FORT PICKET PUMPS & TRIPLE - Route 40, Blackstone, VA - We spotted an old 'Gulf' sign on the side of what appeared to be a large abandoned shed, sitting well off the road, no fence...  Off we go!  Walking up the path, I, being very careful to stay on the path as it is late summer and my fear of snakes is in season, we discover that the building seems to be someone's out-of-the-way storage are, so we are careful not to disturb anything.  As we walk around the shed, what do our wondering eyes behold?  A field of forgotten treasures, a gas pump graveyard!

FT PICKET PUMPS REVISITED & TRIPLE - Route 40, Blackstone, VA - Returning to the original site of the 'Fort Pickett Pumps', we are on a quest to find the owner of this treasure and purchase one of the pumps for our personal restoration project.  On site we are saddened by discovering that the old gas station sign and old vehicles have been removed and upon further inspection witness the destruction of vandals of the pumps that John had originally shot as all that remained was a scattering of broken off pieces to the pumps.  We did explore further on the property and found these pumps remaining, however, it was certainly a wake up call to capture the scenes as we find them as they wont last forever.  It is a disturbing thought to me as we drive down any given road when there is nothing to see, that there may have been at one time but the shot has been stolen or destroyed and we are left with nothing to observe.

We were unable to locate the owner, but were told that he was also the owner of a place up the road, (route 40), called 'Stone's General Merchandise'.  We stopped there as well, but were unable to contact the man called 'Bones' Stone.

As for the shot itself, I personally prefer the new version to the old, as I like the softness of the vines flowing over the harsh, rusting metal and I also prefer the more limited color scheme.  However, my opinion does not reflect the popular vote, as the original shot is still preferred by almost a two-to-one margin.  What do I know?      

I find it interesting that I spend countless hours cleaning and manicuring our lawn, weeding flower beds and polishing our outdoor adornments, when quite honestly, the best shots are the ones that have developed there own character with the effects of time and weathering. The verdict is still out if I prefer the same on humans as I am developing more and more 'laugh lines' aka wrinkles with every passing year.  

BLUE TANK, RED TANK & HD TRIPLE - Although we own Harley-Davidson motorcycles, this selection does not reside in our garage.  These bright and shiny scooters were all lined up beautifully at an event in Orange, Virginia at Waugh Harley-Davidson. 

ORIOLE'S CLOCK & CAMDEN TRIPLE - Baltimore, MD - Whether it's baseball or Baltimore, Camden Yards holds a special place in the hearts of their fans.  A striking arena steeped in tradition and lore.  The statues and plaques that grace its construction give this brick and iron facility a living, breathing soul.  Like many sports facilities, even when empty one can sense an electrifying intensity in the air, with the sounds of 'The Star Spangled Banner', ringing in your ears, the shout of 'Play Ball!' echoing through the stadium, the roar of the crowd and the crack of a bat.  It's amazing that the seats are empty and yet it comes in loud and clear.   

DOMINO'S SUGAR - Baltimore, MD - The true Baltimore landmark glistens across the inner harbor, illuminating the ripples with it's deep red glow.  I have been told that this sign is the largest neon sign in the world, I'm not sure if that's ever or still operating, but it is certainly the centerpiece of this city.  During the day it is a nice sign, but surrounded by much clutter, which the night sky does an excellent job of eliminating.

CIGARS - Baltimore, MD - Another great Baltimore piece, although certainly not as well known as the 'Domino's' sign or Camden Yards.  This entryway is tucked back in a quaint section north of downtown, speckled with boutiques and coffee houses.  Just around the corner from Baltimore's beautiful new symphony hall. 

LAFITTE'S TRIPLE - New Orleans, LA  - On most of our travels we hear claims of the 'tallest this', the 'oldest that', etc., however, while at Lafitte's Bar on Bourbon Street in New Orleans we were informed that it is the oldest bar in the country, we believe it!  And it's great!  I love this place, not made to look old, not renovated to give the 'faux crumbling stone look', not a theme restaurant built around a seemingly seedy, sea-weathered, jug-o-grog kinda atmosphere... it really is a slightly seedy, beaten-down, falling apart bar that is the perfect atmosphere for a N'awlins Hurricane or one of the local beers.  No haughty airs here!  

GULF BAYOU  - Florida's Western Panhandle - Located just across the bridge, (one of the bridges!), from Mobile, Alabama.  This on we found on a tiny little coastal road while doing a marathon gulf coast run from Pensacola, Florida  to the Bayou area beyond New Orleans and back. 

CYPRESS TREE - Lafitte, LA - While in Louisiana one must take an airboat ride!  They are fabulous, especially with the great guides available to pass on some history and folklore.  These were shot in the Barataria just outside Lafitte, Louisiana.

TRACTORS/SIGNS - Pink Hill, NC - This is a great little roadside stop with quite a collection of restored buildings, vehicles, signs, tractors and an incredible collection of farm equipment.

