Stretching for the clouds

The trees seemed to stand extra tall this week. Perhaps this is because the fall foliage is slowly giving way to a more bare, natural look. The trees appear to be reaching for the sky, and while they are rooted to the earth, they continue to stretch out to the heavens. 

I was talking to a friend about my goal of spending some time ‘living’ in Italy. Not indefinitely ... we have grandchildren here, and we love seeing them as often as possible. This would be long enough to experience the culture in a deep, meaningful way. My good friend commented that this was out of reach. I suppose the trees could feel that way too, and never reach for lofty goals in the clouds. 

I was once told that Confucius said, “If you shoot for the stars and hit the moon, it’s OK. But you’ve got to shoot for something. A lot of people don’t even shoot.” Think big!  

 ~ Rick

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Prints are available for many of the photos on this site on canvas, metal or glass. They are stunning and you can purchase them for a wall at home. Click the link or the ‘prints and such’ tab.

©2017 Rick Cartwright

A view out the window

I have so many pictures that I have taken from airplane windows. I don’t usually sit in a window seat, but on this occasion, Teresa had the window and I was able to take this photo. We were landing and the view was just stunning. This shot was in Utah, as we approached Salt Lake City. I believe that is the Colorado River in the valley. 

~ Rick

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Prints are available for many of the photos on this site on canvas, metal or glass. They are stunning and you can purchase them for a wall at home. Click the link or the ‘prints and such’ tab.

©2017 Rick Cartwright

PSA: Watch for the deer ..

I took this photo in Logan County, just north and east of Bellefontaine, Ohio. I was actually in my car and had enough time to take the picture while we had this little face off.

It was this time of year when the deer are most active. When you see one, there is likely more! In this case, I saw two, then a little later several more. Due to changing food supplies, the rut,  and other factors, deer are extremely active in October and November ... drive safely! 

~ Rick  

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Prints are available for many of the photos on this site on canvas, metal or glass. They are stunning and you can purchase them for a wall at home. Click the link or the ‘prints and such’ tab.

©2017 Rick Cartwright

The Times They Are A-Changin'

Quoting Bob Dylan: 

Come gather ‘round people
Wherever you roam
And admit that the waters
Around you have grow
And accept it that soon
You’ll be drenched to the bone.
If your time to you
Is worth savin’
Then you better start swimmin’
Or you’ll stink like a stone.
For the times they are a-changin’.

Perhaps the words need to be modified: ‘soon, you will be chilled to the bone’, or ‘you’ll be knee deep in snow’.⛄️⛄️

Seasonal change is beautiful: Colors, temperature, it’s all part of natures yearly rotation as we travel around the sun. It sure makes life interesting. Yes, the times they are a-changin'. Enjoy!

~ Rick

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Prints are available for many of the photos on this site on canvas, metal or glass. They are stunning and you can purchase them for a wall at home. Click the link or the ‘prints and such’ tab. 

©2017 Rick Cartwright

Natures is always starting over ...

Heterobasidion annosum: a basidiomycete fungus in the family Bondarzewiaceae .. maybe.  

Stay with me for a minute: This looks cool, but is this a tree killer? This almost sounds like it’s from a science fiction, but it’s very real, and playing out right now. (from gardeningguides.com)

Tree fungus spreads just like any spore-producing mushroom. The fruiting body or exterior will ripen and release spores. The spores are carried on wind or by animal movement to a hospitable environment where they begin to produce a web of mycelium and begin the fruiting process again. Tree fungus spores land on wounds in tree bark. They begin to feed on the damaged tissue as they send out mycelium to grow. Some send threads of mycelium into the heartwood of a tree to eat that dead wood. Rotted wood drops to the ground and nourishes tree roots.

Nature has a way of clearing out the old and making room for new, healthy trees. I am glad I’m not a tree. 

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Prints are available for many of the photos on this site on canvas, metal or glass. They are stunning and you can purchase them for a wall at home. Click the link or the ‘prints and such’ tab.