An ice Christmas

On Christmas we like to get together with our kids and take a little hike. Yesterday we walked along a stream that meanders through Gill, Massachusetts, on its way to the Connecticut River. There were a lot of beautiful ice formations in puddles, on rocks, covering a beaver dam, and hanging on trees that had fallen across the stream.

Snow swirls

This morning, after a less than restful night (see previous post), I noticed interesting patterns of snow blown around on the frozen lake. I thought they looked a lot like the patterns of the waves I was photographing last fall, without the color.

Eclipse

After waiting 372 years since the last lunar eclipse on the Solstice, I was anticipating a spectacular celestial event this morning. Too bad it was cloudy! There were a couple of breaks in the clouds before and during the early stages of the eclipse, and I was able to get a couple of photographs, but by the time the total eclipse occurred the clouds were so thick that the moon was nothing but a faint smudge on the sky (or maybe that was a smudge on my glasses). Anyway, it was nice to get outside at 2:00 and 3:00 AM.

Frost

Yesterday I experienced a happy coincidence: a quiet, frosty morning on a day when I had my camera and macro lens with me. So I walked and crawled around the yard to capture a few images of frosty leaves, frosty ice, monochromatic weeds, leaves on the ice, and ice on the leaves. A nice mix, I thought.

On the farm

Our sons, their partners, and their house mates have taught themselves so much about the art of organic farming. Even their storage of the harvest is done artistically. And, they're terrific cooks!

More Reflections

We stopped for coffee by the Ashuelot River in Keene, NH, this afternoon, and I found some nice Monet like reflections of the colorful trees on the ripply water just above the dam.

Mill reflection

When I came in to the studio this morning, it was high tide on the Cochecho, and the water was very calm, reflecting the back of the Washington Street Mill.

Fall color

I thought it would be a good idea to go out in the canoe yesterday morning to take some photographs of the autumn scenery. I didn't expect it to be so windy, with foot high waves, which made it quite a challenge to get where I wanted to go. Once I reached my destination, I found that the canoe kept blowing away from where I wanted to be, so I had to shoot quickly to capture the compositions I wanted. I also found that no matter which direction looked the most scenic, the wind would turn the boat so the bow would appear in the composition. I got some nice images and some good exercise, but next time I think I'll take the kayak.

Autumn arrives

One of the early signs of fall in our neighborhood appears as a couple of big maples start to change color. As the late afternoon sun hits them they give off a warm glow, which contrasts with the chill of the early October air.

Canoeing

Dog and I did a little canoeing this morning to check out the foliage situation. It wasn't the best day to paddle a canoe by myself, since it was very windy with foot high waves, but I didn't realize that until we were headed home. I got a good workout, and it was kind of fun blowing around in a circle a couple of times.

Reclaimed

It is interesting to watch as nature works to reclaim territory occupied by man's constructions (as long as it's not my house). This building has been around for 130 years or so, and various parts of it seem to be suitable habitats for various plants to grow. This area faces north and east, and gets very little direct sunlight. It seems just right for a little spontaneous community of ferns.

Reflections

While walking across the Makem bridge this morning, I noticed some very interesting reflections in the ripply water. Consequently, I haven't gotten any work done today, but I've been having a good time processing these images.