A couple weeks ago I stumbled onto #FriFotos on Twitter and I am hooked. Each week, they announce the theme and people all over the world post pictures based on themes like "CURVES" and "GOLD". This week we will be sharing pictures about "FALL". At first, you would think it will be a bunch of pictures of yellow trees and red bushes, but #FriFotos will be about much more than autumn photos. Here are my entries for the week. These are my pictures, taken by me or taken of me.
On a summer afternoon, we took a day-trip to Dolly Sods Wilderness Area in West Virginia. After a couple hours of hiking and exploring, we found "Bear Rocks". High above the valley, the vistas were stunning. As Maria was taking this picture, she said "be careful, please don't FALL"
 |
| I'm glad I didn't FALL off "Bear Rocks" It would have left a mark! |
Just before Sandy hit the east coast, I took an afternoon trip to Ohiopyle, PA for a late-season leaf peeping trip in the mountains of southwestern, PA. Our first stop took us to the amazing architectural site know as Fallingwater. Created for the Kaufmann department store family and designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, this beautiful home was built in the late 1930s, is constructed over a stream and waterfall and was featured on the cover of Time magazine many years ago. It is now National Historic Landmark and the grounds offer many photographic opportunities.
 |
| FALLingwater on a FALL day in SW Pennsylvania |
In late September, I was lucky enough to visit New York City (before Sandy) and captured a number of great pictures worthy of a #FriFotos entry. It was during our trip on the Hudson River that I caught these two choppers flying past the new World Trade Center building that is under construction. Without a doubt, if I was working up there and the choppers buzzed the tower, I am sure I would FALL to my death.
 |
| I would FALL to my death if I was working up there and got buzzed by those choppers |
A snow#FALL that began on October 30th did extensive damage to trees and shrubs in our area. Nearly 30" of heavy, wet snow was no match for young trees like these Birch.
 |
| An early snow#FALL buckled my birches |
We took a trip north two years ago to Niagara Falls. It is a beautiful place, but this is definitely a place that you do NOT want to FALL into.
 |
| You climb, you slip, you FALL, you die. Niagara FALLs, USA |
Hurricane Sandy hit the east coast beginning on October 30th. While the coast got reavy rain, wind and storm surge, the mountains of western Maryland recieved a heavy wet snowFALL. Power was out for most of our county thanks to a snowFALL of nearly 30" that brought down trees and powerlines everywhere. This tree would FALL, blocking my street on Wednesday, November 1st, some 36 hours after the snowFALL began.
 |
| I never expected a heavy snowFALL to cause a tree like this to FALL and block my street on November 1st |
Early this summer, we took a trip to the Great Smoky Mountains. On one of our hikes to a waterfall (there are quite a few in the Smokies), we found this sign. We took it's advice and were very careful so that we would not FALL into the ravine below.
 |
| Be careful, or you may FALL into the ravine below |
When leaves #FALL on top of 2' of snow, the sun will then heat the leaf and it will melt the snow below, causing the leaf to sink in creating a mini "Grand Canyon" in the snow.
 |
| Sinking into the snow. |
FALL is this week's #FriFotos theme and I have tried to be a litle more creative than just using beautiful FALL pictures, but I could not resist posting the following picture that was taken in October at New Germany State Park in western Maryland.. This is what FALL looks like up here in the mountains.
 |
| This is what FALL looks like up here in the mountains of western Maryland |
My final entry for #FriFoto was also taken on our trip last month to Ohiopyle, PA. This shot of the FALLs was taken from the far side in an area known as the Ferncliff Natural Area. It was a short hike along the river and we had a perfect view of the FALLs.
 |
| The FALLs on the Youghiogheny River in Ohiopyle, PA on a warm FALL day. |
