Photographic Thoughts — 04/05/2026 to 04/11/2026

“A photograph is a secret about a secret. The more it tells you the less you know.” — Diane Arbus

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

Sunday, 04/05/2026: Posted photo — Easter Sunday.

Today is the holiest day of the year. This is the day that Jesus rose from the dead symbolizing victory over death and sin. Jesus did this for us all. His message was peace and justice for all. He condoled violence and those who used violence. He could have used violence by calling his angles to rescue Him and choose not to do so. Matthew 26:53.

Monday, 04/06/2026: Posted photo — Flowing Stream.

The weather has been up into the low 70’s F and down to the low 30’s F over the last few days. This has led to some of the streams on Wachusett Mountain flowing again. The flow of the streams were not as fast as earlier in the year when we had the initial snow melt.

We were waiting at one of trail junctions tonight and I looked at the stream a few feet away to see how fast it was flowing. It was flowing enough for me to take this photo. As with many of my photos, I am not crazy about it. It does keep my photo a day streak alive.

Tuesday, 04/07/2026: Posted photo — Snow.

We had some snow this morning. Just dusting and the snow did not last long on the ground. It is predicted that we might receive another dusting of snow tomorrow as well. As I noted yesterday, the temperature is fluctuating as much as 30 deg F from one day to another.

My weather app over the last few days told me that tomorrow will be 34 deg F cooler tomorrow than today on day and then that tomorrow’s temperature will be 25 deg F warmer than today.

Wednesday, 04/08/2026: Posted photo — Wind Power.

Here are some facts about the wind turbine:

  • Each Tower height is 215 feet (or 65 meters) above ground level.
  • Length of each blade is approximately 125 feet (or 37.5 meters), and each blade weighs 6 tons.
  • The turbine speed is 17-20 RPMs.
  • The maximum blade tip speed is approximately 204 MPH.
  • The minimum wind speed to produce maximum rated power output is 27 MPH (or 12 meters per second).
  • The Cutout Wind Speed or wind speed too great for a turbine is 45 MPH (or 20 meters per second).
  • The Survival Wind Speed is 133 MPH (or 59.5 meters per second).

There was a discussion about the wind turbines during the hike on Monday night. I decided to go back and get a photo of the wind turbines and post some facts about them.

Thursday, 04/09/2026: Posted photo — Tomatoes.

The topic of the week in my 52 week photo project is red. There are many red items to photograph. I have seen a few red Suns during my hikes this week, but I only had my cellphone with me. Cellphone photos are not the greatest. I did not bring my DSLR since it is not working properly.

I took this photo of tomatoes as a fill photo just in case I do not see anything else red that is photo worthy. In front of me now is my red tool bag, red handled scissors, a red marking machine, a red pen, and someone in a red shirt.

Friday, 04/10/2026: Post photo — Stained Glass.

I just love a stained-glass window. They are great colors and stories behind each one of them. They are not always in churches. Many people have stained-glass windows in their house, not as detailed as the one in this photo, but have interesting decorations.

Stained glass was created primarily to educate an illiterate medieval population, enhance religious spaces, and filter light into cathedrals, serving as a “poor man’s Bible”.

Saturday, 04/11/2026: Post photo — Sugar Maple Bud.

The sugar maple trees in our yard are starting to bud. These are the same trees that our neighbor was tapping over the last few weeks.

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

Sumens imagines consolateur et inspirat me. Pulchritudinem mundi video per camera mean.”

“Quod scripsi, scripsi. Ingeniarius sum, non scriptor.”

.–. …. — – —  -… -.–  .— — … . .–. ….  -.-. .. .-. .- …

Photographic Thoughts — 03/29/2026 to 04/04/2026

“A photograph is a secret about a secret. The more it tells you the less you know.” — Diane Arbus

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

Sunday, 03/29/2026: Posted photo — Psalm Sunday.

Palm Sunday serves as a day of reflection on Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem. This is the first day of Holy Week. Holy Week starts with the triumphant entry and leads to the Easter Triduum: Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday, the Passion of the Lord on Good Friday, of the Lord’s Passion and ends with the Mass of the Resurrection of the Lord. Good Friday is the only day of the year that a Mass does not happen, just a service.

Jesus died for all of us, not just a selected few. Jesus is a person of equality and peace for all. Some people forget this.

Monday, 03/30/2026: Posted photo — Bat House.

