I Now Pronounce You

The Mayor of Mansfield met us at a small gazebo just outside of town. I'd set up a tripod with a timed interval release on my camera. The only witnesses where two bald eagles that were circling overhead. As he pronounced us man & wife they began to cry out on the October air. As we then traveled up and down the valleys to stop to take our wedding photos they would appear.

Happy anniversary wife!

The Day We Found Our Wedding Rings

I died in 2006 and a Valkyrie flew down to take me to Fólkvangr. I stand ready.

A Scenic Setting for an Elopement

Eleven years ago today we woke on a beautiful October morning in Tioga County. We'd eloped to this very scenic region. The fall colors were all vibrant, the air clear and crisp. As we passed down gravel roads we'd stop to pick wildflowers for her bouquet. I don't think we could have had a better wedding weekend!

#coltonpointstatepark #pinecreekgorge #naturalpennsylvania #wildernessculture #outdoorlife #getoutside #liveoutdoors #getoutstayout #getoutthere #naturelover #lifeoutdoors #optoutside #loveoutdoors #outdoorsy #outdoors #nature_perfection #scenicpa #travelpa #explorepa #theoutbound #ventureout #in2nature #thegreatoutdoors #naturewalk #getoutdoors #fall #autumn #leaves #october #elope

Biking Into the Sunset

Has it been that long since I followed you down this sunset trail? The cold October wind lifted your hair as it caught the waning rays of the sun. I passed close to you while you dressed for the day today, eleven years later. You smell of ferns & hemlock to me. It's a scent only I can smell in your hair. It's the very smell of that wind from that day. I love you.

Brotherhood

One of the most striking things about the SCA to me is their sense of "Brotherhood." These men and women from all walks of life, with a myriad of different "real world" experiences, are all drawn together by a sense of mutual respect and admiration. Being "Knighted" in this organization is a culmination of many years of social interaction. A building of trust and respect by ones peers. It's sometimes a certification of one's leaving behind self destructive behavior. The Gold Chain of a Knight in the SCA is not just a decoration. It's the acknowledgment of Brotherhood into a league of peers whose respect you've earned.

#Pennsic #Pennsicwar #Pennsicwar46 #Pennsic46 #sca #pennsiciscoming #reenachtment #medieval #medievalreenactment #societyofcreativeanachronism #knight #knights #knighting #medievaltimes

Bhāvanā

I've been sitting on this photos since I took it over two months ago. I thought I'd keep it until I had something to really "say" about my life up to this point. Well, two months later and I just turned 50 years old and I still don't have anything to really "say." I've been an artist all my life but will never be known as one. After years of experimenting and working in a variety of mediums I eventually choose photography as my means of expressing myself. Unfortunately this coincides with a time when being a photographer is greatly devalued. This has resulted in my never having become rich or famous (which was never a goal to begin with). It has also caused moments of self doubt and feelings of worthlessness at times. Being an artist still has power over my identity. It's changed over the past ten years from being what medium I working in to how I live my life on a daily basis. It's no longer so much about the method of how I create something but about experiencing life as it unfolds and trying to really appreciate what is happening around me. Life seems to keep placing me in the exact right places at the exact right times. I don't take any of it for granted. I'm a very fortunate man indeed, even though I am not wealthy or popular. My barometer is my family, especially my daughter. I'm also constantly amazed at how my timing seems to just "work out." Take this photo for instance. I've come to this dock at night for many years just to think. I ended up here randomly after a night in self reflection, listening to the drums of the Tuchux as I sat nearby their encampment. I happened to have my camera and tripod and decided to take a self portrait. By the time I took this shot, holding still as I meditated, the moon had risen above me. I left feeling resolved to continue trying to be the best father & husband I could be. It's how I stand against the darkness in the world.

#morainestatepark #lakearthur #artist #artistsofinstagram #art #selfportrait #artistlife #artwork #nightscape #fs_longexpo #nightshooters #nightimages #longexposure #longexposures #longexposureshots #nightsky #nightphotography #longexposure_shots #buddhist #buddhism #learningthedharma #meditation #spiritual #spirituality #mindfulness #pennsic #pennsicwar #tuchux #worldprime #earth_shotz

Stavkirke

"A stave church is a medieval wooden Christian church building once common in north-western Europe. The name derives from the buildings' structure of post and lintel construction, a type of timber framing where the load-bearing ore-pine posts are called stafr in Old Norse (stav in modern Norwegian). Two related church building types also named for their structural elements, the post church and palisade church, are often also called 'stave churches'." ~ Wikipedia

#Stavkirke #midwestliving #wi #travelwi #discoverwisconsin #wisconsin #wisco #onwisconsin #wisconsinphotographer #travelwisconsin #explorewisconsin #midwestmoment #conquer_wi #nordic #norse #nordiclife #viking #vikings #doorcounty #washingtonisland #norwegian #stavchurch #kirke #medieval #christian #christians