Silk Tags - Lonaconing Silk Mill, Lonaconing, Maryland

And now for something completely different. Some of you may recognize that line from the British television show Monty Python's Flying Circus. It was one of my favorite shows and I can still remember many of the lines and skits. I think I have a two-volume book with every script of the show. They used this catch phrase to transition to something that was outrageously different.

My transition is not as outrageous as the show, but many of you know my work as a nature photographer that focuses on documenting my travels. I often try new things and, over the years, I have found a love for Urbex (urban exploration) Photography. Simply defined, Urbex is the exploration of man-made structures, mainly (in my case) abandoned buildings that once housed the unusual. I don't regularly post these photos, but I should, as I really enjoy taking them. They are not everyone's cup of tea, but I like the history of the places that I explore, and try to document what urban decay has done to once thriving places.

This photo of tags in Lonaconing Silk Mill is an example. The silk mill closed in 1957 and was the last operating mill of its kind in the United States. The years have not been kind to the mill, but much of the interior is unchanged from the day it closed it's doors. The owner of the mill is trying to raise funds to repair it and allows photographers access to shoot it.