Hopeful Tomorrows

Spring Swans

2009-04-16T16:58:00.000-07:00

I saw the swans a lot in the later part of winter, but I haven't seen much of them lately. I see that they are out on the mid-river island and suspect - even hope they are sitting their nests. I'm looking forward to shooting their babies next month. I just hope they will bring them close enough to shore so that I can capture them with my camera.

Help at the Desk

2009-04-15T15:43:00.000-07:00

That's my girl, always ready to help on the desk or at the computer. I think she was actually watching the "mouse" move stuff around on the screen at this point. Right now she's outside rolling around on the dirty driveway - basking in her catness and wallowing in the warmth of spring!

Greenhouse Cat

2009-04-14T14:54:00.000-07:00

Joy in the greenhouse, waiting for the spring rains to subside. Wishing to go outside and bask in the spring sunshine... tomorrow?

Easter Eve

2009-04-11T12:26:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow's Easter and yesterday the forsythia started to bloom. We had a week that belonged to the crocus family and just a few days ago the crocus bowed it's head to all the other bulbs who join together in blossoming. I even saw some magnolia trees - in fact they were the first to bloom Happy Easter!

Starting

2009-03-31T16:36:00.000-07:00

Here we see the beginning of spring, spring beginning to pop up out of the ground in it's tiny shoots of glory. It's a wonderful time of year and people were out walking around today, and I was one of them. Love this time of year!

Sprouts

2009-03-29T14:32:00.000-07:00

Our first crocus showed up yesterday. It's all by itself out there a dash of purple against the brown. Today it was rain, wonderful rain. I love the fact of it, the smell, the sound, the knowledge that rain is absoultely not winter!

Spring Ducks

2009-03-27T17:07:00.000-07:00

A little later in the spring a few years back these ducks took advantage of the shallow water held in the cover of my neighbors swimming pool. With all those teenagers around, they decided not to nest there, but they enjoyed the warm swim.

Bored

2009-03-26T14:47:00.000-07:00

Poor kitty, nothing to do, no toys, wait - that looks like plenty of toys! Well, its a good thing spring's sprung and pretty soon she can spend her days and nights outside sleeping under a bush. Now, that's the (cat) life!

Not Yet

2009-03-25T14:01:00.000-07:00

I know it won't be long now, feel it in my bones on a day like this one when only the breeze was cool. Pretty soon the naked branches that are getting fatter every day, will burst forth with green leaves and delicate flowers. Oh boy!

Naked branches

2009-03-22T14:56:00.000-07:00

They stood tall this morning against the pale pastel sky, the naked branches, still skinny, stretching up to the spring day waiting to fill out and blossom out with leaf-ettes. It'll probably be another month before they flesh out, but one day soon, we'll wake up and discover all the naked branches are decorated with green leaves!

Impatient for Spring

2009-03-19T17:26:00.000-07:00

I grew the wheatgrass for the girls to chew on and I explained to her royal highness that was it's purpose, but she was yearning for spring and grass and green so she sat in it!

Ducks

2009-03-18T14:07:00.000-07:00

I saw the ducks today in this little pond enjoying a feast from the bottom. It was 60 degrees and could have been warm, but for the wind and cloud cover. Hey, that's ok, no rain, no snow, no ice, not even hot sun turning the car into a little oven. It was a lovely day!

Roll Over

2009-03-17T15:26:00.000-07:00

Still waiting for the fully warm nights of summer, these girls only venture out a couple nights a week. Meanwhile there are all kinds of places and all sorts of sleeping positions one can take while waiting for summer.

Prints

2009-03-13T16:11:00.000-07:00

Thank goodness I had to search the file to get this picture. I would not have been happy to see it on the sidewalk this morning, but it's a fun shot to remember taking. Looks like we covered everything but fish, huh?

Tree Down

2009-03-12T16:44:00.000-07:00

They came and cut down the two trees in front of the house last week. I miss them already, the squirrels are wandering around lost looking for their homes. They spent the whole winter digging out old leaves from under the porch and filling the tree nests with them. They were all ready to have their babies there, but now they are gone. Actually, they seem to have adapted already. Wise ones!

