"Nevermore" received a second place award in "Flora and Fauna," a show sponsored by the Maryland Federation of Art and shown at the Annapolis Maritime Museum. This was a national, juried show with entries from around the country.

I'm especially proud to have received this honor, as I have been a member of the MFA board and have received a few honorable mentions in members-only shows, but never any awards in a national show.

The photo of a raven on a country road in Maine has an interesting story. Out to run errands near the house we rent in Lovell, Maine, I saw a raven lying in the center of the road. There was no blood to be seen, no loose feathers, and no sign of injury. Still, the bird appeared to be dead. I got out of the car, fascinated by the blackness of the plumage and the intricate patterns of the feathers. I went on my way.

An hour later on the way back to the house I passed the same spot. No sign of the bird. No bloodstains. No feathers. Maybe it had only been stunned by a collision with another vehicle. Its "mysterious" disappearance immediately made me think of Edgar Allan Poe, and I had a title for the image.

The photo also won a first place prize in the category of nature and animals last year in a local show.