Joppa Missonary Baptist Church

Within the boundaries of Mammoth Cave lie the remnants of rural life before the park. Cemeteries and churches remain part of the landscape. The Joppa Missionary Baptist Church was founded in 1862, and the wooden church dates back to the turn of the last century.

The building had two doors in the front, one for men and one for women, and inside, the unwed (and perhaps wed) men and women often sat on opposite sides of the church.



Inside the church, a single wood burning stove provided warmth during services.

Warning: Road Ends At Water's Edge

Driving through Mammoth Cave National Park, you'll notice some beautiful terrain, and some interesting means of crossing the Green River. The Green River Ferry is one of two operating ferries in the park, and these two are some of the few operating rural ferries in existence today.

I can only imagine approaching this spot on a dark, icy night and not being able to stop before the water's edge.



Relocated to this site in 1934, the ferry provides transport to park visitors as well as local citizens. This crossing is the most direct route for citizens living north of the park to travel to points south of the park and vice versa.

The ferry is propelled by a waterwheel, much the same as old riverboats. Two overhead cables span the river - one on each side, about 20 feet above the water. Four smaller cables connect the boat to these overhead cables, keeping the ferry in line with the road and preventing it from floating downstream.

Each crossing takes approximately one minute from bank to bank. Two cars or one RV are able to ride at a time. Over 90,000 vehicles are transported across the river each year.

During high water periods, the ferries are shut down, forcing traffic to use alternate routes to get to the other side of Mammoth Cave National Park. These alternate routes add as much as 40 miles to the drive.

A recent study by the National Park Service has indicated that while some minor improvements to the approach of the Green River Ferry would improve service, the ferry itself posed "No significant impact" on the environment. So it seems, for the time being at least, a permanent bridge will not replace this small piece of history.

High Water on the Ohio

The recent rainfall in the area has raised the water level on the Ohio River, covering the acres of fossil beds at the Falls of the Ohio State Park. Built in 1868, the Ohio Falls Bridge spans this part of the river, leading to Louisville, Kentucky on the far side.

Ohio Falls Bridge

A cool, still December morning near the Ohio Falls Bridge. Also known as the Fourteenth Street Bridge, this mile-long steel truss railroad bridge was built across the Ohio River in 1868 between Louisville, Kentucky and Clarksville, Indiana.


Built by the Louisville Bridge and Iron Company, at it's peak, this bridge was used around 300 times a day in 1900. At the far end toward Louisville, Kentucky, a lift bridge allows boats and barges to pass beneath the bridge.

Exploring the Dolomite Canyon

The boys and I ventured into unknown territory today, into a small, dolomite canyon in a surprising location - smack dab in the middle of an urban area. I couldn't find too much information on the canyon, only a few vague descriptions and grainy photos of a location much easier to view. We walked a bit along the top of the canyon to find a good place to climb down. The canyon seemed about 40 feet deep in parts, and it was covered in slippery moss.

A few hundred yards away from this point is an easily accessible park where the creek flows into the Kankakee, River, where most people visit.

Out of the Shadows

Early morning at Mt. Baldy. Shadows cover much of the area between the dunes and the lake until the sun rises high enough in the sky.

Much of the dune is roped off in an attempt to preserve the dune from erosion. Let's hope it works and the ropes can be removed in a year or two. This dune is moving a few feet a year inland. At that rate, the parking lot will be covered in a few years!

Holland Holiday Open House

Each year, our holiday season begins with a trip to Holland, Michigan for the annual Holiday Open House. Downtown stores stay open late and offer visitors free refreshments, snacks and gift wrapping. It's a great time to visit shops we normally wouldn't even notice, and find some merchandise we can't live without.

Carolers, Santa Claus, luminaries and roasting chestnuts can all be found on Holland's 8th Street sidewalks.



It's generally pretty crowded - especially at the corner drug store where they serve beautifully made Christmas cookies.

Walking Hand in Hand

A crisp, November morning along the Lake Michigan shore. Kintzele Ditch meanders through recently eroded dunes creating an interesting path to the lake.

Finding a narrow portion of the stream, the family hops across the water to continue their walk on Central Beach.

Woops!

The waves have really eroded the dunes this year.

The boys were following an old trail on the edge of a dune when Chris slipped backwards and fell about five feet down onto the next layer of sand. He then continued to slide backwards and down the next layer to the beach.

No one was harmed in the capturing of this image.

Amber Against Blue

Just before sunset, we headed out for a walk along the rural roads near the house. The golden hour provided the perfect, warm light for photographing the Fall colors of this open field.

The Glow of Chicago

A 10:00 pm view of Chicago from the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. Over 40 miles away, Chicago illuminates the sky over Lake Michigan.

The air was relatively calm, so the clouds did not smear across the sky as I had hoped.

Stars Over the Lake

A late night, long exposure over the lake. The earth's movement can be seen in the elongated stars and the blur of the hazy moon. Looks like an airplane was flying very far away- seen at the top right of the image.

What interested me was the depth created by the artificial lights on shore. It's rather unusual in landscape photography to see light between objects.

Sickle Moon

A crescent moon, moments before disappearing beneath the horizon.

Across the Bridge

Autumn color at Matthiessen State Park near Utica, Illinois.

Morning at Kintzele Ditch

Strong light from the rising sun bathes the shifting sands of Central Beach on this windy morning. The grass seen in the foreground was five to six feet tall prior to the wind and waves; it's now buried deep under the sand.

Chellberg Windmill

The Chellberg Farm is part of the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. It's a far cry from sand dunes, but this historical farm is the setting for the Heritage Festival in the Fall and Maple Sugar Days in early Spring.

The original barn and windmill can still be seen in the field.

Apple Time

Dan was very excited to pick apples this year. He walked around the orchard to find the largest apples possible - as well as the smallest - just for fun.

October Kitesurfing

A warm, windy morning in mid October was the perfect day for dozens of kitesurfing enthusiasts to hit the waves along Michigan City's Washington Park Beach.



Gaining speed, the kitesurfers were able to jump over 20 feet above the waves.



The beach was lined with surfers waiting their turns, as well as spectators gazing in amazement.

Beverly Shores Marsh

Arriving at the beach rather early for a Saturday, gave us the opportunity to explore some other areas of the National Lakeshore.

We pass by this marsh every time we head to the beach, but only stop now and then. In the summer, it's almost impossible to tolerate the biting flies, so it's best to hold off until Fall to explore this area.

Along the trails, lots of wildlife can be detected, along with some remnants of humans - an occasional brick or concrete lump. Must have been part of someone's property years ago. Now it's being reclaimed by nature.

Gathering

Thousands of beetles grouped together on Indiana's Central Beach during a windy morning. My best guess is they were clinging to anything that would keep them dry and in place.

At first glance, the beetles appeared to be debris on the sand, but closer inspection proved it wrong.