Category Archives: Travel Blogs

Enjoying a Little Beach Time

February 28, 2021 Troy

While in Florida during Super Bowl week, I spent more time on the beach than I had in a number of years. And the beaches of St. Petersburg are beautiful with soft sand to dig your feet into. What’s the most popular thing to do at the beach? Most people seem to be out there during the day taking in the suns rays. As the daylight begins to soften people tend to return to their abode having enjoyed the sandy shoreline. Just before the sun reaches the horizon, the beach once again becomes a popular place in hopes of witnessing a scenic sunset over the ocean. That was my most popular activity – watching the sunset.

Close behind was time shelling – or searching for beautiful, empty shells. There were a number of pristine shells, however, it’s occupants were still using them so I tossed them back into the ocean. This area of Florida seems to have an abundance of fun shells and a nice diversity of them to collect for showing those that haven’t been there. Some mornings I would get up before sunrise to scour the beach for something unique before others combing the same areas found them. Occasionally this was successful and other days it was just fun to be out enjoying the morning light and listening to the ocean. One of the nice things about St. Petersburg is if you don’t find the shells you’re looking for, going to another area along the coast may provide them. Or possibly ones you weren’t even looking for. It would seem with the popularity of this activity, finding intact shells no longer in use would be a challenge but it really wasn’t. There were large quantities washed up on the sand on a daily basis. You just have to spend the time searching.

Walking up and down the beach also brought a few other pieces I enjoy. Watching the birds as they dart in and out of the incoming waves and listening to the waves crash on the sandy beach. There are a mix of birds here, especially during this time of year as birds from the north spend their winters here. The most common to see tend to be the shore birds constantly pecking their long beaks into the sand grasping tiny morsels for nourishment. Great Blue Herons, Great Egrets, and Snowy Egrets were often sighted, especially near people fishing as they were looking for a meal to be thrown their way or possibly snagging some of the bait. Flying over the water were Pelicans, Cormorants, and an occasional Eagle adding to the variety of birds to identify while listening to the sounds of waves near my feet. The constant, almost rhythmic sounds of waves washing up on the sandy beach is relaxing most of the time. Big storms can change these sounds from relaxing to concerning. Fortunately, most of the time the water is more gentle as each wave rises from the water and runs into the sand ending in a foamy finish before retreating back into the ocean. I could get use to starting and ending my day on the beach for more than a week.

Ice and Snow, Photos, Troy's Blog

Snow Frost

February 20, 2021 Troy

When the landscape became a beautiful winter paradise with frost covering all it could touch during the first week of this year, I noticed the snow glistening a little more than unusual. Upon closer inspection I saw frost crystals on top of the snow covered ground. Examining these even closer, I noticed a variety of amazing ice crystals and immediately began trying to capture these with the camera. Fortunately I had been keeping the camera in a cold location so it was ready to be used outside. Just grab a battery and head to the snow covered yard.

This certainly was not an easy, or quick task. Finding the crystals was not too challenging. All I had to do was scan the snow from different angles and let them reflect in the sunlight similar to what you see in the picture above. The more difficult piece was to find them with the camera using a macro lens which only allows you to view a very small area in focus. Once identified with the camera, then it was getting the right angle for light to reflect showing each little groove of these crystals which can be seen in the photograph below. Once the camera was in place, these little ice formations came to life. Seeing each groove showing the stages these frost crystals grew in was extremely interesting. I could just imagine what a time-lapse would look like as these were formed. Then I began to wonder if they were done growing? I imagined so as the sun was out and the temperatures continued to rise.

While scanning the surface of the snow I found an area where melting had started to occur creating unique shapes of clear ice. Looking closer I found this little ‘ice dragon’ which you can see below. I kept working different angles with the camera attempting to find just the right photo showing it’s interesting details. The sun was getting lower in the sky bringing an end to photographing the frost.

It was a lot of fun to see these winter formations and I would have enjoyed spending more time exploring them further but they only last for a short amount of time.