From https://www.mass.gov/guides/bat-houses: “Bat houses are particularly helpful in providing alternative roosting habitat for bats that are excluded from homes. In turn, this reduces the chance of human contact with bats. Installing a bat house can provide a safe environment for bats, while protecting your yard from pest insects, like mosquitoes, moths, and beetles. Bat houses give females a safe, warm place to raise their young. Since most female bats only have one pup each year, bat populations grow very slowly. Additionally, due to habitat loss and degradation, it is becoming harder for bats to locate natural roost sites to raise their young. By installing a bat house, you can provide mothers and their pups with a safe home.”

This bat house is at one of the trailheads on Wachusett Mountain.

Tuesday, 03/31/2026: Posted photo — Gold Nugget.

The gold nugget mandarin is often considered one of the best-tasting mandarins in the world. They are only available during the months of February to May.

Wednesday, 04/01/2026: Posted photo — Mushrooms.

A mushroom on some wood in our yard. I need to move this wood to the cottage to burn during the summer. It is taking up too much room in our yard.

Thursday, 04/02/2026: Posted photo — Sunset.

A wonderful sunset from the summit of Wachusett Mountain. I need to start taking up my DSLR to get better photos.

I am in the process of upgrading my camera. I purchased it over 12 years ago and is showing its age.

Friday, 04/03/2026: Post photo — Lost Hat.

Someone lost a hat during a hike. I put it on this signpost, just in case the person is looking for it. This is what is typically done if you find a piece of clothing on the tail, put it on a tree branch, or some other high location, so that the owner can find it.

Saturday, 04/04/2026: Post photo — New Growth.

Some croci starting to bloom in our yard. There is new growth starting all over the area. We grow a little later in this area since we are further north and the snow cover last longer.

I am amazed sometimes when I drive into Worcester and see how much further the blooms on the trees are from my house.

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

Sumens imagines consolateur et inspirat me. Pulchritudinem mundi video per camera mean.”

“Quod scripsi, scripsi. Ingeniarius sum, non scriptor.”

.–. …. — – —  -… -.–  .— — … . .–. ….  -.-. .. .-. .- …

Photographic Thoughts — 03/22/2026 to 03/28/2026

“There are always two people in every picture: the photographer and the viewer.” — Ansel Adams

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

Sunday, 03/22/2026: Posted photo — Fifth Sunday of Lent.

The fifth Sunday of Lent is the last Sunday before Holy Week. The display shows a cross with empty bottles. The difference between a crass and a crucifix is that a crucifix features a body of Jesus on the cross, symbolizing his sacrifice and suffering, while a cross is empty, representing the risen Christ and victory over death.

Monday, 03/23/2026: Posted photo — Stained Glass Design.

This is a photo of grapes on a stained glass window. Grapes primarily represent abundance, blessing, God’s provision, and the prosperity of the Promised Land.

Tuesday, 03/24/2026: Posted photo — Rime Ice on a Fence.

Rime ice is a white, opaque, granular ice deposit formed when supercooled water droplets in freezing fog or clouds instantly freeze upon contact with surfaces, typically on the windward side. This rime ice was on the summit of Wachusett Mountain. It was a cool and snowy hike. The snow was more of a misty type of snow. Some accumulation, but mostly a dusting of snow making it difficult to see the ice on some of the trails. It was cold enough to form rime ice on the trees and on the fire watch tower.

Wednesday, 03/25/2026: Posted photo — Hanging off my Pack.

Here are some items that are hanging off my pack while hiking in the winter. I have my two-way emergency beacon, ranger beads to help me with my pace count, my first aid kit, sleeping pad for resting and first aid, a pair of microspikes in case there was ice on the trail, my water bottle holder, and one of my AMC Volunteer Leader patches. The patch has the newest AMC logo on it. I have older patches that I wear when I am leading an AMC hike. I do not want to lose these patches, since I like them the best.

Thursday, 03/26/2026: Posted photo — Snow of Stone Wall.

A dusting of snow this week, along with cooler temperatures, have left some snow on some of the stone walls in the area. New England stone walls are historic structures—totaling an estimated 100,000 miles of surviving, mostly 19th-century, walls—built primarily to clear glacial rocks from farm fields, define boundaries, and control livestock. You see them in the woods because they show the outlines of abandoned fields.

Friday, 03/27/2026: Post photo — Uphill Battle.

This is one of the steeper locations on Wachusett Mountain. This has a 17% grade.

