Leaving a Legacy for Those Around Us in God's Great Outdoors
Author: legacyoutdoorsblog
I am a retired teacher and coach with 38 years in public education. I have a love for the outdoors and all the opportunities it provides. I love to fish, hunt and surf. Through this blog I hope to share some of my experiences in Gods great outdoors.
I went to my first photo workshop the past two Saturdays. They were put on by the Armand Bayou Nature Center. The instructor was Gary Seloff. He is an award winning photographer and excellent teacher. He has spent countless hours over the years taking photographs of wildlife from his kayak on Armand Bayou. Check out his Flicker page for some amazing shots. https://www.flickr.com/photos/gseloff/albums
Here is a short video of some pics I took on the boat tour portion of the workshop last Saturday. Enjoy and thanks for checking out my blog.
Passiflora incarnata, the purple passion flower, is a bloom on the passion vine. My wife received the vine as a gift, and it has flourished on our fence lattice. I have taken pictures of the strangely beautiful flower after full bloom but never attempted to capture the actual bloom on a time-lapse. I have been experimenting with the S&Q function on my Sony A6600 camera and decided to try it out on the blooming flowers.
According to Bob Thomas of Loyola University in New Orleans, the passion flower has Christian lore that has long been associated with the last days of Jesus Christ. That is where it got its name “the Passion Flower”. According to Thomas, “The five blue sepals and five similarly colored petals, together represent 10 of the 12 apostles, except Peter and Judas who distance themselves from Jesus before the crucifixion. Two rings of thin filaments, representing the thorns on the crown, encircle the reproductive organs. The wounds on Christ’s body are depicted by the five pollen-bearing stamens, and the three stigmas (the part of the pistil, or female anatomy of the flower, that receives the pollen) representing the nails in the cross. The tri-lobed leaves symbolize the spear that entered his flesh, and the tendrils that help the vines climb by growing rapidly and wrapping around branches portray the leather strips that cut his flesh.”
Passion flower vines also attract fritillary butterflies which lay their eggs on the vines. The ants you see on the flowers are attracted to a nutritious nectar produced by the extrafloral nectaries at the base of each leaf. In return for the healthful liquid, the ants protect the leaves from predators including fritillary caterpillars. These caterpillars can consume the vine at a fast pace until they form a chrysalis.
What an amazing cycle of life God has provided us to witness in the relationship of these three species. I am amazed at what I learn when I take some time to slow down and look around at the amazing things God has created. Revelation 4:11
This year we decided to celebrate our wedding anniversary in the Texas Hill Country. We found a tiny home Airbnb out in the country not too far north of Fredericksburg, Texas. Cresta De Fuego is a well furnished, very comfortable tiny home set on a hillside. We woke up each morning with a fantastic view of the sunrise from the comfort of the bed. We saw deer, turkeys, cattle, rabbits and a lot of song birds. We watched sunsets from adirondack chairs under a large old oak tree on the top of the hill. We could even see the pink granite mound of Enchanted Rock State Natural Area from the chairs under the big oak tree. At night we gazed at the starry skies from the deck and listened to the serenades of crickets, cattle, and night creatures. On our second night there, the skies cleared enough for me to get a few shots of the Milky Way as a few thin clouds passed by. The property is on Willow Loop Rd. which features some beautiful fields full of wild flowers.
Willow City Loop
In this video you will see some of the beautiful scenery at Cresta De Fuego.
Crestadefuego.com
@crestadefuego
There are many state parks in the area. The closest is Enchanted Rock State Natural Area. On our first full day, we hiked the Summit Trail at Enchanted Rock. The skies were over cast, and there were three separate burn piles in the area putting a lot of smoke in the air. The experience was nice and cool on an otherwise hot April week. On our last night, I made the short drive back to Enchanted Rock to take some pictures of the Milky Way. As luck would have it, the clouds and smoke obscured my attempts. Here is a video of the pics I took at Enchanted Rock State Natural Area.
In part two, I will feature our short trips to Longhorn Cavern State Park, West Cave Outdoor Discovery Center, and other sites close by.
Thanks for taking the time to read my blog and watch the videos. God’s beautiful creations are all around us. Exodus 15:11
Recently my wife and I celebrated a special wedding anniversary. We decided to splurge and travel to San Antonio and stay at Hotel Emma. This was an amazing trip. The Emma is the old Pearl brewery that has been converted to a luxurious hotel. The service, accommodations, and food were top notch. The location is right on the San Antonio River. You can travel by water taxi to all the river tourist venues. One of our reasons for this trip was to visit and learn the history of the other 4 of the 5 missions of San Antonio since we’d both already been to 1 of the 5, that one, of course, being the Alamo. We asked the concierge for any knowledge she had on the best way to see the missions. Immediately she suggested a private tour with Michael Robinson of San Antonio Pro Tours.
