Abandoned Treasures

 

Abandoned Treasures

While looking for ghost towns, Jeff and I came across a few treasures that were abandoned, just like the towns…

Mellow Time

A quote from William Allingham seemed the most appropriate sentiment, not only for autumn, but also for this image.  The warm color of the leaves still on the tree relaxes you and invites you to sit back, enjoy their color, and just chill.

Shotgun House

A house you can see all the way through from front to back was called a shotgun house.  This view through this deserted house look a bit like a manmade tunnel.  The colors of the walls from outside and proceeding through to the back doorway, offer a bit of a rainbow in the tunnel!

Wood and Nails

The outside weather has worn this wood into something magical.  The tones of the wood, from dark brown to almost translucent gold makes the popped nails truly stand out against the golden tones.  The crisscross of the wood panels adds some texture and pattern in a bit of a random way.  It all fits together to form an interesting design.

Enjoy!

 

 

Treasurers of Lost Dutchman Mine

 

Treasures of Lost Dutchman Mine

No, we didn’t find the mythical Lost Dutchman Mine in the area around Apache Junction, Arizona.  But we did see some treasures the area had to offer!

Sunrise at Lost Dutchman

One morning, while camping at Lost Dutchman State Park in Arizona, we happened to be up and about just as the sun was rising over the Superstition Mountains.  Although the sky promised a sunny day, the west side of the mountains and shrubbery was still in shadow, creating a very serene, peaceful scene.

Desert Bloom

Along the road called the Apache Trail, just outside of Apache Junction, Arizona, I spied this lovely example of the sort of “desert bloom” one can see in the high desert climate.  Enough moisture for this tree to get a good start on life, but not enough to sustain it in the long run.  The ruggedness of the area, and the dry, barren look of the tree, just seemed perfect for a black and white version of this scene.

Enjoy!

Note:  These images are available in a variety of sizes and formats from my online gallery at https://fineartamerica.com/profiles/nadine-berg.

 

Lagoon Series

 

Lagoon Series

While at a Dead Horse Ranch State Park in Arizona, Jeff and I went for a morning stroll among the series of lagoons in the park.  Although we didn’t walk around all of them, it certainly has given us a reason for a return trip – to see what the rest have in store for us….

Fall Morning

As Jeff and I walked a path around some lagoons at a state park in Arizona, the air was calm and the water still.  The fall colors of rich gold, green and touches of brown radiated a warmth that couldn’t help but infect the spirit.

Calm Morning

When the weather is turning from summer to fall, a walk on a calm, clear morning will cure just about anything that ails a person.  If you look closely, you can see a fisherman on the shoreline.  When I walked by him and asked what he expected to catch, he replied “Nothing”, with a big smile on his face.  Somehow, I don’t think he was there for the fish.

Nature’s Calm

It’s not often that I’m in the perfect place at the perfect time to get such a wonderful reflection of nature.  The reflection of the mountains, trees, and grasses are offset by the cattails in the foreground and the moss on some sunken logs..  It’s a perfect start to the day.

Morning Constitutional

Even the ducks have to get some exercise; in their case, it was on the way to breakfast!  The warm sunlight lit up the mountains and the treetops, while the cool shade enveloped the ducks and presented a nice contrast to a serene scene.

Mirror

Sometimes the most enchanting views are right at our feet.  That was the case with these sea grass plants.  The morning was perfectly calm, and allowed for me to capture what looks to be a mirror image of the grass.  It’s almost mesmerizing in its simple elegance.

Enjoy!

Note:  Each of these images is available in a variety of sizes and formats from my online gallery at https://fineartamerica.com/profiles/nadine-berg.

 

Arizona Relics

 

Arizona Relics

The Southwest is a great location for finding old treasures, relics from the past.  Here are three we came across while driving down a road close to where we were camping.

Deserted Home

This deserted cabin was set a bit back from the road, just like a nice home would be.  Although, to be honest, I’m not even sure the road I was on was even there when this place was built.  Still, I do like the way the tree sort of frames the cabin, and the green hills behind it.

Not so Easy Rider

This car was sitting alongside a road down which we traveled.  I think it was meant as a sort of advertisement of a junk yard back from the road by about a quarter mile.  I’m not generally drawn to old cars, but this one seemed to have a bit of character still clinging to it – like it knew it was “hot stuff” when it was in its prime, and didn’t feel like it lost too much of that!!  The lines are fairly classic, and it looks like it was a snazzy turquoise color – and a convertible, to boot!

Past Life

As my husband and I drove along a country road, we saw a deserted cabin, one of my favorite photography subjects.  I captured what I felt was the spirit of the cabin, and then decided to create a digital collage, because a simple photograph just wasn’t enough.  I can imagine someone living there in the past, perhaps reconciling the books of their small ranch in an aged ledger.  I can also see them writing to family in far away towns or cities.  As the seasons change, birds call out a welcome or farewell.  To us, a simple life.  To them a full life worth living.

Enjoy!

Note:  Each of these pieces are available in a variety of formats and finishes, from prints, to masks, to journals and everything in between!  Visit my online gallery at https://fineartamerica.com/profiles/nadine-berg.

Country Samplings

As Jeff and I drove around the Eagle Nest area, we traveled down a dirt road that had several picnic or campground sites available for the taking.  At a couple of these, I was lucky enough to see these wonderful blooms.

Eye Level

Yes, I really had to get down to eye level with a sunflower – and it was well worth it!  The day was perfect – no wind so I could really capture the sunflower’s simple beauty up close!  It reminds me of laying in grassy meadows when I was a kid.

Shoreline Blooms

Along a small creek, I happen to notice these blooms. They are so small, they would be easy to miss.  I’m glad I was moving slow enough to notice them.  I really like the small tree branch behind it.  The rustic feeling of that contrasts nicely with the delicacy of the bloom.

Enjoy!

Eagle Nest Wonders

 

Eagle Nest Wonders

Although there were some lovely sights in the area around Eagle Nest, these two stood out for me.

 
Sunflowers and Tree

While driving down a country back road, I saw these happy sunflowers, backed by a beautifully shaped tree.  The scene was too pretty not to capture and share.

 

Rain at Eagle Nest Lake

Eagle Nest Lake is largely surrounded by the state park bearing the same name, near the town of the same name in New Mexico.  Although lovely to see up close, sometimes the only way to truly appreciate something is to take a step back, and that certainly seems to be true in this case.  Rain in the distance accompanied by sun makes the scene just about perfect!

 

Enjoy!

Sampling ofDaisies

 

Sampling of Daisies

I took many photographs of daisies around our campground in Red River, New Mexico, and after processing all of them, I thought these were special enough to be highlighted in my gallery in Fine Art America.  Take a look…

Faces Lifted

This bunch of daisies just seemed to be destined to be a digital watercolor, so how could I argue.  Found alongside the road in our campground, their happy faces just seemed to love the sunshine on a late summer morning.

Perfect

It’s not often that I find an absolutely perfect daisy growing alone, separate from the rest.  The simplicity of this image is very striking to me.  You can almost meditate while gazing at it.

Blown Away

As I was photographing daises while on a camping trip, the breeze began to blow, as it tends to do.  I waited patiently (well, semi-patiently) for the breeze to pause, and when it didn’t, I just decided to go with the flow, and see what portrait I could get.  I like the feeling of motion; it reminds us that nothing stays the same in Nature.

Enjoy!

Note: Each of these pieces are available for purchase at https://fineartamerica.com/profiles/nadine-berg.