This scene was captured using a long lens with the aperture wide open, in order to blur the background. The exposure was set to create a silhouette of the bird and tree limb. Further manipulation to the digital file created the abstract look. The location is a small wildlife habitat in Lewisville, North Carolina near Lewisville Elementary School.

A Loving Tribute

Did you know that there’s a wildlife habitat in Lewisville? Although it was established 15 years ago, it had escaped my attention until a little over a year ago when our new library opened. The wildlife habitat is located on Lucy Lane, across from the library, tucked along the edge of a small wooded area.

The marker standing along the front of the habitat reads:

In memory of Jeanette E. Messick
The Jeanette E. Messick Wildlife Habitat
Dedicated 1994

I’m told that Jeanette Messick was a beloved teacher’s aide at Lewisville Elementary School who died of cancer. Her passing was such a loss to her students and colleagues that the wildlife habitat was established in her memory.

The small patch of land that makes up the wildlife habitat features birdhouses, birdbaths, benches, and a variety of plants, flowers and trees. Following the meandering pathway through the small habitat will take you over an attractive brick-lined bridge. Along the way, you’ll see some small statues of children and animals. Sadly, it appears that a sundial is missing, most likely due to vandalism.

Did You Know Jeanette Messick?

If you knew Ms. Messick and would like to share something special about her, feel free to do so by CLICKING on the Comment link below. I’d love to hear more about the lady who inspired the wildlife habitat.

Photo Gallery and Google Map

MORE PHOTOS of the Jeanette E. Messick Wildlife Habitat are available in the photo gallery. Plus, a GOOGLE MAP has been created to show you the exact location of the wildlife habitat. Simply CLICK the links below:

Photos: Jeanette E. Messick Wildlife Habitat Photo Gallery
Google Map: Jeanette E. Messick Wildlife Habitat Map

Update on 3/25/09: Jeanette Messick’s daughter, Susan Messick Luebchow, contacted me in response to this blog post. Susan clarified that the wildlife habitat was built by family and friends. Be sure to read Susan’s comments about her mother and the impact she had on so many.

© 2009 Deb Phillips - The Photo Gal for Lewisville Photos :: The Photo Adventure Blog by Deb Phillips | Copyright Deborah S. Phillips | Permalink
Category: Points of Interest Site Search Tags: abstracts, animals, birds, Lewisville Elementary, nature, trees, wildlife habitat
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The Nissen Wagon Museum, a nicely designed structure located at Shallowford Square, houses an original Nissen wagon. The wagon was built by the Nissen Wagon Company, which was begun by John P. Nissen in 1834. John's son, George E. Nissen, later co-owned the business with his brother, William, and lived in the historic Nissen House in Lewisville, North Carolina.

The Nissen Wagon

Continuing on our history journey today, we’ll focus on the Nissen wagon. I think it’s reasonable to assume that many a Nissen wagon traveled the Great Wagon Road and crossed the Shallow Ford between the 1800s and the early 1900s (CLICK the preceding links to read my previous posts).

After all, by 1919 Nissen Wagon Works, as it was later named, was producing over 15,000 wagons per year, or about fifty wagons per day. The business was located in Waughtown, North Carolina (in the present-day Winston-Salem) and was operated by various members of the Nissen family from 1834 until 1925, when it was sold to F. B. Reamy for about one million dollars. Under new ownership, Nissen wagons continued to be produced until the 1940s, when the popularity of automobiles eclipsed demand for the wagons. [Source: StoppingPoints.com]

For further information on the Nissen wagon and to see additional photos, please continue to the NEXT SECTION. (...)
Read the rest of Nissen Wagon Museum (699 words)

© 2009 Deb Phillips - The Photo Gal for Lewisville Photos :: The Photo Adventure Blog by Deb Phillips | Copyright Deborah S. Phillips | Permalink
Category: Points of Interest Site Search Tags: Great Wagon Road, Historical Society, history, Joe's Landscaping, Nissen Wagon, Shallow Ford, Shallowford Square
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A view of Westbend Vineyards in Lewisville, North Carolina on a clear winter day.

In the recent post titled Barren Beauty, I featured a photo of Westbend Vineyards from a not-so-typical viewpoint. Of course, in that shot, a tree in the foreground was the primary subject, and the old home place was off in the distance, barely visible. But for the above photo, I moved considerably closer, positioned not far from the small pond that’s below a section of the vineyards and the old home place.

For today’s post, I’ve created several alternative versions of this photo, some of which are radically different. In case you’re “allergic” to radically modified photos, I’ve also prepared a few more mild-mannered versions!

Please continue to the NEXT SECTION to check out the alternative photos. Wherever you fall on the photo spectrum, I hope you’ll find a photo that you particularly like. You may even prefer the above version. Caution: Some of the photos are really different!(...)
Read the rest of One Bright Morning (369 words)

© 2009 Deb Phillips - The Photo Gal for Lewisville Photos :: The Photo Adventure Blog by Deb Phillips | Copyright Deborah S. Phillips | Permalink
Category: Points of Interest Site Search Tags: HDR, scenics, Westbend Vineyards
Leave a Comment | Contact Deb