Click here for photos from Day 1, Fairbanks Alaska, an excellent choice. On the other hand, I never thought I’d return from anytrip saying, “Can’t wait to get home to the sunshine.” I often say to whomever would listen that Northeastern Pennsylvania is the second most overcast place on the planet; we’re right behind Seattle on that list. Since humans are naturally happier when the sun is shining, I go on to claim, those of us fortunate enough to live in NEPA learn to find happiness even in gloom. Certainly I exaggerate our climate’s place on the overcast list, but this trip to Alaska has made me appreciate the happiness of home even more. It seems a bit odd that this blog would be (ostensibly) about the photos when it was conceded before we departed that ... read more

The gallery of shots from this day What an incredible piece of our planet, manned by the best caretakers imaginable. Last March our friends Jakub & Yvonne Jasinski headed there when they left us at Ray's winter house in Kissimmee. Middleton's Fish Camp, established some 51 years ago, is the only game in town (pun intended and there is no town). The "town" would be a small community known as the Village, consisting of less than 100 residences jammed into 3 small streets that run toward the lake. Blue Cypress Lake is somewhere between 2-3 miles east to west and 7-10 miles north to south, depending on who you ask. We didn't have to ask if Jakub and Yvonne liked the place; we just had to see the amazing photos they got from an early morning ... read more

Photos this day at Zion National Park This was another day that Ray decided to skip the sunrise shoot to fight an old cold bug on the favorable battleground between his sheets. Although the advantage of the 2-hour time difference was wearing off, Matt & I were up early enough to get to the parking lot of the museum before the sun. We were also well before the crowd of photogs that usually gathers here for a sunrise pano of the magnificent rock formations behind the museum. On most mornings there are tripods scattered all over the flatland that runs from the building to the beauty. This morning was particularly windy, limiting the number of participants by significantly lowering the temperature. There were only two young ladies there and they had a point-and-shoot sitting next to ... read more

Photos from this day in Bryce Canyon National Park Most of our stuff we packed the night before, and had sitting by the door when we got up. It was Day 2 of this special visit to Zion/Bryce with my son Matt, and good friend Ray Listanski. We planned on leaving early, but not so early as to make sunrise in Bryce Canyon, which was a bit over an hour away. Besides, I wanted these guys to experience breakfast at The Thunderbird Restaurant in Mount Carmel. The plan was to checkout as soon as the front desk opened at 7, and be on our way. We walked in at a polite 7:04, and I was happy to see an old friend, Kevin McLaws going through some papers behind the desk. He has a way of ... read more

Photos for this trip can be found through this link. Not much to say about our last day, but, of course, I won't let that stop me. There is only one photo of the day, and it was one we were waiting for all week. Even before we arrived, Ray said we would see an island or two from our Belair balcony, and so far he was really questioning his memory. Isn't it curious how much we blame on age? If a 40-year-old forgets something, his friends will suggest it's an age thing. When he's 60, he'll believe it himself. By the time he's 90, he comes to expect it. Whenever I forgot something when I was younger, I'd always suggest I remember that I did when I got older. Now, whenever I forget something, I ... read more