Mountain laurel flowers are beginning to bloom in the high peaks of the Dolly Sods wilderness. Early in the morning as the sun is breaking through the early morning clouds the flowers eagerly await the warmth of the bright rays.

A marsh marigold found in the cranberry glades wilderness in West Virginia. These little flowers love wet places and are prolific in the marshy wetlands of the cranberry glades botanical area. These are among the many flowers found in this unique area of the Monongahela forest.

A fisher’s face close up in the snow. You can see this small predators teeth showing from the sides of his mouth. This is evidence that though this fell looks innocent he could certainly give a nasty bite in the event he got an opportunity of was provoked. These animals are rarely seen but live in the Dolly Sods Wilderness and similar areas in West Virginia.

A large West Virginia cougar laying down next to a rock in the snow. These predatory cats once roamed the Appalachian forests and mountains. They require vast amounts of wilderness for their habitat. With the ever increasing population of the east coast mountainous areas it is becoming less likely that these magnificent wild cats will ever be seen in the wild again…

A pair of coyotes running in the snow together. Although it may be bitterly cold these wild canines have thick fur that is made to withstand the cold. Coyotes usually hunt in pairs and are not only found in remote areas of the wilderness, but are found in metropolitan areas as well.

If you look close enough you will see that there is a small spider in this photo. I did not notice it until I was processing in it in PSE. I love these mountain wildflowers. These are actually mountain laurel and this was in the Dolly Sods Wilderness area. I love taking bee and spider macro shots. One day I will be able to take even better images with a higher quality lens but for now this is the best I can do. I really enjoyed taking these as I stood for hours on end watching these bees and butterflies.

John 6.58
This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.

Exodus 16.14-15
And when the dew that lay was gone up, behold, upon the face of the wilderness there lay a small round thing, as small as the hoar frost on the ground. And when the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another, It is manna: for they wist not what it was.

Dolly Sods Wilderness

In Dolly Sods Wilderness Nightfall