Tornado Alley

Ohio is right in the path of most of the spring storms and tornadoes frequently touch down across the state.

Ohio is typically right in the line of storms that blow across the country. The past few days, we’ve seen lines of severe thunderstorms sweep across the state. Once when my family was on our way to visit the Neil Armstrong museum, we watched a tornado blow across the road in front of us. At that time, we didn’t have the advanced warning devices we have today.

Driving up to Cleveland to spend the weekend with my Mother-in-law, we drove through the most intense rainstorm. There were times when you really couldn’t see. The Tractor Trailers were splashing up water and the rain was coming in sideways. The only way to tell where you were was by watching for the yellow stripe on the road. Then, when we hit the outskirts of Cleveland, the sun started to break through the clouds. This has to be one of the oddest winters on record.  We have tornadoes in March and spring-like temps in February.

Hayden Run Falls

Winter time at the Hayden Run Falls

The weather has been so strange for January. First we had unseasonably cold temps, then late in the week, they were unseasonably warm. I blame it all on the fact that our solar system is moving into an area of the galaxy with an unusually strong energy field. Or it could be global warming, or global cooling, or the end of the Mayan calendar, or the magnetic poles on the earth are about to flip, or….. Basically, no one really knows what’s going on.

I got to break out the hip waders and get into the stream to take this photo. I definitely got a few looks from other people at the falls. But sometimes you gotta be willing to do crazy things to get a good image. Enjoy!

Moonlight at Myrtle Beach

Moonlight at Myrtle Beach

Originally uploaded by Elessar

During our recent vacation to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, we were enjoying the summer evening on the balcony of our condo. The full moon was up, glistening off of the water. Despite the fact that I didn’t have a tripod, I figured I could hold the camera steady enough if I braced it against a small table and the metal railing on the balcony. Next time we come to the beach I’m definitely bringing the tripod and remote shutter release.