Greetings from Muggy Massachusetts this fine 4th of July weekend folks! If you find yourself near Great Barrington, MA come on out to the Berkshires Arts Festival! And no matter what you are doing, please be safe and have a wonderful weekend!
And I can't help but share this... a young lady just told me my makes her think of Ansel Adams... Ummmm, WOW!!! I can't think of a much finer compliment than that.
:-)
Brandon Kline
Hello friends,
It feels it has been quite some time, and well it has been a couple weeks or so since I last wrote here... for this moment, suffice it to say a lot has happened since I hit the road for Denver in early June! I will post more about the adventures and mishaps on the road next week when I have more down time. Currently I am getting ready to leave a lovely campground at Clinton State Park, Kansas near Kansas City as I make my way back to Pennsylvania.
But, I just wanted to take a moment to say hi to everyone and a belated Happy Summer Solstice! I say it every year, and I don't plan on ever not, but I absolutely love this time of year, the energy and bounty of life is wonderful for the soul. I hope you all had, and are having, a great beginning to Summer!
As for me... I kicked off this plentiful season with my first visit to Rocky Mountain National Park! Camping the night before in Roosevelt National Forest and awaking pre-dawn to the alpenglow on Long's Peak, I made my way into the Park and to the Glacier Gorge Trailhead for roughly 7.5 miles throughout the morning, being caught in a Rocky Mountain daydream...
Hey everybody!
I hope you'be all had a good past week. I was extremely busy preparing for the kickoff to my Summer Festival Season here in Pittsburgh, PA at Three Rivers Arts Festival!
It's been such a fun weekend and cool experience! It's been quite some time since I've spent any time in a city and I must say I've been having some nostalgic moments of my younger years living in Philadelphia and being a city person. Here are some pics of my new booth presentation (still a work in progress) and of the festival and area itself. Next weekend, Denver, CO...
As a boy from the Northeast, when I was younger I always dreamed of seeing California and the Pacific Coast by the city lights of Los Angeles and the Santa Monica mountains as the ideal way to see "the other side" for the first time. Well a lot changed over the years in terms of the man I have become and what my idea of ideal is. The mountains, forests, and the call of wilderness has replaced city lights and hustle bustle.
This past Summer, at the age of 39, I finally saw the Pacific Ocean for the first time, far away from any lights other than those of the campfires on the beach and the endless sea of stars in the night sky, along the coastline of Olympic National Park... And I wouldn't trade that experience for any other I could have had! For this boy from the Northeast, here is my first look at "the other side." :-)
Happy Memorial Day friends, enjoy the kick off to Summertime fun and adventures!!!
Brandon Kline
This past Summer, in early July, I left my job and my place of living of ten years to pursue my Artwork full-time. I made my second cross-country adventure in as many years on a leap of faith that I could support myself from the festivals I was going to be doing. By mid-August, I had two shows under my belt, had just spent 10 days in Glacier National Park and found myself perched on a jagged rock crop outpost in the section of Mount Rainier National Park's backcountry aptly called Sunrise, and yep I was watching the first rays of the morning sun splash the Northeastern face of this noble giant.
Slowly, it all began to sink in and overcome me. The craziness of what I was doing, the grandeur of the scene before me, and the overall epic scale of pretty much everything at that moment. We all take things in differently and it is hard to say how certain situations will affect one person over another. But when something of such gigantic proportions looms in front of you in the midst of an enormous life upheaval, when it hits you, you'll know! I took it in for a long while on this morning... And for a long time since. :-)
Brandon Kline
"Far Away in Montana, hidden from view by clustering mountain-peaks, lies an unmapped northwestern corner - the Crown of the Continent." - George Bird Grinnell, 1901
Glacier National Park has had my heart from the moment I first laid my eyes upon it's majesty in the Summer of 2013. I have been there on e separate occasions now and I can't imagine not going every year. There are many places of indescribable beauty on this Planet, and of those I have been fortunate enough to gaze at with my own eyes, Glacier is special. There is a spirit here that is undeniable. Just go there and feel it for yourself.