AMERICAN CITY DINER, EAT CLOCK & DINER TRIPLE  - Chevy Chase, MD/Washington, DC -  After a day in the city, we were out of film and starving!  For some unknown reason I was craving the Southern favorite, Chicken-Fried Steak, and Washington, D.C. like most metropolitan cities, have become health conscious, tofu and sprouts eating hubs for ultra-modern cafes and bistros, ie. unlikely spots for battered and grease fried steak with butter laden mashed potatoes and heavy cream gravy.  As we headed up Connecticut Avenue towards the northern part of the beltway, John was pulling over at each restaurant for me to run in and ask, 'Chicken-Fried Steak?'.  My harmless request was met by a myriad of looks from disgust to out-and-out horror, but always by 'No!'.

As the American City Diner came into view, we knew.  John ran across the street to a store to restock on film while I confirmed that this was the spot!  Not only did they have yummy Chicken-Fried Steak, but also an array of ice cream treats, ever popular with John and the girls. I hear that it is quite a popular place around two in the morning as it is an establishment that is open 24 hours a day.

In the 'Eat' Clock' photograph, the forties-style billboard added just the right backdrop to finish off  the shot and is the perfect addition for the triple format piece.

We were fortunate to have a great ominous sky and although it was a form of grayness, the vivid primary colors still popped out beautifully.

TEXACO  - Virginia's Eastern Shore -  It's hard to pinpoint exactly where this shot was taken, as traveling up the Eastern Shore there is one main route, Highway 13 that runs north and south through the Virginia, Maryland and Delaware portions of the Eastern Shore.  My way of getting from Dover, Delaware to Virginia Beach is to zig-zag back and forth across Highway 13 from top to bottom, not unlike a rescue search party. I believe that if one were to travel straight through from Dover to Virginia Beach it may take four to five hours, on this particular trip we made it in just over thirteen.  I'm a firm believer in the rock group Aerosmith's line 'Life's a journey, not a destination!'. 

This shot came from one of those zigs or maybe it was a zag, whatever the case, the signs were on the side of a working barn set of from a pretty little white farmhouse with a wrap-around porch. 

DAILY GRIND - Winchester, VA - Yes, it's a chain company and chains don't usually make for unique roadside photographs... yes, we prefer to celebrate the Mom & Pop establishments along our way... BUT THIS PLACE SAVED MY LIFE! 

On the Fourth day of a five day bike trip, through sweltering heat, chilly nights and seven states, I hadn't had a decent cup of coffee since we left home!  Those familiar with me will know what a dangerous place this is to be.  Only having the bitter brew available at most service stations, or the colored water from mini-marts along the route, in four long days, I was a bit on the cranky side as we pulled into Winchester, Virginia on Saturday morning.  We had been up the Eastern Shore, Thru Maryland and Delaware, across Pennsylvania, to the Railroad Museum, toured the Harley-Davidson plant in York, thru historic Gettysburg, to countless Harley shops, diners, biker hang-outs, down through West Virginia and Maryland, all without the pleasure of my #1 vise.

As we pulled in to town and I saw this sign, the heavens opened up, harps sang, the aroma filled the air and all in life was harmonious again!  John was just happy with the knowledge that he'd be allowed to live to see another day.

COKE BOY - Okay, you'll have to forgive me on this one.  Usually my memory of places is impeccable, but this one slipped through.  I can narrow it down to either Culpepper or Orange, Virginia.  I'll let you know next time through.  I'm sure we will head back as the day we shot this it was quite gray and hazy, so we'll have another go at it.

SHORT PUMP GARAGE - Short Pump, VA - A friend in Richmond, Virginia had mentioned that we should stop by Short Pump at some point, however, it never quite worked out until we were returning from a show in Charlottesville, travelling along Interstate 64 as we were in a hurry to get home, when our beloved little Astrovan started experiencing difficulties.  Of course, I only realized this as the blaring red 'Check Engine' light came on.  We continued toward home hoping it would go away, as there didn't seem to be any change in performance, until spotting the sign for Short Pump and decided that now was as good of time as any to stop. 

Everything was closed so I was unable to determine if this building was still functioning in some way as a general store, personal museum or something entire different, but it did make a great shot.  Especially for the ever-popular Coca-Cola image.

PAPER MOON - Bay St. Louis, Mississippi - This is a picture perfect little gulf coast town!  Great shops, great beaches and really great restaurants.  Although, while it Bay St. Louis, we were quite envious as we did not have our bikes with us and there was a constant parade of  bikes rolling into town. This is, without a doubt, my favorite gulf coast town that I've seen and what a wonderful destination ride on a bike from anywhere, even in February it was an absolutely spectacular riding-weather kind of day!

ROUTE 66 FIN - A High School with good taste along Route 66, this is their front entrance marker into the school grounds.

821 CAFE - Carytown, Richmond, Virginia - I have heard that this sign has been repainted since we shot it just a few months ago... haven't seen it yet, and personally, I like it just the way it was.  We'll see.....

UNION LOCK - Nevis, West Indies - A lock, is a lock, is a lock... but isn't it better when you place it in a tropical paradise like Nevis? 

