Our professor of Photography (and my good friend) Clarence Wulf explains what it means to take a good photo. He teaches students who are preparing to go to the mission field and other places of service how to use a camera. Some have never even held a DSLR camera. My Barnabas group took a few minutes yesterday to look at the work of their peers and talk with Clarence about his winterim class.

When I lived in Atlanta, I loved to go to Kennesaw Mountain on Sunday afternoon with Cocoa. There was always plenty of people there to remind me that I was in the city. But it is much different here. This photo was taken a couple of weeks ago at Camp Mikell where many of us go for a quick hiking retreat. When you are there and when you walk out into the woods, you are reminded that you are definitely not near a city. It is a world unto its own.

Last week an excursion train carrying visitors from as far away as New York and Virginia arrived in Toccoa for our annual Harvest Festival. We had a great time and really enjoyed the weekend—it was full of activities from Friday to Sunday afternoon. This is a photo of one of the antique cars on the train. I was shocked when I noticed the leaf color in its windows. And of course, the mayor of Toccoa cued the hawk in this photo to fly over at the perfect moment.

My Dad worked for the railroad, and I’ve always found a sense of peace in the sound of a distant train whistle or of the turning rhythm of its steel wheels on train tracks.

Then there was a wave goodbye. . . .

We’re having back to back weekend activities. This coming weekend over 300 cyclists will ride along the Tugaloo Corridor near Lake Hartwell. I’m ready for that event and for the promise of seeing some of the usually closed off native Indian property where Cherokee Indians once lived.

I had a friend tell me that I had lost me ability to think clearly over this photo. It was taken last Saturday of a hillside near the lake at Toccoa Falls.

Our Harvest Fest took place this weekend and there was plenty for everyone to do. I was especially interested in the Native American Indians who performed on the main stage.