The following table illustrates the relationship between grade percentage, incline angle, and steepness description.

Slope DescriptionGrade (%)Angle (Degrees)Typical Features
Flat/Level0%Plains, floor levels
Gently Sloping1–5%~0.5°–3°Rolling hills, mild terrain
Moderate5–15%~3°–8.5°Steep roads, moderate hills
Steep15–30%~8.5°–17°Mountainous trails, steep hills
Very Steep30–60%~17°–31°Extreme terrain, cliffs
Extremely Steep60%+>31°Dangerous cliffs, mountain faces
Vertical100%90°Cliff face

Saturday, 03/28/2026: Post photo — Full Moon.

I came across this photo during a search this week. This is one of my favorite photos of the moon so I am sharing it with you.

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

Sumens imagines consolateur et inspirat me. Pulchritudinem mundi video per camera mean.”

“Quod scripsi, scripsi. Ingeniarius sum, non scriptor.”

.–. …. — – —  -… -.–  .— — … . .–. ….  -.-. .. .-. .- …

Photographic Thoughts — 03/08/2026 to 03/14/2026

“Essentially what photography is life lit up.” — Sam Abell

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

Sunday, 03/08/2026: Posted photo — Votive Candle.

A little candle in a church, often called a “votive candle”, represents a personal prayer, offering, or intention, allowing a worshiper’s devotion to continue even after they leave. These candles are in a frame that is dedicated to a friend and his wife who have passed. He passed from ASL and she passed from cancer.

Monday, 03/09/2026: Posted photo — Post Hole.

Here is an example of the use of snowshoes vs not using snowshoes. This is from tonight’s hike. I used my snowshoes and others did not. I put my snowshoes next to their post hole to show the difference.

Tuesday, 03/10/2026: Posted photo — Collecting Sap.

The best weather to collect sap is a “freeze-thaw” cycle in late winter/early spring, characterized by nighttime temperatures below freezing and daytime temperatures rising to around 40–45 degrees F (4–7 degrees C). Stop collecting sap when tree buds appear, temperatures remain above freezing at night, or the sap turns yellow/cloudy.

Wednesday, 03/11/2026: Posted photo — Water under the Bridge.

“Water under the bridge” is a phrase used to say that something happened in the past and is no longer important or worth arguing about. Even though I am not very old, I am at a stage where I do not get stressed out with life. I have had a few experiences in my life that I could not control, (loss of a child, loss of a sibling, loss of loved ones, loss of close relatives and friends), that just have me going with the flow, or saying that is just water under the bridge.

Thursday, 03/12/2026: Posted photo — Sunset Afterglow.

I did not make it to the summit for sunset. This was the first night in a few months that I saw the afterglow of the sunset. I did not think I would get a good photo and my intuition was correct. I feel that this photo is too dark. I attempted to edit it, with no luck.

Friday, 03/13/2026: Post photo — Flowing Stream.

The temperatures this week so far had a high of 73 degrees F and a low of 29 degrees F. This was taken during one of the warm days this week. The streams on the mountain were running fast.

Hiking was not easy this week with the rapidly changing conditions. It started out this week where snowshoes were needed. Then the hiking was slow due to muddy trails. Now at the end of the week, we have much cooler temperatures and the muddy areas are starting to freeze. Snowshoes Monday and Tuesday, mud boots Wednesday and Thursday, and bear boot today. Will bear boot tomorrow with my microspike on my pack, just in case I need to use them.

Saturday, 03/14/2026: Post photo — Icefall.

I do not know if this is technically an icefall, but that is what I am calling it.

When on a hike this afternoon with a family friend to stretch out my legs on this wonderful and sunny day. The weather today sums up the weather for this week. It started to be sunny, then the clouds came in and we had a snow squall. Then it was sunny and warm and then the temperature dropped when I was on the trail. The trail conditions were tough. I bear booted and used my spikes. I could have used my snowshoes in spots, but they were so short that it would have been longer to put on and take off my snowshoes as it would have been just walk in that section of snow with my spikes. The ice was hard is some steeper slopes and my spikes did not grip the snow well. I had to be very careful and take it very slowly in those locations.

Now it is time to look at my microspikes to see if they need sharpening. I did use my “rock” spikes, so the odds are great that they do need to be sharpened.

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

Sumens imagines consolateur et inspirat me. Pulchritudinem mundi video per camera mean.”