Magic from Fall

2009-03-11T14:09:00.000-07:00

It seems like a long time ago now and one can't find a picture anything like this now, but soon there will be leaves again and about 5 minutes after that, they'll be changing color again. It all happens really fast.

March Projections

2009-03-10T15:42:00.000-07:00

Yes, it's still winterlike... well, early spring, more like it. The lows below freezing and the highs in the 40's are predicted for the upcoming week. It makes us restless and yearning for barbeque weather. Can you smell the smoke, hear the sausages sizzling? It won't be long you know...

Spring Melt

2009-03-08T15:51:00.000-07:00

Two beautiful swans swim in frigid waters just beyond the ice-coated shoreline along the Chicopee river. They seem to be finding plenty to eat, and I am very pleased to see them enjoying this springlike day.

Pretty Again

2009-03-03T14:44:00.000-08:00

Though our trees were stripped naked by the massive winds, the ground snow was absolutely gorgeous again today. It'll be 50 by the weekend, so it won't last long, but this morning... Beautiful!

Blizzard

2009-03-02T17:25:00.000-08:00

The wind does such funny things to snow and we had plenty of wind today. One side of my car had a shelf of snow overhanging and the other side was stark staring naked. I didn't see anything as pretty as this, but it was pretty decorative. It was just tooooo cold to enjoy.

March's White Lion

2009-03-01T14:39:00.000-08:00

After only a few days of springlike weather brought on by the end of February, most of us were not ready to get out the snow removal gear - again. But, you know what? Here it comes anyway. I don't think we're in the 12-15 inch area, but even 8-10 will seem like plenty of inches tomorrow afternoon.

Gungywamp

2009-02-24T15:42:00.000-08:00

I've often wondered exactly what a gungywamp is, but nothing on that street indicated any answer. Oh, well, at least I don't live on gungywamp!

Greenhouse Life

2009-02-22T18:02:00.000-08:00

Impatient for springtime, Joy shows little respect for the other life forms in the greenhouse and makes herself at home in the warmest brightest spot in the house. Go girl!

Beginnings

2009-02-21T14:25:00.000-08:00

It's still under the snow/ice which is

dwindling away, but at the back of the house, before the snow was fully gone, the first sprouts were popping up out of the ground. Ok, it's not winter any more, but it isn't quite spring either.

Thawing

2009-02-19T14:32:00.000-08:00

Though the oak has not yet shed it's golden leaves, it seems winter is departing raising the river as the snow melts into it. The trees are naked still, but you know what? Not for long....

Age of Detail

2009-02-18T15:13:00.000-08:00

This wonderful concrete icon iw attached to an old building that now serves as elderly housing, but I love what it says about our history. There is so much detail in the "olden" days I can see why people called them the golden days. I understand how lopsided jobs were then and I know that in some ways things have improved, but I'm still impressed whenever I see how explicit the details were once upon a time.

CAMI Morning Moon

2009-02-17T15:04:00.000-08:00

The full moon rose late that night and was still bright and beautiful in the early morning where it reflected off the wet sand and gave the seagulls a glorious scene to fly through.

Age of Aquarius

2009-02-15T17:13:00.000-08:00

Yesterday the moon was in the Seventh House and Jupiter aligned with Mars - ohmygod, It IS the dawning of the age of Aquarius, so let's hope that peace will guide the planets and love will steer the stars.

Kleenex

2009-02-14T14:39:00.000-08:00

My "little" sister turned 60 today and my "baby" sister became a grandmother just last week. Please pass the kleenex.

Pansy Dreams

2009-02-12T15:06:00.000-08:00

Maybe it's not winter any more, but it definitely isn't spring either. After a day of lovely 50's today's 45 was beaten into submission by the 20-30 mile an hour winds and the official Wind Chill Factor.
Anyhow, it made me think of summer's wild pansies so fondly.

