• Tagged ancient trees, coastal redwoods, crepuscular rays, Del Norte, giant redwoods, Grove of Titans, James Irvine Trail, Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, Lost Monarch, Muir Woods, Prairie Creek State Park, Redwood National and State Parks, Redwood National Park, redwoods, Stout Grove, trees

Nature is calling, come out and play; explore and have an awe-inspiring adventure among the giant California redwoods. Here among the fog and trees, sunlight peaks through in god-beams, or crepuscular rays. It’s said that tree-loving people travel from all over the world to visit Redwood National and State Parks, which include Redwood National Park, Del Norte Coast, Prairie Creek and Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Parks. They are not the only California parks with impressive redwoods; Muir Woods National Monument is a sight everyone should see at least once. Yet many visitors to Jedediah Smith will never behold the ginormous redwoods known as the Grove of Titans; that’s because their location is a “secret” in order to protect the massive and ancient trees. [40 Photos]

• Tagged Eucalyptus deglupta, nature, rainbow, Rainbow Eucalyptus, rainbow gum, trees

Does a living rainbow exist? Yes! Extremely cool yet natural outdoor coloring can be found under the shade of this living rainbow. The Rainbow Eucalyptus is truly one of the most amazingly stunning trees and it definitely has the most beautiful bark of any tree on Earth. [36 Photos]

• Tagged ancient trees, bayou, enivronment, Florida, islands, Jekyll Island, Lake Verret, Louisiana, moss, nature, plantations, rivers, Savannah, South Carolina, Spanish moss, swamp, trees

One of the first things to strike you with a sense of wonder when you visit the deep South is the grandeur of beautiful, draping Spanish moss decorating the huge trees. While the hanging moss has a mysterious appeal for people not used to seeing such natural beauty, Spanish moss-draped live oak trees thrive in the southeastern United States. If you don’t live there, then the charming and somewhat spooky appearance of the silver-gray strands, hanging like natural Halloween decorations, summon images of old plantations, bayous and the swamps like seen in movies. The fall season and bright foliage of northern colder climates steal the show during autumn, but for portions of the south, Spanish moss is a show stopper year-round. When it sways in the wind at night, this tangled ‘tree hair,’ as the Native Americans called it, is both eerie and intriguing. French explorers dubbed it ‘Spanish Beard’ as an insult, so the Spanish then named this moss ‘French Hair.’ It’s been used as bedding, stuffing, upholstery, insulation, mulch, medicine and in arts and crafts; it’s even been used as an ingredient in making voodoo dolls. Yet this flowering plant, is is not even a true moss. It’s a distant member of the pineapple family and grows until it looks like it’s dripping from large trees. It can grow over 25 feet long and does not kill the giant, ancient trees. Here’s a look at some stunning, spooky Spanish Moss. [48 Photos]

• Tagged aerial, autumn, environment, fall colors, forests, lakes, nature, photography, seasons, space, trees, waves, woods

There is no doubt that ISS astronauts have enviable and breathtaking views of Earth, but when the fall season transforms foliage into a kaleidoscope of colors–rich hues of reds, yellows, oranges and browns, autumn is heaven as seen on Earth. As fall bursts upon the forests, changing them from green to vivid autumn colors, the tantalizing seasonal change can be seen from space. Yet astronauts may envy us for our beautiful view. Here’s a look autumn as seen from high above Earth, then zooming down to enjoy Indian Summer and the kaleidoscope of autumn colors that make our great planet a bedazzling fall spectacular. [46 Photos]

• Tagged moss, mountains, National Park, nature, Olympic National Park, photos, pics, trees

Olympic National Park in Washington offers a bit of everything for nature lovers, hikers and adventurers like Pacific Ocean beaches, rain forest valleys, glacier-capped peaks and a dazzling diversity of plants and animals. 95% of this park is still wilderness, making Olympic Wilderness one of the wildest places left in the lower 48 states. The National Park Service says, “This year, nearly 40,000 people will camp in the Olympic Wilderness and several hundred thousand people will take day hikes and walks. Olympic is fragile. But if we care for Olympic, we can preserve its wildness and grandeur for future generations.” In this awe-inspiring national park, visitors can go from glacier, to marvelous moss-draped wilderness, to the sea in one amazing day. [36 Photos]

• Tagged damage, destruction, storms, thunderstorms, tornado, trees, weather, wind, wind sheer

As darkness fell, southern Indiana was pounded yet again by powerful storms. Tornado sirens were wailing and citizens were advised to take shelter immediately. In Warrick County, school activities were cancelled and most Wednesday night church services were as well as residents battened down the hatches and waited to see what the latest severe storm would bring. I was told that right as 90 to 105 mph wind gusts ripped through, the power went poof! At least 20,000 homes rode out the storm in utter darkness as the wind howled and houses were hammered with blowing debris. Thursday morning, Boonville, Indiana, residents awoke to downed power lines, trees on roofs, trees squashing houses, trees ripped from their roots and overturned. Decks, patios, missing siding, and chunks of roofs, as well as other debris was scattered on lawns, sidewalks and streets. Yet thank God they were fortunate for no one died. Haubstadt, Indiana, had the most damage. Evansville was slammed too. Not much was said about Boonville, but it appears to have been hit pretty darn hard! (Warning: I’m not much of a photographer) but here’s a little tour through Boonville, Indiana, a small town of good-hearted people. [25 Photos]