Plein Air Printemps ...

"Art is the stored honey
of the human soul."
                     ~ Theodore Dreiser
                                     ~ 1871-1945

Plein Air painter catches the nature of a sweet
spring - printemps - evening on canvas
at Trexler Memorial Park, Allentown, Pennsylvania in a candid image I captured
this May.   

Where The Bluebells Bloom ...

"Sacred watcher, wave thy bells!
Fair hill flower and woodland child!
Dear to me in deep green dells -
Dearest on the mountains wild."
                        ~ Emily Bronte
                                 ~ 1818-1848
                              ~ "To The Bluebell"

This little girl twirls among the beguiling bluebells blooming in early April near the banks of the Swabia Creek at Lock Ridge Park and Furnace Museum, Alburtis, Pennsylvania in this candid capture.

The blooming of the multitude of Lock Ridge bluebells – also called grape hyacinth – is a clarion call of spring in the Lehigh Valley, drawing many people to photograph and glimpse their beauty in the span of the few weeks they bloom.

Lock Ridge Park is a park built around an historic iron ore blast furnace just outside Alburtis, Pennsylvania in the Lehigh Valley. The park preserves portions of the former Lock Ridge Iron Works, which dates back to 1868.  The 59-acre park was opened in August 1976.

  

Shilly-Shally ...

"If you never did you should.
These things are fun. And fun is good."
                   ~ Dr. Seuss
                         (Theodore Seuss Geisel)
                                      ~ 1904-1991 

This sweet little girl could heed these words of Dr. Seuss  as she seems to shilly-shally and dilly-dally over whether to give her hula hoop a whirl in this candid capture on a chilly April day at Lehigh Parkway, Allentown, Pennsylvania.   


The hula hoop is a toy hoop that is twirled around the waist, limbs or neck. The modern hula hoop
was invented in 1958 by Arthur K. "Spud" Melin and Richard Knerr, but children and adults around the world have played with hoops, twirling, rolling and throwing them throughout history.   

Wisp Of A Summer Video ...

"Thee I Love," the beautiful theme from the wonderful 1956 film "Friendly Persuasion" performed by Norman Percival and His Orchestra, captures the spirit of summer showcased in my original photos.

My greatest joy as a photographer is harmonizing
my favorite original photos to music to create a
lingering snapshot of the season. Enjoy!

Also on my YouTube channel at
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRn2CBhEqL0

The Christmas Wish ...

"For it is good to be children sometimes,

and never better than at Christmas,

when its mighty Founder was a child Himself."

                                            ~ Charles Dickens

                                                                 ~ 1812-1870

                                                                     ~"A Christmas Carol"

                                                          ~published December 19, 1843

Remember thinking about your Christmas wish list for Santa Claus?

This little girl's expression in this candid shot suggests she's doing just that as she rides

the Christmas Train - not to the North Pole, but through the rolling

Pennsylvania countryside.

Santa, Mrs. Claus and the elves also

boarded the festive train in early December on the 

WK&S (Wanamaker, Kempton & Southern, Inc.) Railroad, Kempton, Pennsylvania.

The Hawk Mountain Line takes a scenic ride of six-and-a-half miles, on track

of the old Reading  Railroad, running along the Ontelaunee Creek, through

the farms and woods of Berks and Lehigh Counties.

 

 

The Gilding ...

"Winter is an etching, spring a watercolor, summer an oil painting

and autumn a mosaic of them all."

                                       ~ Stanley Horowitz

 

Some moments are golden, as when this man and his dog enjoy

a sunkissed Indian Summer afternoon on a path decorated with

gilded autumn leaves along the Saucon Rail Trail, Hellertown, Pennsylvania.

 

Music Of The Forest ...

"In the forest no tree grows straight.
But they all reach up towards
the light and the goodness in life."
                                          ~ Native American Proverb

As I was walking the trails of Lehigh Parkway, Allentown, Pennsylvania
on an October day, I heard the beautiful strains of "Amazing Grace"
floating through the air. I looked up and saw this man playing the 
Gospel hymn on his Native American flute. 

The Autumn Painter ...

"Autumn paints in colors that summer has never seen."
                                                                        ~ Author Unknown

Brushstroke by brushstroke, a painter captures on canvas
the glorious autumn beauty God has painted this October
at Trexler Nature Preserve, Schnecksville, Pennsylvania.

I took this candid shot of the artist and her easel
nestled in a picturesque spot between the ford of the 
Jordan Creek and the pedestrian bridge at the preserve. 

Whistlin' Dixie ...

"... In Dixie's Land, where I was born in,
early on one frosty mornin'...
I wish I was in Dixie ...
Away, away, away down South in Dixie!"
                              ~ "Dixie" ("Dixie's Land")

Striking up a banjo and fiddle on a sun 
streaked summer's day, this couple fills the air with the sweet sounds of Dixieland.