Desk Helper

2009-02-10T15:05:00.000-08:00

Full moon winter cat... eeeek! All wound up and pacing, climbing the walls, mounting the bookcases, pushing the hand holding the mouse, taking wild bats at the computer screen. Here's my Joy, hunkered down in the corner of the desk where she thinks we can't get her out of there. Ever see a better picture of a cat with her hands on her hips?

Antique & Shadow

2009-02-09T15:33:00.000-08:00

I love the kind of work they used to put into the simplest of things. The first thing I saw was the shadow from the lamp, but lets face it, the outlet itself is a work of art!

Icecicle Season

2009-02-06T16:50:00.000-08:00

Mostly they will have disappeared a week from now, but we are still in the midst of icecicle season. After a couple of days in thaw mode, we jumped back into the teens and it's been awfully pretty.
Starting tomorrow the daytime temperatures will be reaching up above freezing every single day (we won't talk about the nights - yet).
The groundhog may have had his say, but the season is changing!

Groundhog Day

2009-02-02T16:13:00.000-08:00

Well, here it is again, the first of February and again the sun is shining brightly over streets full of ice and curbs piled high with snow. They said on the news that the groundhog is wrong 60 percent of the time and that's fine with me... come on spring!

Bike Parking

2009-01-31T12:34:00.000-08:00

Funny that they would climb over this snowbank to park the bike, huh? Maybe even funnier that they're riding their bike around when there are snowbanks to park on. Maybe the California Girl in me just can't comprehend it and it's a perfectly normal thing to do, huh?

January Thaw Finally

2009-01-29T17:11:00.000-08:00

We were out there in the freezing rain last night, pushing the snowblower and shoveling the walk, and absorbing the sleet falling on us. The snow was extremely heavy and hard to lift and the fresh snow bank was hard as stone from the rain crust upon it, but today was January Thaw Day and about time, too, since it's January 29th already!

More Snow Coming

2009-01-27T15:33:00.000-08:00

My aged jack'o lantern is making the best icky face to represent the general feeling about tomorrow's snow to ice storm. They say it'll be a long drawn out storm from 3 am until midnight. At least there will be snow under the ice, that'll make it easier to clean up, but the icky face remains even though I'm glad to be having the day off.

Sit Stay

2009-01-25T13:33:00.000-08:00

Makes you wonder who's boss, doesn't it? Actually, I always know who the head of household is. It's the one(s) that stay home warm and cozy on 12 degree days and send their people out to fetch them petfood. :-)

Hair?

2009-01-24T14:31:00.000-08:00

Love the barber shop window advertising HAIR with every manequin bald as a que ball.

Moonrise

2009-01-23T17:13:00.000-08:00

I guess this works for any season, except of course, I'm not likely to be standing around outside this time of year to take a picture of the moon rising over the ocean. Still, the moon does rise and the seagull crosses it's path and these things continue all year long even when nobody's out there with their camera to capture it.

Buried

2009-01-21T15:02:00.000-08:00

These are pretty funny but the really strange ones are the nativities, sitting out in the open with the baby buried and Joseph & Mary kneeling, up to their shoulders in the snow, not even trying to uncover that poor baby.

No Golfing

2009-01-20T16:08:00.000-08:00

Not that anybody would consider it under the circumstances, but it's still funny to see this statement hanging on the snow closed gateway.

NOT snowing

2009-01-19T14:35:00.000-08:00

Late into the night my husband and I ran the snowblower and shoveled the walks, so we were not all that pleased to see 4 more inches fell overnight. I shoved the snowblower around for a couple more hours this morning and (thank God) my neighbor came out to finish it off with the shovel. We're waiting for the weather report now, so I've wandered off to California for a NO SNOW picture...

STAY

2009-01-17T16:41:00.000-08:00

I saw this dog tied up at the senior housing complex and had to wonder just how he got himself in this predicament. Poor dog! I also wonder just how long he had been tied up like this. It seem it would be a bit of a strain on his neck, but he made me laugh anyway.

