Standing 'O'

Sunsets are somewhat of a spectator sport in Door County, Wisconsin. During the summer, every harbor and park with a view of Green Bay becomes a gathering spot as the end of the day draws near.

The marina in Egg Harbor was no different on this particular evening. I set up my tripod across from a boat slip and fitted my camera with a pack of filters (two 2-stop graduated neutral density filters and a graduated sunset filter, for those of you dying to know) and I waited for the sunset to happen, along with several dozen spectators and two other photographers who came along and decided I had an excellent vantage point and set up their tripods near mine.

As you can see, this sunset did not disappoint. As the sun slipped below the horizon, something happened that I have yet to experience again. The spectators who had gathered broke into applause.

Most, no doubt were applauding the creation. I hoped that some, like me, were applauding the Creator.

Click on photo to enlarge. Copyright 2005 James Jordan

Something's up at Blogdom of God
Adrian Warnock at Blogdom of God is calling all Christian bloggers to link to this post to let all Godbloggers know that something big will be announced later this week. Seems BOG is poised to do some growing.

The great limiter
My post last Sunday talked about missed potential, illustrated by the general failure of bunchberry plants to pollinate. The Bible has a lot to say about the human counterparts to the bunchberry who miss their full potential due to a little matter called sin. Anti-Itch Meditation has a couple of posts today on the topic.

The Flow of Moments

A photograph is nothing more than evidence of a moment that once existed. It's putting your hand in the continually flowing stream of moments and cupping some of that precious water in your hand.

Every once in a while, that captured moment can be revisited and provide inspiration and insight into the current cascade of moments I am experiencing. I share them with you in hopes that you too may find something that will help you navigate the waters.

This photograph is of my daughter, taken at Cave Point in Door County, Wisconsin. Cave Point features low shelves of limestone along the shore where the waves wash over. I used a slow shutter speed to capture the movement of the waves over the stone and instructed my daughter to stay as still as she could for the half-second exposure.

The result for me is a photo of one pausing to contemplate life as the moments rush by.

Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me. By day the LORD directs his love, at night his song is with me- a prayer to the God of my life. Psalm 42:7-8

Click on photo to enlarge. Copyright 2005 James Jordan

A Bunch of Potential

Loaded with good intentions, the bunchberry plant grows in northern climates in the U.S. and Canada. This cluster of bunchberries was photographed near the Minnesota-Canada border. Bunchberries have the potential of forming large clusters of berries (hence the name bunchberry), but they seldom do.

Bunchberries depend on insects for pollination to bear fruit. Each blossom has dozens of stamen. When an insect lands on a bunchberry flower, the stamen explode, coating the insect with pollen. From the flower's point of view, the insect then becomes a pollinator when it visits the next flower. From the insect's point of view, it has no further desire to step on any more pollen landmines, so it abandons the bunchberries altogether. Bunchberries seldom produce much fruit, and spread mainly through casting runners which sprout new plants.

I suppose there's an analogy to be made here about failing to reach full potential through flawed thinking and planning, but I'll leave that to you.

Click on photo to enlarge. Copyright 2005 James Jordan

Communing with creation

There is more to Grand Marais, Minnesota than stopping by the Beaver House for lures and ammunition before heading up the Gunflint Trail into the Boundary Waters area. There's getting up at 5:00 in the morning to enjoy the sunrise on the harbor. Call me a party animal, but there's something about experiencing God's creation totally undisturbed ... the soft breeze, the haunting cry of loons, the gentle lapping of waves on the rocks. It makes me thankful to be a part of this marvelous, wonderful creation.

Click on photo to enlarge. Copyright 2005 James Jordan

Walleye and the Beaver

I got a nice e-mail yesterday from Bill Cronberg, the proprietor of the Beaver House, in response to yesterday’s post.

Thanks for the comments regarding our big fish. It is probably one of the most photographed structures in town. The idea originated from my oldest son, Marty who dreamed of creating the Walleye and having it go through the roof and out the front door. He conceived the idea while a teenager, (he is now in his late 40's). He was able to bring his dream to fruition about 15 years ago when a local artist collaborated with Marty on the construction and then painted the lifelike walleye.

National Geographic, Discover and several other magazines and newspapers have taken pictures of it as well.