Super Bowl 52, Troy's Blog

Tampa During Superbowl 55

February 14, 2021 Troy

It was that time of year again when the final Pro football game is played for the season. The Superbowl has become an enormous event and continued to be even during the world pandemic. My wife was once again part of the pre-game and halftime game day setup and teardown team. Due to COVID, there were many changes to the events of this game including reduced crews needed for these events. My wife was still able to participate and made plans to be in Tampa for the week leading up to this game. Since quarantine would be a necessary part of this for me also (direct exposure to her), I joined her in Tampa taking a break from winter. Normally I would have explored a lot of the events happening during the week but not wanting to be around a lot of people in tight spaces, I kept my distance and avoided most of these this year.

We were staying in St. Petersburg and decided to go explore Clearwater Beach one afternoon since this was recommended as a beautiful spot to take in a nice tropical day. It’s a fantastic beach with Pier 60 jutting out into the ocean for some great views. While walking around in the area we came upon some sand sculptors working on a Superbowl related carving. It was far from complete but was interesting to watch as they surgically added and removed portions of sand working towards their final piece. As they worked, shovels of sand would be piled in certain areas followed by water spraying it down to compact it for better sculpting. We needed to leave as there was a halftime rehearsal happening later that day. Returning to see the final piece was now added to the calendar.

Saturday morning, the day before the Superbowl, seemed like a good time to hit Clearwater Beach once again to view the completed sand sculpture. There should be fewer people at this time and it was a nice day. While walking to the sand creation I noticed some activity in an area previously fenced off. Examining it a bit closer, there were TV cameras on staging indicating something was happening sometime soon. I proceeded to the sculpture to examine the final project and as usual, was amazed at the final result portraying both quarterbacks next to their helmets. How people are able to do such work is pretty incredible. Now seeing the finished piece, I headed towards Pier 60 where I had seen vendors beginning to set up. This would be a good opportunity to see what they were selling and maybe catch a entertainer juggler or something. On the way there I found out there would be a celebrity flag football game played here on the sandy beach in a few hours. Initially I thought about hanging out next to the fence surrounding the area to watch the game but decided to view it from a distance away from the majority of the crowd.

While hanging around, waiting for the game to begin, I watched the activity on the beach. During this time a parachute team had launched 2 small balloons in an effort to determine wind direction. Before the game they would be skydiving in with the game ball during the national anthem.

As game time was nearing, a brief storm had popped up requiring these skydivers to start early to avoid being caught in unsafe conditions. The parachute team landed safely, the storm quickly moved through, and minutes later, the celebrity football game was underway. As the players were introduced, I realized I didn’t know many of them as they were from several different professional sports and even a few tv personalities. It was still enjoyable to see for a little while as this was really the only Superbowl event I watched due to the crowds and COVID.

What better place for a fun game to take place then on this beautiful, soft sand on a warm, mostly sunny afternoon? It was a nice way to spend the afternoon watching the first half of this game before heading back to the house for the rest of the day to meet my wife when she finished at the stadium preparing for the game the next day. While on the beach watching the flag football game I saw something I had never seen before – a moving billboard attached to a boat. I should have expected such a thing but never really thought about it before.

The next day brought game time to one of the biggest events of the year in the United States concluding the week of talk, activities, and predictions. It also marked the end of our brief reprieve from winter reminding us we would be heading back home soon where temperatures where plunging well below zero degrees F. Another successful Superbowl after so many questions and wondering if it would even happen this year. Hopefully there will never be another one like it!

Adventure, Troy's Blog

Frost Up Close

February 7, 2021 Troy

The first week of 2021 provided some spectacular days covering the landscape covering it with frost. Each day provided a different look and frost pattern. Some days began with a light frost coating everything such as in the photo above. These days made everything appear as though out of a movie. It didn’t seem real even though I could see it. Sometimes this frost would disappear throughout the day and other days it would persist into the night.

Another day provided a thick coating mostly in one direction on everything. I don’t know what minor changes cause these frosts to be different than those covering everything in a light coating but it still makes for a beautiful setting. The area where the above photo was taken, there was a downburst of snow earlier in the day leaving behind snowflakes to add to frost. If you look closely above, you’ll be able to see one or two.