Cold Snap

2009-01-15T15:59:00.000-08:00

Every winter we have a week of bitter cold and below zero temperatures and I'm glad to say that we are already in the middle of that. Already, because it's only the 15th of January, which makes me think that it's all uphill from here. It may be a long and winding UP-hill, but it is, most likely, up. I suppose that Mother Nature and or the weatherpeople COULD change the rules this year and we have more than one bitter cold week, but I certainly do hope not!

California Winter

2009-01-14T16:35:00.000-08:00

Here we are at the beginning of our week of bitter cold weather when the ground is covered with snow and the nighttime temps are minus this and minus that and it makes me think of what we used to call winter in California. Oh, there would be the rain which would cause mud slides wherever last year's fires had been, but, I think fondly of it now, at least for this week. After the hard week of winter, things will start to warm up and the ups and downs will keep leading in an upward direction until it's springtime again.

My Chair

2009-01-13T16:48:00.000-08:00

We got these girls when they were 5 weeks old and bottle fed them for a little while. It's hard to believe, now, that they each fit in the palm of a hand. I've seen their mother feeding with the homeless cats, so I've joined the group of feeders. When I told this one, Her Royal Highness, that she's spoiled rotten, laying around on her heating pad all day long, she said I was wrong, but last time I fed her momma, I told her that her babies were strong and healthy and running our lives. Being ferrel, she told me to "Go Away" I did.

Penguin Joke

2009-01-12T16:56:00.000-08:00

I love that they're all laughing, up to their noses in snowfall, but keeping their chins up. They made fun of my can of snow and enjoyed the joke.

It wasn't so bad

2009-01-11T15:43:00.000-08:00

Maybe it was a little hard on inflatable snowpeople, but there was only 5 inches this storm and the light and fluffy factor was greatly appreciated. The temperatures are about to plummet, though and I actually closed my bedroom window. It will be 37 and sloppy on Tuesday, but then it's going into minus this and minus that with single digits for the highs. The snow people should be delighted!

Snow Predicted

2009-01-10T16:40:00.000-08:00

They're telling us 6-9 inches tonight. The prediction is for light fluffy stuff and after last week's "wintry mix" ice mess, light, fluffy stuff sounds absolutely lovely to me. Church is cancelled, of course, but how nice to have all of Sunday to clean up before Monday's back-to-work commute. Let is snow!

More Snow

2009-01-09T15:09:00.000-08:00

Here comes another storm - on the weekend this time, Saturday night, possibly interferring with church on Sunday, sigh. This one is expected to be light and fluffy and after the "wintry mix" mess that left us coated 2 inches thick with ice the other day, we're all looking forward to light and fluffy. Thank You God!

Madonna In Ice

2009-01-07T09:54:00.000-08:00

Today, everything is ice. It's started to rain, but since it's 31 degrees, that's not too hopeful. We're not likely to find something as surprising or wonderful in this storm's aftermath, as this lovely Madonna that I discovered in the melt-off a couple years back. Happy New Year from the Madonna and me, Donna.

Christmas Yard Prep

2008-11-29T16:12:00.000-08:00

They worked all day on Carol's yard, putting up the decorations for December. Two men spent the entire day getting Christmas ready for Dresser Ave. Any minute now the traffic will quadruple on our little dead-end street when the best dressed house in town will turn the lights on! Happy Holidays!

Home

2008-11-28T16:44:00.000-08:00

Black Friday and people stuffed with turkey, weary of family, anxious to get started got up as early as 5:30 to start the shopping frenzy.... but Princess and I stayed home and cozy and shared the chair!

Happy Thanksgiving

2008-11-27T17:27:00.001-08:00

It's so good to be home on this holiday. I drove nowhere today, never got out of my PJ's and still managed to get stuff done in the house, take a nap, pet the kitties. Thank you God for homebound holidays!

Frozen

2008-11-23T16:03:00.000-08:00

It's been like this here for the last few days, but we've got a "heat wave" coming and it will be above freezing in the daytime for this whole week. The wind chill has kept it around 11 so 44 looks pretty good to us as we head into Thanksgiving week.

