View allAll Photos Tagged scared
Lola and her big (littermate) Louie have been with me for almost 4 weeks and had their first serious spat today, complete with screaming and growls.
She escaped to this chair and seemed very upset. Just look at her paw with extended nails from scurrying up this leather chair (ouch)
In this stupid mess full of zombies, our hereos finally found something to eat. And a survivor with a flammethrower...
Tourist horseback riders are hardly ever seen smiling. Mostly, they're just holding on for dear life.
Pusch Ridge, northwest Tucson.
Fainting Goats don't really "faint"... they do lock up and fall over sometimes. This lasts a few seconds and is not painful.
As many of you have noticed, I have not posted many photos this month. The reason for this is that my wife caught bacterial meningitis earlier in the month. We didn't know for a few days which way things were going to go. I spent about two weeks at the hospital. It was by far the worst experience I ever had. My wife didn't recognize me --- and was in and out of consciousness while in ICU. The good news is that she finally came home and is now resting. She has been my best friend for over 20 years and to see someone that vibrant and full of life as close to the edge...is a very difficult thing. I appreciate all the support and love that our friends and relatives have given us over the past several weeks...we couldn't have done it without you...God bless ~ and be looking for more photos for the month of February!
Monique Voelker, Animals Abused & Abandoned’s founder, has long dreamed of a safe and loving home for old, sick and badly injured animals that have been abandoned by their owners or are un-adoptable. The Animals Abused & Abandoned Sanctuary would be committed to relieving their suffering and to providing them with gentle and compassionate care for the remainder of their lives. To accomplish this dream, she has launched the Animals Abused & Abandoned Sanctuary Capital Campaign. Donations to this capital campaign will go toward acquiring, developing and staffing a facility for these innocent and tragic cast-offs from our society who, unfortunately, never found a family of their own. The sanctuary will eventually include a medical/surgical clinic, indoor and outdoor living facilities for its animal population and administrative offices.
Anyone from Maine? I'll be there for a week for a workshop, and I'd love to meet up with some East Coast photographers! :]
to stand up - It was so windy on Sunday, we were a little scared to stand for too long out on the dock. Lake Jessup has quite a few 'gators and we weren't interested in falling in there.
I don't think this little fella could frighten anyone. On the other hand, that spooky ol' house really creeps me out!
If I Only had a Brain ~ Not "The Wizard of Oz" version. ;~)
Mackinac Island, Michigan, is a beautiful island. Located in the Straits of Mackinac, it's about 8-9 miles in circumference.
There's the actual town of Mackinac Island, where the ships dock. Since 1898 (I think), there have been no motorized vehicles allowed on the island (for consumer use, at least) as they scared the horses.
Your modes of transportation are one of three:
1. Horse (and carriage) as a taxi, personal rental, or part of a tour (for about $30/adult). Or, just rent a horse for $50/hour/horse.
2. Bicycles. For rental all over the place in town.
3. Your two feet.
The town of Mackinac Island. Its Main Street -- the first thing you see after passing under the portico from any of the ferries -- is actually Huron Street. One parallel street behind, you have Market Street. There are a number of other streets in the town, too, all easily walkable (obviously). Since this is basically a tourist resort, you'll find about 80% of the establishments in town fall into one of the following categories: fudge shops (12 different companies have fudge shops here), bed & breakfasts, bike rentals, or restaurants (pizzeria, bar/saloon/burger joint). The only eyesore on the island is a Starbucks. It disgusts me to no end. If you intend to spend the night on the island, be prepared to have your wallet lightened substantially, especially in season (Memorial Day to Labor Day).
For overnight accommodations, the most famous place on the island is the Grand Hotel, which has the longest covered porch of any building in the world (660 ft./200 meters). It'll set you back over $400/night. There's no air conditioning. It was built in 1887 and is perfectly imperfect. They finished it in three months. Even to wander the grounds, you have to pay $10 per their signage. On a sunny summer day, it's beautiful, especially with all of the flags flying along the porch. If you aren't inclined to pay through the nose here, the B&Bs, during summer, would probably set you back around $300/night, but don't quote me on that. (The more frugal folks -- like me -- stay in Mackinaw City, slightly expensive, but reasonable, and take day trips to the island.