Another morning brought sharp ice crystals on one side of most plants which I assume is a result of a windy day during their formation. Each of these little pieces of frost reminded me of lightning bolts. Quite fascinating!

In the last photo you can make out different ice sculptures which turns out to be another form of frost created during the week. This is surface hoar frost. These little crystals formed on top of the snow. I had never noticed frost covering the snow before. How often does this happen? Something I’ll definitely be paying more attention to as they were some amazing little natural pieces of art.

Photos, Troy's Blog

Favorite Photos of 2020

January 30, 2021 Troy

While so many people have wished this past year away with all the turmoil and a global pandemic, I don’t like wishing a year of life away. There were some positive things to enjoy such as a less demanding schedule with many events not being held giving more opportunity to slow the pace down. Many chose to explore parks near them at a rate not seen before. I felt lucky to get out camping a few times during the summer and fall and I know many of you did the same as securing a campsite was more challenging than usual. Sometimes alone and other times with my girls. That is something I absolutely enjoyed and cherished as I know these times are limited. This has been a difficult year to travel to some amazing destinations and photograph them but I still managed to capture some beautiful subjects and scenes. At times I had to focus more on creating the shot instead of going out and capturing a beautiful landscape. Concentrating on micro scenes near me was a way of adapting to the conditions. Something I really enjoy doing. Also, playing with LED lights provided a unique form of photography in these more intimate shots. Here are a few of my favorites of 2020 beginning in the top left corner and proceeding clockwise:

The great conjecture of 2020 with Jupiter and four of its moons near Saturn. The skies cleared briefly as these two planets appeared next to each other in the evening sky shortly after sunset.

It just doesn’t seem right to have a compilation of photos without including a snowflake in the mix. Each one is unique and interesting to examine in detail. You can see more here: http://monopolytraveler.com/enjoying-more-snowflakes/

Lightning crawling across the sky. There were a couple of fantastic storms producing incredible lightning this past summer. They provided for some amazing views and a few opportunities for pictures. A couple of them can be found on this post: http://monopolytraveler.com/stormy-nights/

Orchids lit up. Early spring can sometimes be a challenge to find interesting subjects to photograph as the snow melts but plants haven’t emerged yet. Fortunately I had an orchid in full bloom and decided to play around with some lighting options. Check them out here http://monopolytraveler.com/lighting-up-orchids/

Coming across coyote pups. While on the hunt for early blooming native orchids I found myself in the middle of a den of young coyotes. It was a lot of fun and at the same time kept me on alert. Here’s that story: http://monopolytraveler.com/a-spring-afternoon-surprise/

Spring blooms in the morning sunlight. Hungry for distractions from the pandemic, early flowers began to bloom providing an opportunity to work on some macro photography outside. More of those are here: http://monopolytraveler.com/early-spring-flowers/

Ladybug taking a sip. Some of my plants produced a few blooms during early spring before much was growing outdoors so I setup a flower using water to work on photographing reflections. A ladybug happened to be climbing on one of my plants so I moved it to my scene creating more interest in the pictures. The story can be read here: http://monopolytraveler.com/experimenting-with-composition/

Fall colors in Northern Minnesota. While spending a week on the North Shore of Minnesota with my wife, the colors rapidly changed making for some beautiful views. http://monopolytraveler.com/fall-colors-in-northern-minnesota/

Checking out the campsite. A common site when camping in the upper Midwest are camp squirrels. They’re so cute how could I not spend a little time photographing them?