“Quod scripsi, scripsi. Ingeniarius sum, non scriptor.”

.–. …. — – —  -… -.–  .— — … . .–. ….  -.-. .. .-. .- …

Photographic Thoughts — 03/01/2026 to 03/07/2026

“Great photography is about depth of feeling, not depth of field.” — Peter Adams

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

Sunday, 03/01/2026: Posted photo — Stain Glass Window.

Last week, the photo challenge was window light. The challenge ends on Sunday so I can take my photo for the challenge and post my first photo for the week. The plan was to take a photo of sunshine coming through the window. This did not happen since it was snowing.

For this photo, I took the shot straight onto the window to attempt to capture as much light as possible. I had to lighten up the wall in post processing because the light that came through the window darkened the wall. The cellphone camera was metered on the window.

Monday, 03/02/2026: Posted photo — Snowshoes.

For tonight’s hike, I just used snowshoes. I may have gotten away with just microspikes, but there reports of many “post holes” on the trail. I will explain what a “post hole” is on Wednesday. I will be getting out of bed early tomorrow to see the lunar eclipse so I will not hike tomorrow night.

I was glad that I did have my snowshoes on since there were may “post holes” that I hiked over. It also helped when I stepped off the trail to let hikers ascend, I did not sink up to my knees in the snow. One of the rules of hiking is that people ascending have the right of way over the descending hikers.

Tuesday, 03/03/2026: Posted photo — Total Lunar Eclipse.

Today’s lunar eclipse was part of a selenelion. A selenelion is a rare astronomical event because both the totally eclipsed moon and the sunrise are visible on the horizon at the same time.

A lunar eclipse is also called a blood moon since the moon turns red. We did not see that this morning since it was sunrise and the moon was washed out. I have a difficult time focusing in on the moon as it was getting closer to totality, so instead of using my “moon” lens, I had to use my 300mm lens. Light is refracted around the Earth giving the moon an orange-red color. This is the same phenomenon that happens during sunrises and sunsets.

Here are a couple of bonus photos from the eclipse. One was taken about 45 minutes from totality and one was taken at totality before the moon disappeared.

As a side note, after the clear morning sky for the eclipse, we received a few inches of fresh snow.

Wednesday, 03/04/2026: Posted photo — Post Holing.

Post holing is sinking knee- or waist-deep into soft snow with each step, leaving behind deep, post-like holes. It occurs when snow is not firm enough to support a hiker’s weight. It usually occurs in softer snow in warmer weather, or off the packed trail.

Post holing could be very dangerous. It could lead to a spruce trap of another dangerous situation, such as stepping into a river or off a concealed hole. A spruce trap, or tree well, is a dangerous, hidden void in deep snow surrounding the base of an evergreen tree. There were two ladies that were caught is a spruce trap overnight last winter on Mount Washington, and survived due to the training they received going on AMC hikes.

I was once hiking on Mount Rainier in Washington State. I hiked the trail at a different time a few years before and geotagged a waterfall I wanted to take a photo of during the winter. When I went back to take this photo, my geotag told me I was in the correct location, but I could not find the waterfall. Going back to a mapping program, I discovered that I was on top of the waterfall. If I posted holed, I could of fell off the waterfall and under the snow. That would not have been good for me.

Thursday, 03/05/2026: Posted photo — Sparkle off Trees.

This is my attempt to capture the sun reflecting off ice covered trees. We had freezing rain recently and the trees are covered in ice. There was a quick melt today, so I wanted to capture the sparkle before it all melted away.

This photo does not give you the full effect of what I saw real-time. Photographs normally do not do nature justice.

Friday, 03/06/2026: Post photo — Small Icicles.

Here is a photo of some icicles before they melted away. Sorry about the short commentary today.

Saturday, 03/07/2026: Post photo — Sundog.

I was out on a walk and saw this sundog. It is not the most brilliant one that I have seen. As with other photos that I have taken, something was calling me to take a photo of it.

A sundog is an atmospheric phenomenon appearing as bright, sometimes colored, spots of light on either side of the sun. A sundog is caused by sunlight refracting through ice crystals in cirrus clouds. A sundog will appear at approximately 22° from the sun. Based on the physics of light passing through prisms, the minimum deviation, or bending, of light occurs at roughly 22 degrees. Sundogs are most common in winter, near the horizon, even though I have seen them during the summer after storms. Sundogs are also known as mock suns, or parhelia, which means “with the sun”.