Gross

2008-11-21T15:09:00.000-08:00

A sign that it's time to throw the old jack 'o lantern in the compost pile, huh? I actually like these really old/ really gross jack o' lanterns they take on a gruesomeness that can't be duplicated... unless you carve your pumpkin in late September.

Re-sign

2008-11-20T15:36:00.000-08:00

I wonder how many years it took this tree to consume the hidden drive sign? Hopefully the new sign has been posted far enough away from the tree to keep it from disappearing as well.

Cash

2008-11-19T17:54:00.000-08:00

Speaking of signs, here's one we can all get behind. I'd like to put this one up, on the house, the car, the mailbox. I wonder if it works?

Brick Brick Cow

2008-11-17T15:03:00.000-08:00

I think I know how it started... Some college kid wrote Brick on the brick and walked away. I suspect that's all that was necessary, being on the Skidmore campus, and given perhaps one whole season before it expanded to the comedy I found the first weekend in July.

Upside Down

2008-11-15T13:10:00.000-08:00

I love finding simple things like this, upside down, the directions stating that the top should actually be on the bottom. I don't suppose it matters, really. The TP comes off the roll anyhow, but it's fun for me to see.

Signs - Brail

2008-11-13T14:32:00.000-08:00

I don't mind it saying "employees must wash hands before returning to work" that makes perfect sense to me, BUT on the bottom of this sign it appears the statement is repeated in brail. Now I ask you, how many blind people go into bathrooms and rub their hands all over the walls?

Free Crap

2008-11-11T15:07:00.000-08:00

No, I didn't do it! I found it just like that when I was walking across the back of the fairgrounds behind the barns. Just the same, as signs go, this one is a hoot.

The Cat Trap

2008-11-10T15:08:00.000-08:00

I don't know why I titled this one the mouse trap. Clearly, what it really captured was the cat. She enjoyed hours of playing with this, so fun because she could see the toys inside it but just barely reach them. That's my wild cat!

...and they did

2008-11-09T15:58:00.000-08:00

Well, it does say "drive thru" doesn't it? How come the company was so upset when someone actually did drive through it?

Soccer Speed Limit

2008-11-08T15:07:00.000-08:00

Signs are some of my most favorite funny things. I know they know what they mean, but their attempts to be specific are often extremely comic. Here everyone has to watch children, but the soccer fans are required to drive 20 miles per hour. I wonder if they have soccer police to enforce the limit?

Ending Season

2008-11-07T15:30:00.000-08:00

Well, it's almost over now. Almost all the green is gone and though there are about a thousand different shades of brown, the stunning red, yellow and orange trees are few and far between. Just when I'm feeling innundated with brown, I'm suddenly struck dumb by the neon brillance of a single shining tree. It's still beautiful beside the still water, but there's a lot more branches and tree trunks reflecting. God, I love this season!

After Massage

2008-11-06T16:52:00.000-08:00

I went to the Abundant Wellness Center today for a deep tissue massage by Debee! Wowie Zowie, that was terrific! Now I feel all spoiled and pampered like my kitty, and I'll probably sleep just as well tonight as she is used to. Now I know why she always wants me to rub her fur, it feels wonderful!

Under the trees beside the sea

2008-11-05T16:18:00.000-08:00

It's pretty unusual to find a place where the leaves fall and stay where they landed. These golden leaves are reflecting the wonderful shadows cast by the naked branches. How wonderful to find this lovely scene beside the ocean in Gloucester. The day was incredibly cold, maybe that's why nothing was moving, and the entire meadow was littered with soft curls of goose down. What a day!

Election Day

2008-11-04T17:07:00.000-08:00

I still can't figure out why either one of those guys would want the job of president, but there does seem to be a lot resting of the results and I do believe that the only appropriate course of action, having already cast my ballot, is to pray for everyone! I saw a bumper sticker yesterday that I really like alot! It said, "God Bless Everyone, No Exceptions!" So, today when so many people are having their hopes dashed or fulfilled, I say, "God Bless Everyone, No Exceptions!"