Under the stars. One of the best places I’ve been to see the night sky is in Northwestern Minnesota. I couldn’t believe how dark it is bringing out more stars than imaginable. It was so much fun outlasting the mosquitoes to capture the Milkyway. For more you can read it here: http://monopolytraveler.com/stargazing/

And winter returns. The day before I came across these bloodroot plants ready to bloom and then a late snow storm arrived just in time for Easter to cover them in snow. These early spring flowers make for some fun photos with fresh snow. More pictures available here: http://monopolytraveler.com/and-winter-returns/

Multiple seasons. The first goal here was to take a few Senior photos as my youngest daughter is preparing for her final year of school. Unfortunately the setting sun went under the clouds making the session a bust. As spring approached I came up with a new idea and wanted to see what a photograph containing winter and summer together would look like. Here’s that post: http://monopolytraveler.com/multiple-seasons/

Anther abstract. Another of my photos from the spring blooms in the morning sun outing. I liked this abstract view of a Hellebore flower with anthers covered in pollen.

A moody Lake Superior under fall leaves. Waves crashing against the hardened granite lining the shores of Lake Superior in Northern Minnesota as the wind howled brought some great water spouts and sounds. If not set to travel for the day it would have been fun to watch as these waves provided some great displays. The stories here: http://monopolytraveler.com/a-moody-lake-superior/

Quiet sunrise. After spending much of the night under the stars in Northwestern Minnesota, I stuck around to watch one of the first sunrises of the summer. A little morning fog and no wind made for a beautiful and peaceful sunrise for my last morning at Hayes Lake State Park.

Finally an opportunity to photograph an otter. For the past couple of years I’ve been in search of otters to capture with the camera. While out to watch the sunrise one came from behind me and eventually came up to see what I was doing. What an unexpected treat!

The center photo is my daughter who’s about to graduate from high school. I have several of her senior photos that I really like but kept it to one on this collage.

It was challenging to keep it to these pictures. Many of them are in posts from 2020 while others haven’t made it there yet. Maybe early this year a few stories with these photos will show up. Please enjoy these photos as there will be a whole new set of them in 2021. The collage is included below as pictures may be cropped in the top picture.

Monopoly Traveler Reflections, Rocky Moutain National Park, Troy's Blog

Monopoly Traveler Reflections–Finding my Profile Picture

January 24, 2021 Troy

Rocky Mountain National Park was part of our first Monopoly Traveler adventure and the park I was most anticipating. I really couldn’t imagine such a vast landscape and all of the wildlife it contained. We had arrived on the Fourth of July and enjoyed fireworks from our hotel in Estes Park waiting until the next day to venture in to this beautiful place. Obtaining a park map along with a newspaper listing activities taking place we studied both of these to make a game plan for our few days here. At some point during the day my goal was to drive to the Alpine Visitor Center, the highest point that can be driven to in the park.

Meandering through the east side of RMNP, enjoying the magnificent views and wildlife, for much of the morning it was time to make our way up the mountains. There are numerous stopping points along the way with grand vistas to enjoy however it would take nearly all day it seemed to do so. We would stop every now and again when there was a new view we hadn’t seen before to get out of the car and breath in the glorious mountain air. Eventually we made our way higher and higher and decided on one more stop before going to the visitor center for lunch. There were many other people also enjoying the overlook and even a bus had stopped. The first thing we noticed was the chill in the air along with a cool summer breeze up in the mountains. Slipping on our jackets made for a more comfortable visit as we made our way over the path leading to the beautiful man made lookout. Just the simple motion of walking we could feel a slight shortness of breath. Lower oxygen levels where letting us know we were at a higher altitude and not accustom to such air.

As I looked out from the end of the trail, the view almost seemed unreal. How could we be standing in this place seeing what almost seemed like a movie set? The miles and miles of mountain scenery was difficult to comprehend. It appeared just a short distance away but the lengthy roads and trails said otherwise. There were Elk off in the distance. Some were grazing while others laying in the warm summer sun. I decided to climb some of the rocks nearby. Standing there by myself I felt as though I was becoming a part of this incredible landscape. It still didn’t seem real to me but was more breathtaking than I could have imagined. Not wanting to leave this spot, I decided to descend back towards the trail so others may take my place and enjoy their own experience. Re-joining my family I realized I didn’t have the camera. My wife was carrying it and had captured a few pictures while I was up on the rocks.