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

Sumens imagines consolateur et inspirat me. Pulchritudinem mundi video per camera mean.”

“Quod scripsi, scripsi. Ingeniarius sum, non scriptor.”

.–. …. — – —  -… -.–  .— — … . .–. ….  -.-. .. .-. .- …

Photographic Thoughts — 02/22/2026 to 02/28/2026

“If I could tell the story in words, I wouldn’t need to lug around a camera.” — Lewis Hine

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

Sunday, 02/22/2026: Posted photo — First Sunday of Lent.

Lent is a 40-day, solemn season of fasting, prayer, and repentance beginning on Ash Wednesday and ending before Easter. It honors the time Jesus spent fasting in the desert. The primary color worn by the priest is Purple or Violet. This is used for Sunday and weekday Masses. Rose is worn on the fourth Sunday of Lent, Laetare Sunday, as a sign of joy and hope amidst the penitential season. Red is used for Palm Sunday and Good Friday to represent the Passion of Christ. White is worn on Easter Sunday to represent joy and celebration.

If you count the days between Ash Wednesday and Easter, you will see that there are more than 40. Sundays are not included in the count. Also, Easter is always the first Sunday after the first Paschal Full Moon. The Paschal Full Moon is the first ecclesiastical full moon occurring on or after the vernal equinox. An ecclesiastical full moon is the 14th day of a tabular, or calendar-based, lunar month, rather than the actual astronomical full moon.

So many definitions today. Do not worry, no quiz will be given.

Monday, 02/23/2026: Posted photo — Bird Prints.

For the first time since the ice storm in 2008, I did not have work today due to blizzard conditions. I spent most of the day shoveling outside to ease the final clearing of the snow.

I took this photo yesterday. We were going somewhere I saw these bird prints in the snow. I have seen a flock of birds in our yard over the last few days gathering and preparing for the storm.

Tuesday, 02/24/2026: Posted photo — Anthurium.

I gave this plant to my wife as a gift. This is a real plant. The leaves on this plant make it look plastic.

Wednesday, 02/25/2026: Posted photo — Patterns in the Snow.

It has been very windy over the last couple of days. I was looking out my office window and saw this windblown pattern in the pile of snow in the parking lot. I took this with my cell phone through glass so I hope you can see the patterns clearly. Buildings and trees aid the formation of eddies in the wind causing these patterns.

Thursday, 02/26/2026: Posted photo — Roses Again.

I have not much to say today. Here is a photo of more roses. I know that I take many photos of roses. I take them when I am shopping as fillers for any day that I do not have time to get out and take a photo. I have been doing this photo project since January 1, 2010, so sometimes I run out of subjects to photograph.

Friday, 02/27/2026: Post photo — Whoopie Pie.

In 2011, the Maine Legislature designated the whoopie pie as the official Maine State Treat, distinguishing it from the state dessert, blueberry pie. Traditionally featuring two chocolate cake-like rounds with a creamy filling, this iconic confection has been baked in Maine since at least 1925. These whoopie pies were made by my wife for a fundraiser for the America Cancer Society Relay for Life. I have walked and camped at the Relay for Life for many years now and will continue to do so as long as I am able. I will post more about the RFL later and will send a link for donations for anyone that would like to help out.

My wife and I travel to Maine to go shopping in Freeport and Kittery, or just to go away for a long weekend. We like to search for the lighthouses in the state and have found many of them.

Let us compare Maine’s shoreline to some other states. Maine has 3,478 miles of shoreline and California’s has 3,427 miles of shoreline. Alaska has the most at 33,904 miles of shoreline. A shoreline includes tidal inlets and other intricate coastal features.

Saturday, 02/28/2026: Post photo — Crow Hills Pond.

Crow Hill Pond is stocked with trout several times a year by Mass Fisheries and Wildlife. The pond is near one of the parking locations that I use to hike Leominster State Forest. I am grateful that I live close to two wonderful hiking locations, Wachusett Mountain and Leominster State Forest. They are both within walking distance of my house

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

Sumens imagines consolateur et inspirat me. Pulchritudinem mundi video per camera mean.”

“Quod scripsi, scripsi. Ingeniarius sum, non scriptor.”

.–. …. — – —  -… -.–  .— — … . .–. ….  -.-. .. .-. .- …

Photographic Thoughts — 02/15/2026 to 02/21/2026

“A good photograph is one that communicates a fact, touches the heart and leaves the viewer a changed person for having seen it. It is, in a word, effective.” — Irving Penn

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

Sunday, 02/15/2026: Posted photo — Numbers.

