Snowy Days

“I wonder if the snow loves the trees and fields, that it kisses them so gently? And then it covers them up snug, you know, with a white quilt; and perhaps it says, "Go to sleep, darlings, till the summer comes again.”
― Lewis Carroll

Our fuzzy pup, Betsy!

She sniffs the snow and gets a snow beard. She loves it.

Can you see the snowball coming right at me?!

I used a cover for my camera and shot through it sometimes. It gave the images this dreamy affect.

Betsy loves the water anytime of year.

These geese came it so close! I love that they left the snow on their backs.

Snow Adventures Day 2

Snow beard is out!

Dead coyote

Betsy living her best life.

One of my favorite pictures of Betsers :)

Philadelphia to Boston to Maine: The Summer Road Trip Begins

As in any Compass & Canvas endeavor, we sought the primitive, the historical and the abandoned to raise awareness for preservation, protection or potential renewal.

Passing through NYC for the first leg of our epic Eastern tour of America.

The trip started with a stop in Boston. Its rich colonial history is well preserved and well known, needing little introduction. One could easily spend a weekend in Boston walking the Freedom Trail, but we found ourselves drawn to the Boston Harbor Islands. The National Recreation Area surprises in its feeling of remoteness considering its proximity to Boston.

We envisioned overcrowded islands serving as an extension of the Boston Waterfront, Georges Island serves this purpose, but from there a free ferry transfer can take you to more remote islands. We caught a ferry from Long Wharf North along the Boston Waterfront, it is only $17.00 dollars to board a ferry or $12.00 if you have a student ID and then transfers are free.

Arriving at Georges Island, where you can transfer to different islands in the park. 

Besides providing transfers to the other islands, the Civil War era Fort Warren stands on Georges Island and it has been maintained to the point that the park service allows visitors to basically have free-range in exploring.

Descending stairs that go to nowhere inside Fort Warren on Georges Island.

We chose to catch a transfer to Lovells Island, one of the outermost islands. With limited ferries, Lovells provides a secluded opportunity for exploration. The island also houses a few man-made structures used by the Army up until World War II.

Inside the structure pictured above.

I love rocks -- end of story. 

Birds contemplating the destruction of humans -- nbd. 

Crabby + sassy!

Just make sure you don’t miss the last ferry home!

The ferry that was going to leave us stranded on Lovells Island.

Zack's "mad" face.

When visiting preserved history in Boston one can’t forget to catch a baseball game. It provides a look into the sports fan experience of the early 20th century, particularly the narrow halls that seem to hold in the heat and steam from the concession stands and the thousands of people moving through them.

Much different from the open concourses that wrap around modern stadiums.

Fenway Victory Gardens, the oldest continuously operating Victory community garden that was started during World War II. 

After leaving Boston we continued north to Maine. Maine’s coastline is a tribute to preserved natural beauty enhanced by picturesque structures whether they be forts, light houses or coastal towns. Acadia National Park was our final destination with a few stops along the way. The Portland Head Light in Fort Williams Park and the coastal town of Wiscasset, ME, with its famous Lobstah Rolls at Red’s Eats, are two such examples.

We stopped at the International Cryptozoology Museum, the only museum specializing in creatures such as Bigfoot (actual footprints shown in the case above!), the Loch Ness Monster, and so many more that I  didn't know existed. 

A glimpse of the head light itself. 

One of the stops we made was at The Desert of Maine, which is both strange and disappointing. It is 40-acres of what seems to be sand but is in fact glacial silt. 

Acadia is a compilation of donated land that became the first National Park on the east-coast. If you want to move freely throughout the Park make sure you arrive early. Like way before sunrise early! You should also bring a map because network coverage is very spotty. The park also surrounds plenty of harbor towns if you need a break from exploring.

The early morning drive to see the sunrise on Cadillac Mountain.

Even though we woke up way before dawn, there were many people there already. Next time I'm staying up all night. 

First people to see the sun that day! Woot, woot!

Wild blueberries line the side of Cadillac Mountain, a perfect snack for watching the sun come up. 

Acadia National Park is a great to visit because it is so accessible. The loop drive winds around Mount Desert Island, making every place you stop scenic and beautiful. 

A tired seagull.

Sand Beach

If you need refreshments or a break from so much nature, Bar Harbor is an adorable area with ice cream and shopping. My personal favorites. 

This is a view from our cabin at Patten Pond. 

Bass Harbor Head Light otherwise known as the place where Zack was yelled at by photographers for "getting in the shot." 

More rocks, more love. 

One of the stopping points on the loop, Seawall, is a naturally occurring rock seawall. 

Creatures hide in between the rocks at Seawall, however this is not where you find the starfish. 

In Southwest Harbor we stopped at Beal's, an infamous lobstah roll restaurant. 

In classic Tayan fashion, we ordered too much food. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

At long last, we found starfish in Southwest Harbor. I think they really enjoyed the trash in the area. Who knew. 

