Winter Solstice Sunset

Ice formations, caused by waves. Lake Arthur, in Moraine State Park.

Heaven and the Horizon

It’s a beautiful day to be outside among the clouds so white…
Take me to the valley depths and show me to the light…
The space between horizons is colored in sapphire blue…
Midnight stars of Orion shine while holding hands with you…

Read the rest here…

Sometimes, it’s the simple sunsets that I really love.

Waves, frozen in time… Waiting for the next warm spell to come alive.

plant petunias and question everything – chriscondello

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Mountain State of Mind

“Standing Tall” – © chriscondello 2013 – Coppers Rock State Park – West Virginia – Saturday morning hike on Ravens Rock Trail… I almost skipped this photo as I thought it was of nothing… After a second look… I realized it summed the entire hike up perfectly… I can say I saw very little on the ground… As my head was in the trees the entire time…

Head in the trees… Mind is up high…
Sandstone cliffs and clear blue skies…
Old growth forest scent and smell…
Mountain laurels cast their magic spell…

Even the birds get it… The deer and the bees…
All are made possible thanks to the trees…
Only when we all learn to get along…
Natural harmony… Creates a natural song…

So today we put feet to a mountain…
Climbed to the top… A sandstone fountain…
Stood on the edge feeling powerful forces…
Yet power lines manage to cross these gorges…

You heard me… Wires through my view…
Unfortunately seen by only a few…
How did the power company afford this?..
Vista views… Surrounding are priceless…

And in the middle of a state park?..
Someone must have surely been in the dark…
At least they didn’t fence off this scenic spot…
Eliminate visitors… What city folks call hot…

Sometimes we simply live with the beast…
Money can buy a forest or a feast…
But somehow we all need to play nice…
Before the earth is covered in ice…

Global warming leads to global cooling…
Think about it… I’m not really fooling…
Heat makes the ice pour into the sea…
A deadly formula for you and me…

Well… I guess it’s more about you…
I’ll be dead and gone before that comes true…
I’ll probably be south of heaven…
Eternally working a ghetto 7-11…

Unless I put my money in the churches can…
Illegitimate… Extortionist… Son of man…
Wait a second… I went off track…
This is about trees… Let me bring it back…

Died on a cross… A cross is made of wood…
How is that supposed to make me be good?..
If god can’t stop destruction… Then man will…
But god will take credit… Like man just stood still…

He will ask for your money… 501-c3…
Then act like his services are totally free…
10 percent is the fee for a heavenly favor…
Ask for forgiveness from our lord and savior…

Because Eve made Adam eat the forbidden fruit…
Because if I designed a paradise…
I would include one fruit that would damn all of eternity…
And tell you not to eat it…
I call that a dick move…

But I get it…

An ode to the mountains of West Virginia… Proof that… When you meditate on something the size of a mountain… Though you may be able to keep your feet on the ground…

Like the mountain… Your head will be in the sky…

plant petunias and question everything – chriscondello

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Natural Obsession

“Stuffed and Stacked” – Sculpture – Created 4/7/2013 – © chriscondello 2013 – Frick Park, PA

Bare limbs crisscross against a baby blue sky…
Waving to me on the ground…
The wind through the trees… A cool spring breeze…
Filling my mind with the sound…

Like leaves blowing on the silent forest floor…
Ebb and flow like the ocean waters go…
Clearing the bluffs and filling the cracks…
Silently covering my carefully chosen tracks…

When suddenly I’m feeling electric…
Not alone here… Not the only eclectic…
Surrounded by nature… She keeps me alive…
Teaching me to live, love and ultimately thrive…

The trees’ keep me in the presence of god…
But occasionally one must fall…
Everything falls… But the strong get back up…
Healing the results of the ecologically corrupt…

Hidden in the forest I tend to feel peace…
Create my art in a naturally made place…
Away from your eyes… Far from your space…
Created for a photo… I leave no trace…

peace – chriscondello

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Searching For Color

“Selfy” – Sculpture – © chriscondello 2013 – Created on 4/7/2013, and destroyed on 4/7/2013 – Frick Park,PA – As soon as I saw this log, I knew I needed a big stone… My natural self-portrait…

Today, I spent four hours hiking around Frick Park looking for wildflowers. Although the flora was few and far between, I managed to find inspiration in all kinds of places. I plan on taking weekly wildflower/art walks in Frick Park for the rest of the season, my goal is to photograph and identify all the native flowers of Frick Park…

For info on Frick Park click this link – http://pittsburghparks.org/frick

I have a goal of photographing a few native orchids this spring, I will need advice on places to look for them. If you can offer some tips, please email me… Do not post location info in my comments… Please email them ONLY…

“Burnt Sienna” – © chriscondello 2013 – Frick Park, PA – A boy and his father were walking in front of me today, the boy slipped and fell on his ass leaving a red scar. I noticed the red color from a distance, like the ground was bleeding…

“Spring Beauty” – Claytonia virginica – © chriscondello 2013 – Frick Park, PA – Color was scarce as the flora has yet to spring forward, but I found this gem hiding on a steep slope.

“Cornelian Cherry” – Cornus mas – © chriscondello 2013 – Frick Park, PA – I was rather excited to see some life on a tree, not sure what kind of insect that is but I am guessing that it is a beneficial.

“Complimentary Colors” – © chriscondello 2013 – Frick Park, PA – This was a lone mound of moss situated at the top of a trail.

“Stoned” – Sculpture – © chriscondello 2013 – Created 4/7/2013 – Frick Park, PA – The tree rings are what initially attracted me to this log, and the hole looked like a bullet hole. I sat down to take a break and noticed one round rock in a sea of sharp ones, this stone needed to be featured.

“Toadshade” – Trillium sessile – © chriscondello 2013 – Frick Park, PA – Just a few days early, I will be back for the flowers.

“Stuffed and Stacked” – Sculpture – Created 4/7/2013 – © chriscondello 2013 – Frick Park, PA – As I climbed to the top of a ridge to look for fossil bearing limestone, I stopped about half way up to catch my breath. In front of me was this tree and a few rocks, this was the result…

peace – chriscondello

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Relate With a State Park

© Ed Cheech Piskor

Everyone has moments they remember…
Memories that seem to pop out of the dark…
This dream takes me to a massive rock…
Sitting in the beautiful Elk State Park…

Halfway up the side of a mountain…
Yet close enough to smell smoke…
My brother, myself and a friend sat silently…
Enjoying the sights while we toked…

To the right the air was hot and rising…
To the left it was cool and falling…
We laughed about the things to come…
And listened for you to come calling…

This feeling is one I will never forget…
The sounds, the sights, the plants and trees…
Oh the sounds and sweet sweet trees…
A few of the things that put my mind at ease…

A half mile up from a crystal clear river…
Next to a tree that recently fell…
The cool air smells so pure and pristine…
Feelings I don’t have to sell…

It’s rare to be around people I trust…
In a place with friends that let me be me…
My girlfriend, family and a handful of friends…
Are the only ones that let me be free…

The forest has nothing but love for me…
In a way you can say we relate…
Someday I’ll buy a big chunk of land…
Hopefully somewhere up State…

peace – chriscondello

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