Tag Archive: Travel


Reflections of 2025

I decided it wasn’t too late to post one photo for every month of 2025, depicting my activities.

January: A Horse and Buggy heading from Mt. Hope toward Winesburg, Ohio.

February: A taxi job I had was to take my cousin to Marblehead Lighthouse on the shore of Lake Erie to look for a rare duck that was sighted there. We didn’t see the duck but I got a photo of this Amish gentleman checking out some of the 100’s if not 1000’s of ducks that were swimming in what open water there was.

March: After many years of having it on my “bucket list” I attended the Ohio Decoy Collectors and and Carvers Association show in Independence, Ohio. It is scheduled every 3rd weekend in March. This was one of the beautiful entries of a carved bird.

April: Grandpa and Grandma spending with a family that has “adopted” us as “Grandparents!” This family stops in almost every year to spend some time with us. How special to see them grow.

May: I was trying to capture a bird flying in front of the moon, and almost succeeded! Maybe next time!

June: One of the many shots I took for this couple during their June wedding!

July: Seward, Alaska: One of the many photos I took of Alaska while on a “Sail and Sing” cruise on the Inland Passage, and a 4 day land tour of Alaska.

August: While waiting for some taxi passengers I snapped this shot of three young ladies heading home from church!

September: This Rufous Hummingbird visited our feeder and stood still long enough for this shot!

October: Charm, Ohio Pony Parade: I took this photo and used it to make a 1,000 piece jigsaw puzzle and gifted it to the family of the young man on the left. The father of the young lad on the right called me and wanted 4 puzzles, including some for the boy’s two grandfathers. I ordered them for him. We had a friend visit us from Pennsylvania for three days. She sent me a text wondering if this was me. The photo hadn’t arrived yet. When the photo finally showed up in my message thread it was a photo of one of the puzzle boxes made from this photo. Interestingly the fellow had sent the puzzle to the boy’s grandmother who married our Pennsylvania friend’s father. A small world.

November: My wife and I did 170+ shots of families and singles from our church for an online directory. This photo depicts some of the things that happen when parents are trying to get their child to smile, etc.!

December: A friend of mine grabbed my camera after church and said someone needs to take my photo. I said go ahead. I decided to sit down in this chair and relax. The end of the year is a good time to take a break and reflect on 2025.

A big thanks to everyone who enjoys my photos and follows this blog! May you have a great 2026!

Photo credit: Karston Mullet

Today it’s back to normalcy, if there is such a thing for those of us in the “Golden Years!” By the time you see this post we will hopefully be in our own bed, trying to recover from a “door to door” 42 hour trip home. This did include early trip to airport, because of some election day travel restrictions, and a 7 hr. layover in Boston! Not sure how much cold and snow we missed, during the month of February, but we sure enjoyed the balmy temps of Bangladesh!

Hinkle’s Fort was the only defense of the South Branch after Fort Upper Tract and Fort Seybert were destroyed by Shawnee Indians under Killbuck, April 27,28, 1758.

This is a great view from Highway 33 in West Virginia.

Scenic Autumn Photo of Germany Valley

Scenic Autumn Photo of Germany Valley

Shopping

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Taken in Rajasthan, India

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The Taj Mahal

Early Morning Reflection

Early Morning Reflection

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This wasn’t my favorite photo of the year, but visiting this site in Hagnau, Germany was a highlight.  My ancestor Jacob Raber left this home in 1836 for America when he was 5 years old.  The exact generation and date I couldn’t confirm since my genealogy book is packed away in America somewhere!

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Little Boy Sees Me Through the CNG bars!

ALICE, JOYCE AND LEE IN A CNG (Compressed Natural Gas)!

Crowded in but still smiling!

Crowded in but still smiling!