“Photographs open doors into the past, but they also allow a look into the future.” — Sally Mann

Thank you for all the new views and likes from last week, it helps keep me inspired.

Sunday, 12/10/2023: Posted photo — Holiday Lights.

The tradition of using lights during Christmas most likely originated in Germany during medieval times with the burning of the Yule log. This was done during the short, dark days of winter to help bring light into the home.

Monday, 12/11/2023: Posted photo — Falls at Night.

We had rain late last night and into this morning. The rain was heavy at times. During my hike tonight, I could hear the streams running quickly. This photo was taken at one of the many crossings. I did not know how much blue light my headlamp provided until I compared this photo to what I had seen on the trail.

Tuesday, 12/12/2023: Posted photo — Long Exposure Failure.

During a walk tonight I wanted to use the long exposure feature on my phone to make light streaks. It did not work as well as I hoped. Next time I try this I will bring my cellphone tripod with me.

Wednesday, 12/13/2023: Posted photo — Dress Code.

I took this photo on Friday this week.

Every Friday after work, I head down to my high school alma mater to help the Robotics Team. I mentor the students in engineering, project management, and critical thinking. The school is a private college prep school that is part of the Diocese of Worcester. When I went to school there, it was run mostly by the Xavian Brothers. The Xaverian Brothers are a Roman Catholic religious institute founded by Theodore James Ryken in Bruges, Belgium, in 1839 and named after Saint Francis Xavier. The institute is dedicated to education. The Robotics Team holds it meeting and does all its work in the Ryken Center at the school.

These are the rules when I went to school 40+ years ago and still are the rules. I am always surprised at how many of the students still follow the dress code when we gather for robotics long after school get out.

Thursday, 12/14/2023: Posted photo — Geminids Meteor.

From Space.com: The Geminid meteor shower gets its name from the Gemini constellation, the area in the sky from which the meteors appear to originate (also called its radiant point). The Geminids are noteworthy in that, unlike other meteor showers, they are created not by debris from a comet but by leftovers of 3200 Phaëthon, an Earth-crossing Apollo asteroid with an orbit that brings it closer to the sun than any other named asteroid.

To get this photo, I set my camera up in my backyard a couple hours before taking photos to allow it to normalize to the cold, used my intervalometer to take a 17 second photo with a 1 second delay, and went to bed. This is one of the eight meteors I captured in my 1094 photos taken. The clouds did move in for about two hours. The difficulty in taking photos of a meteor shower is that the camera can only focus into one area of the sky. I did see many more during the night.

Friday, 12/15/2023: Post photo — Blue.

Blue sky, nothing blue sky. Wonderful sunny day today. There was rain that had the edge of the storm across the driveway, otherwise there was blue sky. One side of the building was wet and the other side dry.

Saturday, 12/16/2023: Post photo — Abstract Lights.

In many countries it was believed that evergreens would keep away witches, ghosts, evil spirits, and illness. Germany is credited with starting the Christmas tree tradition—as we now know it—by the 16th century when sources record devout Christians bringing decorated trees into their homes. Some built Christmas pyramids of wood and decorated them with evergreens and candles if wood was scarce.

That is all for now. Until next week, be safe.