This one-lane, one-way road is a real treat to drive with your windows down or to walk. Often a summer rain will come and just as quickly depart. Trails also break from here into the woods. It is a very beautiful and serene place.
The interplay of the seasons as they transition is subtle and so sublime. Many times it even may go unnoticed, yet none the less, it is a magical time. Here Lake Nevin is saying farewell to the setting sun . Its progressive daily work of melting ice and snow will resume the next day. It is the precursor to spring and the forests creatures know it all to well.
With the summer sun setting in the west on Lake Nevin, its fingers of light say goodbye with such an ever so delightful farewell. This also contributes to the blue and golden hues upon the water that will be visible for a moment then disappear with the coming night.
I love this picture and always have. It holds enough power to keep my eye and emotions occupied seemingly forever. I love the fall leaves, colors, and subtle fall imagery. I love the balance between the trees and the vertical lines of the small building. To me, it speaks of the very delicate balance between the hand of man upon a natural setting and the sheer beauty of nature itself.
I find the beauty of this image is within the fall colors and the peaceful small, one lane road that sees few cars mid-week during fall at Bernheim. To park and walk here during this time is to sense the hand of winter coming to these natural hardwood forests. You can feel the morning cold and the warmth of the sun at the same time. You may even be lucky enough to catch the smell of a wood stove in the fall air from a nearby home.
Learning to see takes time and patience. It also takes passion. Yet, from these places of natural wonder, we can not only hone our ability to see but we can hone our ability to feel. If ever the people on this planet needed to cultivate these abilities, it is now. We are so connected to each other and this natural world. Bernheim offers everything the heart and eye need to begin this pursuit, or for the trained person to increase their experience.
The trees seem to know just when to change color as the fall mornings progressively get cooler. It is a splendid time when the forest changes, complete with bright colors and busy animals preparing for winter. The forest comes alive to the attentive ear as birds sing of the change and squirrels scamper about busily.
The greatest camera ever created is the human eye. Its ability to see and perceive would put the very best camera to shame. Yet, often through neglect and lack of exercise , it like all things, begins to atrophy and to lose much of its ability to see. If we believe , as many do, that the eyes are the window of the soul, it behooves us to keep the window clean. Bernheim offers many beautiful treasures to aid us in this endeavor. Here we see the fall leaves lit by the sun and just as dramatically we also see the same sun creating shadows from the standing trees. This sublime wonder calls to us and welcomes us to breathe the cold, fall air and feel the warm sun upon our faces. To the far right, almost obscured, we see a small footbridge to remind us that we must enter in and journey on into the art of seeing, remembering humbly that if we ever arrive the journey will be over.
This image soon became one of my favorites because of so many different feelings it continues to evoke. The creek with its life giving water , the subtle fall leaves fallen , and the tree roots exposed speak so richly of all this life entails. What grounds us. What nourishes us. What gives us rest as we sit receiving along our journey . All this wrapped up in one early chilly fall morning with the gentle sun upon my face. The birds were singing of falls coming and the squirrels were scampering about upon the fall leaves. What a wonderland Bernheim is.
Seeing the clear trailhead surrounded by fall colors was so inviting. That its was carpeted by fallen needles so complete in every way. This was the micro climate at its best between fall and winter. A time when cool and warmth co exist within a magical balance of transition. The rich forest smells and sounds only add to its grandeur as here in natures cathedral one is so humbled by the beauty of it all .
The light coming down from above filters down under the various trees creating a wonderful mosaic . We see limbs, leaves , shadows and the blue sky. Moving your eyes into different view points often reveals a very unique picture. Yet because it is all connected we still see the beauty of Bernheim.
Framed with nature we see nature and as a expansive carpet we see the green with little blue flowers. When I see such things I see it as nature showcasing itself . Its a view I like to think of as the natural setting saying, " Hey look at me" !
The road entering Bernheim is wonderful as it winds towards the visitor center and gift shop.Accenting this pciture to the left is the Red Splendor crabapple. You are never ever left without a natural setting to behold or a bench to sit on and let life's troubles fade away. As John Muir said when we venture out into the natural world we always get more than we give.
In spring just when the time is right as you enter Bernheim be sure to walk up around these gorgeous trees , you will not be disappointed. Set against the backdrop of Kentucky's blue sky they will warm and charm your heart . They are the perfect beginning for your time at Bernheim.
When one focuses on the smallest part of a scene it often enters into the abstract when taken away from the whole. Like a poem rather than a novel it requires precision within its telling . For just as a poem has less words so an isolated subject often has less of its surroundings to help give it contex. A blurred background in photography is called bokeh and is a useful effect in adding to this story told by the crabapple blossoms , along with careful composition. In the center one blossom remains in focus while others fade away gently surrounding it in the hues of its comrades , to yield a very understated yet profoundly beautiful image.
Here in the center of the image we find nestled in the rock a tender green shoot very much alive. Surrounded by its family of green trees whose roots have found life in the rich soil. This creek bed will flow with summer rains and carry the winter storms run off downhill. Bernheim offers a rich abundance of many such eco-niches within its bountiful resources.