We took her advice, and she contacted Michael for us and set up a tour for the next day. Wow! What a great experience it turned out to be. Michael picked us up the next morning at the Emma and gave us a personal tour of Mission Espada, Mission San Juan, Mission Concepcion and Mission San Jose. Michael is a former history teacher who brought the culture of each mission’s historical period to life with his knowledge, passion and humor. We came away with new knowledge and an appreciation of the historical significance of the Spanish influence on the native Americans and their struggles during the 1700’s and beyond.
As a bonus, we were treated to a guided drive through the King William District of historically restored homes. This is one of the oldest neighborhoods in San Antonio. It was named after King Wilhelm I, the King of Prussia in the 1870’s. The restored historical accuracy and architecture of the homes is amazing. Michael pointed out the famous people who are currently living in a few of the houses along with the history of the neighborhood.
Next, we were treated to a stroll through El Mercado where we bought some souvenirs for the grandkids and some Mexican pastries at Mi Tierra Cafe and Panaderia. Michael’s knowledge of the best restaurants in San Antonio came in handy as we sampled a few of them during the next couple of days. Our favorite was La Fonda on Main. It is the oldest Mexican food restaurant in San Antonio. It was started in 1932 and was one of my Mom and Dad’s favorites. Michael also drove us through some of the most historical parks in the area with some very informative historical information on each landscape. He even drove us by my grandmother’s old apartment building where as a young boy I used to gaze down San Pedro Avenue from her ninth story bedroom window.
Michael dropped us off back at the Emma where we ate an amazing supper at the hotel restaurant named “Supper”. He suggested we visit the San Antonio Botanical Garden and the Witte Museum while we were in town. We enjoyed the Witte Museum and were amazed by the color and beauty of the Botanical Gardens.
I have included a video of pictures I took while on this trip below. If you travel to San Antonio, you will want to treat yourself to a stay at the Emma and a tour with Michael Robinson of San Antonio Pro Tours.
On a hill far away in a rural Norse community in central Texas sits a hidden gem. The Old Rock Church, a small Lutheran church built in 1886, is commonly referred to as St. Olaf Kirke. In the fall of 2022, I attempted to get a Milky Way picture over the old church. The weather was perfect, and the celestial alignment was ideal. Unfortunately, I didn’t realize the gate was locked and had to settle for a not so great shot with my 20mm lens from outside the gate.
A Milky Way shot of the Old Rock Church from outside the gate in October 2022.
This spring we visited our host site The Sundown Valley Ranch during the new moon. Before we left on our trip, I made arrangements for the gate to be opened on Wednesday. We arrived on a Tuesday with the sun shining and partly cloudy skies. I called again to have the gate opened that night instead. When I got there at 3am, the clouds had filled the sky. I took a few shots with the glow of the ambient light and locked the gate and left disappointed.
A photo with ambient light and a cloudy sky.
Wednesday my wife and I visited the site during the day with the sun shining and took some pictures with our phones.
Front entrance.
I made arrangements for the gate to be open again. I looked forward to another attempt. That night the clouds came rolling in again. I drove out to the church without my camera around 3am and locked the gate.
On Thursday a cool front was scheduled to pass through Central Texas in the afternoon. I was hoping it would clear out all the clouds and there would be one more opportunity as this was our last night to be in the area. Around 6pm the rain had lessened, and the cloudy skies started to decrease in the west. I made arrangements for the gate to be opened one last time. I set my alarm for 3am and woke up to see stars in the sky with a few remaining clouds on the horizon in the southeast, which was the direction wherein the Milky Way would rise. I drove to the church, set up my tripod, and pointed my camera to the southeast. Using my phone application, I pointed the lens to where the Milky Way should be and pressed the shutter for a thirty second exposure. The click of the shutter revealed a beautiful Milky Way arching above the church. For the next two hours, I watched and took pictures as the core of the Milky Way started to rise vertically next to the church steeple.
Shot taken from the cemetery looking southeast.
There is something magical about being under the celestial heavens silhouetted by an old house of worship. (Deuteronomy 3:24) One’s senses are magnified by the coyotes howling, birds chirping and elk bugling on the high fence ranch across the road. Each release of the shutter created anticipation of the images I would capture.
On this night, the stars aligned and allowed me to capture images of God’s creations. This was definitely a bucket list item for me. Patience and persistence had payed off after a year of waiting. I hope you enjoy the images and video. God bless you and thanks for reading my blog!
Tim Lumpkin
If you are interested you can read more about the history of the land and church on these two websites.
I left Surfside on Thursday 2-16-23 and drove to Galveston to shoot a few pics if the surf was good at the pier. To my surprise the sandbars were working and the surfers were having a good time with the strong offshore winds blowing. Here is a short video of some still shots taken that day.
Enjoy! If you see yourself and would like an edited pic you can message me on Instagram @tlump10.
