A Very Pretty Preserve

I'm backtracking a little bit with this post, back to April 18th, when I did some volunteer photography for an event hosted by Natural Lands Trust. Held at the Hildacy Preserve, the event was in appreciation of members who have been supporting the nature organization's efforts for a number of years. The preserve is just off of Providence Road / Route 252 in Media, PA after you drive the stretch of road over the Springton Reservoir heading north.

This was my first visit to the Hildacy Preserve and while there, I saw many things that added beauty

to the picturesque location. Below are just a few of the photos I took as I explored the grounds of the preserve.

Many trees at Hildacy had ivy vines climbing up their trunks. Also, the little stone bench was a really nice part of the scene here. It reminds me of a garden piece you might see at an old literary site in England. Of course, some British writers were inspired by nature's beauty, which is another reason little details like this make me think of English literary sites.

I took this photo from inside the nature-oriented office building on the grounds when I noticed the leaf-shaped wood cut-outs.

Ivy also climbed the side of the big red and white barn at Hildacy.

I'm looking forward to any chances I'll have to visit other Natural Lands Trust preserve areas in the

future. The Natural Lands Trust field guide of preserve areas includes photos showing very beautiful, scenic places...great for local eco-outings.

Rose Tree Park

This park is a place which I have driven by many times on the way to work over the years, but had never really explored before. However, recently I visited the park to check out a picnic area for a reunion my friends and I are planning. So for any tourists coming to Philadelphia and the surrounding areas, I have a few thoughts on why they should make a stop at Rose Tree Park.

The history / old architecture buff will love the historical buildings within the park. The Leedom House, in my photos below, is beautiful and features columns, a classic architectural detail in my opinion. It also has an arched walkway through the structure, a nice feature not seen very often.

There is also the stone-faced Rose Tree Tavern in my photo below, dating back to before 1750. The tavern was moved a few years ago from where it once stood, near the road, to further inside the park grounds. I'm curious to see whether or not it will be restored fully, up and running at some point. Even at its current state, boarded up windows and all, there is something interesting about it. It really gives the sense of how old it is, connecting you back to its earlier days.

Another old structure in the park came into sight from certain points near the picnic area. I didn't see any mention of it online, so I don't know anything about it. However, as someone who loves old buildings, it caught my eye. As you can see in the photo, it is a lonely, old structure...mysterious and hidden from view. You won't see it from most points in the park.

Rose Tree Park features a fourth historic building, standing along the left side of the driveway leading towards the picnic area. At the moment, I don't have a photo of it. However, it is a stone-face with columns along the porch. This and the Leedom House are currently in use at the park.

Another reason to visit Rose Tree Park is the scenic aspect, which includes an expansive view toward the rear of the park. The landscaping brings out the natural features within the park, such as in the photo below, which I took a few years ago. The fence seems to bring your eyes right to the tree's foliage.

I took the photo of this gazebo during my recent visit to the park...very pretty addition to Rose Tree. I would love to have one of these myself!

Here is another photo I took a few years ago...partly scenery, partly the entertainment venue of Rose Tree Park. During Summer 2009, I met up with some of my friends for one of the many free concerts held here. These free concerts are held all Summer long each year, and I'm looking forward to a few this year as well. So, for the music lover, this is a great place for Summer entertainment without worrying about budgets!

The Fabulous Greaseband is who my friends and I saw last year. They played 50s, 60s, 70s...a great variety! I definitely recommend seeing them...they rock!

Last, but not least...Rose Tree Park is very patriotic, featuring a huge American flag and memorials for fallen police officers and firefighters. I took the photo of Old Glory as viewed though the trees a few years ago, and the firefighter memorial photo was taken during my recent park visit.

So, these are the reasons why Rose Tree Park is worth a visit...history, scenery, free concerts, and patriotic displays. I'm looking forward to the reunion my friends and I will be having there this Summer.

Visions of Nature

Whether on vacation, taking a short road trip or even just going out around the local area, nature can offer many images to a photographer. There is no telling what will be seen, or where, and so the camera is always on hand these days when on the road. In some respect, a photographer may not be surprised to come away with nice images of nature from certain places. However, other places have been a surprise regarding the location of the photo taken and how something suddenly catches the eye.

The photo below was taken at a local cemetery during the early part of May 2008, on a day with no particular plans. The splash of pink petals set against the green of the trees and lawn was appealing; and in this, a surprise find. This calm scene, although taken in a cemetery, seemed to say “life” with the pink blossoms of Spring on the bush.

The following photo was taken a few years ago while walking around at Delaware County Community College between classes. The scene was found just tucked away behind the main campus building containing all the classrooms. It is another example of how random exploring can give way to something pretty in nature, such as the colorful leaves of autumn.

During an Outer Banks vacation in June 2004, a thunderstorm developed overnight halfway through the week, knocking out power until the morning. The photo below is of the remaining stormy skies as viewed from the 3^rd floor deck of the Cape Hatteras Motel. As much as storms can scare people, they always draw us in to some degree. It was the dark stormy blue colors of the sky against the ocean that warranted taking a picture and capturing it forever.

Whether someone is into photography or not, one thing is for sure; nature, with all its colors, can inspire the artist in everyone. Nature is something that can easily turn a casual photographer into much more, and even inspire travels to see other places for the first time. Personally, there are so many visions of nature out there which have yet to be seen. So there will be many more posts here in the future, sharing nature captured in images from many places.