I have not put finishing touches on my story with this image just yet, but I'll say this right now - My hike/timing to capture this photograph without doubt put me in a potentially dangerous situation over the most grueling day of mileage I have yet to rack up as a backpacker. But in the end, it was one of the most spiritual and peaceful experiences on the trail I have had. I believe that, in the end, what is remembered is the accomplishments and experiences we have had and the obstacles we have overcome. These will shape our finest memories.
Here is the first of 3 new images I'll be sharing from my adventures this past year, leading you into the Memorial Day weekend, so keep your eyes open the next few days because you're seeing them here first! This is just a small section of what you will be standing before if someday you make the hike up to Grinnell Glacier... :-)
Brandon Kline
I have of late been daydreaming of last Summer's adventures, of the grandeurs of the West, and the spectacles of the East. Soon, I will be embarking on this years' adventure trail and the nostalgic moments I have of recent memories have been flooding me daily and tingling my spine... Because of the Spring season, that has been the focused theme of my image posts the past month or so, but next week I will be unveiling 3 new photographs from my time out West last Summer, without doubt some of my proudest work yet. And so in that spirit, get lost in some Glacier National Park glory...
"As we rounded the bend, the soaring mountain peaks and lush green valleys opened up before me. For the rest of the winding Going-to-the-Sun Road, heading from West Glacier on the way to Logan Pass and the continental divide, I sat speechless in utter awe of the scale of what lay before me… A glorious light glistened throughout the mountains whose peaks seemed to reach into the heavens. Cascading waterfalls plummeted down from the melting snow of the high elevations where the trees no longer grow, carving their way down through the forests and into the valleys. As if angels were singing, my first impressions of the West, of our previous five days spent backpacking in Glacier National Park’s wilderness were truly brought into light in the face of this view.
The hike to Akokola Lake would be my initiation into the Park… Up and down the ridge line through open meadows caused by burns and wildfire giving way to new growth which filled my nose with the delightful scent of fresh pine. Into deep forest and to the edge of Akokola, the peaks rising to the north, reflected perfectly in its waters, stole my breath. This was remote wilderness. The next morning as I walked down to the lake to capture first light kissing the peaks of those mountains, I half expected to see a scene of all of nature’s creatures harmoniously drinking from its shores.
"First Impressions"
Over the next four days, my brother, his wife, and I hiked and camped through this wonderland of dense temperate rain forest, soaring mountain peaks, open meadows and pristine lakes, an experience I’ll never forget. On our last night of backcountry camping, at the head of Bowman Lake, I had perhaps my most beautiful backpacking experience to date… The hike along the water’s edge, peering through thick jungle-like forest to the Caribbean Sea of Bowman’s waters, all in the face of towering Rainbow Peak, Mt. Carter, and Thunderbird Mountain on the opposite side was an enlightenment in itself. Add to our scenery that we were abruptly caught in a thunder and hail storm, exhilarating the adventure, and only to arrive at the most amazing campsite I have yet to experience at Bowman’s head. Roaring through the site is a creek of the most milky white water I’ve ever seen. Flowing to the lake, it meets a bed of magnificent colored stones which all but stop it dead in its tracks, sending the milky creek trickling over rainbow rock into turquoise blue. The sun began to set as storm clouds cleared and under the moon and stars of big sky country, I lay in my hammock gazing out unto this unbelievable view down the valley before me. Rocking gently, I listened to the lap of gentle waves hit the shore, lulling me to sleep.
Naturalist John Muir once wrote that Glacier National Park has “the best care-killing scenery in our continent.” I thought of these words as well as many others of natural inspiration during this week of escaping the hustle-bustle and cares of daily life to come out into the wilderness and experience the true “rush” of life.