This is one of John's favorite shots that he has taken.  In an interview I had been asked why it was his favorite, in my response was an interesting comparison that in it's composition it parallels my view of John.  The interviewer, with a chuckle questioned, 'old and rusty? Although I had not thought of that it was in fact humorous, but I continued my insight that this piece is simple and straight-forward with no complexities, but full of character.  However, John will tell you, 'I just like the shot'.  See what I mean?  No complexity!

STONE'S GENERAL MERCHANDISE - Route 40, Blackstone, VA - A great little bright building sitting along Route 40 in the heart of Virginia.  We discovered this building after shooting the 'Fort Pickett Pumps' and with information from one of the local residents discovered that the+e storage area that we had happened upon belonged to a gentleman named 'Bones' Stone and his place was just up the road.  Here it is! 

We were unable to locate Mr. Stone, as the building and adjacent buildings were all locked up, but through the windows of the store we could see that there was merchandise on the shelves as though it is still an operating store. 

I hope at some point we are able to locate Mr. Stone and let him know how much we appreciate his surroundings for both art and a connection to so much time gone by.

LAZY SUSAN BIKE - This one I spotted on a bike trip going up Highway 1, between Richmond and Fredericksburg, Virginia.  If I'd turned my head a half-second later, I would have missed this sight!  Tucked behind a small hill in a field next to a little farm house was this wonderful field of flowers and discarded toys.

H&C COFFEE - Roanoke, VA - One of my favorite shots!  Actually, I like this one for many reasons, the sharp contrasting shadows and direct light, the limited clear colors of black, white, rust and teal, the stark image set in the sky, the old nostalgic neon sign.  Oh yeah, I forgot the first and foremost reason, the well known fact that I LOVE COFFEE! 

Roanoke, Virginia is filled with great Americana and marvelous signs, but this is my favorite.  I had heard that it had been taken down while construction work was in process, but I sure hope they return it to it's spot on the Roanoke skyline, just off Interstate 220.

I had been asked repeatedly what the H&C stood for and did not know, but last year a gentleman was at one of our shows and was a direct descendent of the founders of H&C coffee.  Per his explanation, although, I have no proof other than his word, is that the founders were this clients grandfather and great uncle, Harold & Clarence, hence H&C.  As he further explained, when his father had emerged within the company, he fancied himself a marketing man and thought H&C, for Harold & Clarence was a bit small-time, and from that point forward the H&C was to stand for Hotel & Cafe Coffee.  This seems like as logical of an explanation as any, what do you think?  Fact or fiction?

Great sign regardless!

We have returned to Roanoke on many occasions since this original shot, each time trying to capture this sign in it's full glory, at night.  Each time we have attempted it some part of the neon was out.  Once it was the cup handle and base, then it was the coffee pouring and the coffee in the cup, whatever the case the shot just doesn't work at night unless the entire sign is on, but we will keep trying.  Endeavor to persevere! 

BROMO SELTZER TOWER - Baltimore, MD - Another great landmark in Baltimore, Maryland!  I'm pretty sure the architecture was a knock-off from Italy, but it fits right into downtown Baltimore.

ROANOKE TRIPLE & OPEN ALL NIGHT - Roanoke, VA - I had no idea how many people were from Roanoke, Virginia until we shot these pictures.  Now I'm amazed that there is anyone left living there, as every, and I stress every show that we do, I have scores of people come up and exclaim, 'that's Roanoke... I'm from there!'.  It still amazes me, as we have so many shots from Lynchburg, Richmond, Charlottesville, Norfolk, Williamsburg, Washington, D.C., Baltimore and many more points in the world, but 99% of the 'I'm from there' statements come from the unlikely city of Roanoke, Virginia. Roanoke resides at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains, looking much like in the early days of cross country travel, that Roanoke may have been the last rest area before the great Appalachian Mountains.  And I'm pretty sure that the Texas Tavern was there serving their wonderfully greasy, 'Cheesy Westerns & a Bowl With', that would be chile if you were wondering, just kidding of course, as the Texas Tavern was established in 1930.

This little dive, (an endearing term), is tucked in the booming metropolis of downtown Roanoke, surrounded by umpteen story buildings, Virginia's equivalent to sky-scrapers.  Somehow this little one room building has survived what I can only imagine was the bulldozing of all Roanokes original buildings to make way for the modern city that now exists.  The Texas Tavern has more character that any number of the buildings that surround it and I am sure that it has millions of stories that swirl around within it's tiny walls, this is merely an educated guess from the bits and pieces that I picked up while having a greasy burger sitting at one of only ten counter stools in the place.  I hear that some call it 'the millionaires club' as it is not uncommon to see a millionaire stockbroker sitting on one of the stools, often right beside someone down-on-their-luck savoring a cup of strong, hot coffee that they managed to purchase from discarded coins found or borrowed along the streets.

Witty, politically incorrect signs cover the walls of the T.T., as the locals refer to it, one of which is my all time favorite sign, 'Seating Capacity 1000  -  Ten at a Time!', followed by my second favorite sign having put in alot of restaurant hours in my day, 'Tipping is Not an Ancient Chinese City!'

If you look closely at the Roanoke Triple shot of the Texas Tavern, you will see the sliding, street-order, front window of the establishment which is featured in the spotlight 14 x 14 'Open All Nite' version. 