These are some of the numbers that I put up every week to list the hymns that the choir will sing during Mass. I do not sing in the choir. My job is to put up the numbers before the service and to give Communion to the choir. According to the Second Vatican Council the primary purpose of music at Mass is the glory of God and the sanctification of the faithful.

The Mass I attend is a folk Mass. The music is performed by guitar and voice. Occasionally there are some brass instruments. When I was in college, I played the organ in a traditional choir.

Monday, 02/16/2026: Posted photo — Rope.

Tonight is one of many nights that I will be hiking this week. I brought my rope with me to practice using it down steep and icy slopes. One of the trails on Wachusett is steep and was a great place to practice. Some people may say that the slope on Wachusett is not difficult. It is not, but it is a great place to practice techniques for bigger and longer hikes.

Tuesday, 02/17/2026: Posted photo — Traction.

Tonight, I practiced using my crampons since the snow is getting soft. The temperature is almost above freezing today, and the snow is much different than it was last night. Crampons are not needed on Wachusett as a rule. Occasionally I wished I had them, especially when I am in a very icy trail.

As I stated yesterday, some people think this is overkill. Over my many years of hiking, there is no such thing as overkill when it comes to my safety. I follow the rule that if you do not use a skill, you may lose that skill.

Wednesday, 02/18/2026: Posted photo — Wachusett Mountain.

I stopped by the side of the road before tonight’s hike to get a photo of the mountain. This is not the greatest photo since they were making snow, and the mountain looked fogged in.

If you look closely at the trails in the photo, you can see that they spell “ski”. This was pointed out to me a few years ago and I keep seeing it when I drive past the ski area.

Thursday, 02/19/2026: Posted photo — Hike.

What a great hike I had with this group hiking at night in the snow. I was in the sweep position tonight since I already hiked the mountain a few times already this week. The ability of the hikers in this group varies greatly, from very experience to not so experience. I would say that the not so experienced hikers are getting better every week. They have been hiking with this group for a while.

When I was sweeping, I was observing the use of hiking poles. Members of the group were using them incorrectly. I plan on posting tips on using hiking poles to this group and other hiking groups that I am a member. Poles are very useful equipment to use. They help with fatigue and save your knees and back, if used properly.

Friday, 02/20/2026: Post photo — Tapping.

It is that time of year again. Our neighbor is tapping our sugar maples to make his syrup. It generally takes 40 to 60 gallons of sap to produce 1 gallon of finished maple syrup. He has many trees tapped on our property and his property. On average, a tapped maple will produce 10 to 20 gallons of sap per tap.

Saturday, 02/21/2026: Post photo — Sunrise.

What a wonderful way to end the week. When I woke up this morning, I saw colors in the snow. The snow had a pink hue due to the colors of the sunrise. I grabbed my camera and took this photo.

I had to work quicky to get his photo since my camera battery was dead. There is something wrong with electronics in camera. When the camera is off, it is still draining the battery. I need to either get it serviced or purchase a new camera. I purchased my camera in April of 2014. Technology may have changes slightly in twelve years!

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

Sumens imagines consolateur et inspirat me. Pulchritudinem mundi video per camera mean.”

“Quod scripsi, scripsi. Ingeniarius sum, non scriptor.”

.–. …. — – —  -… -.–  .— — … . .–. ….  -.-. .. .-. .- …

Photographic Thoughts — 02/01/2026 to 02/07/2026

“What I like about photographs is that they capture a moment that’s gone forever, impossible to reproduce.” — Karl Lagerfeld

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

Sunday, 02/01/2026: Posted photo — Mary with Jesus.

This is part of a statue in our church. The statue depicts Mary holding Jesus.

Monday, 02/02/2026: Posted photo — Chair.

The theme for last week’s project was chairs. I was at the dentist earlier in the week, so I could have taken a photo of the dentist chair. I did not feel that would be right, so I took a photo of the chair that our priest sits. The chair that a priest sits on during Mass is called a “Cathedra”.

Tuesday, 02/03/2026: Posted photo — Through Kitchen Window.

Looked out our kitchen window today so see these icicles. When I first saw them, the sun gave them a reddish color. By the time I was able to get a good photo, the reflection of the sun was gone.