"The Rush of Life"
Out here in the high-country, it is Winter, Spring, and Summer all at once. We hike through snow in July with perfect 80 degree temperatures and mountain goats as friends, meadows bloom and burst with wildflowers, and the mountains which separate our country’s weather carry glaciers feeding into lakes of the most unbelievable turquoise Caribbean blues. Humbled beyond words on the return hike from the magnificence of Hidden Lake, the culmination of our journey, I knew in my soul that the mountains have called."
"The Mountains Have Called"
Wow, I can't believe it's almost that time again, but in just about 3 weeks, I'll be back out on the road traveling the Festival circuit! And I'll probably make a stop or two along the way over the next several months to do what I love to do ;-) Needless to say, I'm starting to get pretty excited!
I've just added a new page to the website which will list my lineup for the season...
www.brandonklinewnp/art-festvial-lineup-2017
Right now, I have 5 lined up and a couple more possibilities to be called off of waitlist as well as several more that I won't know about until notifications come out. But as soon as I add a show to the list, I'll be updating the page, so keep an eye out!
Here's the list so far...
Saturday & Sunday June 3rd - 4th from 12:00pm - 8:00pm
Saturday June 10th from 9:30am - 7:00pm
Sunday June 11th from 9:30am - 4:00pm
Saturday July 1st from 10:00am - 6:00pm
Sunday July 2nd from 10:00am - 6:00pm
Monday July 3rd from 10:00am - 5:00pm
Thursday through Sunday July 13th - 16th (specific times to come)
Friday August 4th from 4:00pm - 8:00pm
Saturday August 5th from 10:00am - 6:00pm
Sunday August 6th from 11:00am - 5:00pm
My views during the Sweet Pea Festival last Summer in beautiful Bozeman, MT!
Good morning friends,
I know that depending where you are in the country, or at what elevation, the progression of Spring may not quite be the same as what I'm describing. You could be looking more at Summer greens or still at Winter snows for that matter! Here in central Pennsylvania ranging anywhere from a couple hundred feet in the valleys to approximately 2,000 feet on mountain tops, Spring is greening up! In fact, when you look upon the valleys, hills, and mountains, you can probably see just about every shade and variation of the color green you can imagine. It is such a lush and wonderful scene! Most of the early season flowers have past peak bloom and are leafing, but you can still see surprises here and there and every now and then when you turn a corner, such as I did a few years ago in Shenandoah National Park, you are stopped in your tracks with the delight of a Dogwood, gleaming white against the vibrant shades of green in the Spring Sun and you are mesmerized by it's showy glow!
Yes, it is early May now and the lush, fresh forests grow more verdant everyday, but delights such as the Dogwood are still out there for you to admire. And even when this icon of Spring drops it's pure white flowers for the greens of Summer, there are plenty more delights for your senses to come... The show is far from over, throughout the next month, see what mid to late season bloomers you can spot as the forest fills in and the heavy musk of lilac gives way to honeysuckle in the ever growing days and the warming evening air that is to come...
Brandon Kline
"The Delight of a Dogwood"
Hello friends,
Well, I am pretty happy to say I had a very successful and amazing time getting back out for a few days in the backcountry of Shenandoah National Park this past week! It felt great to get back there this Spring as I was unable to make it there last year during this time. And as always, Shenandoah did not disappoint in the least!
