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Green River Covered Bridge, Guilford, VT

Autumn is a season of change, both physically for our landscapes and if we are aware, emotionally from within ourselves.  For many people, 11/11/11 signifies a portal, a doorway of opportunity to appreciate and learn from the past as well as commit to the future.  Specifically it can mean honoring the history of our lives and committing to the future by using our personal power to become ourselves, perhaps by doing what we love to do every day.  In other words, walk through that portal towards your value as a magnificent being.  Philosopher & mystic Tellhard de Chardin said, “We are not human beings having a spiritual experience.  We are spiritual beings having a human experience.”

Here are a few of my personal reminders and commitments to growth and change.  I’ll be adding to them throughout the day as they come up along with images highlighting my recent autumn landscape photography venture to three covered bridges in southern Vermont.  Hopefully at least some of them will resonate and help you on your journey to revealing the amazing light and presence that’s uniquely you.

~ Replace that critical voice by reminding myself that mistakes are just learning experiences and striving for personal perfection stems from harsh criticism in the past.  Mistakes aren’t to be feared, but treasured gifts as I move forward with optimism because my potential for growth and change is unlimited.

Green River Covered Bridge, Guilford, VT

~ Strength and personal power should be honored—not squelched for the sake of others who need to be in control, fear their own strength, or aren’t ready to travel on the same road.

Dummerston Covered Bridge, West Dummerston, VT

~ Voicing my opinions and speaking up for my convictions is a strength, not a weakness.  Those who think otherwise will not convince me to remain silent just because our views may differ.  Expressing and opening ourselves to different viewpoints is how we learn, grow, and change.

Scott Covered Bridge, Townshend, VT

~ My home is a reflection of myself, and instead of letting insecurity about who I am and fear of losing old attachments to myself overtake me and corrode my spirit, I will honor who I am in all aspects of my life, regardless of the opinions of others, while listening to their wants and needs, and remaining open to their journey towards wholeness.

Banks of the West River in Dummerston, VT

Click any image or here to purchase.

Beavertail State Park, Jamestown, RI (front of card)

Beavertail State Park, Jamestown, RI (reverse side)

Hazard Rock, Narragansett, RI (front of card)

Hazard Rock, Narragansett, RI (reverse side)

Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor, ME (front of card)

Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor, ME (reverse side)

Corporation Beach, Dennis, MA (front of card)

Corporation Beach, Dennis, MA (reverse side)

Plymouth Harbor, Plymouth, MA (front of card)

Plymouth Harbor, Plymouth, MA (reverse side)

Listen: Whispers of New England's Seacoast (front of box)

Listen: Whispers of New England's Seacoast (back of box)

Above is a preview of a boxed set of 20 fine art landscape photography note cards (4 each of 5 images) created by Autumn Hill Artworks to honor the wonders of nature, and in particular, coastal New England.  The set is titled “Listen: Whispers of New England’s Seacoast”.  Each card includes an inspirational nature quote on the reverse side.

Click any image or here to purchase.

Listen: Whispers of New England's Seacoast (on the shelf at Winthrop's Hallmark, South Dennis, MA)

With two of my technological loves, a Canon 5D Mark II camera and Manfrotto 190CX tripod with Midi Ball Head, my mid-August meanderings took me along the well-worn trails through grasslands, along Allens Pond to the breathtaking barrier beach facing Buzzard’s Bay.

Outdoor lighting on a cloudy day and during an impending storm makes for spectacular images that suit my photographic style because colors are saturated and the mood is dramatic.  I hope you enjoy this selected group of 10 landscape photography images created during my serene walk through one of New England’s natural gems—shortly before the skies opened up and sent rain cascading downward toward the earth.

Stormy Sky Divided, Allens Pond Wildlife Sanctuary, 2011

Circular Grassland, Allens Pond Wildlife Refuge, 2011

Endless Point, Allens Pond Wildlife Sanctuary, 2011

Beach Loop Trail, Allens Pond Wildlife Refuge, 2011

Out to Sea, Allens Pond Wildlife Refuge, 2011

Rock Walk, Allens Pond Wildlife Refuge, 2011

Snail Trails, Allens Pond Wildlife Refuge, 2011

Rocks to Infinity, Allens Pond Wildlife Sanctuary, 2011

Sea Storm, Allens Pond Wildlife Refuge, 2011

Ocean Patterns, Allens Pond Wildlife Refuge, 2011

Rarely has a photography contest come about giving photographers the opportunity for widespread exposure to a diverse audience as well as challenging our imaginations.

Any photographer who wants to take advantage of the opportunity to be featured in a Ron Howard film should check out the “Project Imagin8ion” contest sponsored by Canon.

Described as “…the first ever user-generated photo contest to inspire a Hollywood short film.” The contest is based on eight themes: Setting, Time, Character, Mood, Relationship, Goal, Obstacle, & the Unknown.  Photographers submit photographs to any or all of the themes within allotted time frames. The public votes for their favorites within each theme, then within the next month, Ron Howard will choose 8 photos to set the stage for his next production.

