The Treasures of Shenandoah

October 07, 2016  •  Leave a Comment

Previously from Shenandoah: Trouble with ColorThe Details or the Wide and Grand? - The Skyline Drive View in Autumn - The Lonely Tree - Dark Hollow FallsCozy at ShenandoahSkyline Drive of ShenandoahShenandoah SunsetDifferent Look of Shenandoah at Big MeadowShenandoah is Waking UpOn Skyline Drive - Colorful FlashbackLuray CavernsLuray Valley MuseumFox Hollow Trail - The Treasures of Shenandoah

Colorful Fall Skyline Drive View, Shenandoah National Park, VirginiaColorful Fall Skyline Drive ViewShenandoah National Park, Virginia As another wonderful day of hiking and enjoying the outdoors, trails, colors, and waterfalls approached its end it was time to enjoy another famous feature of the Shenandoah National Park. All along Skyline Drive one can get beautiful distant views both to the east and west. That makes the park great for both early morning sunrise visits as well as late sunsets after other park activities.

We pulled over to one of the many pullouts along Skyline Drive that offered a nice distant view as well as plenty of foreground colors. I thoroughly enjoyed the clouds and light that nature had in store this evening. Unlike a featureless blue sky would have the clouds and haze darkened the background, diffused the light, and created shafts of light illuminating the land below. All of that combined helped the colors stand out boldly, whether the yellow grass in the immediate foreground or the yellow, orange, and red tones of the foliage in the middle ground. What a view, so easy to get lost in it with no worries, just the view and the gentle breeze.

Praying Mantis, Shenandoah National Park, VirginiaPraying MantisShenandoah National Park, Virginia While enjoying this spectacle we spotted another object of interest. A beautiful praying mantis was enjoying the low barrier wall and basking in the late sun. These insects are so  different than anything else. They're large but not bulky, very thin indeed but still with substance to them. They have so many fine features. And apparently they are the only insect that can swivel its head from side to side. And look at this one and its camouflage. Sure, the rock wall does not exactly help showcase that feature here but look at the background colors and at the photo above. With all of the yellow grasses around and some green here and there had this mantis been sitting on a straw behind the wall we might have never noticed it at all!

Enjoy the beauty that surrounds you! (#etbtsy)

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