Naked Trees

2008-11-02T16:02:00.000-08:00

Although the golden colors still dominate, the trees that are still bearing leaves are mostly wearing a multitude of browns. The sky is brilliantly colored now and many trees are showing the slim grace of their spiny trunks. It's still all beautiful.

Halloween's Gone

2008-11-01T14:47:00.000-07:00

Well, it turns out that Amanda had to let the kids do their own pumpkins this year. I guess that happens when they get old enough, so she wasn't able to do her own decorating this year. I suppose it will be a bunch of years before the overwhelming load of child-rearing allows her to use her own creative skills for pumpkin decorating. I only hope that her freedom doesn't come just about the time she's no longer interested in Jack O Lantern crafting.

Pumpkin Party

2008-10-30T16:38:00.000-07:00

Here's a fine example of what can be done to a pumpkin without a knife. This family certainly did have a fine time preparing for Halloween. I just don't know how they got so much stuff to stick! My, what delightfully creative people!

Jack o lanterns

2008-10-29T15:34:00.000-07:00

We're almost there, I can tell because the weather turned "wicked" cold today and pelted my windshield with snow crystals. Nothing permanent, though. It's good not to be in "lake effect" country. There, the weather channel shows white and pink to the West of us and to the East. God Bless the Pioneer valley. Mostly, I'm looking forward to seeing what Amanda will come up with this Halloween. I don't know how she does it with 3 kids, but, she's definitely a Go Girl!

Only a couple more days

2008-10-28T15:57:00.000-07:00

Here this old jack O lantern is oohing and ahing the passing of it's season, but for this year at least, it's not quite here. They say there will be some snow in the morning, but I'm doubting that. It's suppose to snow on Easter, not Halloween. We'll see!

Almost Halloween

2008-10-27T16:32:00.000-07:00

I think the shadow did a better job of decorating the real pumpkin than the ceramic one on the step above. It certainly did cast a leading shadow in the direction and make the eyes look very freaky. I guess it's the combination that really does the trick... or treat!

Too Soon

2008-10-26T15:51:00.000-07:00

There's no point telling him, he is, afterall, a husband... So, here he is blowing leaves around, pretending that he can get rid of them BEFORE they've even finished falling off the trees. But, you know what, he really enjoys playing with the autumn leaves, and there's nothing wrong with that!

Falling

2008-10-25T13:37:00.000-07:00

I know you wouldn't think that this image was so difficult to capture, but I've been through a hundred pictures trying to catch what is the most natural thing in the world around here these days, the perpetual falling leaves!

I watched from my window the morning after our overnight low hit 19 and enjoyed the gentle flow of golden leaves floating softly to earth and couldn't help being awed at nature's beauty.

Season Turns

2008-10-23T15:32:00.000-07:00

Wowie Zowie, was it ever cold today! A biting wind kept the hat and scarf wrapped tightly in place. No, it couldn't stop me from jumping out of the car, camera in hand, but then, not much can do that! They say it will be 29 in the morning, and that should rush things along a bit, but it's been such a spectacular season, I'm ok with that!

Morning Moon

2008-10-22T16:15:00.000-07:00

I shot the moon last Friday, too. This time it was not full and the trees around it were mostly gold. I think it's wonderful to see the moon in the morning framed by the glorious colors of autumn. Don't we live in the most wonderful world!

Crow Invasion

2008-10-21T18:15:00.000-07:00

There must have been 50 crows in the yard that day, I don't know how the camera only caught 3 of them. Maybe they're like the cats that way and whenever they see a camera, they go into hiding. The crows were only foreground for me though, since the 5 trees in the background each showed such different shades of the colors of Autumn. It'll be like that again, any day now. Isn't it wonderful how natural and automatic it all is?

Pick a Color

2008-10-20T16:53:00.000-07:00

There's nothing quite like a wall this time of year. The vines hang on to the warmth of brick and cement and turn their amazing variety of colors at a much slower rate than the well-exposed trees. I have a favorite brick wall that I love to get "stuck" next to at a red light. It is the most beautiful display of Autumn glory.

