Mary Bedy Photography

Apparently, the study of the forest canopy is a still-developing science. There are may species of creatures that live in forest canopies that are never found on the forest floor. The canopy itself is the main gatherer of sunlight, obviously, but science has only recently gotten more sophisticated at studying canopy structures and biology due partly to the improvement and sophistication of climbing gear and other equipment. Previously, studies were done using hot air balloons and other more difficult means. Being able to place scientific measuring devices at the tops of trees in old-growth forests has gotten easier. Due to deforestation, many lichen species that are regularly found at the crowning level of trees are starting to go extinct which will cause further imbalance to an already fragile ecosystem.   For me, the forest canopy has always been a source of visual enjoyment. I love to look straight up in the local hiking trail and marvel at the structure and complexity of the tree b

I was looking at some of my “fog” images the other day and I had a random thought float through my head. I was thinking walking through life is kind of like waking through a fog bank. You just never know what you’re going to bump into. And when you turn on your bright headlights, all they do is reflect the fog back to you. Somehow, I kind of find that comforting. Obviously, there are surprises along the way, but usually the good surprises outweigh, or at least balance out the bad ones. Part of being OK with the unknown is being in the here and now and not worrying about past actions or future challenges. I like to think there are no monsters under the bed, no boogey man in the closet and that most people are well-meaning and kind. Maybe I’m naive, but that’s how I see it and I’m not going to change my mind, even in the face of my life experiences. I also like the silence of fog - the dense atmosphere buffering the clatter of life. It appears like a blanket of protection.            I f

In 2015, I was honored to have the photo at left chosen for the cover of Michigan History Magazine which featured an overview of the 300 year old Fort Michilimackinac. For a touch of history: Father Claude Dablon and Father Jacques Marquette, two Jesuit missionaries, established the first settlement along the straits of Mackinac in 1680, the area of the Great Lakes separating lower Michigan from the Upper Peninsula. They set up a mission on Mackinac Island named after Ignatius Loyola. Later, Marquette moved the mission to the north side of the straits in 1671 for better farming.   In order to protect the fur trade in the area, the French decided to fortify the outpost against the Iroquois, who were ready to threaten the territory and the fur trade business, so they built a small fort on the north side of the straits called Fort de Baude. When the fur trade generated a surplus, which became a problem for the French economy, King Louis XIV ordered it shut down, although it continued on

  In the Garden 2018   I have been to the lovely Dow Gardens in Midland Michigan twice and it is really a beautiful and serene place with lovely pathways, whimsical sculptures of Dr. Seuss characters and beautiful gardens. There is a conservatory, trails through the surrounding woodlands and various gardens including a children’s area. Dogwood Blossom Dow Gardens 2018   Beautiful bright red foot bridges span many of the ponds along with a concrete reflection bridge and a rough-hewn stone bridge. Dow Gardens Red Footbridge 062618 The gardens were developed by Herbert Dow of the Dow chemical company in 1899 as a gift to the city. The one home in the gardens proper is called “The Pines” and it is a national historic landmark. Dow Gardens Path 1 2018         The garden is an area of 110 acres located in the heart of Midland, Michigan. There are beautiful paving stones, ponds, lots of mature trees, benches, and shaded areas. If you are ever in that area of Michigan, I highly recommend a vis

Port Huron, Michigan was incorporated as a city in 1857 after the removal of the native Ojibway population to Wisconsin and Minnesota during the Indian Removal act in 1836. The town grew rapidly due to the ship-building and lumber industries. The population in 1959 was 4,031. It became the county seat of Saint Clair County in 1871. In 2010 the population was 30,148. Fort Gratiot Light in Winter 5   The Fort Gratiot Lighthouse, shown here in winter, was built in 1829 and automated in 1933 and was the first lighthouse built in Michigan.   The Blue Water Bridge just north of downtown Port Huron and shown above links Michigan with Sarnia, Canada and the Saint Clair River runs south from Lake Huron to Lake Saint Clair and the Detroit River.  1920s Building Port Huron               Brass Rail Bar Port Huron 2 072918   Just north of town is a large public park with a view of the bridge. There is a small museum building next to the bridge dedicated to the area and Thomas Edison, the Thomas Edi

Curving Birch Just Googling “the color green”, you get information like “there are 297 shades of the color green”. I don’t know how someone determines that - it sounds kind of subjective to me, but maybe there are scientific studies that supported that conclusion. But does that veer off into “kind of green” or “blue-green”? It’s probably more complicated than I care to know. Fall Forest Glow My mother and I used to have arguments about whether something was more blue than green or green than blue. I think she had trouble seeing some aqua hues, but maybe it’s me that can’t see some shades of green. How would you know? I have no color blindness, according to regular eye exams. Some languages only have color words that encompass blue and green together, and they don’t distinguish between these shades on the color wheel. I think mom and I would have benefitted from such a word when discussing wall colors, although maybe one of us would have been disappointed with the ultimate choice. The

Saguaro National Park Visitor's Center 2 In Jungian psychology, it is said that the ‘shadow’ parts of someone’s personality are those items that the subconscious mind refuses to recognize in oneself. More often than not, these are unpleasant parts of ourselves that we don’t want to acknowledge. Sometimes positive aspects of ourselves, when having low self-esteem, can also not be recognized. Like the art or music prodigy who is massively talented, but also so insecure they can’t believe in their own capabilities. General Store Shadows Are you afraid of what’s in the shadows? Is there something lurking in there that can jump out and surprise you? Maybe there is unseen danger. Maybe there are hidden treasures. But these interpretations and “deep thoughts” are really not the main subject of this blog post. I would like a show of hands as to how many of you have been sitting mostly in an outdoor setting, just relaxing and you slowly become aware of the shadow patterns of the things arou