Lightning over Arcadia Lake, Edmond OK

Boom.

Reflections at Great Plains State Park

Last summer Noah and I went on a surprisingly wonderful little weekend camping trip. It wasn't surprisingly wonderful because I didn't think we'd have a good time. But the remote location was even more enjoyable than I had hoped.  I must add, and the internet as well as Noah can confirm, the bacon cheeseburgers at the 3-table Tom Steed Reservoir Bait Shop are just amazing!  Oddly, my bride narrow-mindedly frowns upon eating in the same store where you can by earthworms and dead crawdads for bait.

Here are a few pics of world famous (not really) Tom Steed Reservoir in the early pre-dawn hours.

Hoover Dam @ Night and some Lake Mead drought

Day or night, I've never regretted a stop at the Hoover Dam. This place is a modern marvel of engineering and a grand human vision.

The star-burst pattern around the lights is an effect typical of many lenses at very high f-stop #'s (very small apertures).

Check out how much the water level has dropped in Lake Mead between the top picture taken in 2001 and the bottom one taken in 2009!

Frozen sunset reflection on Lake Hefner

Let's face it.  The wind ALWAYS blows on Lake Hefner...except for the extremely rare day when it doesn't.  On this particular day of December 10th, I almost froze while taking these pictures. You can see ice on the rocks (always a good combo) on which I was climbing while taking these pics.  But what a sight!

Lake Hefner Sunrise

Just some tomfoolery with the camera body and lens while the shutter is open.

Massive lightning display over Lake Arcadia

There went the boom...and it was incredible.

This was the view looking NW over Lake Arcadia at precisely 2025hrs on 24 Apr 2014.

I presume one of the coolest things about taking lightning pictures is that this exact scene has never existed before and will likely never occur again.

Hole in the Sky

The clouds and the sun danced in concert all but just a few minutes to create this incredible fleeting scene over Lake Arcadia.

Lake Arcadia fog @ sunrise

With a little grain added for a vintage feel.

Sunset reflection on Lake Arcadia

9 minutes and an elevation change of about 90 feet.  That's all that separates these two images. (No, it didn't take me 9 minutes to descend 90 feet!)  

Each was taken a couple weeks ago at Lake Arcadia outside Edmond, OK.  The first was taken high atop a hill on the south end of the lake and the next obviously near the water's edge.

My favorite part of either image is the Devon building located at the bottom left of the first.  Depending on the quality of your monitor you may have to view the full-size image to keep it from being hidden in the shadows.  The building seems so incredible in and of itself but amongst the enormity of creation, it quickly becomes insignificant.

Reflections of Disney's Dolphin Resort

Sunset Fisherman on Lake Arcadia

Cooperative elements

It's nice when the sun, clouds and wind all cooperate.
----------------------------------------
Far and wide they'll come to a stop,
   they'll stare in awe, in wonder.
Dawn and dusk take turns
   calling, "Come and worship."  Ps. 65:8

Lake Arcadia Sunset - Edmond, OK

PS - After several hours of clearing land in 100+ degree weather then taking the pics above, this is where I sat to "stare in awe, in wonder" before shutting down for the evening.  It was such a fantastic end to the day.

Latest image from Mars Rover Curiosity

Or possibly just a barren landscape at a drought-stricken Oklahoma lake.