A FLASH OF FALL

Weather in the mid-Atlantic states was warmer than normal this year. Also a lot wetter.  This gave many people hopes for the brightest fall colors in years.  But it was not to be. As of the third week in October, the trees were still mostly green. Our dogwood trees started turning a few weeks earlier but that a frost was needed to turn the other trees. By the last week of the month there was little more that these dark red leaves and bright red seeds of our dogwood tree to satisfy my search for fall colors. Yes, there were some other colors, but not much. We took a week long trip to California and returned to find ...... Blah. Rains and wind had brought down most of the colorful leaves. Some trees had a lot of leaves that were just a weathered brownish. Better luck next year, I guess. Meanwhile, I am enjoying this little flash of fall. 

VETERANS/ARMISTICE/REMEMBRANCE DAY

November 11 is a day to remember and thank veterans who served their country. The holiday arose after World War I, the Great War as originally called, ended with an armistice between allied forces and Germany was signed on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918. Allied countries began commemorating the day with national holidays named Armistice Day or Remembrance Day. Germany does not celebrate the holiday but designate it as a national day of mourning. The United States renamed the holiday Veterans Day in 1954 to honor veterans of all conflicts.

The American Legion Post 232 in Dry Run held their Veterans Day service, which included a Post Everlasting Ceremony to honor my father and the other members who passed away during the year. A very somber moment occurs when three rile bearers and a comrade with a brazier stack the rifles and the Commander says, "The Adjutant will place and American Legion cap on the rifles in remembrance of our fellow Comrades' service to our Country in the military of the United States." A single light illuminated the rifles and cap to focus our attention on the symbol of their passing.

ANATOMY OF A KICK

Football has fairly unique scoring rules. No one point for a goal or trip around the bases. For football, the big opportunity is the touchdown worth 6 points. The icing on the cake is the extra point, or a much harder 2-point conversion. Then there is a 3-point field goal, a consolation prize for failing to get the touchdown. Throw in a 2-point safety into the mix and you have a lot of scoring combinations. It is no wonder that the extra point and the field goal are so important and frequently make the difference in the outcome.

Anyone who watches much football know that the extra point is almost a given – almost. Most are made. Field goals can be more difficult because the distance can vary and start from one side or the other of the middle. Most of the pressure and attention go to the kicker, as well as the blame for a miss. But an often overlooked aspect of a successful kick is how well the kicking team works together in a matter of mere seconds.

The holder is the cornerstone. He picks the spot for the hold at just the right distance behind the center.  Once the ball is snapped back to him, he needs to catch it and quickly place and position the ball on the ground in a manner that gives the kicker the best chance for success. The laces need to be facing away from the kicker. The ball has to be held straight because a tilt one way or the other may send it off to the side. The holder's hand has to be positioned so it doesn't interfere with the kick. All this must be done while the kicker is rapidly approaching. Just a minor error and it all goes bad. Here is a series of photos showing the anatomy of a good hold.

Waiting for the snap

Dropping the ball to the ground. (Notice that the white strips are facing in the wrong direction. They need to be facing away from the kicker.)

Spinning the ball to face the right direction.

The ball is on the ground but is still being turned. The kicker is approaching.

The holder has turned to ball and put it in perfect position as the kicker is about to plant his foot. Gotta move that left hand quickly!

The kicker’s leg is in motion as the holder keeps only one finger on the ball.

And away it goes! A successful extra point!!

SUNFLOWERS

Path Valley in Pennsylvania has some beautiful farms and mountain backdrops. My earlier post showed how green it is this year. This past weekend there was an addition - a field of sunflowers near the Long-Vu hill. The bright mid-day sun brought out the colors. The shots came out nicely even though it wasn't the optimal time of day to take the photos.

HUMMINGBIRDS (AND AN ANGRY YELLOW JACKET!)

HUMMINGBIRDS (AND A YELLOW JACKET)

Fall is just around the corner and animals are getting ready. The male hummingbirds are gone, leaving the females to keep feeding before that fly south. I was enjoying taking pictures of the hummers flying into the feeder when something strange happened. One of the yellow jackets that were enjoying the feeder took great offense at sharing it. The yellow jacket started chasing the hummer away every time it tried to get back to the feeder. Here is a photo that captures one of their standoffs, along with some others of the hummingbirds. 

FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS ARE BACK!!

The end of summer brings back high school football and with it the time-honored ritual of packing your stadium to cheer on the local team as they face the adversary from that other town. Rivalries form and increase the excitement and intensity of the atmosphere. Our local team had their first home game of the season last night in one of their toughest tests for the season. The Friday night lights were shining bright, the fans were energized, the players fighting hard. Then it came to half time and a thunderstorm decided to add its own lights! The second half had to be played this morning - I guess we can call that Saturday morning clouds.

A big benefit of being a sports photographer is the opportunity to be at field level with a closeup view of the action. You almost feel like you are part of the action. Clearly, the nuances of facial expressions are easier to see as are the shouts of the players to one another. Lots of excitement. Here are some shots from the game. (Support your local team!)

GREEN AUGUST!

August in south central Pennsylvania is always marked by a dry landscape of washed out pale greens or browns. Rain comes only in the form of thunderstorms that may drop lots of rain, but it evaporates quickly. Hay fields stop growing and the plants wither. Corn fields start losing their vibrancy and the edges of the leaves begin to turn a yellowish brown. To sum up the views in a word – blah.

This August is different! Rainy days have been the norm. They have been spread out evenly over the summer. What would normally be dull is now bright green. The different crops provide a patchwork of greens from the dark green of the corn fields to bright green pastures and different shades between.  Here are some photos of the fields along Route 75 through Path Valley Pennsylvania.

Farm near Doylesburg

Barn and silo near Doylesburg

The Knob separating Path and Amberson Valleys

View to the north between Willow Hill and Spring Run

Field south of Metal - a long term landmark in the valley

View of the entrance to Path Valley from Lemar Road