Solitude In Bloom ...

"In order to understand the world one must
turn away from it occassionally."
                                            ~ Albert Camus

A man walks alone in front of a flowering weeping willow tree

 amid the spring beauty of Cedar Creek Parkway, Allentown, Pennsylvania 
on an April day. At left is Muhlenberg College. 

Butterfly Kisses ...

"Love is like a butterfly. It settles upon you when you least expect it."
                                                                     ~ Author Unknown

A pair of mating white butterflies on an April morning last week
at Lehigh Parkway, Allentown, Pennsylvania. 

Love, Sweet Love ...

"What the world needs now
is love, sweet love ..."
                      ~ "What The World Needs Now Is Love"
                                       ~ Burt Bacharach & Hal David, 1965

The pose of this beautiful white-tailed deer doe and her fawn last
evening in the park reminded me of the wonderful song composed by
Burt Bacharach with lyrics by Hal David in 1965.  

Spring ...To Life

"...With the first faint scent of spring, I remember life exists ..."
               ~ John Geddes, "A Familiar Rain"

Beautiful Mourning Cloak Butterfly enjoys an
April afternoon this week at Trexler Memorial Park, Allentown, Pennsylvania. They are often one of the first butterflies seen in the spring.

You Fill Up My Senses ...

"You fill up my senses,
like a night in the forest
like the mountains in springtime
like a walk in the rain ..."
          "Annie's Song"
                     ~ John Denver, 1974

A magnolia blossom fills the senses with beauty
on an April day at Trexler Memorial Park,
Allentown, Pennsylvania. 

Stirring ...

"Love is the only flower that grows and blossoms
without the aid of the seasons."
                                                               ~ Kahlil Gibran

I love magnolia trees, and this breaking bud shows spring was stirring 
this weekend at Trexler Memorial Park, Allentown, Pennsylvania. 

Happiness On Wings ...

"Now think of the happiest things. 
It's the same as having wings."
                              ~ Peter Pan

When I saw this cute black-capped chickadee on an April afternoon in Trexler Memorial Park, 
Allentown, Pennsylvania, it reminded me
of this sweet and happy quote of Peter Pan. 

Watercolor Blues ...

"I shine in tears like the sun in April."
                         ~ Cyril Tourneur
                                          (1575-1626)

A watercolor-like photographic image of  an
April reflection in the creek at Trexler Memorial Park,
Allentown, Pennsylvania. 

Light Rush ...

"Wherever there is light, one can photograph."
                                ~ Alfred Stieglitz (1864-1946)

Sunlight dances on the rushing waters of early spring
at Trexler Memorial Park, Allentown, Pennsylvania. 

Out Here On My Own ...

"Always reaching
For that rising star
To guide me far
And shine me home
Out here on my own."
                ~ "Out Here On My Own"
                              from the 1980 musical film "Fame"

 Canada goose in the windswept waves on a chilly April day
at Trexler Memorial Park, Allentown, Pennsylvania.

The Awakening ...

"When one flower blooms spring awakens everywhere ..."
                                     ~John O'Donohue 
                                                       Irish poet & philosopher
                                                                    (1956-2008)

 Daffodil, Jonquil, Narcissus ... whatever name you choose,
this breaking bud says spring is awakening this weekend at
Trexler Memorial Park, Allentown, Pennsylvania.

Sweet April ...

Sweet white-tailed deer doe and her fawn on 
an April evening in the park this week.

Palettes ...

"Life is beautiful. Life is short. Live every day as if it were your last.
No regrets. Paint the sky your favorite color." ~ Author Unknown

Palettes of color sweep the sky in a winter sunset at
Trexler Memorial Park, Allentown, Pennsylvania. 

Winter Canvas Video

A  winter celebration set to Steve Tyrell's jazzy  "I've Got The World On A String"

Spanning ...

 

"Winter makes a bridge between one year and another
and, in this case, one century and the next."
                                                        ~ Andy Goldsworthy

A recent view of the historic Northampton Street Bridge, commonly called
The Free Bridge, looking toward Phillipsburg, New Jersey. The bridge
spans the Delaware River between Phillipsburg and Easton, Pennsylvania.
The Free Bridge was completed in 1896 and survived the massive flooding
of Hurricane Diane in 1955. It underwent a thorough restoration in 1990. 

Little Pink Houses ...

"Oh, but ain't that America
For you and me
Ain't that America
Something to see, baby
Ain't that America
Home of the free, yeah
Little pink houses 
For you and me
Oooh, yeah
For you and me."
                       ~ "Pink Houses"
                                       ~ John Cougar Mellencamp 

The  1983 John Cougar Mellencamp song "Pink Houses" popped
into my mind when I saw this charming house bedecked for 
St. Patrick's Day in Belvidere, New Jersey last weekend.
Belvidere is a charming Victorian town located on the banks 
of the Pequest and Delaware Rivers.

