Autumn – Page 7 – Michael Stephen Wills Photography

Mass Bloom 2023

September 17, 2023September 16, 2023 MichaelStephenWills7 Comments

Our “cereus” summers on a water barrel poolside, this year, 2023, over 40 blossoms opened over the course of a week in September.

Captured with the Canon EF 50 mm f/1.2L USM lens.

These were captured with the Canon EOS 5D Mark IV dslr on a Manfrotto tripod.

“Epiphyllum (“upon the leaf” in Greek) is a genus of epiphytic plants in the cactus family (Cactaceae), native to Central America and South America. Common names for these species include climbing cacti, orchid cacti and leaf cacti.”

Captured with the Canon EF 70-300 f/4-5.6 L IS USM lens.

Click me for another “Cereus” Post.

Cliff Stairs IV

A Wall with Moss Padding

August 24, 2023August 20, 2023 MichaelStephenWills5 Comments

Pam examining thick moss growth on the sedimentary rock of Treman gorge. These layers of shale, sandstone, siltstone formed at the bottom of a broad, shallow sea over 380 million years ago.

Click photograph for a larger view. To do this from WordPress Reader, you need to first click the title of this post to open a new page.

Towards the bottom of the 223 Cliff Stair steps moss takes over the Devonian shale of the cliff wall surface. Here, the cliff shelters the wall from sunlight 365 days a year.

Robert H. Treman New York State Park.

Click for a slideshow of this sequence Lucifer Falls and Cliff Stair Views

Lucifer Falls Overlook from the Gorge Trail — Brink of Lucifer Falls

Copyright 2023 All Rights Reserved Michael Stephen Wills

Cliff Stairs III

“Red-shanks”

August 23, 2023August 20, 2023 MichaelStephenWills12 Comments

This geranium species (scientific name Geranium robertianum) are also called “Herb-Robert” for a reputed ability to ward off disease.

Click photograph for a larger view. To do this from WordPress Reader, you need to first click the title of this post to open a new page.

Cliff Stair Wall, autumn Geranium and mosses

Scottish Highlands residents call these wild geraniums “red-shanks” for the deep red color of the stalks, seen in both photographs.

This geranium species (scientific name Geranium robertianum) are also called “Herb-Robert” for a reputed ability to ward off disease and, in the Scottish Highlands, “red-shanks” for the deep red color of the stalks, seen in this photograph. Robert H. Treman New York State Park. Source, “How to Know the Wildflowers” by Mrs. William Star Dana, 1989, Houghton Mifflin, Boston.

Robert H. Treman New York State Park.

Source, “How to Know the Wildflowers” by Mrs. William Star Dana, 1989, Houghton Mifflin, Boston.

Click for a slideshow of this sequence Cliff Stair Views

Copyright 2023 All Rights Reserved Michael Stephen Wills

Cliff Stair Wall, autumn with fern generations

Cliff Stairs II

read the sign

August 22, 2023August 20, 2023 MichaelStephenWills11 Comments

Each autumn, species of fern turns yellow towards a winter death. Here we see growing from Devonian shale, both the yellowed and desiccated fern fronds. Robert H. Treman New York State Park.

Click photograph for a larger view. To do this from WordPress Reader, you need to first click the title of this post to open a new page.

Click for a slideshow of this sequence Cliff Stair views

Pam on the Cliff Staircase — Lucifer Falls from Rim Trail Overlook

Copyright 2023 All Rights Reserved Michael Stephen Wills

Cliff Stairs I

Pam pauses for a photograph

August 21, 2023August 20, 2023 MichaelStephenWills10 Comments

On a day in late October 2017 Pam and Mike did a photography walk. Here is Pam pausing to pose during a descent into the gorge on the cliff staircase after visiting the overlook high above Lucifer Falls, Robert H. Treman New York State Park in the Finger Lakes Region.

Click photograph for a larger view. To do this from WordPress Reader, you need to first click the title of this post to open a new page.

Grasses, hemlock saplings, goldenrod, spent leaves and ferns on the wall of the 223 Cliff Stair steps.

Click for a slideshow of this sequence of Lucifer Falls view from the overlook.

Copyright 2023 All Rights Reserved Michael Stephen Wills

First Day

Spring Equinox

March 28, 2023March 26, 2023 MichaelStephenWills3 Comments

Thank You for exploring with me the South Rim trail of Taughannock Falls State Park on this first day of Spring 2023.

Photographs with video from this walk, with nature sounds and music in 4K HD

Click photograph for a larger view. To do this from WordPress Reader, you need to first click the title of this post to open a new page.

Here, before the epynmous creek flows over the falls, glacial outflow carved this deep canyon through relatively soft sedimentary rock.

Click me for another Taughannock post, “Cuteness Brea k.”

Copyright 2023 All Rights Reserved Michael Stephen Wills

Lighthouse Point 5

Sundry elements

December 30, 2022November 26, 2022 MichaelStephenWills2 Comments

Uncategorized details from our Lighthouse Point adventures.

Seen from a resting place, a bench just off the trail and before the causeway.

A humble and fertile weed.

On a bright early November day Pam and I walked to Lighthouse Point. Ithaca, Tompkins County, New York

Before the parade of mast-like iron poles was this wooden one where it was apparent there could be no light on the white tower without power.

On top and under the surface

Look closely, children

A demon greeting

Copyright 2022 Michael Stephen Wills All Rights Reserved

Lighthouse Point 4

The Views are the Reward

December 29, 2022November 25, 2022 MichaelStephenWills3 Comments

Here is the south end of Cayuga Lake on a bright November afternoon. Stewart Park is enjoyed by Ithacans year round.

Everyone is a fan of the Willows framing the lake views.

Can’t get enough of Stewart Park..

An unzoomed view, to give an idea of the distance across the water.

Pam and I have great memories of sailing this stretch from our years of membership in Cornell Family Sailing.

The east lake shore.

The West Lake Shore. This photograph captures the electric line that powers the Red Tower light. Seagulls enjoy that causeway…I’ve never seen humans walk it.

Lighthouse Point 3

At the White Tower

December 28, 2022November 25, 2022 MichaelStephenWills4 Comments

The quarter mile jaunt over the causeway yields the reward of this view up the White Tower…..

…and this vantage of the Red Tower, the west shore of Cayuga Lake leading down to Crowbar Point in the distance, colored by Autumn.

The shore is privately owned, some lake houses are visible. To the right are moorings of the Ithaca Yacht Club.

A closer view of the Red Tower.

White Tower graffitti.

My thoughts exactly…

Lighthouse Point 2

Causeway

December 27, 2022November 25, 2022 MichaelStephenWills12 Comments

Post 1 of Lighthouse Point provided an impression of our hike along the golf course, from there we turned onto this wooded path on the shores of Cayuga Inlet.

First view of the paired Lighthouses marking the Cayuga Inlet. The white tower is connected to shore by a causeway something less than a quarter mile in length. The red tower marks the other side. These navigation guides allow boats to safely enter the channel exiting the south end of Cayuga Lake. The Erie Canal connects to the north end, allowing access to the Great Lakes and, eventually, the Atlantic Ocean.

The 4-foot-high step up to the concrete causeway path is an insurmountable obstacle to some. I managed to clamber over.

Looking back to shore….

Rusted iron poles support the electric line for the white tower. They remind me of ship masts.

The straight shot back to shore.