Friday Fun Photo

It's not everyday you come across a building with a 30-foot walleye piercing the roof and front corner. But every day is not every day in Grand Marais, Minnesota. Guys up there take their hunting and fishing very seriously, and as far as I can tell the Beaver House enjoys a steady, if unspectacular business selling hunting and fishing gear.

Their specialty, besides the giant walleye which seems to have dropped from the sky, is the house brand of fishing lure, called a Beaver Flick. I know what you were thinking. Shame on you. As far as I can tell from the locals and the Beaver House web site, they are quite blissfully unaware in Grand Marais of the double meaning in their signage. Or maybe it's brilliant small town marketing. No matter.

As stated by the proprietors, Beaver Flicks "are proven fish catchers. They have been used locally with outstanding results. Now our problem is to let the rest of the world know about them."

I'm doing my part to let the world know. You can do your part. Link here, then let your friends know about this post.

The world must know.

Click on photo to enlarge (if you dare). Copyright 2005 James Jordan

On a more serious note ...

Today is my wedding anniversary. My wife and I have enjoyed 27 trips around the sun together. This photograph of said sun was taken at one of our favorite places on earth, Door County, Wisconsin. Baileys Harbor to be exact.

The strange hue of the morning sky was the result of smoke from forest fires that were busy consuming Colorado at the time.

Every life has some trouble. It's pretty much inescapable. My family has had its share. But I think this photo shows there is beauty to be found in the tough times, too.

It's been a great ride.

Fit for a Queen

Early in her reign, Queen Elizabeth II took a whirlwind tour of the outer reaches of her kingdom. Her majesty arrived in Bermuda in November of 1953. One of the places the queen toured was the Gibbs Hill Lighthouse. Along the walk up the hill to the lighthouse, she paused to admire the view. This photo gives you an idea of what the Queen saw. I would be pretty certain that she approved of the view. I sure liked it.

Here is a view of the lighthouse itself. You can climb 185 stairs to reach the crow’s nest at the top of the tower. The Queen declined the offer. On my less than royal visit to Bermuda, I went for it. At the top of the stairs, a four-foot tall doorway leads out to the open-air platform, some 360 feet above the ocean below. It’s dizzying. This photo was taken from the crow’s nest in a stiff 20-knot wind by a guy who doesn’t particularly care for high places.

You’re welcome.

Click on photo to enlarge. Copyright 2005 James Jordan

The above historical information is true. Mark D. Roberts today explores what happens when historical fact mixes with fiction.

In the Pink

Everything is pastel in Bermuda. The houses (see the Bermuda pink moongate house, below), the churches, the businesses … even the charter fishing boats. Guys wear pink in Bermuda.

Bermuda’s overriding aesthetic can be traced to the 1930s and the work of the Trade Development Board, who tightly dictated the look and feel of the islands to try to regain what was at that time a lagging tourist trade. The TDB has very successfully created and maintained the “brand experience” of the island by tightly controlling building codes, zoning, even dress codes. Some tourist guides claim you can still be arrested for dressing too casually in Bermuda. Heavy-handed, but effective.

I found this boat docked in St. Georges harbor. The cheerfully compliant houses create a pleasant backdrop along with the Creator's water and sky. I don't believe God is required to meet code in Bermuda. More than likely He was grandfathered in.

Here’s one artist’s take on what could be the very same boat in the photograph above.

Click on image to enlarge. Copyright 2005 James Jordan

Distorted Reality?

This is a side street in Hamilton, Bermuda, late on a Sunday afternoon. Few businesses are open on Sunday in Bermuda, so empty streets are a common sight. The combination of buildings built on a steep incline and the distortion of the wide-angle lens creates a bit of a Dali-like warping of reality.

But it was real. I was there. Really.

So one has to wonder ... Is there one reality with one set of truths, or multiple realities with multiple sets of truth? I'm banking on one reality.

Click on photo to enlarge. Copyright 2005 James Jordan


Anti-Itch Meditation has some comments about Mike Tyson's version of reality.

Legend of the Moongate

Moongates are ornamental gateways and are very common in Bermuda. Originally from China, they are constructed from stone and usually found at garden entrances. Folklore holds that good fortune will fall on those who pass through a moongate. This particular moongate employs strategic placement. Just leaving home and coming back again gives you two shots of luck.