Thanks for reading my blog. Visit my YouTube Channel: Legacy-Outdoors
My alarm went off at 5am. After a quick breakfast I loaded up the Tacoma and headed for Surfside. I arrived before the front hit the coastline. Wetsuit on and board waxed, I hit the water and caught some waist high fun waves. After an hour the winds went offshore as the front crossed the beach. The offshore winds were strong and cold but the waves were cleaning up for some long walls to play on. The temperature dropped into the low 60’s and the wind chill was definitely felt by everyone in the water. My last wave was a bomb caught just outside the tower in the channel and took me all the way to the beach. After a quick change I drove to Crab street and stood out of the wind on Ted’s beach house porch and snapped a few shots with my camera. It was good to see everyone. I hope you enjoy the still shots I put in the video. If you see yourself in a photo and want the original let me know. Thanks for reading and watching!
In 2020 we moved to Clear Lake, Texas, which is located near Ellington Field. The noise of jets flying overhead fills the air when the Wings Over Houston air show comes to town. This year I purchased a photo pit pass. I wanted to get up close to shoot some good video and pics. As luck would have it, the weather did not cooperate. The sky was cloudy, and the winds were cold on the Saturday I had tickets. The photo and video quality would not be as good as a day with sunshine and clear skies. I made the most of it. I shot all video without a tripod or gimbal. The highlight of the air show was the finale, featuring the Navy Blue Angels demonstration squadron. Their show was full of low altitude passes due to the low cloud levels. The conditions were challenging, but I thoroughly enjoyed the show. Being close to the action in the photo pit is definitely something I will do again. Keep the men and women who fly these planes and risk their lives for the sake of our freedom in your prayers!
I have a lot of other footage from the show that I will be posting. Stay tuned!
God bless you and thanks for checking out my blog and videos!
Go to Legacy-Outdoors YouTube channel and you can see the video!
This year I purchased a photo pit pass for the Wings Over Houston. My ticket was for Saturday, 10/29. Unfortunately the skies were cloudy, and the weather was cool. The conditions were not the best for shooting photos. A sunny day would have been ideal, but I made the best of the situation. I decided to shoot all video (hand held with my Sony A6600 and 70 to 350mm lens). It was a challenge, but I got a few good clips. I will share those in a video soon. On Sunday, 10/30, the sun came out and blue, partly cloudy skies made for better conditions. Without a ticket, I decided to shoot some still photos from a local park near the venue. I managed a few good shots to share with you in this short video.
Thanks for reading and watching! God bless you and enjoy the video!
Our time was growing short on this spring vacation. We still had places to go and things to see! Our last place to stay was a place called Ten Bits Ranch. It is virtually run and looks like a scene from a Western movie. We stayed in a room labeled the General Store which was right across from the Jailhouse. We were on our best behavior so as to not end up in a jail cell. From our porch, we saw a beautiful sunset over the hills. As the stars rose in the eastern sky, we were treated to some spectacular views. One of my favorite photo opportunities that night was of the Milky Way over the rugged hill tops. You will see this image in the video.
One of our must see sights was Big Bend State Park. We traveled down Park Road 170 which parallels the Rio Grande River all the way to Presidio. We must have stopped at least 20 times to take photos and gaze at the beautiful scenery along this park road. This is a must see if you get a chance to drive it.
The next road trip on our list was a drive down the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive back in the national park. We stopped at Castolon and visited the museum and store. It is hard to believe that cotton crops flourished in the valley here. Some of the original, rusty, heavy machinery used to process it is still there. From there we drove to an overlook to get a good picture of the Mule Ears mountain peaks and then to Sotol Vista, where the Homer Wilson Ranch house is still standing. After a few pics, it was on to the Chisos Mountains where we saw one of the more iconic views Big Bend is famous for – “The Window View”. As we were walking to the restaurant to eat lunch, there was a commotion in the parking lot as a black bear was stripping a native plant of its leaves and chewing on the tasty snack. The Chisos Mountains have seen a come back of the black bears that once lived in this region. The Park Rangers and personnel do a great job of teaching the public how to coexist with them. During our lunch, the same bear came back down the hill and made a pass by our lunch table near an open door. I grabbed my camera and seized the video opportunity as he slowly lumbered around to the back of the building.
An acquaintance we met in the park shot a really good picture of the bear and sent it to me when we got back home. I included his pic in the video below. His YouTube channel is Kaylor Adventure. He also has a really cool video featuring his hike to Balanced Rock. Check out his YouTube channel if you get a chance.
Before we made the drive back to the Midland airport, we took some shots of the Terlingua Cemetery. It is a famous landmark still being used today. I don’t think we ever went by the cemetery that there was not some one taking pictures of the unusual head stones and burial sites. As we drove back, we went through Alpine and made a pledge to come back and see the town along with the town of Marfa and the McDonald Observatory in Fort Davis.
Needless to say, we had a blast visiting this amazing part of the country. Texas is truly a fantastic state with so much to see and do. Thanks for coming along on our journey, and we hope you get to go experience some of God’s wonderful creations in Big Bend and beyond.
God bless you, and thanks for reading my blog. Enjoy the video!
Legacy Outdoors 