Lens Artists Photo Challenge #245 – Environments

For this challenge our host Tina asks us to highlight environments we have experienced.

My husband and I have always enjoyed traveling. When our children were young and we were both still working we only had a limited amount of time and money for vacations. Our favorite vacation environments were campgrounds. We started out tent camping and later moved up to a pop up camper.

For many years we spent time in the Florida Keys at least once a year where the tropical environment revolves around the water.

After our kids were grown and we retired, we bought a fifth wheel trailer to travel around the United States and Canada. We enjoyed sleeping in our own bed at night and not having to pack and unpack as we traveled in our home on wheels. Our camping environments changed from place to place but our favorite places to camp were where we were surrounded by nature.

We made our last RV trip in 2019 and started enjoying different environments when we travel. During our 2019 trip to Ireland and Scotland our environments included cities, small towns, countrysides, and ancient castles.

When we stopped taking the RV on trips our travel environments changed from campgrounds to motels by the interstate, a historical hotel, a quaint inn, a condo near Orlando, and our first stay in an Airbnb.

We discovered a new to us travel environment last year when we took a cruise to the Caribbean and another to Alaska. It was wonderful to unpack once, have the room cleaned twice a day, enjoying delicious meals that I didn’t have to cook, and a different environment in every port.

Many thanks to Tina for this challenge Lens-Artists Challenge #245 – Environments

Lens Artists Photo Challenge #244 – Glowing Moments

For this challenge our guest host Siobhan asks us “What glowing moments have been special in your life?”

Watching the sunset is always special. My first image is of a glowing sunset over the Caribbean Sea.

Nature provides a special glow in the garden when a bee stops for a drink on yellow flowers.

Bee on Rue

While camped at a campground with a view of the Devil’s Tower I was treated to this magnificent view of the monument when I walked outside at sunrise.

Devil’s Tower National Monument at sunrise, Wyoming

Sitting beside a glowing campfire is a relaxing way to end the day.

Glowing Campfire

One of my favorite things to do in Ireland was listening to music in the pubs. These Irish musicians performing in a Dublin Pub had me tapping my feet and clapping my hands.

Glowing Pub lights in Dublin, Ireland

One of the most spectacular sunsets I’ve ever seen was this one we saw from our campsite on the beach in Ninilchik, Alaska at 11:00 pm.

Mount Redoubt sunset in Ninilchik, Alaska

Many thanks to for guest host Siobhan of Bend Branches for this challenge Lens-Artists Challenge #243 – Glowing Moments

Lens Artists Photo Challenge #241 – Spring

Sylvia asks us to show what spring means to us.

To me, spring doesn’t begin on a specific date on the calendar. For me, it is spring in Coastal Georgia when the azaleas and Dogwoods are blooming, when there is new growth in the garden, and when the St. Patrick’s Day celebrations begin in Savannah and Tybee Island.

Spring Azaleas
Spring Dogwood Blooms
Forsyth Park Fountain turned green for St. Patrick’s Day, Savannah

To me, spring also means working in the garden beds and watching birds at the bird feeder.

Male Painted Bunting at the Feeder

Sometimes we like to travel in the spring. The next images show some of my favorite spring blooms from our travels.

Many thanks to for Sylvia for this challenge Lens-Artists Challenge #241 – Spring

Lens Artists Photo Challenge #240 – The road (most often) Taken

Many thanks to John for this challenge and for mentioning my WanderingDawgs blog in his post. He asks: “For this week’s challenge, I want you to think of your favorite type or style of photography as the road you’ve chosen to take most often.”

I enjoy many types of photography but I my favorite is nature photography.

Coastal Brown Bear Cub, Haines, Alaska
Pelicans, Florida
Monarch on Mexican Sunflower
Bee in the Butterfly Garden
Flame Azaleas on the Blue Ridge Parkway

Many thanks to for John for his challenge Lens-Artists Challenge #240 – The Road (most often) Taken

Lens Artists Photo Challenge #238 – Alone Time

Ann-Christine’s challenge is Alone Time. She tells us ”Alone time means time spent by an individual or a couple apart from others. It is often used to ground oneself, or to do something creative.” She asks us to share our thoughts and share what we use our alone time for.

I treasure my alone time. Sometimes I just want a quiet place to sit and do nothing. Other times I like to read or grab my camera to find something to photograph. Working in my garden or working on my blog posts are other ways I spend alone time. When we are at home I often enjoy some alone time in the rope swing shown in the above image.

Traveling to a remote national or state park is a great way to enjoy some time alone. Being far away from civilization allows me to enjoy the nature around me.

Alone at sunrise in Flamingo, Florida, Everglades National Park
Alone in the Okefenokee Swamp, Fargo, Georgia
Alone in the Denali Wilderness, Denali National Park, Alaska

Closer to home, we can take a boat ride to one of Georgia’s deserted barrier islands and be the only people there.

Many thanks to Ann-Christine for her challenge Lens-Artists Challenge #238 – Alone Time