I don't personally believe in luck. But being in Bermuda where you could pass through a moongate would be fortuitous in and of itself.

Click on image to enlarge. Copyright 2005, James Jordan

Up On The Roof

Sometime you have to go out on a limb - or up on a roof - to get a unique image. I was walking along the ocean shore in Bermuda and saw these stucco stair-step rooftops, which are common on the island. To get a good amount of surf and sky in the picture, I realized I needed to be higher than I was. So I climbed up on a nearby roof (with the owner's OK) to get the view I was after.

Yeah, it takes some technical and artistic skill to get exceptional pictures. You also have to be willing to do things that the vast majority of photographers are unwilling to do - like get up real early or, in this case, work to find a unique vantage point.

In whatever I do, I try to do it in a way that 90% of everyone else hasn't thought of doing. I figure that puts me in the top 10% of the field.

Click on photo to enlarge. Copyright 2005 James Jordan.

The Color of Life

One thing I aim for when making pictures is capturing rich, saturated colors. I use intermediate to professional grade films and make use of filters to really try to pop the colors. If anyone is interested in the details, let me know and I can cover it in a future post.

Life is full of rich colors, yet many people see only muted colors, if any at all. My relationship with God has helped me to see the rich colors that have been provided for all of us. My photography and this blog are an attempt to capture and convey what I’ve discovered. If anyone is interested in those details, I can cover that as well.

Peace.

I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. John 10:10

Ever Have A Week That Feels Like This?

Door County, Wisconsin is the peninsula that forms Green Bay. Highway 42 travels the length of the 60-mile stretch of land. One mile from the tip of the peninsula, the highway takes a series of strange jogs. No one seems to be certain why the road does this. The best explanation I’ve gotten from the locals is that the road crew simply took the path of least resistance and paved over existing wagon paths, which also took the path of least resistance in the heavily wooded area.

Sometimes my life takes some interesting twists and turns and it feels like I’m getting nowhere. But even though the road curves severely, I can be confident, that with God's help, I will eventually get to my destination.

… being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:6

Speaking of twisting roads and destiny and all that, Mark D. Roberts today concludes an excellent series of lessons learned from “Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith.”

Photograph copyright 2005 James Jordan

The Big Picture

My wife and I arrived at Wind Point Lighthouse north of Racine, Wisconsin under cloudy skies. Conditions were not conducive to getting a good photo. But we decided to wait it out to see if the skies might not clear a bit before sunset.

The sun did come out just before it set, which didn't leave a lot of time to set up and get a photo. I had wanted a silhouette of the lighthouse with the sun behind it, but too many clouds remained, creating a dull backdrop. I kept fumbling with different filter combinations to try to salvage the picture, but to no avail.

Then my wife whispered to me, "Look behind you." The most gorgeous display of pink, blue and gold had formed behind me as I had desperately tried to make "Plan A" work. I raced to the other side of the lighthouse to capture it against this providentially supplied backdrop. I’m thankful that my wife literally saw the big picture.

Sometimes we can get so focused on what we think is the solution to a particular problem that we fail to notice the answer that God may be supplying, if we’ll only take some time to look around.

Copyright 2005, James Jordan. Click on photo to enlarge.

One Man's Garbage Can Is ... Well ... Another Man's Garbage Can

When I was about five, my father gave me a Kodak Brownie box camera. I loved it and would photograph everything in sight. Actually, I would look down into the viewfinder and click the shutter. Putting film in the camera was not yet a concept I fully grasped. Of particular interest to me were garbage cans as subject matter.

Knowing about this early photographic predilection of mine, my wife gently chides me for creating a "garbage can" photo whenever I capture an offbeat subject. For some reason this life guard's chair off Evanston, Illinois caught my eye. My wife waited patiently while I made several shots, and then reminded me about garbage cans.

Later on, I sent a number of Lake Michigan shots to a publisher of travel guides. I threw this one in at the last minute as a "heck, why not?" entry. Out of several dozen shots submitted, guess which one the publisher chose? Yup.

Moral to this story, if the picture interests you, it will probably interest someone else. Go ahead and take it.

Click on photo to enlarge. Copyright 2005 James Jordan

Anti-Itch Meditation explores decision-making on his post "Decision Making and the Will of Me."