Speaking of "in season," Mackinac Island has less than 500 year-round residents. Yet, I think they clear 2 million tourists a year. The majority of them come from May-September.
To support that massive influx, there are 600 horses on the island in summer, but only about 200 stay on for winter.
More than the horses, they can't survive without a temporary summer workforce. On the island (and also in Mackinaw City and possibly St. Ignace), you'll find the majority of summer workers are eastern European. They stay until the end of September. This year, I bumped into Turkish, Polish, Montenegran, Serbian, Kosovan, and I'm not sure which other nationalities. Expect to meet some incredibly friendly and happy Europeans.
What's the history of this area? Recent (1600-now), is about all most people focus on. It was originally Native American land, then the French arrived, followed by Brits, and finally Americans.
As a result, there are forts around. Michilimackinac (in Mackinaw City) was the first fort, from the Brits, then Americans. Then the Brits relocated to the island (more strategic) and built Fort Mackinac. While at Fort Mackinac, they also decided to build a more rudimentary fort on the highest ground on the island: Fort George (which the Americans renamed Fort Holmes).
The forts were eventually in the Americans' hands and Fort Mackinac was garrisoned until 1895. So here's your fun trivia: Yellowstone National Park was the first national park created in the U.S. (and world) in 1872. The second national park in the U.S.? Mackinac Island, actually.
The island was a national park (as the parks were actually administered by the military prior to the creation of the Department of the Interior & National Park Service) and it was maintained as a national park until 1895 when the federal government trimmed back a bit and stopped having an active presence on the island. (At this point, the island went to the state and the entire island is now basically Mackinac State Park.)
As it's a state park, you'll find the majority of the island is actually natural -- lots of woods and beautiful walks and trails. Should you have a little wanderlust to get away from the town, you'll find the following:
1. A small airport in the middle of the island.
2. Two 9 hole golf courses (Jewel & Wawashkamo), though you could be creative and call it one where the front and back nine are a bit away from each other.
3. Cemeteries: Protestant, Catholic, and Military. (The military cemetery is one of only 5 in the nation that are permitted to fly flags at half mast year-round due to the unknown soldiers buried here.)
4. Hiking trails that lead to Fort Holmes, Skull Cave, Arch Rock, and other areas on the interior. (Skull Cave is very underwhelming in its current condition, though its history is interesting.)
Among the buildings in town that don't fall into one of the generic categories mentinoed above, you'll find at least 4 churches, the old fur trading store, a police station, a U.S. post office, a school, an old county courthouse (not current as Michilimackinac County no longer exists), an art museum, and a yacht club.
Fort Mackinac, by the way, is actually in town and the price of admission is $13.50 as of this writing. They have soldiers in period uniforms do weapons demonstrations (rifle, cannon), and have all of the buildings maintained to the time of its use (1875-95 or so). Some of the views of the town, Marquette Park, and cove with its two lighthouses are nice. Is it worth $13.50? I don't think so, but hey...if you're only here once, you ought to have a look, especially if the weather's nice and sunny.
During the summer, you'll find that June is the best time to come for flowers -- so many lilacs that the air smells more like flowers than horses. There are also the two boat regattas (Port Huron to Mackinac & Chicago to Mackinac) that end here in the straits. I believe those are in May or June.
All in all, there's a good reason that Mackinac Island is usually voted one of the ten best summer getaways in the country. It's unforgettable and, more than that, it's relaxing. Even with the excessive crowds. I know I haven't covered everything, but it's certainly enough to give you a good idea.
This was my second shoot with Lyndsey. I absolutely love shooting with her; she has the potential to be a world class model. She comes prepared, with a great attitude, listens to directions, and she is drop dead gorgeous. Why she shoots with me is baffling but I am so lucky to work with her.
I took these photos of Lyndsey in Caldwell, Idaho in May 2018.