Art Of The Leaf ...

"We cannot express the light in nature because we have not the sun.
We can only express the light we have in ourselves."
                                         ~ Anthony Dove (1880-1946)

An artistic view of a leaf in the snow recently at 
Trexler Memorial Park, Allentown, Pennsylvania. 

Victorian Charm

"What I like about black and white photographs  
is that they're more like reading the book then seeing the movie."
                                                           ~Author Unknown

The historic Hotel Belvidere, built in 1831, is located in the quaint, scenic town of Belvidere, New Jersey. Belvidere is a charming Victorian town I visited this weekend, located on the banks of the Pequest and Delaware Rivers.

George Washington traveled through Belvidere at 10 a.m. July 26, 1872 when he camped at Morristown.

The Snapshot ...

"So gather moments while you may
Collect the dreams you dream today
Remember, will you remember
The times of your life?"
                                        ~ "Times of Your Life"
                                                              ~ Paul Anka

When I snapped this candid shot recently at Trexler Memorial Park,
Allentown, Pennsylvania, it reminded me of Paul Anka's 1975 song
used as the theme of Kodak commercials.
 






                      

Wingsong ...

"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take,
but by the moments that take our breath away."
                                        ~ Author Unknown

Beautiful Monarch butterfly feels the wind beneath its wings on a
summer day at Trexler Memorial Park, Allentown, Pennsylvania. 

Rouge On The Rue ...

  "Loving him was red ..."
                                 ~ "Red"
                               ~ Taylor Swift
                                              ~2012 
A whimsical view of this charming flower shop, Designs by Maria Anastasia, bedecked for Valentine's Day on Nineteenth Street in the quaint West End Theatre District, Allentown, Pennsylvania on a recent winter afternoon. 

Frosted Sugar ...

"If winter comes, can spring be far behind?"
                   ~ Percy Bysshe Shelley,
                                                          1792-1822

                               "Ode to the West Wind"

The pond at Trexler Memorial Park, Allentown, Pennsylvania looks as 
if it's been frosted with sugar on a recent winter day.

On Frozen Pond

Canadian geese gather before sunset recently on the frozen pond
at Trexler Memorial Park, Allentown, Pennsylvania.

Hues On The Rue ...

 

"Painting is something that takes place among the colors ..."

                                            ~ Rainer Maria Rilke (1875-1926)

A painterly view of Nineteenth Street in the West End Theatre District,Allentown, Pennsylvania yesterday. This block reminds me of a slice of Paris in Allentown. 

Hope In Winter

"Stay, little cheerful robin ..."
                                    ~ William Wordsworth, "To A Redbreast"

I was happily surprised to see this sweet robin in the snow last week
at Trexler Memorial Park, Allentown, Pennsylvania. A sure sign of hope in winter! 

Fire Of The Frost ...

"It is the life of the crystal,
 the architect of the flake, 
 the fire of the frost,
 the soul of the sunbeam, 
This crisp winter air is full of it."
                             ~ John Burroughs
                                   ~ 1837-1921
                               ~ "Winter Sunshine"
                                                    ~ 1875                        
                                     

An artistic view of leaves frozen in a chunk of ice in January at Wehr's Covered Bridge Park, Orefield, Pennsylvania reminded me of the line penned by John Burroughs.

Log Cabin In The Snow

 

"When snow falls, nature listens."

~ Antoinette Van Kleeff

The springhouse in Trexler Memorial Park, Allentown, Pennsylvania is 

surrounded by winter's quiet beauty on a recent afternoon.

The log cabin was part of the summer estate of General Harry C. Trexler (1854-1933),

an Allentown industrialist who built a business empire in Allentown. 

The park is his namesake.  

Winter Inspiration

"Even if I knew that tommorrow the world would go to pieces, 
I would still plant my apple tree."
                                         ~ Martin Luther 

Jerusalem Western Salisbury Church, Allentown, Pennsylvania, is an
inspiring sight in the late day sun on a recent winter afternoon. This
quintessential country church was founded in 1741.

Softly, As I Leave You ...

"Softly, I will leave you softly
For my heart would break
if you should wake
and see me go..."
                                ~ "Softly, As I Leave You"

The image of a man walking yesterday in the freshly fallen snow at
Trexler Memorial Park, Allentown, Pennsylvania brought to mind
the lyrics to the beautiful 1960s song made popular by singers
such as Bobby Darin.

"Softly, As I Leave You" is a popular Italian song composed by
Giorgio Calabrese and Tony Da Vita translated into
English by Al Shaper. 

A Winter Peace

"Every moment and every event of every man's life on earth
plants something in his soul."
                                                          ~ Thomas Merton

I always the sight of a picturesque country church, especially in the snow.
This is Jordan Evangelical Lutheran Church, Orefield, Pennsylvania
on a recent winter afternoon. The church was established in 1734.