And by the way, if you can figure out the meaning of this photograph, leave me a comment. I'm still trying to figure it out.

A Life's Work

I came across this old farm implement along Highway EE in Door County, Wisconsin. I was struck by the rustic beauty of the setting and took several photos of various pieces of equipment sitting in the meadow. I was struck later by the visual irony of this photo. Here was a piece of machinery that was once used to destroy the grasses and wildflowers that now grace the scene. Looks like the flowers got the last laugh.

To be sure, this implement was used in a noble task - to break ground to feed a family and perhaps others. But its lasting legacy is now to point to a time long past.

I'd like my legacy to go beyond "he sure took care of his family." I'd like to leave some footprints of lasting beauty on my journey.

May the favor of the Lord our God rest upon us; establish the work of our hands for us – yes, establish the work of our hands. Psalm 90:17 NIV

Light of Liberty

I grew up during the Vietnam War. Early memories recall Walter Cronkite on the evening news giving the weekly casualty reports. It was somehow comforting that the enemy numbers were always bigger than ours. It gave me hope that we were winning. Kids in my class at school talked about their older brothers receiving draft notices and being sent to Vietnam. I fully expected to be sent there myself when I finished high school.

The war and draft ended before I started my senior year. While I know some who have served, I don't personally know anyone who was killed in the line of duty. And I guess that's the point. The few have served their country - and some given their lives - so that the many may enjoy the benefits of freedom.

For that I am thankful.

The photograph below is of 30 Mile Point lighthouse at Somerset, New York. Click on photo to enlarge.

Mark D. Roberts has additional thoughts on Memorial Day.

Here's Looking At You

Hey, it's Memorial Day. Why not go to the zoo? Pack up the younglings and don't forget to take a camera (my younglings are too big for this now - see yesterday's post).

This photo of a snow leopard was taken at Chicago's Brookfield Zoo. There was a very tall and stout chain link fence between us, which was good. It was hard to read what this guy was thinking - friend, foe or food. A 70-210mm zoom lens set fairly close to the chain link threw the fence out of focus to the point of becoming nearly invisible. You can see traces of the fence in the edges of this photo if you look hard. I could draw a parallel about how taking a long view of things takes the edge off the problems of today, but I'll spare you.

I had this photo up as a wallpaper on my home computer until my wife asked me to change it. She said she didn't like how the leopard's eyes followed her around the room. I guess that makes this an effective photo. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Zoos are great. Lots of exotic wildlife along a leisurely stroll. Neither photographer nor animals are in a hurry to get anywhere. Photographing animals in the wild requires a ton of patience and an extremely long lens, of which I have neither.

This guy does it the hard way.

© 2005 James Jordan

The Course Of Our Days

In looking for a photograph of a lifespan, the best I could do is this one of day lilies, taken in my backyard. Not too bad a choice. Day lilies beautify the day, rest, and then do it again the next day. And again. Until they die. Not a bad pattern to follow.

Today my youngest child graduates from high school. Her three older siblings are in various stages of creating their own lives. Some 6,500 days ago, I remember thinking about when my youngest would be finished with high school, how old my wife and I would be, and how very far away that day seemed to be.

That day is here.

So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.
Psalm 90:12

Technology vs. Beauty
Sometimes the good things in life can get in the way of the best things.


© 2005 James Jordan

Tranquility, Part 2

Another tranquil setting. This is Kangaroo Lake in Door County, Wisconsin at 5:30 in the morning. The lake was smooth as glass. All was quiet except for the song of birds in the trees behind me. Nature at rest.

I mentioned yesterday that it takes some work to find tranquility. God's character is peace. It takes some doing to cut through the clutter of my life to get to the peaceful clearing where God dwells. But there's no other place like it.

Become complete. Be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you. (2 Corinthians 13:11)

Click on image to enlarge.

© 2005 James Jordan

Tranquility, Part 1

You have to get up real early to get a photo of tranquility. And even then it's not a sure bet. This shot in Grand Marais, Minnesota required rising at 5:00 a.m. and trudging through a light mist to the harbor. A blue filter added some interest to an otherwise gray scene.

