Bucks County in Autumn 2020 - Landscape Photographs

“This grand show is eternal. It is always sunrise somewhere; the dew is never all dried at once; a shower is forever falling; vapor is ever rising. Eternal sunrise, eternal sunset, eternal dawn and gloaming, on sea and continents and islands, each in its turn, as the round earth rolls.” - John Muir

As Bucks County is presently covered in snow, its easy to forget that winter does not officially start until tomorrow.  This post includes many of the photographs that I have taken this autumn.  It is the third of my 2020 Bucks County photograph collections, as I have previously posted WINTER INTO SPRING as well as SPRING INTO SUMMER.  This batch includes several of my favorite local spots, including: bridges crossing the Delaware River; the Delaware Canal and Towpath, Lake Afton; Patterson Farm; Core Creek Park; Five Mile Woods; and Washington Crossing Historic Park.  

An injury during an October photo excursion to MAINE forced me to take a three week break from photography, but fortunately I was able to get out shooting photos pretty quickly.  My mini Bucks County excursions were a welcome chance for creativity, a change of scenery and a distraction from the fall's worsening Coronavirus pandemic, the election, and the subsequent political turmoil. I am better off when I start a day with pink skies, morning mist, the rising sun, and colorful fall foliage, rather than a divisive tweet or conspiracy theory. I hope that some of the following images allow you to celebrate the Bucks County version of what John Muir called the "grand show" of "eternal sunrise, eternal sunset, eternal dawn..."

The West Trenton Railroad Bridge crossing the Delaware River in dense
 early morning fog, as seen from Yardley, Pennsylvania. 9/25/20.

Football field in dense early morning fog, at Macclesfield Park,
in Yardley, Pennsylvania. 9/25/20.

Delaware Canal, Towpath, and footbridge with the rising sun. Delaware Canal State Park, New Hope, Pennsylvania. 10/4/20.

The Queen Anne Creek, cutting through the "Five Mile Woods" nature preserve. Yardley, Pennsylvania. 10/31/20.

Delaware Canal and Towpath in early morning fog.  Delaware
Canal State Park, Yardley, Pennsylvania. 11/5/20. 

Adirondack chairs overlooking the Delaware River, in dense morning fog. Yardley, Pennsylvania. 11/5/20.

Lake Afton and the Old Library in morning fog, 
with fall foliage. Yardley, Pennsylvania. 11/5/20.

Delaware Canal and Towpath with hot air balloon.
Delaware Canal State Park, New Hope, Pennsylvania. 11/7/20. 

Lumberville–Raven Rock Bridge, Lumberville, 
Pennsylvania. 11/5/20.

Sycamore Trees in morning fog, Washington Crossing
Historic Park, Washington Crossing, Pennsylvania. 11/10/20.

 Fall foliage in Washington Crossing Historic Park, 
Washington Crossing, Pennsylvania.

West Trenton Railroad Bridge in fog,
Yardley, Pennsylvania. 11/10/20.

Sunrise over the Delaware River, with the West Trenton
Railroad Bridge. Yardley, Pennsylvania. 11/15/20.

Patterson Farm with early morning reflections.
Yardley, Pennsylvania. 11/15/20. 

New Hope-Lambertville Bridge with early morning light,
as seen from Lambertville, New Jersey. 11/21/20.

The Calhoun Street Bridge crossing the Delaware River,
just after sunrise. Morrisville, Pennsylvania. 12/6/20.

Old Library and the St. Andrew's Church reflected in the partially frozen Lake Afton, a few minutes before sunrise. Yardley, Pennsylvania. 12/11/20.

"Trenton Makes The World Takes" bridge (officially the "Lower Trenton" bridge) with blue letters for Hanukkah, a few minutes after sunset. 12/11/20.

The Delaware Canal, Towpath and footbridge with early morning mist and the rising sun. Delaware Canal State Park, New Hope, Pennsylvania. 12/13/20.

Route 32 South and Bowman's Hill Tower, with early morning mist. New Hope, Pennsylvania. 12/13/20.

The Delaware River with morning mist,
New Hope, Pennsylvania. 12/13/20.

 Lake Luxembourg, in Core Creek Park, a few minutes after sunset.
Langhorne, Pennsylvania. 12/14/20.

Old Library and the St. Andrew's Church with fresh snow, reflected in the partially frozen Lake Afton. 12/17/20.

Bucks County Mornings: Landscape Photographs from Spring into Summer 2020

“Every generation leaves behind a legacy. What that legacy

 will be is determined by the people of that generation.

 What legacy do you want to leave behind?” 

John Lewis

Over the past few months, as the Coronavirus pandemic has limited travel and other activities, early morning photography outings in Bucks County, Pennsylvania have continued to provide a break, a change of scenery, and a chance to clear my mind. The collection of photographs below is largely a continuation of my last post (Winter into Spring 2020).  I was fortunate to catch several beautiful sunrises, as well as mornings when low-lying fog blanketed and partially camouflaged the familiar landscapes.  Fog can make the familiar seem like something new.  At times it adds a peaceful and serene feeling, while at other times it adds an element of mystery. On a few mornings, the way in which the fog altered a scene reminded me of an impressionist painting.

This post is dedicated with love to the memory of my mother-in-law, Dr. Paulette Rubin, who died a few weeks ago.  There’s an old saying that you don’t just marry a person, but you marry into a family. I’ve been exceptionally lucky in this regard. Paulette brought love, support, fun and laughter to the lives of her family and friends.  We will all truly miss her.