Returning home I looked over our photos from the trip and saw a few of me. There aren’t a lot of pictures including me as I’m usually the one with the camera. Setting up a website and social media I needed a profile photo. It wasn’t difficult to choose one as the photos of me looking out over the Rocky Mountains quickly came to mind and chose the picture at the top of this article because I like the background and have such incredible memories attached with it. Every time I see my profile I smile making it extremely difficult to want to change it even after a decade. We’ve returned to Rocky Mountain National Park since this trip and it always holds a special place in my mind as being a favorite of mine.

Family Ramblings, Troy's Blog

What’s in Store for 2021?

January 16, 2021 Troy

While the uncertainty with COVID still persists as 2021 begins, there are events planned for me and my family this year. A year ago I had no idea what the year would bring but this year I have a number of things already added to the calendar. Continuing to get out and look for those interesting shots will be a year long endeavor as it has been for many years now. There already has been some nice opportunities as several frosty mornings painted the landscape white. Once again I will be heading to the Superbowl to participate in the atmosphere and whatever events surround this biggest of games. It takes place in Tampa, Florida this year. I continue to be nervous about the worldwide pandemic in a situation like this and will be taking whatever precautions I can to remain safe. At the same time I’m looking forward to some warmer weather and the opportunity to take photographs amongst the palm trees.

As spring arrives I’ll continue my hunt for more of Minnesota’s native orchids. Currently I’ve began to map out a few locations and the time of summer some of these orchids bloom in to add to the calendar. It’s exciting to think about finding and snapping some shots of these beautiful, exotic plants currently hibernating beneath the snow. The goal is to add 6 new species to my list which would bring me to about half of the areas native orchids.

The end of spring will bring my second daughters’ graduation. While I don’t like the idea that she’ll be finishing high school this year, I’m excited for what she may do as she begins her next phase in life. It’s unknown what her ceremony will look like and how we’ll be able to celebrate this achievement but we’re hopeful for a closer to normal event. We’ll figure out something regardless. Those who had to find unusual ways to mark this milestone last year have paved the way for us this year figuring out new methods for us to use.

Over the course of the winter, spring, and summer I’ll be in training for a big event I’ll be sharing with my daughters in late summer. We’re going to camp in the Tetons preparing to climb Grand Teton. I’m extremely excited to take this on and also quite nervous as this is a very physical activity. Will I be able to complete it celebrating the climb with my girls? My cousin and his daughter will also be joining us on this trip. The altitude is such a factor for me. I can do the hiking, which is seven miles in one direction, and climbing. Both of these are fun for me but as soon as you add in the element of thinner air, it slows me down as I need to frequently stop and regenerate my oxygen levels. Still, to be able to enjoy mountain views for several days while camping and watch the star filled sky are exciting to prepare for along with summiting with my family members once again returning to a National Park.

This year has a lot of potential to gain a lot of life experience. How much will be dependent on the COVID levels as we continue to battle this virus which may allow us to return to more normal life. In any event, we’ll adjust as needed and work towards making more life long memories in 2021.

Family Ramblings, Troy's Blog

Happy New Year!

January 10, 2021 Troy

Whenever possible I like to get up to see the sun rise on New Year’s Day. Thankfully that is later in the morning this time of year as typically the night before I welcome the New Year and then retire for the night. This year I awoke, grabbed my gear, something to eat, and headed to a nearby lake hoping for a beautiful start to the first day of the year. It was a cold morning with temperatures in the single digits Fahrenheit. I didn’t plan on staying out long so I didn’t put on all of my cold weather clothing, just enough to watch the sun come up and then head home. What I wasn’t anticipating was the frost covered landscape capturing my interest.

As daylight grew brighter on this cold morning, I began to notice the little white crystals forming on the trees around me. This winter landscape was becoming white with frost for a beautiful start to 2021. I began to examine the frost covered branches noticing how different it was on evergreens vs bare tree branches and old flower stems from the summer before. The evergreens seem to have little beads of frost while the other plants where forming larger pentagon shaped clear crystals. It was quite interesting to think about how a minor difference in conditions could lead to frost forming differently. Was there just enough difference in the temperature with the evergreens or humidity in the air? Amazing!