I loved hearing these wonderful tunes echo 
through Lehigh Parkway, Allentown,
Pennsylvania as I snapped this
candid scene. 

Perhaps they are wistfully thinking of home as
their music makes the summer even sweeter.






 

First Mate ...

"People let me tell you 'bout my best friend ..."


                                         ~ "Best Friend"
                                           ~by Harry Nilsson
                                               ~ "Theme Song of The Courtship of Eddie's Father"
                                                                                      ~ 1969-1972

A man and his furry first mate set out in a small kayak
on a perfect summer day at Leaser Lake, 
in the shadow of the northern Blue Mountain Ridge,
New Tripoli, Pennsylvania. 
The sight of this man and his adorable dog - both in life jackets - 
brings to life the words of that iconic song, "Best Friend."

Leaser Lake's namesake is Frederick Leaser, who in September 1777
with his farm team hauled The Liberty Bell from 
Philadelphia to Allentown where it was concealed in
Zion Reformed Church. His homestead is located one mile north of the lake.


 

Spring By Heart ...

"It is spring again. The earth is like a child
that knows poems by heart."
                                            ~ Rainer Maria Rilke
                                                                ~ 1875-1926

A boy and his dad flying a colorful kite
in a sunkissed May breeze looks like
spring by heart at Trexler Memorial Park,
Allentown, Pennsylvania. 

Chasing The Turtle Drum ...

"Dance along the silver sands and beat the turtle drum,
that youth may last forever, and sorrow never come." 

                                                             ~ "Beat The Turtle Drum"
                                                                       ~ Constance C. Greene
                                                                                            ~ 1994

Simple childhood joy paints the faces of children
anticipating a vehicle fording the Jordan Creek
at Trexler Nature Preserve, Schnecksville, Pennsylvania
on a summer's day.

For more than 50 years kids and kids at heart have enjoyed
driving through the creek - and watching too! 

                                        

On The Delaware ...

"Wrinkles should merely indicate
where smiles have been."
                               ~ Mark Twain
                                                ~ 1835-1910

When I saw this man fishing on 
the Delaware River in Phillipsburg, New Jersey
on an early September evening, I wondered from his
expression what thoughts and memories were
crossing his mind. The man was fishing near
the historic Northampton Street Bridge,
commonly called The Free Bridge, which spans the 
Delaware River between Phillipsburg, New Jersey
and Easton, Pennsylvania. The Free Bridge was completed in 1896 
and survived the damage from massive flooding from
Hurricane Diane in 1955. It undersent a thorough
restoration in 1990. 

What, No Tadpoles?

The simple joys that make a child's summer magical are 
captured as this girl tries to catch tadpoles in the Jordan Creek on a summer afternoon
at Trexler Nature Preserve, Schnecksville, Pennsylvania.

Flare For Life ...

"...A million tommorrows
shall all pass away
Ere I forget all the joy
that is mine today."
                       ~ "Today"
                                ~ Randy Sparks
                                    New Christy Minstrels
                                                             1964

A man paddles through a magical like
sunflare during a summer golden hour
at Leaser Lake, New Tripoli, Pennsylvania.
The lake's namesake is Frederick Leaser,
who in September 1777 with his farm team
hauled The Liberty Bell from Philadelphia 
to Allentown where it was concealed
in Zion Reformed Church. His homestead is located
one mile to the north of the lake.

Chasing Sunset ...

"Life is no brief candle...
it is a sort of splendid torch ...
make it burn as brightly as possible ..."
                               ~ George Bernard Shaw
                                             1856-1950

 A man on his personal watercraft
chases a summer sunset on the golden
waters of the Delaware River near the
historic Northampton Street Bridge 
(commonly called The Free Bridge)
that spans Phillipsburg, New Jersey
and Easton, Pennsylvania.

Come On Get Happy ...

 

"Forget your troubles, come on get happy
You better chase all your cares away 
Shout Hallelujah, come on get happy ..."
                      ~ "Get Happy"
                                      ~ Harold Arlen & Ted Koehler, 1930


My candid camera captured this girl jumping for joy
that summer is near on a June evening at 
Trexler Memorial Park, Allentown, Pennsylvania.

Groovin' ...

"Groovin' on a Sunday afternoon ...
We'll keep on spending 
sunny days this way ..."
                   ~ "Groovin'"
                                     ~ Young Rascals
                                                       1967

This man seems to enjoy strumming his guitar
and singing on a sunny day in May at Trexler Memorial Park,
Allentown, Pennsylvania in this candid capture. 

All You Need Is Love ...

"... All you need is love, love
Love is all you need."
                           ~ Lennon & McCartney
                                               1967

You can just hear the Beatles singing their great song
when seeing the simple joys of childhood
and family love in focus in this candid shot
 on Memorial Day at Wehr's Dam, Orefield, Pennsylvania. 

City Chat ...

It's almost summer in the city on Memorial Day weekend
on Nineteenth Street in the quaint West End Theatre District,
Allentown, Pennsylvania.