Four Steps to Flight!

It's amazing of the beauty that you see near a big stream! I was on the water last weekend and was lucky to photograph a great blue heron. Check out this majestic bird relaxing on a branch over the water. He was obviously comfortable with folks coming near, however just a second later he decided to take flight and this is when I clicked four photos.


























At home, using software, I trimmed the heron out of the background of each of
the four photos. These photos kind of show how a 5 pound bird takes flight. The result of these photos is what I call, "Four steps to flight, steady, jump, flap, and soar. 

Four Steps To Flight

I think that it came out cool, so I decided to share the result. Remember, get away from the big screen and get on a big stream!

Leo Lakes Treasured Maps - Check-out my maps! My maps make great gifts for the lake house owner, lake lover, or fisherman. I have over two hundred on my website that can be purchased right from the site, or I can do custom and personalizes lake, river or bay maps, too. Oh yeah, I hide a tiny mermaid in the waters of all my maps that folks love to search for. Find out more interesting facts about my treasured maps by going to LeoMaps.com. 

A great gift for your lakelover husband!

Ladies, if your husband is a fisherman, you need to get him one of these, "The Tackle Trailer", yep the Tackle Trailer? Finally, he won’t need to make a decision on which fishing tackle to bring, he can bring it all.  Not only will he have all of his tackle in one spot, he can even pull it next to his favorite fishing spot. Just think of what his fishing buddy’s will think when he pulls up with the Tackle Trailer!  

Don't buy "no wimpy little tackle box, but a real tackle box, "The Tackle Trailer". You'll only find the "Tackle Trailer" at serious fishing outfitters. 

Remember: "Get away from the big screen and get on a big stream with the Tackle Trailer".

Check-out my Lake, River, and Bay Maps. I have hundreds of maps on my website that can be purchased right from the site, or I can do custom and personalizes vintage style lake maps, too. Lake maps will add beauty to your Lake House Decor! Find out more interesting facts about my treasured maps by going to LeoMaps.com. 

Vintage style Lake Maps

Just completed this vintage style map of Camanche Lake for a customer in California. This is a beautiful lake that is located in San Joaquin Valley. The lake is know for Bass and trout fishing. Interestingly, Camanche Lake is located in what is known as a Mediterranean Climate. The annual rain fall is relatively low, summers are relatively hot with low humidity and winters are mild.

Before I add waterfowl to the map, I research to determine what waterfowl lives on or near the lake. Camanche Lake has canadian geese, bald eagles, and great blue herons that frequent the area. The area has been in a drought, but water levels in the lake have been increasing during the 2015 and 2016 winter months. "Get away from the big screen and get on a big stream, Camanche Lake"

Vintage Style Lake Maps: LeoLakes.com

Creek Kayaking

My daughter and I, kayaked a creek near our home a few days ago. The night before, there was a big rain and the creek was up a bite. Even with the extra water, the creek remained a lazy creek and perfect for a new kayaker like my daughter, Sarah.

I didn't get a chance to fish much, but wildlife viewing was easy. It seemed that a majority of critters were out enjoying the sunshine after the rain.

This creek is called Sycamore and runs into the Cumberland River, near Nashville. I didn't see many Sycamore trees.

I noticed that there are lots and lots of turtles! You know, every time that I see lots of turtles, I don't catch many fish. What's up with that? Is it me?

Every waterway around here has a family of Canadian Geese. A lot of folks run them away because the mess that they create on their lawns. Beautiful birds, but they do poo on everything!

Not a bad photo of a hawk! Think about it, I quickly took this photo from a kayak during waves when the hawk was straight overhead. Lucky, I didn't fall out of the kayak.

This used to be a train bridge, but it has been converted to a green-way bridge. In fact, we run this green-way and the view off the bridge is very nice.

The trip must come to an end as Sarah paddles down the creek with a paddle, as opposed to being up a creek without a paddle!

Check-out my Lake, River and Bay Decor Maps!

LeoLake.com

Custom lake maps

I just completed this 20x40, custom lake map of Lake Washington located in Minnesota. It's a beautiful lake with lots of wildlife.

Not only are walleyes common, but large and small mouth bass, crappie, blue gill, and northern pike are too. You will find much wildlife/waterfowl around the lake such as eagles, osprey, cranes, otter, beaver and my favorite, loons. In fact, I added a couple of loons on the map along with fish, and Canadian Geese. Interesting, I always hide a tiny mermaid to the waters of all my lake map paintings that folks love to search for. 

