitting Neshannock Falls, neslted outside Volant, PA.

Then on to Hell's Hollow trail which is the southern end of McConnell's Mill State Park following the smaller Hell's Run on it's way to meet Slippery Rock Creek.  The weather wasn't as kind today with full sun creating harsh shadows but I did my best.  The hike was quiet and beautiful.  It was easy going until I continued past the "main attraction", Hell's Hollow Falls, off-trail where the rough terrain yielded much more appealing scenes further down Hell's Run. 

Quite appropriate for a place called Hell's Hollow.

5 frame panorama

more acorns

lime kiln

Add caption

...and I followed this home.

...twohundredninetysix/threehundredsixtyfive...

McConnell's Mill State Park is a gorgeous place.  I'll likely go back tomorrow.

those are acorns

Grindstone

Grindstone