Marsh Creek State Park - Oct 2026
Under October Skies
All of the little boats, kayaks, and canoes, sit ready for a beautiful Fall Saturday. Shot with a Sony A99II and CZ 16-35 f/2.8 lens using a Lee100 GND filter. Camera was mounted on a RRS tripod & head with a 3 Legged Thing universal mounting plate.
Marsh Creek State Park - Oct 2026
A Minute of October
Sunrise this morning, nice & cool with a slight breeze. Shot with a Sony A99II and CZ 16-35 f/2.8 lens using a Lee100 GND filter. Camera mounted on a RRS tripod & head with a 3 Legged Thing universal mounting plate.
We are still in the grip of the Nor'easter and should be until tonight at least. Hasn't been too bad, power has stayed on and while it's been raining most of the time, most of it has been on the moderate side, no flooding around here as of yet. Can't say the same for many other places, especially the shore towns. They are getting blasted with wind & rain.
Ran out to the store to pick up a few things for dinner, my girls are requesting some more comfort food, so today is going to be a big pot of creamy chicken & noodles. The comfort food will help as we will probably be watching the Phillies miss the playoffs and completing a late season collapse of epic proportions. The Birds don't play till Monday night so we have to wait a bit for some good sports news LOL!
The Shack 8 are the perfect boots for a day like this...
Dome thoughts... I have my boots, my belt, and a key clip. Been flip flopping back in forth about entering the Dome. Wearing boots and taking pictures of them is something I already do, a lot. Signing up for yet another SM app, and following rules, isn't something I am really looking to do. Honestly, I love all my boots, but I don't need to win any to fill a missing spot or something in my collection. Rotating my boots, every day or maybe a few days between, is something I like doing so I can't really see myself wearing the one pair for 6 months straight. Way back I did it all the time (wore them from new to trash), because I didn't have any alternate pairs to switch to. That is not the case now thankfully. I think I will just enjoy my boots and pictures playing along on the Dome "home game" version, while loving and admiring all of the great leather & builds that are participating. Of course, I could always change my mind later today LOL!!!
Have a great Sunday and stay safe if you are anywhere near the nasty weather.
Specs: MTO, 11.5E, 67 last, 6", Shackleton #8, standard top, pull loop, brass hardware, soft toe, classic dogger heel, beeswax edge, 430 mini lug sole. Laces are Generation Laces in Night Blue
2nd trip with the Pioneer Duffel. Did a two day boat trip with the wife and some friends. The bag has plenty of room for everything I needed and looked great doing it. Got some nice compliments on it and not one comment about the camo in a negative way. Most everyone that took the time to look, didn't realize it was camo till they got very close to it.
If you need a great weekend type of bag, this may be the one that fills that need. No regrets picking this bag!
Assateague Island National Seashore - Sept 2026
Footsteps to a Front Row Seat
Taking in the brilliant sunrise solo... Shot with the Sony A99II and CZ 16-35 f/2.8 lens using a Lee100 GND filter. Camera mounted on a RRS tripod & head with a 3 Legged Thing universal mounting plate.
Assateague Island National Seashore - Sept 2026
Colors & Dunes
The colors evolving over the dunes as sunrise approaches on the beach. Shot with a Sony A99II and CZ 16-35 f/2.8 lens using a Lee100 GND filter. Camera mounted on a RRS tripod & head with a 3 Legged Thing universal mounting plate.
Assateague Island National Seashore - Sept 2026
First Glance
The view from the top of the dunes about an hour before sunrise. This is a two minute exposure, taken as I stood there enjoying the wind & colors. Shot with the Sony A99II and CZ 16-35 f/2.8 lens using a Lee100 GND filter. Camera mounted on a RRS tripod & head with a 3 Legged Thing universal mounting plate.
Arrived safety last night and made it to the beach for sunrise. The Shack Black again made walking on the sand so much easier. Now back at the house and heading out on the boat for some fishing.