I arrived on a very wet, foggy day to find the true freshness of Spring revealed in the cleansing rain. It was magnificent! The Park is so alive right now with bright green, beautiful white Dogwood blooms, early season wildflowers such as violets and wild geraniums, gushing waterfalls thundering in Spring flood, and although a great many were beginning to leaf, there was still a lot of purple between 1,000-2,000 feet elevation from the Redbuds! I spent both of my nights in different parts of Shenandoah's Federally Designated Wilderness areas - the first, off of the Mount Marshall Trail, which was a new trail for me, and the second... Yep, I couldn't resist the calling of my home away from home off of the Tuscarora/Overall Run Trail. Both hikes also included short stints on The Appalachian Trail, always a cool feeling to set foot on :-)
After a damp, but glorious first night, the remaining day and a half I spent there was wonderfully warm and sunny with cool breezes carrying wafts of wild Lilac through the air. Talk about bliss! All in all, I covered roughly 12 miles, taking in the delights of the Spring mountains. I caught my first glimpse of a Shenandoah Salamander(a species only found here), making friends with him in the rain on my first night. I heard a pair of Barred Owls hooting "Who Cooks For You, Who Cooks For You All" across the forest at each other in the night. The morning and evening chorus of birdsongs added extra serenity to spending time with the Dogwoods and Wildflowers. And the rushing flow of the waterfalls was a welcome refreshment to the spirit.
I wrote in my journal on my second morning, something profound, yet so true in relation to my thoughts of what I may hope to see and photograph while here... "You can plan for this, you can plan for that, but you can never prepare for what Nature will show you." She is full of surprises and wonder and challenges, all of which are good for the soul. Until next time, my beauty...
Brandon Kline
A few posts ago, I had mentioned how informative and inspirational a recent Sierra Club event I had attended was. Two weekends ago, I also attended another Sierra Club sponsored event, the Banff Mountain Film Festival. For those of you who love outdoor adventure of any sort and have never seen any of these films on tour, I HIGHLY recommend it! They are full of humor, inspiration, courageousness, and all around awesomeness!!! And again this coming weekend, Saturday April 29th, is a BIG one folks. The People's Climate March!
I am not going to get all political, at least at this moment, but if you value anything on God's Green Earth, I strongly feel this is one of the most important assemblies of our current times. It's no secret that their are some climate change deniers and anti-environmentalists in Washington D.C. right now. And I feel it is EXTREMELY important to get involved in this if at all humanly possible. Aside from the main march in Washington, there are sister marches all over the country that you can attend to help make your voice heard for the Planet. For instance, I will be attending the gathering here in State College, PA. You can find any information you need through the Sierra Club's website, www.sierraclub.org.
Despite many uncertainties in our country and around the world right now, I have seen and been involved in several instances over the past few months that have given me tremendous hope! There are people, not just "highly influential," but "ordinary, everyday" people, if you will, who are out there getting involved and making a difference! Sometimes, it can be hard to see in the beginning, but things play out for certain reasons. And perhaps all that is happening right now is exactly what we needed to "Rise Up" for the Planet, like the Spring rises from the Earth, and make a stand for this beautiful place we call home.
Brandon Kline
"Rise Up"
In correlation with yesterday's blog pertaining to Earth Day and National Parks Week, guess where I'll be while you're reading these posts Monday April 24th-Wednesday April 26th this week??!
Well, if you guessed Shenandoah National Park in Virginia, you are correct! Yep, I'll be dusting off the backpack and getting back out on the trail for a few days as I make my annual Spring migration to Shenandoah to soak in some of the best Mother Nature has to offer in honor of Earth Day! As I write this, I am still in debate as to where exactly I'll be hiking these few days, but if I am lucky I may just catch the magnificent display of Redbuds and Dogwoods in the Park's Northern District before the blooms are over. And who knows, I may just have to go visit my "home away from home"...
"This backcountry locale in my "backyard" National Park, Shenandoah, has become a home away from home for me. Since the first time I camped near this serene waterfall I have returned more than half a dozen times to date (and only planning on adding to that over the years to come). Right here, I have enjoyed some of my most profound and intimate moments of experiencing immaculate Mother Nature. And the fact that it lies within a section of Shenandoah's Federally designated Wilderness, makes it even more special. Hiking 3.5 miles in darkness the night before, I awoke on my first morning here and rolled out of my hammock, slid down the carved out hollow right next to me and photographed this magical moment at dawn. The most amazing black bear encounter of my life has taken place right here, as a young juvenile played and foraged for nuts in late Autumn not more than 20 yards from me for a good 10 minutes or so! I have been here in early Spring to celebrate Earth Day and seen these Falls booming at 2-3 times the volume you see here. At the perfect time in October, this forest is ablaze with Maples, Hickories and Oaks. And, every time, whether it be amidst the intoxicating smell of fresh Spring rain, or Autumn leaves in the cool air, and the deafening sound of the falls as I hear nothing but them aside from an occasional owl hooting, I can lean back and lose myself in dreams under the stars and the moonlight... This place soothes my soul, this is living folks, this is real magic!"
