Boardwalk to the Beach

Beach Boardwalk

Beach Boardwalk © 2012 Bo Mackison

An early morning walk is a blessing for the whole day. ~ Henry David Thoreau

What a thrill to watch as the sun rises over Lake Michigan. And then another thrill – equally as amazing – when I turn away from the sun, and see the sunlight’s effect on everything within my view.

This photo was taken just north of Bailey’s Harbor, a small village in Door County, Wisconsin. The boardwalk is lined with snow fence for the summer as a beach grass re-introduction project is kept protected from the many feet of the beach visitors. The snow fence, a rather mobile fencing structure, always provides wonderful opportunities for photography. I am especially thrilled with the zig zag lines on the wobbly fence as the day’s sun lifts from the eastern horizon, and swathes the worn fence in deep golden tones.

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Bo Mackison is a photographer and the owner of Seeded Earth Studio LLC. Bo is now home, and looking through the many photographs she took on her weekend trip to one of Wisconsin’s finest Vacationlands, Door County.

Skillful Sailing

Sailboat and Anderson Dock

Sailboat and Anderson Dock © 2012 Bo Mackison

It is not the ship so much as the skillful sailing that assures the prosperous voyage.” ~ George William Curtis

The sun set behind the clouds, so we missed a stunning sunset. But after the sun disappeared, we walked around Anderson Dock for another hour, as there was no dearth of photo opportunities.

The sky remained a pale gray, but Green Bay had a silvery reflection, and shimmered as a sailboat pulled close to the dock to pick up a passenger. The building, now the Frances Hardy Gallery, was built in the late 1800s and was one of the main docks on Green Bay. It is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Today it is a big attraction for many vacationers visiting Door County. The town of Ephraim allows graffiti – within posted parameters – following an old custom of the dock.  Over a hundred years ago, when sailors docked at Ephraim, they often carved their names and the name of their ship on the walls of the building.

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Bo Mackison is a photographer and the owner of Seeded Earth Studio LLC. She is taking an August break from writing long blog posts, but the photos continue while she and Sherpa spend a few days in the “Cape Cod of the Midwest.”

Walking a Garden Path – Sunday Series

Red Flowers in Monet’s Garden © 2012 Bo Mackison

Whenever I am in need of spirit-lifting, my first remedy is to find the nearest flower garden and wander its paths. It’s difficult to hold on to a hurt feeling or stay in a bad mood when I focus, instead, on the beauty of the flowers I see.

Flower Bouquets © 2012 Bo Mackison

Frequently I find my time is best spent simply observing the natural world around me. I notice the artistry in nature and soak in the joyful colors. I walk in the quiet garden, and let the calm and peaceful feelings be my companions.

Floral Mix © 2012 Bo Mackison

I rest in the garden for a few minutes, standing quietly, breathing deeply. I breathe in acceptance.

So Orange! © 2012 Bo Mackison

Then I remember a line of a poem written by Mary Oliver that I love  — “my work . . .  is mostly standing still and learning to be astonished.”

Bright Blue Eyes © 2012 Bo Mackison

 The gardens and their flowers offer so many gifts, free for the taking. I need only stand there and be astonished.

Garden Bridge © 2012 Bo Mackison

I study their bright colors, feel their velvety textures, inhale their perfume, and watch as a breeze sets them dancing. I find the rarest of gifts while walking through the garden — a sense of calm and serenity.

I took these photographs during the New York Botanical Garden’s current exhibit, Monet’s Garden. The exhibit features flowers that were historically grown in Monet’s gardens in Giverny, France. These flowers provided the inspiration for many of his floral paintings.

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Bo Mackison is a photographer and the owner of Seeded Earth Studio LLC.  She travels the United States and captures its beauty in images and words.

 

Pretty Chairs All in a Row

Ephraim Beach

Beach Chairs © 2012 Bo Mackison

We hit the sunny beaches where we occupy ourselves keeping the sun off our skin . . . and the sand out of our belongings.  ~Erma Bombeck

Door County, Wisconsin. The chairs all in a row, the boats all anchored, Green Bay placid. In another three hours, this beach will be filled with vacationers. Lots of splashing, calling, sun-worshiping. But at 7:30 in the morning, there aren’t too many people wandering around. It’s one of the best times of the day, my way of thinking.

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 Bo Mackison is a photographer and the owner of Seeded Earth Studio LLC. She is taking an August break from writing long blog posts, but the photos continue while Sherpa and she spend a few days in the “Cape Cod of the Midwest.”

A Pair of Water Lilies

Yellow Water Lilies

Yellow Water Lilies © 2012 Bo Mackison

Simple pleasures are the last refuge of the complex.  ~ Oscar Wilde

August Break 2012

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Bo Mackison is a photographer and the owner of Seeded Earth Studio LLC. She is taking an August break from writing long blog posts, but garden walks and the photos continue. Bo photographed these pond lilies at Olbrich Botanical Gardens in Madison.