Have a great Thursday!
Specs: MTO, 11.5D, 55 last, 7”, Shackleton Black, standard top, pull loop, brass hardware, soft toe, classic logger heel, V100 sole. Timber CXL kilties from Dale’s Leatherworks and laces are Generation Laces in black.
Hit the road early this morning to try and get a head of the post Labor Day traffic. The early start helped a little bit, at least for the first leg of the morning's stops. Luckily for me, this will be a very short week, just today, tonight, and tomorrow, then I am off Wednesday evening to my BIL's house for a guys/cousins weekend Thurs through Sunday. We try to do this every year and last year was a blast. Some boat time, football is starting, good food & drink. You get the idea...
The weather looks good for today and the rest of the week so I decided to get some time in the DS Greys with their leather soles while everything is nice and dry.
Have a great week and be safe with everyone getting back to their post summer schedules!
Specs: MTO, 11.5D, 67 last, 6", DS Grey, standard top, pull loop, gunmetal hardware, soft toe, classic dogger heel, beeswax edge, leather sole. Laces are Generation Laces in black with gunmetal aglets.
Pants: Atlantic Rancher, Shipyard Pants in Navy.
Sunflower Watch Lesher Poultry Farm PA - Sept 2026
Storms and Sunflowers
Thunderstorms and rain move over the sunflower fields just after sunrise last week. Shot with a Sony A99II and CZ 16-35 f/2.8 lens using a Lee100 GND filter. Camera mounted on a RRS tripod & head using a 3 Legged Thing universal mounting plate.
Marsh Creek State Park - Sept 2026
First Saturday of the Month
Labor Day weekend, kicking off with this sunrise from the top of the hill overlooking the park. Shot with the Sony A99II and CZ 24-70 lens using a Lee100 GND filter. Camera was mounted on a RRS tripod & head with a 3 Legged Thing universal mounting plate.
Well we have finally reached the "official" last weekend of summer. Not according to the thermometer however, though after some heat and possible T-storms today, the rest of the weekend looks beautiful.
Went with my Roanoke Denim Roberts today along with my Zesty belt. Added a new blade to my collection, decided to take a pic of it with the boots because the scales are Denim Micarta and I think it makes a cool match to the boots.
Have a great Friday and kickoff to the holiday weekend!
Specs: Roberts, 11.5E, 55 last, 8", Roanoke Denim, standard top, pull loop, brass hardware, soft toe, 4 row toe cap, classic dogger heel, beeswax edge, Dr Sole half sole. Kilties are reversed Roanoke Denim and the laces are Generation Laces in Rust.
Belt: Nicks Belts, Special Edition Zesty, natural veg tan with Stamp
Blade: Benchmade, 940-04, Osbourne Reverse Tanto, Denim Micarta scales.
Sunflower Watch Lesher Poultry Farm, Chambersburg, PA - Sept 2026
Watch Your Back
While the sunflowers face East waiting for the Sun to rise, another storm rolls in from the West. Shot with a Sony A99II and CZ 16-35 f/2.8 lens using a Lee100 GND filter. Camera mounted on a RRS tripod & head using a 3 Legged Thing universal mounting plate.
Sunflower Watch Lesher Poultry Farm, Chambersburg, PA - Sept 2026
Huddled at Sunrise
After driving through storms for a couple of hours before arriving, sunrise was more about ducking raindrops. The storms that raced across PA last night weren't quite finished this morning in Chambersburg. I was able to spend a little time shooting this amazing sunflower field(multiple acres) before lightning and good sense got the better of me. Shot with a Sony A99II and CZ 16-35 f/2.8 lens using a Lee100 GND filter. Camera mounted on a RRS tripod & head with a 3 Legged Thing universal mounting plate.
Another day of mist, lines of storms rolling through, what better boots to be wearing than my Shack #8s? I had to visit a few locations this morning and spent a good bit of it dodging raindrops while doing so. Perfect boots for the task, my feet are nice and dry, plenty of traction, and look damn good while doing it. I like these more every time I wear them.