Great colors... Great signs... Great building... Great Character. Great stories... Great food... Bring Antacid!    

LUCKY STRIKE TOWER - Richmond, VA - Good, bad or indifferent, Richmond, Virginia is filled with tobacco industry tradition.  Even with all the bad publicity it still makes a terrific picture capturing history, nostalgia and the southern landscape.  (Also, looks great with the Bromo Seltzer Tower from Baltimore and/or the Cigar entryway shot)

BLACK CADDY & TWO CADDY'S - Gladstone, Va - These beauties are on one of our regular routes at the old Goldstein's Market on Route 60 in Nelson County, VA, although they could easily be sitting right along-side some of our Route 66 pieces from our trip out west.

SPECTACLE SHOP - Charlottesville, VA - This is one of John's favorite signs, not sure why.  This one sits along the cobblestone downtown mall of Charlottesville, Virginia, although I have had many customers tell me that there is one just like it in Georgetown.  Don't know, haven't seen that yet.

The downtown mall in Charlottesville is a great little area filled with coffee shops, bistros and speciality shops, some traditional and nostalgic and many funky, new-age places.  It's a great mixture as is Charlottesville as a whole, with the old southern city, constantly rejuvenated by the constant flow of youth attending the acclaimed University of Virginia.

CADILLAC RANCH - Amarillo, TX - The Cadillac Ranch is a prime example of all that is and was funky along the legendary Route 66, right in line with such oddities as the 'Tribute to Barbed-Wire', the 'World's Largest Ball of Twine', the 'Gila Monster, Reptile and Dinosaur Quick-Stop and Petting Zoo', trust me... DON'T GO THERE!

As one of the stories go, Stanley Marsh,  a well-known artist was offended in some way by the art community and decided  to mock their arrogance by sticking these automobiles of the Cadillac gender nose first into the great dirt of Texas and call it art!  As time passes the cars fill up with a variety of  graffiti, mostly names, hometowns and dates, once they are sufficiently covered, they are repainted and it starts all over.  A work in progress, so to speak. 

I also think it could be proof that people in Texas might have too much time on their hands... yes, all you people from Texas are welcome to e-mail me and I will forward my sincerest apologies.  But you must understand that I still harbor deep-seeded hostilities against your great state, as having travelled many times from Florida to California, you must admit Texas goes on forever and ever and ever!  You know the sign, 'Next Sign of Life 500 Miles'? I have broken a trailer hitch in San Antonio and lost a trailer down the street, I have been stuck somewhere in Texas broken down with 100 plus degree heatwaves hovering around me, I have been snowed-in outside of Amarillo, Texas for four days missing the December 16, 1987, San Francisco Forty-Niner home game against the hated Chicago Bears, of which I had fifty-yardline tickets, which by the way we won 56 to 14.  But if you feel it necessary, please forward your comments and I will apologize for my Texas crack.  My family in Aransas Pass didn't think it was funny either.

DRIVE-IN MOVIE - Tucson, AZ - Just outside of Tucson stands this pristine Drive-In.  It looks like it might have played one of the classic drive-in flicks, just last night, but it is boarded up and closed for business.  I sure hope the plan is to reopen soon!

ROUTE 66 TRIPLE

One Cadillac- One of the twelve Cadillacs sitting just west of Amarillo, Texas on old Route 66.  They call it 'Cadillac Ranch'.  

Route 66 - Another roadside sign along 66 somewhere in Arkansas.

Pepsi Tower - Bricktown is Oklahoma City where Route 66 turns and heads west.

MOVIE TRIPLE

Motel Villa - Just outside of Tucson, Arizona, (not on Route 66).

Route 66 Restaurant - Another 66 sign in Oklahoma

Drive-in - Also outside of Tucson, not on 66, but they go so great together

TRAINS - Strasburg, PA -The Nickel Plate Train and the Train with Flag were both shot at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania.  Specifically, out back in the Restoration Yard.  The inside museum is fascinating with lots to see and learn, however, inside museums do not offer much for great shots, so we headed outside.  It was our favorite spot, not just because of the open surroundings, but also because of the great group of volunteers that gave us the grand tour and supplied us with a wealth of railroad and train knowledge and trivia.  Thanks guys for the great tour and for all your hard work!

Northern Pacific, Rio Grande, Santa Fe, Union Pacific, Central RR Company & Monongahela- As we left the Railroad Museum, we were headed into Lancaster Pennsylvania and happened upon The Little Red Caboose Motel.  What a great little place, nestled in the lush Pennsylvania foothills, surrounded by Amish farms and quaint little towns.  The motel is a collection of restored cabooses adorned in the many historic railroad company insignias.  We didn't get a chance to go inside any of the rooms, (cabooses), however, I did notice that each was equipped with an air-conditioning unit.  I probably only noticed this little detail as it was July and we were on the bikes.  Next door to the motel was the Toy Train Museum of Pennsylvania, although we didn't get a chance to visit that one.  Next trip!

