Is it about you or gratitude? — I’ve always felt uneasy when someone says, “I am so blessed,” or “I feel blessed.” The statements seem off somehow, almost braggadocious. The context infers divine intervention or anointment. Maybe it’s just me, but after hearing those comments all my life, they seem increasingly used in today’s selfish society. Then…

Finding the source of the smelly haze. — As photographs go, this one looks dull. A horse-drawn buggy driven by an Old Order Mennonite gentleman doesn’t exactly draw you into the photo. The buggy slowly climbed this incline in the western section of Rockingham County, where Old Order Mennonites have lived for generations in Virginia’s typically lovely Shenandoah…

Beautiful!

When a Train Took Me Back in Time. — As a young child, I loved trains. Seven decades ago, I remember running outside to watch the steam locomotives roar past my grandfather’s home. The combination of the thick black smoke boiling out of the engine’s stack, the pure white steam issuing like little clouds at each tug of the…

Not one, but two landed in our neighborhood. — My wife and I had just returned from an overnight trip to Lansdale, Pennsylvania, visiting friends. We were tired from driving and had settled in for the evening to watch our favorite baseball team, the Cleveland Guardians. …

They remind us of those we loved—and lost. — The stone was just another stone until I picked it up. During a church service on being a community for one another, the congregation was asked to choose a stone from a container. The stone I chose was brown, irregularly shaped, and nearly flat on the bottom. The top side…

Thanks to Hurricane Idalia. — This is how birding works. Just before my wife and I left to visit our 16-month-old grandson and his parents in Rochester, NY, a friend in Florida posted on social media about American Flamingos being spotted in a farm pond in south-central Pennsylvania. I knew we couldn’t stop on the…

Exploring Our Newest National Park. — As a 75-year-old grandfather, I should have known better. But my innate curiosity, coupled with my love for nature, often overrides my common sense. Located east of Beckley, West Virginia, New River Gorge National Park and Preserve is a gem of a place. My wife and I recently visited there…

Especially when you go exploring. — Just one of the benefits of being retired is spontaneity. When the weather and my calendar are clear, I take the opportunity to bird, hike, and shoot photos. I'm incredibly fortunate. Living less than an hour's drive from Shenandoah National Park, it's my go-to place. …