The Stories Behind the Photographs

Where do the new Ripples pictures come from?

Every picture you see featured on Ripples’ new website was taken by one of us (with the exception of this background wallpaper). 

That hand in the water at the top right of each page is actually mine; we were traveling through Kansas City when we stopped at a fountain outside Crown Center and the train station, and Ryan snapped this shot. I’ve always loved photography, but Ryan is the better photographer between the two of us.  From the red rocks of Sedona, Arizona, through the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, the Smokey Mountains in Georgia, and even the picturesque landscapes of Costa Rica and New Zealand will be featured along with new posts on sustainability.  We were looking through old photos the other day when we realized two facts: Ripples blog posts didn’t use very many good quality photos, and we had LOTS of great photos available to us from past vacations or even local settings.  Ryan embarked on a journey to organize all our photographs, and I am currently on a journey to learn how to use new technology and find all our old pictures.  First, a tour of the photos already featured on Ripples’ new website!

Ripples’ Home Page Photos: Their Stories

A rushing stream in Great Smokey Mountains National Park. Ryan slipped on a mossy, wet rock, and without injury came away with grass stains on his pants, leading to the inside joke “mossy ass”! We camped near this stream.

The red rocks of Sedona, Arizona, with the moon shining above Cathedral Rock (or Lover’s Rock, as it’s known by Native Americans). The rocks resemble two lovers standing close to one another, and legend has it that they used to argue. But the Great Spirit told them to look at the wonders around them, and count their blessings. They stopped arguing, and were happy. This is the spot Ryan & I took our wedding vows.

Canadian Geese feeding near a pond at the Missouri Botanical Gardens. We spend a lot of time in St. Louis in Forest Park and the zoo or gardens or at a show at the Muny once a year.

A highway in the southeast United States, with a roadside full of beautiful wildflowers…and ticks. Ryan & I took our first roadtrip to the southern states to attend a conference hosted by World Hunger Year. We fell in love on this trip, and got engaged later that summer.

Rocky Mountain National Park, where Ryan & I went on a journey to discover the American Pika before it becomes extinct due to climate change. We did, in fact, find pika among these rocks, as well as friendly chipmunks!

About Page Photos: Our History

The new About page features photos from past happy moments, including pictures taken in Arizona, Wisconsin, North Carolina, New Mexico, and Arkansas.  You can move through the photos at your own pace by clicking on the small circles below them, or just enjoy the slide show that plays automatically.  We hope to use more slideshows in posts, to convey the process of growing organic vegetables and watching wildlife enjoy their native habitat.