After a few days in the park we decided to drive away from the coast and farther north into the Maine wilderness. In most cases such a massive swathe of undeveloped land would be very difficult and time consuming to access, but a well-maintained private logging road that runs from Millinocket, Maine to Quebec known as the “Golden Road” provides a path into this remote region.

Starting our way toward the "Golden Road," in northern Maine. 

The moose that we almost passed.

Moose caboose. 

A lake we stopped at to enjoy the dwindling sunlight. 

On our way home from Maine we decided to make a pit-stop in Salem, Massachusetts as it offers the opportunity to walk through some of the oldest houses in America with the added allure of the evils of the Salem Witch Trials.

One of the houses on the House of the Seven Gables property in Salem. 

Salem is a strange struggle between wanting to down-play the evil that happened there, and also relying on it to generate tourist revenue. This divide can be very clearly seen by the two different emphasizes in two of the city’s oldest original houses. The House of the Seven Gables provides a look into the more affluent lifestyle of those who lived between 200-300 years ago; and the Witch House provides a look into the home of Judge Jonathan Corwin, one of the men who presided over the trials.

Inside The Counting House, which was originally a place where sea captains conducted much of their business, such as balancing accounts or paying fees. 

The Witch House, or Judge Jonathan Corwin's house. 

Plus earlier this year a study used primary documents from the time of the Salem Witch Trials to pin-point the location of the hangings. They estimate the location to be on an overgrown hill behind a Walgreens, so naturally we had to investigate.

The entrance to the possible place where the women were hung. 

Tune in for the next leg of our epic Eastern tour of America - West Virginia, Kentucky, and Tennessee! 

Buck Hill Inn | The Heart of the Honeymoon Capital of the World

The Poconos are still thought of as a vacation destination, but the “Honeymoon Capital of the World” is not what it once was.  Many of the luxurious mountain hideaways have closed, but that doesn’t mean these spaces in nature should no longer be enjoyed. Buck Hill Inn will soon be demolished by Smart Recycling Inc. rather than renovated or preserved.  We are grateful to have been able to collect these images before it was too late.  It is sad to lose such a historic landmark, but we can only hope that in doing so, more people will be able to enjoy nature responsibly.  

Buck Hill Inn is a quintessential representation of the decay the resort industry has undergone in the Poconos.  Built in 1901 with a number of large additions over the span of its 89-year life and surrounded by natural attractions including waterfalls and swimming holes, its age and size is unmatched among the abandoned resorts.  

The resort property is owned by Buck Hill Falls company and is not open to the public.  The grounds are patrolled by security guards, so this large swathe of developed land and a vast amount of the surrounding forest is not open to the public.  Those curious about the "Honeymoon capital of the world" will soon not have the chance to explore and enjoy the beautiful architecture, while imagining the potential for such a space.  

We decided to explore the series of waterfalls and swimming holes along Buck Hill Creek first.  Trails ran from the Inn down to the stream, so visitors could take a short stroll for a swim.  We hiked in from High Acres Park off of Creek Road, Barrett Township.  

The following morning we explored the inn at sunrise.  Hiking from PA-390, Cresco.

Flooded structures across the road from the Inn.

The view from our approach.

We found a floor plan from 1985, helping with navigation through the dimly lit estate.

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Overlooking the West Wing

The Observation Roof

Indoor Pool

Walking up from the complete darkness of the below ground first floor.

One of the main halls on the Lobby Floor.

The Greenery Luncheon Restaurant 

Exploring the Delaware Water Gap Part II - The Hunt

The other recreational activity Zack has introduced me to is hunting.  The Water Gap has provided Zack and his family hunting adventures and wild fare for over 10 years.  It took some convincing, with promises of “free-range, steroid-free” meat and remote photo-shoot locations, but this past spring we embarked on a hunt for wild turkey. However, I quickly realized in observing the nuances of the hunt and Zack’s intimate knowledge of the area that has come from hunting the area for so long would provide plenty of unique photography opportunities.  Here is a general guideline for the process of turkey hunting and some photographs along the way.

Locating Turkey Populations

Before the hunt can begin the turkeys’ approximate locations must be found.  We narrowed our search to old farm fields and the wooded ridges that surround them.  Some of the fields are completely over-grown now, some are mowed and others are still leased out and used for farming.  All make for great turkey habitat.  Turkeys can be located using any number of calls impersonating a turkey.  Zack uses a “box call.”  It is ideal to find their location just before dark because the turkeys roost in trees for the night, so you know they’ll still be there in the morning.

A Lynch Box call.  The underside of the lid has a thin layer of chalk and is scraped across one side of the box.

This hen (female turkey) was getting ready to roost in the area close to where we decided to hunt.

Preparing our camp for the night.  We slept in the car.

