My Patch

[Black Pearl]

Who here has a "Patch?"

A place they go every day, week or just regularly enough to know it like the back of their hand.

Mine is Jacky's Beach where the dog and I go whenever it is light enough not to get washed away. I have walked it in the sun, the rain, the snow, when it has been red hot, freezing cold and most things between. I can check the iPhone before we set off and know where the tide will be, I can decide if the SLR is worth the hump or if I'm just going to rely on the phone if I need it.
Some days I come to the top of the cliffs and just stop. Stop and look at it in awe - other days I have my head down and frankly feel like giving Jasper a kick for dragging me out. The thing is that even on those days I still take pictures. I worry about the camera (what ever it is) getting wet but I want to capture what I see. It is my place and it is the place I go when I need to unwind.

I don't like new year resolutions and I don't really like setting a project as I am easily distracted but I think that 2014 will be the year of the beach.

It is my patch and I feel I should record it.

Am I alone?

[Saorsa]

Mine is Ponce De Leon Park in Punta Gorda FL. It's my morning walk. The park contains a wildlife rescue center which I seldom visit as I dislike seeing caged birds. Most of my Brown Pelican shots are taken here along with other birds and bugs.



There are many other places in the area that are great for photography Ding Darling, Venice Rookery, Ollies Pond, Audubon-Pennington Park and I often visit them but having a beautiful little spot like Ponce practically on my doorstep makes it ideal. My newish Nikon V1 makes it easy to get good shots too.

Walking makes it easy to take the time to observe the smaller fauna as well. Like this spider.

[Shadowman]

Any place with water, usually the waterfront.

[DanK]

I have a few. One is area around the northeast shore of Raquette Lake, in the central Adirondacks. Here are three that were taken from nearly the same spot:

[HenkB]

My patches are the fields in town I walk each day with the dog, camera in hand. One sees glorious weather,



atrocious weather,



broad spaces



small, intimate scenes,



and lots more, besides.

Sometimes I think I've seen it all but then the weather, or the light, or the season, or something in me changes and I realize my mistake.

[xpatUSA]

Cool thread!

many years ago I bought 10 acres of woodland near Bellville, Texas. Best thing I ever did. Since then I have hand-built various structures and retired there from Houston about five or six years ago. So, here's the NW corner of my 'patch':



And here's the dirt road that runs down between the property lots. My manor starts about halfway down on the right.



Lots of flora and fauna, from deer down to rats and 100' cedars down to 3" grass.