Where you find it

2008-10-16T16:30:00.000-07:00

I saw this leaf and it's reflection stuck to the rear window of the car ahead of me at the red light. I had to really hustle to get the camera out and take the picture through my windshield before that person drove away. I'm still astonished that it came out at all! Pretty amazing, huh?

Water & Leaves

2008-10-14T15:41:00.000-07:00

What an amazing combination! Water reflects the glorious autumn colors, but it also magnifies the intensity of the beauty. I'm constantly looking over the edge of bridges and looking for places I can stop the car so that I can run back to that perspective with my camera in hand. Tonight I was treated to sunset lighting on the trees above the bridge, but the cars kept moving and I had to do the same, so I guess that particular treat was for me and not for you. Don't you worry though, I'll shoot you another one pretty soon!

Favorite Season

2008-10-13T15:13:00.000-07:00

I suppose that it has a lot to do with the lovely warm weather and the fact that it's easy to jump out of the car 50 times a day with the camera in my hand. That is not only it though, the world is so full of gloriously brilliant colors that even when I close my eyes late at night, I can still see the colored tree impressions glued to the inside of my eyelids. And of course, people have so much fun playing with the symbols of this season! There is no present pressure, unless one is buying candy for Halloween, and the only real shopping is about the big day of Dress-Up. Yep, it certainly is my favorite season!

Competition

2008-10-12T15:12:00.000-07:00

It was hard to tell what was the most beautiful expression of the Divine that day. The Autumn colors were shining and sparkling and the sunset became more and more spectacular as the evening came on. All I know, for sure is that the Nature of God is Awesome!

Leaf Season

2008-10-11T17:58:00.000-07:00

I can't really help it, you know. I'm not from here! I'm still the little old lady from Pasadena and the stunning brilliance of this New England season absolutely blows me away. I can still hear him yelling at me...."Donna!" when he opened the scanner to make a copy of something, only to find the scanner filled (again) with Autumn Leaves! Well, what does he know, he was born and raised here, while I'm still a recent transplant! Thank You God!

Fair Night

2008-10-05T15:09:00.000-07:00

The fair began and ended with rain this year and was lovely in between. Once it was too hot and muggy and once it was too windy and chilly. It was too wet a couple times, but that's not bad out of 17 days. The bands marched, the floats had a never ending supply of beads, the pumpkins were huge, the crafts very creative. It smelled of charcoal grilling, cotton candy, popcorn, horses, pigs & sheep. I heard animals, carousel music, marching bands, midway barkers, laughter, complaints and screams. Mostly it was people having fun in the annual tradition that completes summer and kicks off the golden glory of the Fall Season.

September Faire

2008-09-11T15:05:00.000-07:00

The BigE starts tomorrow and everything is full speed ahead over at the Eastern States Expo. People have been working frantically for weeks but the pressure has been turned way up during this last week of preparations. I don't actually start until tomorrow, but I'm pretty excited anyhow! I love the whole atmosphere of the fair, sights, sounds, smells - it's wonderful. It doesn't last very long, only 17 days, but I'm really looking forward to it now.

River Swim

2008-09-04T17:06:00.000-07:00

I swam in the river today, finally found an access point and since it was 90 and I was all done driving around in the heat, I put on my suit and dove on in. It was fun to swim against the current and float back down to my entry point and though it took some getting used to floating with all the other things occupying the surface of the river, I stayed in the water for over an hour.
It will be 90 again tomorrow, which I'm looking forward to, but the hurricanes are sending us rain (which we need) and much cooler weather. Yep, fall is here and tomorrow just might be my last chance to swim in the river until next summer.

Watermellon sprout

2008-09-02T17:18:00.000-07:00

I love this picture of nature doing it's thing, so determined that it sprouted this watermellon seed above the high-tide line in the warm mulch of sticks, shells and seaweed, sending roots down into the dry sand of the beach where it could not possibly grow into anything. Go nature!