FIRETRUCK - somewhere along I-95 Georgia or the Carolina's -You must forgive me, as we DO NOT TRAVEL INTERSTATES!  So on this rare occasion that we did, I have no idea where we were.  Interstates are a big blur that, I'm pretty sure, are designed to look exactly the same whether you are in New Mexico, Florida, Carolina or Michigan.  la fête accomplie!  On a fun trip to visit our friends in Florida, we were having 'too' much fun and stayed slightly longer than we had scheduled for, putting us behind on our return trip.  So here we were on the dreaded interstate!  Low and behold we found something of interest to shoot, and we were extra fortunate as a regular customer had just been asking John to find some fire engine shots.

ROLLS ROYCE - somewhere along the Eastern Shore - We found this little gem on our trip home from Dover, Delaware, which is a straight shot down US-13, which is usually a four hour trip, we mad it in twelve.  We zigzagged, east and west, back and forth across 13.  We make alot of u-turns on our many trips, however, this is probably the most memorable, as we were bumping along with truck and show-trailer down a two-lane farm road when we both spotted this sight.  For those of you unfamiliar with our show vehicle, it's a long truck, with a longer extension, about forty foot in all.  Turning forty foot of truck around on a two-laned road is a chore all to itself, but John, as usual, makes it look easy.

The Rolls sits in the middle of a perfectly manicured field next to a charming old farmhouse.  In asking the lady of the house permission to photograph the car, we learned that the Rolls Royce had belonged to her father-in-law and has been left, untouched, in the field as a kind of memorial.  We were granted permission to photograph it, as long as we promised not to reveal it's location.  We have since learned what a wise choice this was, as everybody and their brother wants a piece of this car, (or the whole thing).

Fascinating to me was the chrome, as we did not even touch it, much less polish it.  The chrome has remained in immaculate condition, even the little wheel hubs.  The car is literally falling down around the chrome.

CONCHO CAR - Concho, AZ -  I think if you look up 'Middle of No Where' in Rand McNally, you might just find Concho, Arizona.  It's a great little town (my mother lives there), and she directed us to some hiking areas where we happened upon this wonderful old car just going through the process of dissolving into the desert floor.  While John was in the middle of his desert and rust photo shoot, I was off scouring the ground for interesting rocks and relics, I tend to be a bit of a rock hound.  As I had my pockets full of rocks, traipsing around the brush in July, not without my healthy fear of things that go slither, we heard an approaching vehicle of some sort.  Out of the brush we stepped to find a gentleman sitting atop a four-wheeler with a shotgun resting on his lap.  We were only slightly uncomfortable at that point!  Through my hurried speech I explained that I was the daughter of a neighbor and we were just simply taking some pictures of the Arizona landscape.  I assured him that we would not be trying to hike out with any car parts or anything else and with great hospitality he instructed us to carry on.  I, of course, did not mention the rocks, as I have gone through this before on many occasion, with the sympathetic smirks from locals recalling the poor, crazy little city girl that for some reason likes to carry their dirt and rocks around in her pockets, probably figuring it's directly related to the rocks in my head!

SALT RIVER JAIL - Tucson, AZ - Nestled not far from the foothills of the White Mountains sits the 'Salt River Jail', with no tourist fan fare or even anything short of tumbleweeds around, the jail seems to be authentic with iron floors and bars.  The sheriff was absent so we were unable to get any further info.

WHITE SANDS, WITH AND WITHOUT YUCCA - White Sands, NM - This was a trip John did not want to take, stressing that sand is sand, is sand, etc.  Guess who won that decision?  Yes, it is sand, well actually it is gypsum blowing in from the lake which goes on forever and ever.  It is an amazing sight that seems unexplored every day, as the wind blows in fresh ripples with every gust.  If you have not been there, it is truly white, stark and endless white. 

When we arrived it was late in the day with a storm coming up in front and the sun setting at our backs, casting the beautiful golden glow across the desert.  The white is striking but the golden glow gives a photograph much more depth and clarity.

WHITE SANDS TRIPLE

White Sands with Yucca- Of the two White Sands shots this is the award winning piece, also John prefers this one, although I, on the other hand, prefer the one with just sand.  Don't get me wrong though, I do see the draw to this shot with the lighting and colors, and the breaking-up of the shot with the yucca plant, it is a more photographically correct' shot.

Crosses- Laguna Mission, New Mexico.  Laguna is what I always pictured as a sleepy little Mexican Village, except that it's a New Mexican Village.

White Sands- My favorite of the White Sands shots.  I like the endlessness and the texture of the sand is slightly more prevalent in this one.

OKLAHOMA CITY TRIPLE

Jesus-  A beautiful statue placed at the corner of where the Federal Building stood in Oklahoma City.  This is the most emotional place we have ever shot, even having done the war memorials in Washington, this is just different.  In the middle of downtown Oklahoma City, it is very loud with the bustling everyday life occurring around the memorial park, but while standing at this spot it is completely still. We were here in July and it was a miserable 100 degrees, but one just couldn't walk away.  We were there before the park was finished, and the site was still surrounded by the chain-linked fence, adorned with teddy bears, flowers and hand-written passages.  We just couldn't leave until we had walked the entire perimeter.  The depth of the pain and sorrow is unfathomable.

