T-8 Days!

Hello!  I just woke up from a 4 and a 1/2 hour nap!  I woke up this morning at 2:30am to get ready because my crazy friend D graciously offered to go shooting the sunrise with me...location? Somewhere towards Hagerstown, MD.  At some point, we saw a sign for the Greenbrier State Park and drove towards it; but we grew increasingly nervous as we watched the clock tick pass 5:30am (Sunrise scheduled today at 6:08am); so when we passed by a beautiful meadow, we could not pass it up...even if we knew that it might be a private property.  Hmm, perhaps out of wishful thinking, we convinced ourselves that it was a model home...but when I saw a fenced in garden with ripening tomatoes...I thought hmmm...maybe someone does live in that house.  OH CRAP.  Well, to save you the suspense, the lady was not too upset about trespassers and no cops were called but I did get a lecture...EEK. I feel really bad that I invaded their home but you should have seen the sunrise from their meadow!!  I even saw a deer GALLOP across - I was very disappointed that I did not have autofocus on and missed it :(

Well, as you can see, the sun wasn't even up when I got there.  It was awesome watching the sky brighten...a surge of color spreading across the sky as the sun rose higher and higher.  So pretty.  

Watching the sun rise never gets old. 

And also in my book, nothing beats the morning light and its magical glow and ethereal beauty.  (This says a lot because I never describe anything else as 'ethereal.')

After leaving the forbidden meadow, I tried to recuperate from my lack of sleep with additional caffeine and an unhealthy breakfast.  Then friend D and I headed to a Maryland State Park.  I can't remember the name except that it started with a "C."  HA.  It was not a long hike to the water falls but let me tell you, hiking while sleep deprived = no good.  I was dragging my feet 300 yards in.  There was a small waterfall at the end of the hike and it was nice to be near refreshing cool water.  It was too bad that lighting was getting really harsh by that point, so alas, not too many photos from it. 

On a separate note, you know that I LOVE trees and that I'd never do anything to harm it, which means I'll never carve my name on it...but it doesn't mean I don't think it is romantic in a kiddy kind of way when I do see a tree filled with initials of couples who probably carved their names into my poor tree and oxygen provider without thinking about the actual longevity of their romantic relationships.  Wait...that sounds sarcastic.  OK, let me clarify...maybe I only think carving initials and hearts on a tree is romantic when thoughtful considerations were put into whether or not these they are actually going to be together for a while or not. If you're not really sure about that person, then leave the trees alone!!!

Good night again!