Saw a NBD post earlier of a new member of the Shack 8 gang asking about what colors go with it? Well, here it is with some Navy / dark blue canvas pants.
Have a great day!
Specs: MTOs, 11.5E, 67 last, 6", Shackleton #8, standard top, pull loop, brass hardware, soft toe, classic dogger heel, beeswax edge, 430 mini lug sole. Laces are Generation Laces in Night Blue.
Pants: Atlantic Rancher Shipyard Pants in Dark Navy
Marsh Creek State Park - Aug 2026
Memory of a Sunrise
A warm and humid sunrise to close out August. Shot with the Sony A99II and the Lensbaby Velvet 28 lens, camera mounted on a RRS tripod & head with a 3 Legged Thing universal mounting plate.
Marsh Creek State Park - Sept 2026
First Cast of September
Managed to catch this fisherman's first cast of the morning and the month just before sunrise. Looks like a pretty big lure on the end of his line. Shot with the Sony A99II and CZ 16-35 f/2.8 lens using a Lee100 GND filter. Camera mounted on a RRS tripod & head with a 3 Legged Thing universal mounting plate.
Well September seemed to get here in a hurry! Got out early this morning, some showers overnight left everything damp and the air heavy, with another round of stormy weather forecast for later today. When conditions are gonna be wet at best and maybe worse, I almost always go with my Shack Black pair. Bomb proof slippers at this point that continue to keep my feet dry, supported, and protected.
Managed to catch a fisherman's first cast this morning. Not sure what he was trying to catch but he had a big lure on the end of his line. I do know that there are trophy sized Muskies in there that have been caught over the years. Nice way to spend a little time before the phone calls started and the emails began rolling in.
Here's to a great month!
Specs: MTO, 11.5D, 55 last, 7", Shackleton Black, standard top, pull loop, brass hardware, soft toe, classic logger heel, brown edge, V100 sole. Kiltie is Timber CXL from Dale's Leather Works and the laces are Generation Laces in Black.
Played golf with my boys this morning… first time in over a month. Back was feeling well enough, even managed to finish all 18, first time all summer.
Couldn’t wait to get home and get my feet back into a pair of Nicks for the support. I’m sure I’ll pay for it tomorrow, but that’s a Monday problem.
Got the egg fired up for some grilling/prep cooking… grilling some fresh farm corn on the cob, a couple of pork tenderloins, and nice big sirloin steak. Gonna have them with a spicy Caprese salad. Leftovers will be lunches and dinners for a few days.
Phillies play at 4 and are going for the sweep! My Shboots are the perfect rooting color for the Phillies!
Have a great Sunday!
Specs: MTO, 11.5E, 67 last, 3”, Burgundy Chromepak, standard top, brass hardware, soft toe, moderate dogger heel, beeswax edge, honey lug sole, leather laces.
Threw on my OG pair of Nicks this morning, not a lot on the agenda past enjoying my coffee while enjoying the beautiful sunshine this morning.
These have almost a year and a half of wear on them, I think the last time I conditioned them was back in January maybe? They do get regular brushing however and I think that has helped them burnish into what they look like today. Completely broken in, they feel fantastic. Even though they are a D width and I order everything now in E, they are so molded to my feet they feel like slippers.
Cannot recommend Predator Orange enough, it's a classic for good reason. Perfect leather for a first pair of boots. These were my "gateway" boots for Nicks. Taught me just how valuable using a horsehair brush can be, and that unless mandated, I will always order soft toes in my boots.
Have a great Saturday!
Specs: Urban Logger, 11.5D, 55 last, 6", Predator Orange, standard top, pull loop, brass hardware, soft toes, natural edge (refinished a year ago), classic logger heel, V100 soles. Laces are Generation Laces in Phillies red.