Tranquility is just as elusive in everyday life. It takes work to find it. But it's there, somewhere among the busyness and general hubbub. Having the right filter helps there, too. More tomorrow.

Click on image to enlarge.
© 2005 James Jordan

Always a Plan B

Drove all afternoon to get to the Great Lakes' premiere lighthouse. Hoping sun would stay out to throw light on the scene and keep the sky interesting. Find lighthouse. Find spot on shore. Set up tripod and filter pack. Watch sun go behind cloud. See sky turn blah. Muted colors. Nothing special. Take pictures anyway.
© 2005 James Jordan

Plan B

Import mediocre photo into Photoshop. Decrease levels. Increase contrast. Shift tones to blue. Add lens flare. Moody. Ethereal. Northwoods mystique. You can almost hear the loons.

(Click on image for enlarged view.)
© 2005 James Jordan

Artificial Light

People can easily impress themselves with their ability to create and control their own destiny. That is, until the real Creator comes along and dwarfs even the best of what people can offer. Humankind's understanding and creation of light is laughable compared to the One who said, "Let there be light." Heck, we're still trying to figure out how the stuff works.
© 2005 James Jordan

Extreme Ballooning

For any of you who ever held a cluster of helium balloons and wondered if you could lift off into the air if you only had enough of them, John Ninomiya has the answer – yes, you can. John flies in a harness on which are attached clusters of giant helium-filled balloons. Releasing ballast – usually jugs of water – causes the cluster to rise. Descent requires slicing balloons open with a knife (John carries several with him on each flight).The rest is up to the wind.

John is a licensed hot-air balloonist who took up flying cluster balloons five years ago. Describing his hobby as a cross “between an extreme sport and a personal eccentricity,” John is one of only a handful of cluster balloonists in the world. He is currently engaged in “States of Enlightenment,” a multi-year project in which John will make at least one cluster balloon flight in each of the 50 states.

Last July, John attempted a cluster flight at the Wausau Balloon Festival as part of the Wisconsin leg of his U.S. balloon tour. The morning flight was cancelled due to inclement weather, but things cleared up later in the day to make a late afternoon flight, and a little bit of history, possible.

Clicking on the images, below, will enlarge each image.

Helping hands. A dozen volunteers arrive early in the morning to fill helium balloons and assist John Ninomiya on his Wisconsin cluster balloon flight. (Click on image to enlarge.)

© 2005 James Jordan

Harnessing helium. John Ninomiya (center right) directs volunteers attaching giant helium balloons to the harness he will use in Wisconsin's inaugural cluster balloon flight. (Click on image to enlarge.)

© 2005 James Jordan

Strapped in. John Ninomiya straps himself into the harness of his cluster balloon. In the foreground is the equipment he will take with him on his flight. (Click on image to enlarge.)

© 2005 James Jordan

Ready and waiting. His cluster balloon fully assembled and ready to go, John Ninomiya awaits clearance from the FAA to commence flight. After a lengthy wait, it is determined that the flight will not occur due to low clouds and poor visibility.

© 2005 James Jordan

Back to square one. John Ninomiya returns to the airport hangar in the back of a pickup truck after his cluster balloon flight is scrubbed.

© 2005 James Jordan

Wait and see. A frustrated John Ninomiya is consigned to wait until the weather clears before accomplishing Wisconsin's first cluster balloon flight.

© 2005 James Jordan

Clear skies. The skies over Wausau clear up in the afternoon ... perfect weather for John Ninomiya to attempt the first cluster balloon flight in Wisconsin.

© 2005 James Jordan

Off to the launch area. John Ninomiya's cluster balloon is led to the launch area at the Wausau airport by several assistants.

© 2005 James Jordan

Launch! John Ninomaya completes the Wisconsin leg of his "States of Enlightenment" cluster balloon tour.

© 2005 James Jordan

Dusk at Portland Head Light Station, Portland, Maine.
© 2005 James Jordan

Welcome to my travelogue

Along every journey through life, there are people, places and circumstances that serve as points of light along the way. You know them ... friends, parents, mentors, dreamers, special places you return to every so often. Every contact adds richness to the person who is you.

This blog is a record of people, places and things that have caused me to stop and wonder at the marvelous passage we call life. And like a good traveler, I have photographs to share. Feel free to join me on this travelogue ...