Category: Work

Hammond Hill Walk I

Buttercup Meadow

MichaelStephenWills5 Comments

Hammond Hill New York State Forest is visible as an alluring height from many places of Tompkins and Cortland Counties. It is not on the list of tourist destinations, very popular for locals to mountain bike, and cross country ski at an advanced level for the steepness of some trails that wend over this high hill.

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Buttercup Meadow

The beauty of this wildflower meadow took me by surprise. The pink flower is a Bouncing Bet, AKA Soapwart. Scientific name Saponaria officinalis. The genera name is from the latin root for soap, “sapo.” The juice of the plant mixed with water can whip up a lather. Thus, also its common name, Soapwart.

The meadow is almost entirely buttercup. Click me for a post about a member of the buttercup family that is the first to flower.

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To be continued…..

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Stealing a Shot

Father and Daughter

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These people clambered up for a shot while I was set up to capture the scene at the perfect light. They wasted my precious moments of light. Luckily, I managed captures while the child was out of sight, shared in yesterday’s post. These photos were accepted by Getty as “editorial” content.

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Giant’s Chair

at sunset

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Here is a formation seemingly created to capture the human imagination. I spent time attempting to get it right. At one point, the setting sun emerged from the clouds to light the scene.

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Pam’s Views of the Causeway V

Baby-Finn

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For Pam’s return trip I recall a favorite episode of Finn McCool’s, the mythical hunter-warrior associated with the Giant’s Causeway. Fearing a match with an opponent sure to defeat him, Finn relied on the wits of his wife, Oona, who dressed him up as a baby. She made griddle cakes, hiding an iron skillet in one or two. The giant, given the iron cakes, suffered broken teeth. Baby-Finn wolfed his cakes down. Overawed, the giant fled back to Scotland, fearing to face the man who’d grow from a baby such as that, tearing up the road (The Giant’s Causeway) behind him, to prevent Finn from following.

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Pam’s Views of the Causeway IV

The Far Extent

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Pam hiked as far as the Red Cliffs. Click me for more information about these deposits of weathered volcanic rock.

The cliff trail ended at a barrier, with sunlight running out Pam turned around.

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Pam’s Views of the Causeway III

Dangerous Cliffs

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We know of the danger of cliffs from our Finger Lakes Gorges. That solid edge can be anything but.

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  • The Cliff Path
  • The Boradening View of the Causeway
  • Ever Onward
  • These Railings are appreciated
  • Read Me
  • The Path Beckon

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Pam’s Views of the Causeway II

Walking the Giant’s Causeway

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Pam continued past the Causeway, exploring other features on a path along a broad, rocky beach.

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  • Finn McCool’s Boot
  • Zoom on the boot
  • View Back Toward Causeway
  • The Organ
  • The Organ, close
  • View of the Causeway as the path climbs.

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Pam’s Views of the Causeway I

Walking the Giant’s Causeway

MichaelStephenWills9 Comments

While I was living the dream on the pile, Pam took a long walk up the cliff. Here is a series of photographs she snapped with the Samsung Galaxy.

Pam explores the entry (click for my post “Volcanic Dike”) and walks by the Causeway. We see it here from the back side. The lines of columns is striking.

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Loopy VII

Welcome Distraction

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This Finger Lakes Trail / Treman Park / Cayuga Trails Loop concludes with these incredible trees and flowers

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A Memorable Juniper

The diversity of Fleabane throughout North America is simply enormous.

  • Fleabane Daisy

We end at the beginning. Here is more information about these flowers, in the captions.

  • Buttercup Going to Seed
  • Seeding Phlox

Copyright 2019 All Rights Reserved Michael Stephen Wills

Loopy VI

Welcome Distraction

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The Red Trail makes a turn up a slope of 10,000 year old glacial till. Here a side trail leads to a woodland waterfall.

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  • Fish Kill

Copyright 2019 All Rights Reserved Michael Stephen Wills