New Hope-Lambertville Bridge, seen from
Lambertville, New Jersey (4/12/20)

Cuttalossa Creek with Rising Sun,
New Hope, Pennsylvania (6/9/20).

Patterson Farm with Rising Sun,
Yardley, Pennsylvania (6/16/20).

Delaware Canal and Towpath, New Hope, Pennsylvania (6/16/20).

Washington Crossing Bridge in Morning Fog,
Washington Crossing, Pennsylvania (6/21/20).

Monument to General George Washington, in morning fog,
Washington Crossing Historic Park,
Washington Crossing, Pennsylvania (6/21/20).

Sycamore trees in morning fog, Washington Crossing
Historic Park, Washington Crossing, Pennsylvania (6/21/20).

Rowboat in the Delaware River,
New Hope, Pennsylvania (6/21/20)

Sunburst shining through trees between the Delaware Canal and the 
Delaware River, Solebury Township, Pennsylvania (6/23/20).

Monument to General George Washington with Rising
Sun, Washington Crossing Historic Park, 
Washington Crossing, Pennsylvania (6/30/20).

The "Old Library" reflected in Lake Afton, in early
morning sun, Yardley, Pennsylvania (7/5/20).

Patterson Farm in early morning fog,
Yardley, Pennsylvania (7/7/20).

Sycamore Trees lining the road into Tyler State Park, in
early morning fog, Newtown, Pennsylvania (7/7/20).

Delaware Canal and Footbridge in early
morning fog, New Hope, Pennsylvania (7/9/20).

New Hope-Lambertville Bridge crossing the
Delaware River in early morning fog, as seen from
 Lambertville, New Jersey (7/9/20).

Old Fence with haystacks in early morning
 fog, Solebury Township, Pennsylvania (7/9/20).

The rising sun reflected in the Delaware River,
under the West Trenton Railroad Bridge (7/15/20).

Lumberville-Raven Rock Bridge crossing the 
Delaware River, under an early morning sky (7/23/20).

Old shed at Cuttalossa Farm,
Solebury Township, Pennsylvania (7/23/20).

Core Creek Park in early morning fog,
Langhorne, Pennsylvania (7/25/20)

Washington-Crossing Bridge cutting through the
early morning fog over the Delaware River,
Washington Crossing, Pennsylvania (8/8/20).

Haystacks, rolling hills mist, and the rising Sun
 in Solebury Township, Pennsylvania (8/11/20).

Beauty in the Fog: Landscape Photographs of Bucks County, Pennsylvania on Foggy Mornings

"The truth is a fog, in which one man sees the heavenly host 

and the other one sees a flying elephant."

-Terry Pratchett

Each season offers different opportunities for landscape photographers in Bucks County, Pennsylvania.  As late summer gives way to early autumn, morning fog often makes the familiar appear new and interesting. At times there is a feeling of mystery. At times landscapes take on a lovely pastel tone.  At times the fog combined with the rising sun allows for beautiful silhouettes.  At times the fog alters our "usual" experience of perspective, as bridges and paths seem to disappear into the distance.  At times, as the fog begins the clear, the remaining colors have a unique richness.  What what follows is a small collection of photographs that I took on foggy mornings in Bucks County between late August and early October, 2018.

Lumberville-Raven Rock Bridge in early morning fog.
Lumberville, Pennsylvania.  8/28/18.

Lumberville-Raven Rock Bridge in early morning fog.
Lumberville, Pennsylvania.  8/28/18.

Lumberville-Raven Rock Bridge in early 
morning fog, with a touch of backlighting.  
Lumberville, Pennsylvania.  8/28/18.

Silhouette of the Lumberville-Raven Rock Bridge and a bicyclist in fog,
with backlighting from the early morning sun. Lumberville, Pennsylvania. 8/28/18.

Cabin Run Creek from under the Loux Covered Bridge, in
early morning light.  Plumstead Township, Pennsylvania.  8/28/18.

Calhoun Street Bridge in early morning fog,
Morrisville, Pennsylvania.  9/16/18.

Washington Crossing Bridge and the Delaware River, in early morning fog. 
Washington Crossing Historic Park, Washington Crossing, Pennsylvania.  9/16/18.

Row of sycamore trees in early morning fog, Washington Crossing State Park, 
Washington Crossing, Pennsylvania.  9/16/18.

The "Trenton Makes The World Takes" Bridges, just 
after sunrise. (from Trenton, New Jersey, looking
back at Morrisville, Pennsylvania.)  9/29/18.

The West Trenton Railroad Bridge in early
morning Fog, Yardley, Pennsylvania.  9/29/18.

The Delaware River and Bowman's Hill in early 
morning fog, Upper Makefield Twp., Pennsylvania.  10/2/18.

Delaware Canal State Park, Bucks County, Pennsylvania.  10/2/18.

Frankenfield Covered Bridge and its reflection "framing"
the fall foliage in the Tinicum Creek,
Point Pleasant, Pennsylvania. (10/2/18).

Frankenfield Covered Bridge reflected in the Tinicum Creek,
Point Pleasant, Pennsylvania. (10/2/18).

Blue Heron in Morning Fog along the Delaware Canal
and Towpath, Yardley, Pennsylvania. (10/10/18).

The Delaware Canal and Towpath disappearing 
into morning fog in Yardley, Pennsylvania. (10/10/18).