Category: travel

Across the Plain

Across the Plain

Sere grasses

MichaelStephenWills3 Comments

The Finger Lakes are formed by a series of inclined planes spread across central New York State.

Here we look northwest across the land between Cayuga and Seneca lakes, all forests and farm land. Seneca Lake is not visible,15 miles distant, and the Finger Lakes National Forest in between.

The only town is Hector, New York, population 4,854 in the 2,000 census. The foreground are sere grasses, a field of beef cattle and pond.

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  • Across the Plain
    Across the Plain
Click to view this series on Getty.

Ladies View 1

Derrycunihy Townland, County Kerry, Republic of Ireland

MichaelStephenWills3 Comments

Here we are, on the road from Kenmare to Killarney, N71, part of the Ring of Kerry around the Iveragh Peninsula. The view was celebrated by Queen Victoria’s Ladies-in-Waiting during an 1861 tour of Ireland

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  • Ladies View, Killarney National Park, Derrycunihy Townland, County Kerry, Republic of Ireland.

Copyright 2021 Michael Stephen Wills All Rights Reserved

Autumn Apple Orchard, landscape orientation

compare portrait vs. landscape orientation.

MichaelStephenWills10 Comments

Unharvested apples on the ground and branches of this apple orchard off Black Oak Road on the slopes of Connecticut Hill, Newfield in the Finger Lakes of New York.

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  • Autumn Apple Orchard, portrait
Click to view this series on Getty.

Autumn Apple Orchard, portrait orientation

apples cling into winter

MichaelStephenWills5 Comments

Unharvested apples on the ground and branches of this apple orchard off Black Oak Road on the slopes of Connecticut Hill, Newfield in the Finger Lakes of New York.

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  • Autumn Apple Orchard, portrait
Click to view this series on Getty.
Connecticut Hill Autumn View with Cayuta Lake

Black Oak View

Autumn Ridge

MichaelStephenWills1 Comment

Black Oak Road approaches Connecticut Hill from the north. At this point a long view to west opens up that include Cayuta Lake and the distant highlands of Seneca Lake.

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Click to view my Finger Lakes photography on Getty.
Bostwick Road, October

Autumn Road

A Long View

MichaelStephenWills14 Comments

Here we have a vista of Bostwick Road descent off West hill into the Enfield valley and, then, in the distance, up Harvey Hill. Late autumn foliage graces the scene.

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  • Bostwick Road, October
    Bostwick Road, October
Click to view this series on Getty.

George Washington Bridge to Schuylerville 2021

Happy Thanksgiving to all you Road Warriors

MichaelStephenWills12 Comments

Throughout my life, beginning with trips between Long Island and Tucson, Arizona for college…throughout young and mature adulthood to return to the family home for celebrations…in my 40’s, 50’s and 60’s caring for aging parents and now, in retirement, researching genealogy I have travelled this route over the George Washington Bridge, over Manhattan, through the Bronx, then over the Throgs Neck Bridge to Queens County, Long Island and always as the driver. This is the first time being able to document the route with a quality camera. Driving here requires the total attention of the driver, the traffic, reading unfamiliar signs…..what a treat to sit and snap. Here goes.

On Interstate 80 then 95 moving through Bergen County and Fort Lee, New Jersey.

Over the George Washington Bridge, upper level.

  • New York City skyline with “supertalls”
  • a bridge worker
  • Manhattan Island
  • It is possible to walk / bike ride over the bridge.

Into the Bronx via the imfamous Cross Bronx Expressway…..trucks from across the continent funnel through here.

Glorious fall foliage on a perfect autumn morning.

  • A Schuylerville home

Cayuga Lake Bench View

Last Hike

A sllideshow

MichaelStephenWills26 Comments

Thank You for exploring the South Rim trail of Taughannock Falls State Park on the last perfectly sunny autumn day of 2019.

A sunny November Walk

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  • Autumn Oak Leaves, detail
  • Acorn Still Life
  • Chipmunk eating acorn
  • The Brink
  • The Why for the Bench
  • Welcome Summertime Shade
  • Left Behind or an Offering?
  • Leaf Carpet on South Rim Trail
    Leaf Carpet on South Rim Trail
  • Oak Leaves, forest floor
    Oak Leaves, forest floor
  • Understory Autumn
  • Hemlock Shadows
    Hemlock Shadows
  • Rock Elm, autumn
    Rock Elm, autumn
  • Glimpse of Cayuga Lake
    Glimpse of Cayuga Lake
  • Gorge View with Oak Leaves
    Gorge View with Oak Leaves
  • Glory on Gorge Road
    Glory on Gorge Road
  • Cayuga Lake Bench View
    Cayuga Lake Bench View
  • Taughannock Gorge, November
    Taughannock Gorge, November
  • Three Sisters, Taughannock Falls gorge wall.
    Three Sisters, Taughannock Falls gorge wall.
  • Into the Gorge
    Into the Gorge
  • Distant View with Hemlock
    Distant View with Hemlock
  • Oak and Hemlock
    Oak and Hemlock
  • Gorge Road, early November
    Gorge Road, early November
  • Upper Falls
    Upper Falls
  • South Rim Trail, early November
    South Rim Trail, early November
  • Last Flower with Moss, early November
    Last Flower with Moss, early November

Click me for the first post of this series, “Cuteness Break.”

South Rim Trail, early November

Lone Elm

Among Hemlocks

MichaelStephenWills13 Comments

A Rock Elm, late to turn in autumn, stands among a hemlock grove on the South Rim Trail of Taughannock Falls Park, Finger Lakes Region of New York State.

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  • South Rim Trail, early November
    South Rim Trail, early November

Bronx Autumn 2021

MichaelStephenWills4 Comments

I captured these during a trip through the Bronx, returning on a perfect fall afternoon from our outing to find Grandfather Wills’ resting place: Bronx River Parkway, Moushulu Parkway, Henry Hudson Parkway then over the George Washington Bridge to New Jersey. The trees were in their glory.

  • On ramp to the Bronx River Parkway, this as the next three.
  • Love the parkways — no commercial (trucks) traffic.
  • Home from market
  • Family after school meal.
  • Red on Red

I had a session using a tripod for longer exposure shots and neglected to revise the camera settings for shooting on the run from an auto…so the photographs are not as sharp as they could be.

  • Henry Hudson Bridge
  • George Washington Bridge from the Henry Hudson Parkway
  • Here, on both sides of the river, are sites of Revolutionary War forts.
  • O
  • The on ramp to George Washington Bridge

New Jersey from the Transcontinental Interstate Route 80 connecting New York City to San Francisco and all point in between.