All articles, tagged with “waterfall”

Recently, we got a private tour of a tranquil little spot in Northeast Ohio. “Stebbins Gulch” is part of Holden Arboretum.

This newest Water Film provides you with an experience of this amazingly peaceful slice of nature.

If you enjoy the soundtrack for this film you can download it here.

Press play and enjoy!

You can also watch it on YouTube in HD.

Our Water Films DVD, with over 2.5 hours of content, is also available on Amazon.

Sitting here near Niagara Falls right now, I’m amazed at how many times one can return to this spot and be amazed. The aquamarine color of the Niagara River and the power of the falls are always a sight to behold. We caught a double rainbow as we were leaving Horseshoe Falls!

We tried out some new experiences on this trip that were quite rewarding. We hiked the rugged Niagara Glen, visited the amazing Butterfly Conservatory and hung out in quaint Niagara-on-the-Lake (the deep blue of Lake Ontario can be seen below at the mouth of the Niagara River).

Here are a few of the 250 photos we captured from the weekend. We also gathered lots of video footage for future Water Films and music inspiration.

Enjoy! Be sure to scroll all the way down to see one of the butterflies from the conservatory.

Last weekend, we took our first trip to the eastern Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Because we visited a “bear ranch,” we saw more bears there than our summer trip out West :) One of our favorite male black bears is pictured below.

As is the case whenever we travel, we gathered many water and nature images which will appear in future Water Films and guided meditations. These experiences provide creative inspiration for our music and multimedia creations.

Here are some of the highlights from the trip, including Tahquamenon Falls (one of the largest falls east of the Mississippi), Lake Superior and nearby Sable Falls, plus sunset over a small lake in the Lower Peninsula.

Last week, we visited a lovely little natural spot in Northeast Ohio — Stebbins Gulch, part of Holden Arboretum.

We got a private tour of this very peaceful spot that featured a clear stream, waterfalls, a swimming hole and huge rock formations on either side of the ravine.

The area is unspoiled and amazingly quiet, considering its proximity to suburban surroundings. We heard nothing but rushing water and wind during our time there.

As I reflect on that hike, the thing that struck me was how hard I was working at keeping my shoes from getting wet for the first 25 minutes of this rugged trek. I was carrying a tripod, camera bag and backpack, so I felt the need to stay completely out of the water. Candice and my fellow hikers already stepped into the water and just let go of the idea of staying dry.

Meanwhile, I was slipping all over the place on moss covered, partially wet rocks that were more slippery than a lot of ice I’ve experienced. You see, there was no trail. The creek was the trail.

Finally, after slipping and falling in a more dramatic fashion, I decided to follow the line of the trail that was sometimes submerged. As soon as that first shoe dropped into the stream, I felt relief.

A new kind of freedom emerged from the simple acceptance that my shoes were going to get wet.

What’s that about?

Why would I be so concerned about wet shoes? The effort spent in keeping them dry took my focus away from fully enjoying the experience. Without getting my feet wet, I wouldn’t have been able to scale a few waterfalls or get some really nice water closeups with the video camera. But, most significantly, I wouldn’t have experienced the freedom and peace that came with just allowing the situation to unfold with wet shoes.

Ok, sure, I might hike in my Teva’s next time, but this struck me as a perfect metaphor for life.

All of us have these fears that can govern our daily lives along with patterns that are programmed into our psyche. We believe these concepts or “road rules” will keep us safe or on the right track…or whatever it is that we believe.

However, these ideas frequently keep us from experiencing freedom, joy and adventure. I’m not suggesting that we all go out and do risky activities, but awareness of our subconscious patterns can powerfully change our daily experience from mundane to invigorating in a matter of moments.

It may seem inconsequential, but putting my feet in the water that day was a small step, promising greater awareness and big changes in my outlook.

(I stepped in right around here)

We just visited Chicago over the weekend. In addition to shopping and eating, we were looking for interesting ways in which nature shows up, even in a dense urban setting like the area around Michigan Avenue.

Millennium Park afforded us some cool partnerships between human design and nature.

Take a look.

“The bean” or the Cloud Gate Sculpture is framed by nearby trees. The sculpture is also reflecting a row of trees while hosting a group of five seagulls (they are lining the top right).

An extra large allium (along with other nice flowers) is blooming in a nicely designed bed at the entrance to Millennium Park.

Mother Nature rolled in some clouds behind this museum lion, obscuring the skyscaper background. Two large trees occupy the bottom of the image, giving the scene color.

Of course, we always find water. Here are two contrasting fountains, displaying different flow patterns.

We’re excited to announce that “Water FIlms” are now available on DVD! This two-DVD set contains over 2.5 hours of relaxing and inspiring content.

The first DVD, “Creative Inspiration,” provides a calm and focused atmosphere that’s conducive for creativity, performance or a calm, focused start to your day. “Peaceful Contemplation,” the second DVD, allows you to meditate with your eyes gently scanning tranquil yet spectacular images of nature from all over North America.

Whole Foods Cedar Center already has copies available, but you can also get the DVD at Amazon and CDBaby.

Here’s the promotional video for the DVD set . . .

You can also watch it directly on YouTube.

Peace.

Our latest Water Film features Yellowstone National Park. This place is awesome and it happens to contain an amazing assortment of unique manifestations of water. The park scenery inspires quiet reverence.

If you enjoy the soundtrack for this film you can download it here.

Press play and enjoy!

You can also watch it on YouTube.

This is one of the many films that is on our Water Films DVD, soon to be released!

One of the places we visited on our national parks RV trip was Glacier National Park. Out of all the trails available to us from the Going to the Sun Road, we randomly chose the St. Mary waterfall hike. We were treated to 3 hours of incredible colors, delicate forest streams, unique waterfalls that varied in intensity and bobbing birds.

This Water Film features the signature waterfall of that hike — St. Mary Falls.

The idea behind Water Films is to give people an opportunity to take a break in their day to relax and become inspired by nature. One of the most effective ways to sustain focus during a work day or when working on a project is to take occasional breaks which allow you to refresh your mental energy. As musicians, we find that taking breaks is the key to consistency and creative inspiration in our craft.

One of the tools we use when teaching people how to improvise on the piano is to have them “solo” for a prescribed amount of time (maybe one or two measures of music) and then take a planned “rest” for that same period of time. During the rest, new ideas are allowed to arise within the creative imagination. The same idea applies to almost any task that requires sustained concentration.

These short films are also great to watch right before going to bed as they relax your mind and body.

We will soon be releasing a DVD of these Water Films so people can take them wherever they like and watch in full HD.

The soundtrack of this film is called “Hiking St. Mary,” a brand new ambient electronica tune that can be downloaded at here.

Press play and refresh yourself creatively.

You can also watch it on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6gMm-a2LI4

This has to be one of the most beautiful places on Earth! Moraine Lake is this magical aquamarine colored lake, nestled in the Valley of Ten Peaks in Banff National Park. The new Water Film below gives you a taste of this unbelievable setting.

The soundtrack is brand new music, named after the lake. You can download it here.

Press play to see why this is a place that we visit year after year.

You can also watch it in HD on YouTube

Our visit to some incredible North American national parks provided us with images, sounds and inspiration for new creative material.

We’re excited to share this latest Water Film with you, featuring the Heart Creek. There’s a nifty trail, nestled in the mountains outside of Banff National Park in Canada, that traces the path of crystal clear water.

The soundtrack is brand new music, named after the creek. You can download it here.

Get ready to relax. Just press play . . .

You can also watch it in HD on YouTube

We’ll be back soon with more great images from Alberta, Montana and Wyoming!