Sunday, December 6, 2009

Feeding the Birdies


Well, the bird feeders are in place for the season and already many winged ones have descended on the feast. The three images are as follows.

Top:"Hello, thanks for the treats."

Middle: "Oops, sorry, I am excited and spilling some."

Bottom: "I'll just wait here and see what falls my way".

These are Black Capped Chickadees and they are much fun to watch.

Enjoy the week ahead.



Sunday, November 22, 2009

"I Like Lighthouses"

These wonderful maritime markers are in the process of being replaced for newer technology. In the last two decades many lighthouses have been decommissioned and some have found their way to become historical monuments and others have been razed. Some have been turned into unique homes and even the odd vacation rental. A great number of books have been written about lighthouses, with "Lighthouse Adventures" by Wes Oleszewski, being one of my favorites. We Canadians don't have to go far to source stories about these working landmarks, as many shipwrecks occurred on the Great Lakes and Atlantic coast within sight of the "light".
I think next year I will do a road trip around one or two of the lakes on the "lighthouse trail."

Saturday, November 14, 2009

Spring is Only Five Months Away

As the daylight hours are shortened and everything seems to cast long shadows, remember Spring is not that far away. It was a very good summer for flowering plants and these are but one example. Enjoy these few remaining warm days. I am hunkering down for the winter with many indoor projects already planned. Sometimes when I think of the coming cold and snow I remember Bill Murray's classic monologue from "Ground Hog Day" where he quotes Anton Chekhov. Maybe I will embrace some of those sentiments in the months to come.

Thursday, November 5, 2009

The Same Sky: One Hour Later

I love this time of year when you can get lovely sunset colors and beautiful full moons. The fall is truly my favorite season even if it signals that winter is coming. I took these pictures in my backyard and the above one has great pinks and greys. One hour later I shot the bottom image with some clouds racing over the Moon Mother's face. Nature is truly inspirational.




Saturday, October 31, 2009

"Getting a Leg Up"


I have posted seagull images in the past and yes I am a fan. From Alaska to the beaches of Maine and many McDonald's in between, these creatures are a part of our everyday lives. Literature and film have often captured these birds from Johnathon Livingston Seagull, to the "Mine, Mine, Mine" chorus in Finding Nemo. This fella let me get up close to capture the reflected image as the tide was starting to come in. The lifted leg could indicate the first signs of flight, or in the words of another Great Hollywood line
"I fart in your general direction."
Happy Halloween.....

Sunday, October 25, 2009

Water Water Everywhere

Here are two images focused around water as a theme. The upper photo features a swift current rolling around a rock where falling leaves are nesting. The lower is the beautiful Quechee Gorge in Vermont, with a hint of fall colors. Although water is all around us we should not take it for granted. We must remember the one billion people on our planet that do not have ready access to clean potable water every day. World Water Day is celebrated on March 22nd every year and enters it's 18th year in 2010. Please join in this global effort to protect this life giving resource, now and for future generations.

Saturday, October 17, 2009

Fall colors in two variations

I really like both these pictures. The tree and stream above are from the Adirondack Park in New York state which is a wonderful place to visit. If you go, plan a stop in Lake Placid, home of two past winter Olympic games. The town center has a lot of charm and good shopping as well as some very good restaurants. Pizza at "Ere's" over looking Mirror Lake is some of the best I have ever had and pasta at Nicola's is also a treat and the service is A1.
Below is a picture of a still in service fire hydrant on the grounds of the Shelburne Museum just south of Burlington, Vermont. Here you will find an eclectic collection of art housed in 39 buildings on 45 beautiful acres. From Manet's to motorcycles they have it all. You can get some good home cooking in the cafe and walking the grounds with a coffee in hand is a real treat. The museum grounds are immaculate and the staff are friendly and informed. A visit to the Shelburne should be on every art lovers "to see" list.