Wednesday, 02/04/2026: Posted photo — Full Moon.

I when shopping on a different day this week due to commitments. When I came out of one of the stores, I saw a red moon. I attempted to get a photo of it with my cell photo. It did not work too well. Here is the photo.

Thursday, 02/05/2026: Posted photo — Orchid.

Fake flowers are more realistic these days. If I did not tell you they were fake, you may not have known that.

Friday, 02/06/2026: Post photo — Trying to Keep Warm.

Tonight, and this weekend is going to be cold. How cold do you ask? It will be below zero Fahrenheit, below -20 Celsius. We had the fire in the stove going and brought in a double-sized pile of wood. There has only been one day over the last few weeks, that was above freezing. We are also expending a few inches of snow overnight.

Say safe and warm.

Saturday, 02/07/2026: Post photo — Snow on Swing.

We did receive about 5 inches of snow last night and into this morning That is about 13 cm for those of you who are not from the United States.

I was out snowshoeing in our back yard and saw the snow on our swings. We built a swing set for our son many years ago. There have been grand nieces and nephews using them over the years. I would like to have grandchildren using them one day. Who knows if that will happen.

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

Sumens imagines consolateur et inspirat me. Pulchritudinem mundi video per camera mean.”

“Quod scripsi, scripsi. Ingeniarius sum, non scriptor.”

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Photographic Thoughts — 01/25/2026 to 01/31/2026

“What I like about photographs is that they capture a moment that’s gone forever, impossible to reproduce.” — Karl Lagerfeld

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

Sunday, 01/25/2026: Posted photo — Breaking Trail.

It is starting to snow today. School for tomorrow has been called off since yesterday. I went out a few times during the day to shovel and snow blow to keep up with the storm. For most of the day we have been receiving 2 to 3 inches of snow per hour. We will have to see how much snow will fall. Today’s photo will be taken tomorrow.

We it is tomorrow and the photo that I took is of my snowshoe trail as I broke the trail into work today. I walk to work during snowstorms because I feel safer walking than driving. It did take my commute from five minutes to over an hour.

Monday, 01/26/2026: Posted photo — Stopping for a Photo.

It is still snowing this morning. I decided to walk to work, as stated above. When I was hiking on the Mid State Trail, I broke the trail. This is good and bad. The bad thing is that it is very tiring and it takes me much longer to get to work. The good thing is that I am out in nature, snowshoeing and breaking a trail.

Breaking the trail in the morning also leaves me breadcrumbs for my walk home. The Mid State is very different on my way home I have roamed off the trail a few times. If you were wondering, we received almost two feet of lighter snow out of the storm.

I know my snowshoes were working since I only sank about six inches in the snow while my hiking poles sank about 18 inches in the snow.

Tuesday, 01/27/2026: Posted photo — A Little Bit of Snow.

I had a dentist appointment this morning. On my way back from the dentist, I wanted to take a photo of the dam to show the amount of snow we received. I know that I posted a photo of this location not too long ago. Forgive me.

As you can see, the snow almost covered the entirety of the dam.

Wednesday, 01/28/2026: Posted photo — Wooden Heart.

Pareidolia — the psychological phenomenon of seeing recognizable shapes, faces, or objects in clouds or other random objects.

I was filling up our wood cart and noticed a heart in a couple pieces of wood. To take this photo, I had to turn my camera diagonally to get the heart shape. It was easier than turning the piece of wood.

composition. Minimalist composition is not the topic of this week’s photo challenge. The topic is Get

Thursday, 01/29/2026: Posted photo — Danger Zone.

This is a danger zone on our house. With the colder temperatures, and direct sunlight, these icicles formed. These are some of the largest icicles that I have seen in a long time. I knocked them off my roof shortly after taking this photo.

Friday, 01/30/2026: Post photo — Iced Jellyfish.

Jellyfish are about 95 percent water. Lacking brains, blood, or even hearts, jellyfish are simple critters. These frozen “jellyfish” are located on the side of a building.

With the snow and cold weather, we have been having, these ice formations have attached themselves to screws on the side of the building. As for the weather, the temperature is not predicted to go above freezing for the next couple of weeks.

Saturday, 01/31/2026: Post photo — Path in the Snow.

I was out today doing some cleanup from this week’s storm. I was out for a few hours, snow blowing a path to our shed and the door to our cellar, among our cleanups. I saw one of the paths, put my camera down, and took a blind shot. This is the result.