The cold was beginning to penetrate deeper and deeper into me reminding me I was only prepared to be there a short time. Heading back toward my car I kept getting distracted with these frost crystals. The sun began to peak out from behind the morning clouds casting some light onto these little ice formations. I had to stay and try to capture this. Heading towards some cattails I noticed the snow beneath me. It looked so soft with lots of glimmering ice covering it. That must be from snowflakes which had melted in the warm sun filled days before refreezing into clear globes of ice.

On closer inspection, I could see frost crystals everywhere on top of snow. This is something I haven’t noticed before but they were everywhere rising up from the snow covered ground. Looking just right they would glisten in the morning sunlight revealing their pentagon shapes, just like on the dried branches nearby. This was so interesting. Unfortunately it was getting more difficult to work the camera with the cold setting into my hands. It was time to go warm up, but hopefully there would be more opportunities to explore this miniature world of frost. I love experiencing something new and interesting. What a great way to begin the new year!

Happy New Year to each of you with hope for many enjoyable moments and memories!

Family Ramblings, Troy's Blog

Good Bye 2020!

January 2, 2021 Troy

Many people around the world celebrated New Year’s Eve and Day. It felt more of a celebration for surviving 2020 instead of ushering a new year. The past year got pretty dark at times with a pandemic, unlike anything people can remember, closing down most of our activities and events. While I’ve heard more times than I care to think about how people dismissed the year as though it never existed, I have a slightly different view. Wishing away a year of my life is not something I want to do. There are only a limited number of years for any of us and I want to enjoy as many of them as I can. Yes, there has been a lot of stress and anxiety but there were some pretty great moments too. Adventures were fewer and farther in between and occurred closer to home but they still were available creating lifelong memories.

Looking over my post at the beginning of January highlighting the things I wanted to do this year, surprisingly most of those were accomplished. A snowmobile adventure was planned soon after writing that post taking me with my cousin to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan to ride some incredible trails. It was iffy for a few weeks leading up to this as the snow was melting with no fresh snow covering these trails but they held out allowing us to enjoy a weekend meeting some new friends while flying across the snow covered ground under a sun filled sky. A great reminder of why I love to do this whenever I can. By the end of the weekend we had covered 300 miles in 24 hours. Yeah, sleep was sacrificed a little. You can read more about it here: http://monopolytraveler.com/hitting-the-trails-in-the-u-p/ Unfortunately this also marked the beginning of the pandemic reaching the United States. Things changed quickly after.

Many of the snowfalls that created these great trails for snowmobiling also gave me opportunities to capture these incredible little ice crystals which I continue to try to capture with the camera. Sometimes I get so lost looking through the view finder that I forget how cold it is and before I know it, I can’t move my fingers to press the shutter button. It’s often difficult to get motivated to prepare for taking these pictures but once all of my winter gear is on and the camera is finally set up, the hours go by quickly as the batteries in my camera die in the winter cold. For more photos of snowflakes head over here.

With spring in full swing, my wife and I headed for a mini retreat for a night. After a nice campfire to end the day, we retired for some much wanted sleep. The next morning I got up for the sunrise and headed to the nearby lake enjoying some peace and quiet listening to the sounds of morning. Just before the sun rose above the horizon I heard an unfamiliar sound behind me. There was something swimming but each time I looked to see what it was it would dive under the surface. Finally I saw it surface. A River Otter! One of the creatures I’d wanted to photograph without success and here was one moving closer. It never really gave me the chance to capture a photo while it was in the water. While looking one direction I heard something near my feet. A quick glance and it was gone but there was no mistaking it. The otter had surfaced right next to me and quickly disappeared. I figured that was the end of the interaction. Fortunately a few minutes later the wild otter had climbed up onto the walkway cutting through this little shallow bay and slowly worked its way towards me. After several steps it returned to the water and was gone through the cattails. I couldn’t believe after searching for years for otters that I finally was able to photograph a wild one. Late in the year I had another chance to watch a family of otters searching for food with a few pictures making positive 2020 memories.

