Don Sutherland's photos

Metamorphic rocks at Manor Park (Larchmont, New York)—August 23, 2014. These rocks were once part of the Appalachian Mountains, which formed approximately 600 million years ago. More photos and information are available in my article on these rocks, which can be found here .

Patchy fog just after sunrise (Larchmont, New York)—September 17, 2014. A view of the sun’s crepuscular rays through the fog is below:

An exterior wood figure at the Forbidden City (Beijing, China)—June 10, 2014

Clouds from an approaching offshore coastal storm are illuminated just after sunset (Larchmont, New York)—September 8, 2014

View of the Great Wall of China at Jinshanling—June 12, 2014.

Relief at the Summer Palace (Beijing, China)—June 9, 2014. During the reigns of the Qing Emperors Kangxi and Qianlong (1663-1795) several imperial gardens were created around Beijing, the last of them being the Summer Palace, based on the Hill of Longevity and Kunming Lake in the north-western suburbs of the city. Kunming Lake (known earlier as Wengshan Pond and Xihu Lake) had been used as a source of water for irrigation and for supplying the city for some 3500 years. It was developed as a reservoir for Yuan Dadu, capital of the Yuan Dynasty, by Guo Shoujing, a famous scientist of the period, in 1291. Between 1750 and 1764 Emperor Qianlong created the Garden of Clear Ripples, extending the area of the lake and carrying out other improvements based on the hill and its landscape. It was to serve as the imperial garden for him and for his successors, Jiaqing, Daoguang, and Xianfeng. During the Second Opium War (1856-60) the garden and its buildings were destroyed by the allied forces. Between 1886 and 1895 it was reconstructed by Emperor Guangxu and renamed the Summer Palace, for use by Empress Dowager Cixi. It was badly damaged in 1900 by the international expeditionary force during the suppression of the Boxer Rising, in which Cixi had played a significant role, and restored two years later. The Summer Palace became a public park in 1924 and has continued as such to the present day. For more information: whc.unesco.org/en/list/880

Beihai Park (Beijing, China)—June 5, 2014. Beihai Park, also known as Northern Sea Park, is one of the oldest and largest downtown gardens. The Park was first constructed during the Liao Dynasty (916-1125). It was then subsequently repaired and rebuilt during the Jin, Yuan, Ming, and Qing Dynasties. The Park largely took on its present form during the reign of Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty. The Park was first opened to the public in 1925.

Sunrise at Manor Park (Larchmont, New York)—August 5, 2014

View of the Great Wall of China at Jinshanling—June 12, 2014. Jinshanling is 120 kilometers (75 miles) from Beijing where the boundaries of Miyun County of Beijing and Luanping County of Hebei meet. Its name was derived from the greater and lesser Jinshan Watchtowers. Watchtowers were constructed at distances of 60 meters and 200 meters to make it easier for soldiers to come to one another’s aid, if needed.

A mural in the Forbidden City (Beijing, China)—June 10, 2014 Dragons are found throughout the Forbidden City. The dragon was considered the most powerful creature by ancient Chinese. Over time, the dragon was identified with “enlightened and virtuous” emperors.

One of the many glazed ceramic figures that adorn Imperial Chinese architecture. The yellow color is reserved for China’s emperors. There are numerous interpretations of the meaning of the procession of figures found on numerous old edifices. One interpretation suggests that the man at the head of the procession is employed in the service of the emperor and that the mythical beasts trailing him stand ready to devour him if he ever becomes disloyal to the emperor. The dragon at the end of the procession represents the authority of the Chinese state. The above photo was taken in the Forbidden City (Beijing, China)—June 13, 2013 I also want to thank Fu Zhicheng, Chen Xihua, Jihe, Yanqiong, Yanjun, and Lulu for all their assistance while in China. Your help was invaluable in helping make the experience an unforgettable one.

Blossoming Saucer Magnolia (Magnolia x soulangeana) trees at the New York Botanical Garden (Bronx, New York)—April 26, 2014

Cattails (Rye, New York)—April 13, 2014

Crocuses (Rye, New York)—April 12, 2014 The soul of the Spring through its body of earth Bursts in a bloom of fire, And the crocuses come in a rainbow riot of mirth… --“ A Mood of Pavlowa ” by Don Marquis

Daffodils (Larchmont, New York)—April 19, 2014

Montauk Point, New York—April 19, 2014

Narcissus ‘Silver Chimes’ at the Central Park Conservatory Garden (New York City)—April 20, 2014

A tulip is weighed down by snow (Larchmont, New York)—April 16, 2014. Just days earlier, spring had asserted itself quite forcefully with the temperature rising to 77°F (25.0°C) on April 13 and 75° (23.9°C) on April 14 in New York City. However, the spring party was brought to an abrupt end during the afternoon of the 15th. Just ahead of a strong cold front, the temperature peaked at 63°F (17.2°C) at 4:01 pm EDT. Afterward, much colder air swept away spring’s warmth as a steady rain developed. During the night, the rain changed to sleet and then snow as the temperature dove. The snowfall blanketed the ground and even roadways in the New York City suburbs. One could easily borrow from an account published in the April 22, 1835 edition of Baltimore’s Southern Patriot concerning a late-season snowfall that occurred on April 15-16 of that year to describe this year’s mid-April snowstorm. That newspaper wrote: His hoary frost, his fleecy snow, Descend and clothe the ground. In the wake of the snowfall, the temperature bottomed out at 31°F (-0.6°C) in New York City. That was New York City’s first April freeze since April 9, 2007. It was also the City’s coldest reading after April 15 since April 16, 1943 when the temperature fell to 30°F (-1.1°C). P.S. For those wondering about the fate of the tulip and other flowers, the above tulip, other tulips and daffodils all rebounded very nicely following the snowfall.