And Jesus Wept- When John shot this piece, I had no idea all of the reflections that he had captured.  It wasn't until we processed this shot that I could see the baby in the stroller, the pick-up truck and the fenceline holding all the sympathy from it's parade of visitors.

Jesus with Cloud- Another surprise upon processing these pictures was the cloud that hovered above this statue, presenting a halo to look down upon Oklahoma City.

SWINGS - Lancaster, PA - This is a multi-award-winning shot.  It is actually the back of an Amish school yard just outside Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  The only names that we give John's photographs are simply the names that I use for inventory, however, when this won it's first award, a write-up was done in the newspaper and it was dubbed, "All Grown Up".  The title seemed to fit, as the children have grown, the corn has grown and the beautiful little purple flowers have grown.

REFLECTIONS - Amherst County, VA - Shot in the majestic Blue Ridge Mountains, just off Route 60.  I always love reflection shots, except before coffee on a bad morning, when I keep trying to hang this piece upside-down!  This picture goes very well in any of our frame selections.

KOREAN MEMORIAL - Washington, DC - Third times a charm!  Ever since the completion of this incredible memorial, we have been trying to get a shot of it, but Mother Nature has not been cooperative.  Too hot, hence, too hazy... Too beautiful, hence, too crowded... torrential downpours, definitely, not good for equipment... Eureka!  We got it!  I have a feeling this will be one of our regular shot spots in DC, as there is so much to see, shoot and reflect upon in this one memorial.

NURSES MEMORIAL - Washington, DC - I can't say enough about this memorial, as the premier female war memorial, the artist and designer of this statue really captured the essence of the many incredible faces and dimensions of women in combat, all displayed in one concise form of three individuals. 

I was overwhelmed with a sense of pride to be a member of the female sex, to see the magnitude of  complex roles and emotions displayed in front of me.  John's shot does an excellent job of relaying all the supportive, yet conflicting senses portrayed.  In one statue you can see the sense of a job to do, protectors, maternal compassion, fear, courage, survival, pride, love, bonding, teamwork, anguish and hope.  Those are but a few of the definable emotions that permeate from this amazing piece of sculpture.

VIETNAM MEMORIAL - Washington, DC - I love this shot!  I have often said that this is my favorite shot ever of this memorial and I'm sure I would feel the same even if my husband wasn't the photographer.  This statue is actually of three soldiers in full form, but as is John's style, he stepped in and focused on just a portion of the whole scene.  The result is astounding.  In a couple of steps, he changed the image from a picture of a memorial statue, to that of a very personal, emotionally charged photograph.  It brings you in to the faces of two men, they are men not statues, with pride and country as a reminder and a backdrop.

COW WITH TREE / BARN WITH TREE - Lynchburg, VA -While wondering around on our anniversary trip to the Virginia countryside, we happened upon both of these sights.  The cow sitting on the hill, surprised us, well not actually the cow, but the birds.  As John took the picture of the cow next to the tree, an entire flock of birds arose from their clever hiding place along the hillside.  The cow didn't seem surprised.

The barn set just off little two-laned road that we were travelling.  While John was shooting, several different farmers in pick-up trucks stopped to see if we were lost or needed any help, they were probably just curious at the crazy people taking pictures of a dead tree.

MESA VALLEY - Navajo Country - High Desert, Arizona - Riding accross the high desert, just below Monument Valley, on a motorcycle, in July, is not the most pleasant road trip scenario, however, even with the haze and heat waves, the natural beauty of the landscape can not be denied.

This was the third day of a very hot, five day bike trip through Arizona and New Mexico and probably the longest single road trip day, in my long history of road trips.  The high desert is a desolate area with very little variation in view on a six hour ride.  Pretty much just two-lane road and heat waves, with an occasional tumble weed.  Roughly half-way across we stumbled upon a little cinder-block trading post with a tin overhang above the cement paved stoop.  This little store had an old freezer with the most basic variety of popscicles.

Laying on the shaded cement, I ate the best popscicle in the whole world!

Back on the bike and keep going....

HAMMOCK - Nevis, West Indies - I have often said that this spot is my favorite 20 x 20 spot in the world... so far.  It is beside a little island hut called 'Herbert's Beach Bar', at the foot of Mount Lily, just around the bend from the Nesbit Plantation on the island of Nevis.  If I didn't love road trips soooooo much, I would probably live there today, but the island is only 20 miles around.  Road trips might get a little monotonous after a while.

EDEN BROWN STAIRS - Nevis, West Indies - As the legend goes, this property is haunted.  Well at least the big house, these are merely the steps to the stables.  During the hayday of the islands sugar plantation prosperity,  Eden Brown lived on this large estate and was engaged to be married.  On the eve of her wedding, her fiance was killed in a duel and Eden Brown with her broken heart, dismissed all of her servants and lived the rest of her life as a recluse in her lonely stone mansion.  The locals say that when she died her spirit continued to walk the halls, waiting for her handsome fiance and for the wedding bells that never had the chance to chime.