Also, you can add a star to your favorite spot. If you would like to see more and read about my treasured maps go to LeoLakes.com.  We have Lake house maps, and vintage style maps, that make great gifts for the lake house.

Remember: Life is short, get away from the big screen and get on a big stream.

Old Field Studio News

BE GOOD TO SARAH, WISCONSIN!

My daughter, Sarah was lucky to be selected for an undergraduate research program at the University of Wisconsin, La Cross. She will be researching "White-nose Syndrome" that affects bats. It's a ten week research program and she gets paid, room board, and a food stipend. Hopefully it will be published in a scientific journal. Sarah is a junior at Sewanee majoring in Mathematics. We are going to miss you during the summer!

Leo Lakes Treasured Maps - Check-out my maps! My maps make great gifts for the lake house owner, lake lover, or fisherman. I have over two hundred on my website that can be purchased right from the site, or I can do custom and personalizes lake, river or bay maps, too. I have maps of Lake Winnipesaukee, Table Rock Lake, Greers Ferry, Lake Lanier, Gaston Lake, Choctawhatchee Bay, Toledo Bend, Raystown, and many others. Oh yeah, I hide a tiny mermaid in the waters of all my maps that folks love to search for. Find out more interesting facts about my treasured maps by going to LeoMaps.com. 

A Beautiful Vintage Style Lake Map for the House House

Think about it, if you have a lake house, what's better than having a beautiful vintage style lake map hanging in the great room! I just finished this beautiful 2'x4' vintage style lake map of Lake Bob Sandlin. The colors came out perfect and they work well with the mahogany frame. I'm sure it will look great hanging in the customers lake house.  

I've been doing lake, river and bay maps for approximately six years. Over the years, I have experimented with different elements of map art in order to provide the best and most unique map on the market. Folks will be drawn to the map like a crackling fire on a cold winter night.  I try very hard to make my maps special by adding interest to the maps.

You will find no road names, county, or state lines on my maps. I have found that folks enjoy traveling the roads with their eyes, while trying to get their bearing. I call this the "Leo Lakes gaze." 
You can add a star or symbol with a few words to mark that special place, it maybe the location of the lake house, the spot where you caught that trophy fish or some grand view. This will make a very special gift for the lake lover. I hide a few fish and even a tiny mermaid in the waters of my lakes. Yep, but they're very shy and don't want to be found. Folks just love'm, especially the kids. You might even think they move around overtime.

Did you know that you can always tell if its morning or evening on a Leo Lakes map? Just look at the shadows cast by the wildlife, is the shadow on the east or west? If it's on the west, then it’s morning time. Oh yeah, I have had folks tell me that they change through the day, but don't believe them.

Also, each framed map or map over 16x32, comes with a certificate of authenticity, lake poem, and interesting facts abut the map.

I have hundreds of maps on my website that can be purchased right from the site, or I can do custom and personalizes vintage style lake maps, too. I have maps, such as Lake Bob Sandlin Vintage Style map, Lake Logan Martin Vintage Style Map, Center Hill Lake vintage style map, Lake Texoma vintage style map, Gaston Lake, Choctawhatchee Bay vintage style map, Toledo Bend Lake Vintage style map, Raystown Lake vintage style map. Lake maps will add beauty to your Lake House Decor! Find out more interesting facts about my treasured maps by going to LeoMaps.com. 

Lake House Collage

My daughter is home from college and is working in the studio. She has been working on taking some of my maps and making a collage. She cleared out the studio came up with this lake collage. Look around, you may know a few of these!

I must say, I wouldn't have thought of doing this and it does look kind of cool. So far she has completed about 20 of these with random stuff. I may use some of these photos on the website as ideas.

I have over two hundred on my website that can be purchased right from the site, or I can do custom and personalizes lake, river or bay maps, too. I have maps of Lake Winnipesaukee, Table Rock Lake, Greers Ferry, Lake Lanier, Gaston Lake, Choctawhatchee Bay, Toledo Bend, Raystown, and many others. Oh yeah, I hide a tiny mermaid in the waters of all my maps that folks love to search for. Find out more interesting facts about my treasured maps by going to LeoMaps.com. 

Oh yeah, this is part of my studio! I think I have become a map elf!