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

Sumens imagines consolateur et inspirat me. Pulchritudinem mundi video per camera mean.”

“Quod scripsi, scripsi. Ingeniarius sum, non scriptor.”

.–. …. — – —  -… -.–  .— — … . .–. ….  -.-. .. .-. .- …

Photographic Thoughts — 01/11/2026 to 01/17/2026

“One doesn’t stop seeing. One doesn’t stop framing. It doesn’t turn off and turn on. It’s on all the time.” — Annie Leibovitz

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

Sunday, 01/11/2026: Posted photo — Christmas Flowers.

Christmas flowers like the Poinsettia symbolize good cheer, purity, luck, and magic. The colors of the flower are traditionally white and red. The colors and meanings of the flowers are based on Christian tradition or ancient folklore.

This arrangement was in front of the altar in our church. The arrangement was still there since today the last day of the Christmas season. It is also the first Sunday of Ordinary Time.

Monday, 01/12/2026: Posted photo — Polar Express.

Wachusett Mountain ski area finally opened its new Polar Express detachable high-speed six-pack lift. The lift replaced the ski area’s 30 year-old Polar Express Quad. It has been open for a few weeks now and every time that I have hiked past it, it seems to be stopped. Last night it stopped for a few minutes with some skiers just feet from the exit at the summit. Maybe it is still breaking in or maybe it is a safety feature for people getting on the lift at the base. I do not wish to speculate.

The Polar Express is named after Polar Beverages in Worcester. The family that runs the ski area also owns Polar Beverages. I know of the family since one of their sons was a year ahead of me in high school many years ago. As I grew up in Worcester, we would go to the factory and get the glass bottles that were mislabeled. With six brothers, my family had to look for bargains any place it could. We would go there weekly, return the old bottles, and they get our new supplies. I liked their birch beer, grapefruit dry, orange dry, and ginger ale. I still purchase these flavors today because they remind me of my childhood.

Tuesday, 01/13/2026: Posted photo — Abstract.

It has been a while since I last took an abstract photo. This is something that I saw when shopping tonight. Does anyone know what it is?

Wednesday, 01/14/2026: Posted photo — Napkin Pattern.

A few years ago, we stopped using paper napkins at our house. My wife made cloth napkins out of different scrap fabrics. We have different size napkins, depending on their intended use. I like some fabric more than others based on the way they feel and the efficiency of cleaning up. This is one of the patterns.

Thursday, 01/15/2026: Posted photo — Hot Coals.

It will be a chilly night. The temperatures are expected to be in the low teens, about 15 degrees F cooler than today. We have a good base of coal in our wood stove. When I saw the coals and took this photo, I thought about sharing the color of fire.

Typical Fire Colors and Temperatures:

  • Red: Cooler, around 1000°F (540°C).
  • Orange: Hotter, around 2000°F (1090°C).
  • Yellow/White: Very hot, nearing 2700°F (1500°C) and above, where white is dazzling and hottest.
  • Blue: The hottest, seen in efficient flames like gas stoves (3000°F+ / 1650°C+) where complete combustion occurs.

Friday, 01/16/2026: Post photo — Boiling Water.

We have an electric kettle for boiling water. When the water is heating up, blue LED lights are on making the boiling water look interesting. I was boiling water this morning for my oatmeal and took a photo of the boiling water just in case I do not have time to take a usable photo later in the day.

Saturday, 01/17/2026: Post photo — New Fresh Snow.

Snow is falling today. Most of the previous snow has melted and it is great to see the ground and the trees covered in snow again this winter.

Today’s snow is giving me inspiration to post a local winter hike. It has been a few years since I led a local winter hike for the AMC. I do lead a hike every Monday, year-round, so I do lead winter hikes. Local hikes are offered in Massachusetts, that are 8 miles or less in length and a total elevation gain not to exceed 1,000 feet. Winter hikes are hikes in the time between December 1 and March 31.

I have led an up-country winter hike already this season. Up-country hikes are defined as hikes offered within the state of Massachusetts that are over 8 miles in length or over 1000 feet of elevation gain or any hike offered outside the state of Massachusetts

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

Sumens imagines consolateur et inspirat me. Pulchritudinem mundi video per camera mean.”

“Quod scripsi, scripsi. Ingeniarius sum, non scriptor.”

.–. …. — – —  -… -.–  .— — … . .–. ….  -.-. .. .-. .- …