The Morning Hunt

The key is to get close enough to where you think the turkeys are roosting, but not too close as to alert them of your presence.  The turkeys must be lured to you using a call, but using a decoy turkey can also add incentive, if you can find a spot open enough for the decoy to be visible while also offering enough cover for hiding.  As the sky begins to lighten, the turkeys begin to talk to each other.  We knew their approximate location, so we tried to plant ourselves amongst them in hopes of luring one within range.  All morning we could here them calling in what seemed like every direction, but no luck.

A Browning semi-automatic for the hunting and a Mindshift backpack for the photographing.

The Late-Morning Hunt

In New Jersey turkey hunting is only permitted until 12pm to prevent hens from being disturbed as they hunker-down in their nesting areas for the afternoon.  In the final hours before noon Zack likes to find a sunny-open area, preferably on a ridge close to a stream and take a little nap.  After putting our decoy out about 30 yards from us, we relaxed under cover amongst dense vegetation surrounded on all sides by a mowed field.  Zack would pop his head up every 15 minutes to look around and call.  Sure enough, after about an hour two turkeys came out to investigate.  The result was turkey chili. 

Looking out from our hiding spot amongst the brush in the middle of the field.

Turkey down!

Filling out the turkey tag.

Finishing the job

Shooting the turkey is not the end of the hunt.  After properly tagging and checking the turkey in at the proper location, the task becomes removing and cleaning the meat.

The turkey "beard."

Plucking the breast meat area.

After enough of the feathers are removed cut along the sternum to remove the breast meat.

After the breasts are cut out, the skin can be pealed away from the drum sticks (basically turning them inside-out) and then cut them away from the body.

If you missed part I of our favorite things to do at the Delaware Water Gap, click here. 

Bass River State Forest Valentine's Weekend

In honor of our Valentine's Day photo shoot, I decided to answer some questions prepared by Zack, my boyfriend and master navigator, concerning our time in the woods, so that you can read over them as you peruse my photographs from Bass River State Forest.

Where did you spend your Valentine’s Day?

Zack and I decided to go to Bass River State Forest in the Pine Barrens of New Jersey to rent a cabin-like structure called a Lean-To to spend a “snuggly” Valentine’s Day.

How were you convinced to spend Valentine’s Day in freezing conditions in a Lean-To heated only by a small wood stove?

I think the phrases “cozy” and “it won’t be that bad” were used. I also couldn’t fathom how cold it was going to be. The thing I hate most about camping are bugs and I thought, “This is going to be great. All the bugs are dead, no worries.”

How cold was it?

It was record lows all weekend, single digits. It was frigid and numbing. There were other people that decided to brave the elements that weekend. We weren’t the only crazy ones.

What did you think of the Lean-To when you first saw it?

Well, to start, I had envisioned a cute, cozy cabin. The lean-to was neither of these things. It’s one room with a wood-stove and our inflatable bed (the kind that needs a pump, which naturally, I forgot) took up most of the space. 

How was spending the night in the Lean-To? Did the wood-stove work?

There was minimal insulation in the walls, not much between you and the elements. It was definitely cold, like see your own breath cold. I stuck my hands in the stove, almost in the fire itself, but it was not enough. The stove did work to an extent. There was one night where we had a hard time starting the fire, which made it hard to do anything else except think of how to get warm. The lean-to, as small as they were, did not get as warm as I thought.  

What did you eat for your V-Day dinner?

We brought red wine, which got so cold that we had to store them in front of the fire. We cooked some turkey chili in a pot on top of the wood stove.  We brought some cheeses, crackers, and olives, our favorite snack. We definitely did not have to worry about chilling the food.

What were your impressions of the Pine Barrens and the BATONA Trail?

The Pine Barrens are creepy. It was only heightened by the fact that we didn’t see or hear any wildlife, even the animals seemed to know it was too cold.  I could only hear the occasional sounds of the trees. The wind didn’t blow much, so everything was so still. It was unreal, but the lighting and the eerie stillness made for some great photos.  The Pine Barrens are very flat, so it made for easy walking along the well maintained trail.  Everything looks the same in the Pine Barrens, if you venture of the trail its easy to get lost.

What wildlife did you see?

Nothing. It was weird.

How was hiking in the freezing conditions?

It was difficult, but I’m glad that I did it. I didn’t have great gloves. My hands would be really stiff when I would try to take a photo. We wore facemasks because it was just too cold to have your face uncovered. My eyeballs even felt cold. With all my layers I looked like a creature from Lord of the Rings.  

Any advice for braving the elements?

Invest in the gear. Having a great jacket really makes a difference. Pack many layers. Don’t forget to keep drinking water, even if it partially freezes, you can still get dehydrated. This was the first trip that I used my new MindShift backpack. This bag made it easy, especially in these elements, to access different lenses with the rotational pack that swings around your waist.

Bartram's Gardens

I was looking back on some photographs that I took this past year and I found these: a trip to Bartram’s Gardens. Now looking at them months later I forgot how much I really enjoyed that place and the prospect of warm weather.

“I took a walk through the woods and came out taller than the trees”

— Henry David Thoreau

"Every flower must grow through dirt"

"Bloom where you are planted"