Brandon Kline
"A Home Away from Home"
Greetings everyone,
First, I hope you all have had a wonderful weekend and Earth Day celebration on Saturday! Also, this past week(Saturday April 15th-April 22nd) was National Parks Week, which always coincides with Earth Day. It is sometimes referred to as Earth Week and April is also referred to as Earth Month. And one last coincidence with it all is the Birthday of the great Naturalist, John Muir on April 21st. Whew, as you can see, it's a special time of year for Nature! And what a beautiful time, as in the Northern Hemisphere at least, the Earth is greening up again. Storms bring the life giving rain, and mixed with the warming angle of the Sun - sights, scents, and sounds abound!
Although I was not able to make any big excursions this past week, I was able to enjoy the growing beauty while I worked outside and did make a visit to a special place I look forward to every Spring, my Father's woods, and absorbed an absolutely lovely evening taking in the bounty of Redbuds glowing purple everywhere you look and the hint of Dogwood opening in their midst! As for Earth Day itself, I made a visit to some old friends to lend support in a time of sorrow, yet peace. And then spent the evening watching two of my favorite kids, getting them outside for pre and post dinner strolls, pointing out the flowers and trees in bloom, the sound of the Spring peepers, the scent of Lilac and Hyacinth, and the constellation Leo in the bright starry night. They had a blast, and it felt so amazing to see their excitement and wonder! A good Earth Day indeed. :-)
Brandon Kline
Perhaps when you look at this image, despite the pretty flowering trees dispersed throughout, it just seems like a big mess. That's ok, sometimes I feel that way too. In fact, I debated a lot over making this photograph part of my collection. After several views though and transporting myself back to this moment in a place I treasure every Spring, it hit me. The very reason I composed the scene the way I did was to encompass everything I could in the frame about this place that is special to me this time of year.
Picture yourself sitting peacefully in this tangled mess of forest bursting with new life, it is a beautiful Spring morning with the perfect mixture of a warm sun and a cool breeze. Vibrant green surrounds you, such as the leaves of this young Sugar Maple hanging right in front of you, destined to be a majestic Autumn dazzler someday. As you look all around, purple and pink dots of the Redbuds are everywhere, entrancing you with happiness. And front and center, growing just enough year after year to work it's way into this clear open view, is the White Flowering Dogwood, brilliant as can be. Unable to resist smiling with the joy of this re-birth of the forest, you just sit there and take it all in, the air filled with the sweetest scents of lilac and fresh flowers wafting in the breeze and the morning chorus of the birds rejoicing these sweet songs of Spring!
Brandon Kline
"Sweet Songs of Spring"
Good Monday everyone,
Over this past week, I've observed a lot happening in nature and weather here in central Pennsylvania. I've been working with a Landscaping company doing Spring cleanup and mulching for some money before going into the Art Festival season. The work has been good, hard, you know you've done something at the end of day type of work and it's been wonderful to be outside! The first few days of crisp, damp mornings and gorgeous sunshine were followed by a dramatic cool down and some good soaking rain and even snow showers throughout Friday morning! Luckily the temps did not drop far enough below freezing to do any damage to the early bloomers and now in the midst of several days of warm sunny weather ahead again, I think by week's end we are going to be seeing quite a noticeable change in the landscape!