We hiked the property, which is now pretty much in ruins and have no supernatural stories to pass along, however, it was a little scarry walking atop the edges of the now ceilingless walls, looking down upon the tropical vegetation and eventually out to the shoreline, as it is a bit like tightrope walking. 

BLUE SUNSET & ORANGE SUNSET - Nevis, West Indies - As one would imagine in a tropical paradise, the sunsets are amazing.  Each evening we positioned ourselves at different points along the shoreline to capture the unique passing of each day.  Some mornings we performed the same ritual to welcome the astounding sunrises, however, this was a much more difficult task to perform.  We are on vacation after all!

CACTUS SUNSET - Florence, AZ -  I was in search of a ghost town and heard there was one in these here parts.  We never did find the ghost town, however the sunset on the cactus was nice, I call it the 'Arizona Highways Magazine Shot'.  We also found the infamous Federal Maximum Security Prison, (hadn't noted that one on our travel agenda), it's HUGE! 

MILEAGE SIGNS - Key West, FL - This is piece is just for fun, just like Key West!  It's hard to take life too seriously in the Conch Republic... You'll find this great little place around the bend from Turtle Crawls and just across the road from the old pirate ship 'The Sea Wolf", although you might not get the bonus of having the big guy in the red suit there, as we happened upon this just after Christmas.

Look closely at the sign to L.A., misprint... or not?

BODIE ISLAND LIGHTHOUSE & TRIPLE - Oregon Inlet, NC - If you're travelling south from Nags Head to Cape Hatteras and looking at the shoreline you will, oddly enough, miss Bodie Island Light as it is on the inland side. Bodie is socked in a marsh area and completely inundated with mosquitoes.  Trust me, this is the safest way to see Bodie at it's best... sans mosquitoes. 

This striking full-moon shot is actually the shot that wasn't supposed to happen, as we were on a non-working weekend getaway.  John had whisked me away to the Outer Banks of North Carolina and I was not allowed to bring so much as a notebook... I tend to be a bit of a work-a-holic, but of course we did have the camera bag.  We had been to Bodie Island earlier and taken some shots, but on this evening we were just sitting down at Ben & Omies, a nice little Nags Head establishment, when we both looked out the window to see the full moon rising up over the horizon.  John paid for the drinks, I gathered our things and off we raced to get in place before the moon rose above the light.  The outcome speaks for itself.

Many people still prefer the Hatteras shot as it is, after all, Cape Hatteras, but me... personally, I prefer the full moon over Bodie Island, simply striking.  Besides, shooting it through the trees was my idea.

CAPE HATTERAS LIGHT & TRIPLE - Cape Hatteras, NC - John always like to shoot the 'abnormal' shot, rather than trying to reinvent the wheel over and over again, which almost eliminated Cape Hatteras Light from our repertoire, as it could quite possibly be the most artist rendered lighthouse in the world.  Everybody has done Hatteras!  However, while in the lightkeepers house when Hatteras was still at it's original location, John looked through the window and saw a different shot.

Just as the lightkeepers of nights gone by, we look through the window to the great Cape Hatteras Light and out to sea.  Look closely at the bottom left window panes and notice the distortion, these are the original two old lead glass panes, while the rest have been replaced with modern glass.  The original lightkeepers must have looked through these very same windows, and guided ships to safety.

CURRITUCK LIGHT - Corolla, NC - Logistically this lighthouse is a pain to shoot as everything is so close to it on such a teeny strip of land, but in the fall the colors work very well together.

The lights of the Outer Banks have each been painted with distinct designs so they could be easily identified by ships in the Atlantic, allowing sailors to get their bearings in accordance with the shoreline.  Therefore, Hatteras has spirals, Bodie has bands, Lookout has diamonds, Okracoke is plain white, and I have been told that they ran out of design ideas so when they got to Currituck they left it brick.  Truth or fiction?

PENSACOLA LIGHTHOUSE - Cory Station, Pensacola, FL - Being from the Gulf Coast, I have always understood that this region has a look all it's own.  There is an atmosphere and a feeling along the gulf that comes out in it's geography, different than any coastal area I've ever visited, and there are many.  John has never spent much time at the Gulf Coast, and yet he somehow captured the very essence of the look, even more amazing is that he managed to do this on the grounds of a naval air station.

CAPE HENRY LIGHTS - Fort Story, Virginia Beach, VA - The old and the new, which is all relative, as the "new" Cape Henry was built in the 1800's.  Construction began on the new light as the old one had developed a crack that was thought to be terminal.  By the by, George Washington himself, was the architect on the original Cape Henry Light.

The new, fully automated Cape Henry was erected and the old one still stands proudly on the grounds.  The prism has long-since been removed, but one can still go up and tour the lighthouse.

OLD POINT COMFORT LIGHT - Fort Monroe, Hampton, VA - This bright, cheerful lighthouse resides just around the waterway from the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel, just down the street from the grand ole Chamberlain Hotel and just across from the casemate museum.  One can sit on the hillside, next to this light and watch the ships, boats and submarines come and go into the waterways of Tidewater, Virginia.