Picasso Sky

2008-09-01T16:53:00.000-07:00

September, already and it seems Picasso has already been hard at work on the trees and bushes around here!
The Air Show will be at Westover this weekend and I feel well warned so I won't have to go to the base for anything after Thursday. We can see the planes from the house, so the crowds are not necessary. It looks like we'll be getting the rain left over from Hurricane Gustov, so it might not be the best Saturday for an air show. Sunday might be nice for those people willing to brave the crowds to see the arial displays. I think it's just good news that Gustov didn't do the estimated damage and that we'll finally be getting some rain!

Here comes the Fair!

2008-08-29T16:16:00.000-07:00

I got my schedule for working the Big E already and the employee meeting is next Wednesday! It's such a wonderful time of the year. I'm really looking ofrward to it, as usual. Many people plan their vacations so that they can work full-time during the fair. All I do is schedule my senior appointments for the morning so that I can work the night shift at the gate. It's so wonderful just to be there in that joyful environment with all the amazing different sights and sounds and smells, all mixed together in ways nobody would expect to find them. Oh boy!

Beauty of Death

2008-08-20T16:14:00.000-07:00

It's hard to tell from the picture, but this tree was terminal even before the men wiaht the saws showed up. What's amazing to me is that the stump is such an incredible vision of beauty. I don't know what a tree doctor might say looking at this view, but I am impressed again by the stunning beauty of the cycles of natural order. I saw this stump a week ago and there was nothing impressive about it at all. It has already moved on to the dissolution stage and is busy making itself part of the earth from which it sprang. I'm so glad I got there when the cut was fresh and the beauty of it was evident.

Almost Fall - not

2008-08-18T11:11:00.000-07:00

It seems like the bears just woke up from their hybernation and already we're seeing colors changing. Oscar's been looking for his straw hat and Ginger can't find her coveralls, but they've still got time, it's a long way to October... 'specially if you don't pay too much attention to the way the colors change, or the timing.

Perfect Day

2008-08-16T15:21:00.000-07:00

I struggled with the computer for hours, trying to restore the program from the back-up, so I didn't notice that it was ideal weather. When I hung up the laundry on the line, I certainly did feel it, and when I finally gave up on the program and went out in search of corn on the cob, I was completely aware of the perfection of the day. I guessed that the humidity was maybe, 4, but it turns out it was actually 46%. Well, hey, that's good enough for me. I guess the Red Sox won't get rained out tonight!

Changes

2008-08-13T17:04:00.000-07:00

It's not even August 15th and some trees are changing colors already. I guess I shouldn't be all that surprised, this maple shows it's red even in the newborn baby leaves. Clearly, the colors lie just under the surface of the illusion of green and it doesn't take very much for the brilliance to come popping up to the surface. I love the whole season changing thing though and wouldn't trade it in for the consistently warm temperatures of the west coast. Been there, done that! No, I really do prefer the changes.

Rain on the Ocean

2008-08-10T11:42:00.000-07:00

We had plenty of that last month when my family visited me in Magnolia, and plenty the week after when I was wandering around by myself pretending they were still with me. Still it was hot and my little nephew and I swam out to the pier on the magical day they spent touring the cape and island with me. We didn't even get rain that day until a couple hours after our swim, and we were safely in the gazebo by then watching the thunder storms pass.

Sharing Magnolia

2008-08-09T16:31:00.000-07:00

Since my family came to Magnolia last month to surprise me, I have a new and wonderful relationship with my cousin Diana! She was the one that stayed to keep me company on Sunday, when all the rest of them were already flying home. We spent 3 hours on Holly's heavenly back porch watching the birds and critters feed and splash in the fountain. It was the first time I had in this whole lifetime to actually spend some time with her and I'm so glad that it happened. Now, we're like the girls in this picture, sharing the beach, through e-mail all the way across the country! Thank you God for Diana!

Barefoot

2008-08-06T16:34:00.000-07:00

I love the barefoot season and even though the season starts out with really tender feet, I love the feel of damp grass, hot pavement and rinsing in the little puddles that form beside the driveway. I can see why little kids and birds are so fond of a puddle. The photographer in me loves to shoot the reflection off the puddles of clouds and trees and such, but my inner child loves nothing more than going barefoot in the summertime.