Spring is well thought of as a time of renewal, hope, new life. Two of my favorite words to describe it for sometime have been rejuvenation and innocence. There truly is nothing like witnessing the grass green back up, the flowering trees and shrubs showing off their colorful blooms, and the tiny dots of the freshest, most vibrant green of the trees throughout the forests and mountainsides! And our minds and bodies seem to Spring forth with nature, bounding with energy from the Winter slumber. This rejuvenation of spirit throughout nature makes me think of the pure innocence of a child, everything in the world gleaming and wondrously new.
On that note, I feel a positive energy and sense of hope in what I am seeing, the things that are happening all around. I will be elaborating more on this soon, but for today, I leave you with this - this week, take note of the wonder in the smells of the Earth, the rain, the sunshine, the blooms. Soon, the trees will be bursting with life, and one of my favorites, the Eastern Redbud, will be showing off its "Innocence"...
Brandon Kline
"Innocence"
Several years ago, going back into my early twenties (my, how time flies!), I remember after just being promoted to bartender from bar back, I would always have the Monday morning opening shift. Well, my dear friend (and fellow Monday morning trooper) Shannon, as acting manager, would have some sort of inspirational calendar picture/quote awaiting me week after week. It became quite the running joke between us and something I, of course, greatly looked forward to. So, in that spirit, I'd like to try beginning my own version of Monday inspiration for everyone... No matter what Monday is to you - a drag, a favorite day off, a new beginning - I hope you'll find these to be that needed ray of hope or something to make your day even better :-)
Upon my return home from that life changing backpacking adventure with my brother in South Carolina, I found myself reflecting on many things... As much as I was becoming obsessed with nature photography, I had never really before been out for much more than day trips/hikes or leisurely strolls close to home. And now, I had just driven through the entirety of Shenandoah National Park twice, a bit of the Blue Ridge Parkway, and camped out for two nights backpacking - all over the course of one week! With one evening left before going back to work, I decided to drive out to Poe Paddy State Park about an hour from my house to see if this Dogwood might still be flowering. You see, the evening before I set out on that adventure, I had come to this very spot. Spring blooms had come extremely early this year, and by mid-late April most areas were predominately green. Then out of nowhere came a freak late April snowstorm! Roughly six inches dumped on all that fresh green, it was beautiful! It melted considerably fast with warming temps the next day and the remaining blossoms had survived. But, that first evening here, I had lost the light to attempt a good photograph. So it had been stirring in me, wondering if I might still have a chance of this Dogwood being in bloom a week later...
Miraculously, it was! A precarious hop, skip, and a jump across some rocks put me out on the Big Poe Creek in great position. Balancing on a rock, trying not lose my gear or myself in the water, this ethereal fog creeping in and consuming the mountains at sunset, I snapped the shutter. And in this moment of awe at Mother Nature's unpredictable beauty, I rationalized all the events in my life over the past 9 months - that made me question so many things about happiness, passion, and how we move forward - which led me to this adventure and to this moment of clarity. I listened to my heart and let my spirit guide me and I've been doing my best to do so ever since.
Brandon Kline
"May Your Spirit Be the Guide"
A couple notes to send you into the weekend with... The Sierra Club hosted event (reference my previous blog) I attended last Sunday was extremely informative and inspirational! I'll be writing more on this in weeks to come, but for now, just let me say there was a lot to learn from the forum and speakers - one thing that really stuck out to me as a starting point was trying to think locally about what you can do as opposed to trying to tackle the overwhelming "big picture." Simple enough, it seems, but a bit of advice we can relate to many aspects of our lives and something we as humans seem to have to constantly remind ourselves of.