THE EDEN LIGHT - Edenton, NC - This little treasure is nestled in a residential section of a true Carolinian town, right in the heart of southern charm. 

The story of this light, as I understand it, was originally in the Roanoke River, dubbed the Roanoke Light, built as a rare screw-pile dwelling light.  When it became inoperable along the river, a salvage man from Edenton floated a barge in, picked it up and brought it home to Edenton, where he lived until he passed away.  The last information I heard was the historical society was trying to raise funds to possibly move and renovate the old light.

LION, TIGER & TRIPLE  - Myrtle Beach, SC - Yes, you read that correctly.  We found these stunning cats, oddly enough, in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.  A gentleman that lives near there, raises and cares for them as his pets.  He actually gets very close to them as they climb on his lap and lick his face.  We didn't get that close... thank goodness for a large lens!

SUNFLOWER & TRIPLE - Kinston, NC - I can take credit for a bit of these shots, as I shared my technical expertise with John on this shoot, directing him to 'do that blurry thing behind it' and 'Get the bees! Get the bees!  See, I do know a little bit about what we're doing!

Of these two pieces, John prefers the large, single shot for the clarity, so fine in detail that you can see the pollen on the leaves.  I actually prefer the triple version, with the stark contrasts of darks and brights.  Oh yeah, I also love the bees.  On the lower shot you can actually see the wings fluttering on the bee that is flying away.  I love seeing movement in a still photograph. 

GRAPES WITH & WITHOUT POST - Leesburg, VA - These grapes were destined to become one of the fine wines of Tarara Winery, in the beautiful wine and horse country of Northern Virginia.

CRAYONS & TRIPLE  - Studio Shot - John was setting this up to shoot for kids, as he does love all things collectible, ie. old & faithful, which basically describes Crayola Crayons.  Since we shot these, we have come to find that the triple version is very popular for kid's rooms, baby shower gifts and teacher presents, however, the large version with the vibrant colors against the stark white is more popular for adults.  They tend to lean toward gamerooms, kitchens and dens, but the most popular place for the large crayons... the office!  I think it must be something about keeping life in perspective.

GOLF WEDGE - Studio Shot - Golf is an all-consuming sport, need I say more? 

Rack 'em up!

GUMBALLS - Studio Shot -  Goes right along with the Crayons!

GRAPES WITH CORKS, CORKS & THE WINE TRIPLE - Studio Shot - Two shows that we have the most fun at all year, every year, are the Vintage Virginia Wine Festival and the Virginia Wine Festival at Great Meadows Polo Grounds in The Plains, Virginia.  Year after year we have enjoyed the wine and the company and the adoring crowd have enjoyed John's photography, so this year we decided to combine the two! 

Look closely, you just might recognize the cork from one of your favorite Virginia Vineyards.

LINCOLN MEMORIAL - Washington, DC - Unless you've just flown in from a faraway galaxy, this memorial needs no explanation.  Being one of our more famous national monuments, it's almost impossible to get a unique shot of this one.  Leave it to John!  Thanks to the grand scale of this statue, we were able to break it up for a more interesting piece of work.  I especially like that he shot it in color, yet it almost appears as a nostalgic, sepia-toned black and white pic.

UNION STATION - Washington, DC - This has been called French, Spanish, Italian and Portuguese, so I'm pretty sure, we may have knocked-off someone's original architectural style, but damn it... at least we did it well!  This is the grand Union Station, a centerpiece in metropolitan Washington, DC.  Looks cleaner in black & white, doesn't it?

MALE STATUE - Norfolk, VA - This stunning torso specimen resides in front of the Chrysler Museum along the famous Hague, in the Ghent section of Norfolk.  The statue is actually quite huge, as this gentleman is atop a horse with another man handing him a torch.

THE AWAKENING - Haines Point, Washington, DC - What a great piece of art!  As many times as we've been to DC and shot DC, this was a complete unknown to us.  It wasn't until recently that we went up to visit our good friend, Kathy, that we found this remarkable statue, sitting across the Potomac from the airport, neatly tucked away behind all of the more celebrated monuments and statues of our nation's capitol.  Kathy is a true DC'ite, as she lives a block from the capitol building and does not own a car, metro's it everywhere she goes.  She took us on our first real tour of DC... her way.  We subwayed and walked, walked and subwayed and walked some more.  It was great!  She exposed us to many sights in the city that we had no idea of there existence, as well as, a couple of great watering holes too!  Thanks Kathy!

TRACKS - Chesapeake, VA - They could be anywhere in our great nation, but they are in Chesapeake, Virginia.  Most of you probably aren't old enough to remember, but this shot always makes me think of Woodie Guthrie, a legend from the depression era that built his reputation singing songs about riding the rails from coast to coast.  

Other times, it just makes me want to go somewhere, especially when you say Woodie who?  And I have to answer... Arlo Guthries dad.  :-(.

COKE WALL - Elizabeth City, NC - Isn't it nice, in this age of coca-cola mania, to see the so obvious red and white logo in black and white?  Doesn't it actually make it look older and more collectable?  I also like the depth that the shadows on the wall at to the overall shot.