Fall Color On A Dull Day

Sometimes the color of fall can jump right out at you. I recently found some of the best fall colors on a dull day at a lake.

On Tuesday I had to go to Rocky Gap Lodge for an install of a couple of MFP's. As I drove up to the lodge I could see that the trees on Evitts Mountain, across Lake Habeeb from the Lodge, were of magnificent colors; even though the day was cold and overcast with snow flakes blowing around.

I just happened to have my camera with me (I always do) but I went into the Lodge first and did my work. You know, once work is done you can take a few moments to take in the view and then head back to the office. An hour and a half later I was finished - the work in the Lodge - and I knew that it would be late afternoon, and I was hoping that the sun had not popped out from behind the clouds; I wanted to keep the soft light, as the combination of it and the moisture seemed to be making the fall colors glow.

The first four photos were taken from the amphitheater area looking across the Lake and the last two were taken from the lower level of the guest parking lot on the far side of the Lodge.

All of these photographs were taken with a DSLR and an 18-105 lens. They were cropped, optimized and resized for web viewing in Photoshop Elements 6. As I mentioned before, these were all taken in the vicinity of Rocky Gap Lodge next to Rocky Gap State Park just a few miles outside of Cumberland in Western Maryland.

The view of the fall colors is across Lake Habeeb on Evitts Mountain. This is a beautiful area all year round. Besides the Lodge there is also a camp ground and a few chalet's within the park itself. When you come to Western Maryland you will want to stop for a visit or maybe even spend a few days here. As you do - enjoy.

Yeah, this too is part of my world. You are invited to visit it and you are welcome to it.

Looking Out My Back Door

Sometimes the most interesting sights can be found where you least expect them. I live just a couple of miles outside of Cumberland in the suburbs. We're just a few minutes from town in an area that's like living in the country and it's great where I live.

So, lets take a little detour from the views of Cumberland and take a look at what I see in and from my own backyard; looking out my back door.

Just a few steps up the hill from my back door and I can see this most beautiful scene. The season are changing and the trees are starting to come out in all of their fall glory.

If that isn't enough, just looking out my back door, or from the swing in the backyard, and I can watch these little critters. This one here I'm not sure if he knows how to take me. I talk to him and he will just look; must wonder what the heck I'm doing. It's like he's trying to figure out whether or not I'm friendly, crazy or both.


He likes to startle me by jumping from one tree to another - over my head - especially when I don't know he's there. I swear he will look at me afterwards, chatter like crazy and do it with a grin on its little face. Now I know that's not possible but it's fun to think it is.


Now these three photos were taken with a DSLR and an 18-105 lens. The lens has image stabilization built in and allows me to take sharper photos at slower shutter speeds. Helps a lot as well with other shots; hands become a little less steady the older you get :-)

Anyway, these are different views of my world; like living in the country. I'm not wealthy but we do OK; bills get paid, gas prices are coming down and we can eat again. Just kidding. We go to work in Cumberland everyday, and then we can come home to this. And I can share all of this with the most wonderful wife of my youth. What more can I ask for? Well a pay raise couldn't hurt, but that's another story :-)

Yeah, this is my world and you are welcome to it.

City Of Steeples

No matter which way you look, when you are in Cumberland, odds are very good you will see one or more Steeples. Cumberland has always been a city of strong faith and, for the most part, it still is. But even a building of non-faith like the County Court House can dominate the skyline.

I don't have any pictures to show, but at night all of these spirels are lit and they make quite a site as you drive through on the freeway.

Anyway, when you come to town, whether you see them at night or during the day you will enjoy seeing these "points" of interest, and they speak volumes of the history of Cumberland.

As usual, to see any of these photos larger just click on them and then hit your back button to return to these pages.

The first photo, looking up the Potomac River towards Cumberland and the last photo of Heaven opening were taken with a Point & Shoot camera, the rest were taken with a DSLR and a 28-200mm lens.

As an aside note, the bottom photo was taken from my place at work through a second story window. As I saw this starting to happen I only had time to run to grab my camera and get off one shot as the clouds overcame the sun. This was just a one time occasion.

Yes, these are views of my world. I love it and you are welcome to it.