And secondly, guess who was able to process all his film from last April-now?!! Yep, I finally got to view every exposure I have made (146 to be exact!) since embarking on my new journey as an Artist! Out of 10 rolls (10 exposures each) of medium format and 46 sheets of 4x5 large format film, I can honestly say I have been like a kid in a candy store gazing over what I believe is my strongest, best overall quality of work to date. Spanning 24 states across the country and back from late July through early November, plus two sheets while out in the snow of Winter Storm Stella and two unfortunately overexposed sheets from last Spring, I'm speechlessly stoked and proud of the images I have been blessed to capture!!! Especially in regards to the successful exposures made with the large format view camera, I feel Brandon Kline Wilderness & Nature Photographs will be undergoing an upgrade this year ;-)
My utmost gratitude to Bill Ammerman for the use of his Linhof Kardan 4x5 View Camera while I gather the funds to procure my own, and to Jason Arriaga for this happenstance meeting on the rocks of the Acadian coastline and his enthusiasm for capturing and sharing this pic of me in the field! Oh and while I'm at it, Amy Shuey for her awesome design on my logo... We all need a little help here and there to be the best we can be :-)
Brandon Kline
Me, Acadia National Park, September 2016
I want to share this for anyone in the central Pennsylvania region that may be interested in going...
Sierra Club Moshannon Group hosting a free forum on Sunday March 26, 2017 from 4-6pm at the Katz Auditorium, Penn State Law School. The event is co-sponsored by American Constitution Society for Law and Policy, Penn State's EcoAction, and Penn State Law School.
There will be four successful environmental advocates speaking - Jim Slotterback (Responsible Drilling Alliance), Cricket Hunter (Interfaith Power and Light), Peter Buckland (Penn State Sustainability Institute), and Lara Fowler (Penn State Law School)
The forum centers around the question - "What can I do to help save our planet?"
It sounds like a very informative event and I am looking forward to it! In the very Spirit of the Sierra Club, here is a John Muir quote which I feel echoes strongly in regards to our current matters at hand -
"The wrongs done to trees, wrongs of every sort, are done in the darkness of ignorance and unbelief, for when the light comes, the heart of the people is always right." - John Muir, John of the Mountains: The Unpublished Journals of John Muir, (1938) page 429.
On the trail in Glacier National Park 2016
Looking up in Olympic National Park 2016
Autumn Maple sunrise along the Long Trail, Vermont 2016
There is a feel in the air today that along with the mild warmth marks my first real notice of "it" this year. I can't exactly put my finger on it or know how to perfectly describe it in words, but if you know what I'm getting at, I think you'll understand... Every Spring there is a day it seems, either in late March/early April where despite the fact that grass is still brown and trees are still bare, it's as if you can sense the budding pollen and the earthiness in the air. Well, I am calling it today where I am. And from looking ahead at the forecast, it appears as though we are going to be sustaining mild temps and plenty of rain over the next week or so, which will be just perfect to help bring forth new life! I can feel the excitement and energy building all around. It is almost the Earth's time to "Rise and Shine"! Pretty soon the forests will be blooming and tiny dots of green will sprinkle the mountainsides... With this in mind, here is a little slice of beauty to help you enjoy your weekend!
Brandon Kline
"Rise and Shine"
Brrrr! Haha, yep that sounds about right for the beginning of Spring in the Northeast! Well although it is brisk, it is nonetheless a beautiful, crisp sunny day here in central Pennsylvania. And since I wasn't able to wish you all a Happy Vernal Equinox on Monday, I just wanted to write a quick message to say welcome Spring since it is official now. Despite the chilly winds, there is no denying the strengthening of the Sun, as we have turned the tides on day versus night in its direction. And if you look closely you can notice that many trees are beginning to sprout their tiny buds at the end of their limbs! I have felt for some time now, that from a distance, especially in large groups and on mountainsides, this gives the appearance of a fuzz like effect to the tree branches. And at what other time of the year can you have a foot plus snowstorm practically disappear into the ground in a matter of days despite temperatures only a few degrees above freezing?! Certainly not in the heart of Winter. Yes, you can certainly see that nature is beginning to look and feel and little bit different.
Here are a few pics that I've snapped while out and about and around over the past week that document a little bit of nature returning to life...
Brandon Kline
