It has finally arrived. Yesterday, the first episode of The National Parks: America’s Best Idea provided the best excuse in recent memory to avoid all to-dos, to step away from the musts, to ignore text messages and e-mails.
The show began with a quote from John Muir: “Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in where nature may heal and cheer and give strength to the body and soul.”
I thought back on some of the beauty I’ve experienced in the National Parks. The day at Denali when, with just a few other people around, I watched a moose taking a midday bath with her newborns. The afternoon a foghorn broke through the quiet of a hike in Acadia National Park. And the hundreds of images I focused on during a three-day photography workshop in Yellowstone National Park. Here, some of the photos I settle into when I need to pull back from daily life. I hope you enjoy them.
Great pictures Jenna! I haven’t been to Yellowstone since I was a kid.
Thanks Chris. Maybe you can work a return visit into your SPAM-Dr Pepper road trip? After all, you’ll need to balance out all those chemicals with some nature.
You’ll have me planning a great road trip soon. 🙂
And that right there is the whole point!
Fantastic! I am so excited about the series. I am currently on a road trip across the west and have already visited nine national parks and monuments in celebration of the Burn’s documentary. Your Yellowstone photos are fantastic.
Thanks! If you guys don’t watch out with the compliments, you may fool me into thinking Mondays are a good thing.
Anyway TR — what an exciting trip! How long will you be on the road? And which parks/monuments have you visited? Any photos posted anywhere online? And don’t be surprised if I hit you up for route suggestions in the future…I’m in the early stages of dreaming up some serious time on the road for 2010. Drive safe!
Wonderful photos. They are stunning.
I was so excited about the new series on National Parks. I almost watched it twice last night! I didn’t know anything about John Muir so his life and philosophy was fascinating to me on many levels. Although I am Canadian (married now to a Chicagoan) I have spent many amazing trips to the National Parks in the U.S. I found all the scenery from geysers and mud pots as delightful as actually being there. The rest of the series if half as good as last nights will be a great journey.
Thanks Candy, our new favorite Canadian friend. (And great name!) I felt the same way — could have started watching it again as soon as the episode finished. I don’t usually buy DVDs but I have a feeling I’ll be plunking down cash for this set in the future….
Have any Nat’l Parks moments that pop to mind as your favorites?
I am loving the National Parks documentary and I love your photos! Thanks for posting! #6 and #11 are my favorites! Having just been amazed by Rocky Mountain National Park for my hike, I am all about the National Parks these days. Can’t wait to go there again and to go to some others as well!
As far as favorite National Park moments, I remember that my parents took me to Yosemite as a child and I remember going swimming in a small creek and I was amazed at how cold the water was, even in the middle of the summer. I loved feeling the stones of the creek bed on my feet- so smooth.
Thanks Jen. And what a wonderfully quiet (and cool) childhood memory.
Any chance you want to post a link to your Rocky Mountain hike photos? They were wonderful — I think loads of people would enjoy them. (FYI to all: Jen is a friend who recently did a massive hike in the Rockies to raise money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. I’m damned proud of her.)
I haven’t visited a single national park. So, no memories, only aspirations and fantasies. This is a wonderful entry, your slide show is gorgeous, too. I especially like #1, #3 and #11.
Thanks Barbara! Which parks do you dream of visiting first? I’ve been to six or seven but, over the next few years (and forward), hope to visit so many more (and return to all of the ones I’ve already fallen for).