As spring turned to summer I headed to Northern Minnesota in search of wild orchids. Along the way I encountered some beautiful carnivorous plants which I’d not seen in Minnesota before. There were pitcher plants in bloom and sundews dotting bogs creating an environment new to me. You can read more by clicking this link: http://monopolytraveler.com/on-the-hunt-for-more-orchids/. During that same adventure I encounter several of Minnesota’s native orchids which was so amazing. I read about them blooming but somehow it still doesn’t seem possible that they’re there and then I see them just growing out of the ground. You can read more about the search for these orchids here: http://monopolytraveler.com/the-hunt-continues/. On that same trip I watched some beautiful sunsets as the sky turned to night bringing out the fireflies and star filled skies. That article is here. It became incredibly easy to forget there was a worldwide pandemic going on. What a refreshing temporary reprieve from all that was happening allowing me to refocus once I returned home.

The summer was in full swing bringing some great storms. Lightning would light up the sky in ways I hadn’t seen in a long time. These were the type of storms I had been searching for over numerous summers lighting up the sky both over head and off in the distance. One of these produced a light show that forced my whole family to stop what they were doing and head out to our driveway just staring up for a long time. The odd piece was there was so much constant lighting but very little thunder to go with it letting us know how high up these storms were. I wrote about one of these nights here

One of my goals for 2020 was to go camping a few times and this was accomplished. My family and I took a couple of camping trips to just get away from all of the news and attempt to refresh during a weekend here or there. We weren’t able to take a family expedition to any National Parks as I had hoped but we were able to enjoy a few weekends together just a couple of hours from home. These are times that I will remember as good pieces of the past year. One final camping trip came as summer became fall with just my wife on the North Shore of Minnesota. As an unexpected treat, fall colors arrived across the landscape leaving behind a vibrant painting not seen in several years. And we got to watch the leaves change on a daily basis right in front of our eyes. There were some beautiful photographs taken of these by many other people. I captured a little of the fall color also which you can view on this page.

There was a lot horrific news and unbelievable events that unfolded during 2020, but there was beauty and peace to be found also if it was sought out. I’m thankful for those moments providing me with positive experiences to hold on to in this historic year. Now on to 2021 and whatever it may hold…..

Photos, Troy's Blog

Merry Christmas!

December 25, 2020 Troy

With many holidays being celebrated, albeit in a more subdued fashion, I wanted to create some nice black and white images. My family celebrates Christmas so that’s my focus for these pictures. This is not typically my style of photography. Color is often an important piece of a photograph for me but in the past few weeks I’ve been inspired to create some black and white pictures for the holiday season. Maybe it’s because color is a bit of a challenge at this time of year or the pandemic has me in this type of mood. I don’t know but it’s something that provided some motivation and excitement with the camera.

While looking for a subject of these black and white images I searched for inspiration. There wasn’t anything coming to mind initially on what would make a beautiful photo so I turned to searching the web for black and white photos. It didn’t take long for me to begin to think of what I would like to shoot in this manner. With so many people posting their pictures now it’s easier to find a little inspiration with a lot of amazing work being done.

Poinsettias are something that I have access too and are such a beautiful plant that I wanted to work with that subject. Another concept was the many places that transform their public areas into a beautiful holiday scene in December. A simple candle flame can be a magical picture which I have not attempted before. This seemed like a good time to try. This black and white concept hasn’t gone away so I’ll probably explore it further as the weeks progress.

Whatever holiday is celebrated in your household, I wish you the best one possible! For my family – Merry Christmas!

Gaining Life Experience

Category Archives: Travel Blogs

Enjoying a Little Beach Time

Snow Frost

Tampa During Superbowl 55

Frost Up Close

Favorite Photos of 2020

Monopoly Traveler Reflections–Finding my Profile Picture

What’s in Store for 2021?

Happy New Year!

Good Bye 2020!

Merry Christmas!

Your Board of Adventure