Check out the submissions thus far – they are absolutely incredible!  At the very least, viewing the submissions is a motivational tool for any photographer to hone our skills and get out and shoot some fascinating subject matter.  After all, viewing the work of fellow photographers is one of the best ways to learn and improve.  Just go to Project Imagin8ion then “Enter Contest/Gallery”.

With camera, lenses, and tripod on my back, it seemed more of a hike in the wilderness than a stroll on the beach, as apparent from my first passerby who exclaimed, “Wow that looks heavy!”  Nonetheless, just the thought of possibly helping an innocent sea turtle made the load quite manageable and the jaunt totally worthwhile.  Here’s my view heading east on Corporation Beach a bit after high tide which was at 3:00 pm:

Walking east on Corporation Beach in Dennis, MA on 12/11/10

The day before I called the Wellfleet Wildife Sanctuary since they are first responders to any stranded sea turtles, to let them know of my intentions and to ask which beaches would be most likely to have sea turtles within their shorelines.  Apparently at this time of year and because of the direction of winds, beaches between Dennis and Brewster are the most likely locations.  Since the far east and west beaches already had several volunteers covering them, I set out to find a beach somewhere in between.

Traveling on Route 6A east and keeping my eyes peeled for the shoreline and beach signs, Corporation Beach in Dennis was the first public beach which came to my attention, and after pulling into the parking lot and looking east, the beach seemed to extend for miles so it looked ideal for a stroll while looking for sea turtles in distress.  As it turns out, a kemp Ridley sea turtle was found by volunteers exactly one week before on this beach (Boston.com article w/ photo below).

Volunteers give lifeline to turtles trapped on Cape (image via Boston.com)

http://www.boston.com/news/science/articles/2010/12/06/turtle_patrols_watch_for_strandings_on_cape_cod_beache

Why are sea turtles stranding on Cape Cod beaches in great numbers during the past several years?

First attracted to Cape Cod Bay because of the abundance of fish during summer months, the sea turtles stay too long instead of migrating south, and get caught in colder water temperatures becoming stunned and disoriented.  Just why they aren’t moving south sooner is still a mystery, but is thought to either be a result of a global rise in sea temperatures or a larger turtle population due to recent turtle-friendly laws and fishing gear. (source: Boston.com article above)

After initial evaluation by the Wellfleet Wildlife Sanctuary, the turtles are triaged to the New England Aquarium’s new Animal Care Center in Quincy, MA.  There, each turtle’s body temperature is warmed slowly (1 degree per day) to prevent damage at the cellular level, closely watched, and fed until rehabilitated to the point where they can be released into warmer southern waters.  Over 90% of the sea turtles arriving at the New England Aquarium’s state-of-the-art facility survive and are released back into the ocean.  Because of the aquarium’s excellent reputation for nursing sea turtles back to health, the facility is often referred to as a “Sea Turtle Hospital”.

Although I didn’t spot any sea turtles yesterday, the satisfaction of spending my time looking and being prepared to call for help will sustain me until the next opportunity.  If you find a stranded sea turtle on a beach in Cape Cod Bay, carefully move it above the tide line, cover with seaweed for warmth, clearly mark the spot, and call the Wellfleet Wildlife Sanctuary sea turtle hotline at 508-349-2615 x 104 to report the sighting.

Acadia National Park: "Echo Lake II"

Will we let this magical place, awash with the sights and sounds of nature, pure air, crystal clear waters, and deep blue skies succumb to logging for wooden artifacts and the development of homes and condominiums? Let’s hope not and do everything in our power to make sure it doesn’t happen now or ever.  Supporting the Maine Woods National Park & Preserve initiative, the NRDC, and the National Parks Service are three effective ways to make our voices heard (details below).

Of the 58 US national parks operated by the National Parks Service, Acadia National Park in Bar Harbor, Maine is the only one in the Northeast, and is the largest surviving part of the Great North Woods, that once stretched unimpeded from Maine to Minnesota. During my trip to Acadia this past fall to photograph its autumn color, I was struck by the sheer beauty and serenity of the area.

Acadia National Park: "Autumn Atop Cadillac Mountain VII"

And each year, Acadia National Park brings over $100 million to the Maine economy. Further, according to the Forest Ecology Network, one study found that adding The Maine Woods National Park and Preserve could generate several times that amount and create over 20,000 new jobs.

Development of the Great North Woods will surely adversely affect Acadia National Park in many ways without a surrounding supportive ecosystem. It’s our obligation to help protect what our forefathers struggled to gift us. To use a well-worn phrase – together we really can make a difference.  Below are three ways to help:

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• Support the Maine Woods National Park & Preserve initiative.  For more information, visit Restore The Maine Woods at:  http://restore.org

• Learn more about the plight of The Great North Woods and take action with the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC) to save it from the recent threat of logging and development.  Visit the NRDC’s BioGems page at: http://www.savebiogems.org/northwoods/

• Help support US National Parks in need of preservation projects.  Visit the National Parks Service website at: http://www.npca.org/?gclid=CNrq0zmxKUCFUlN4AodXVTRZQ