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April 9, 2023

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2023

“If you want to be a better photographer, stand in front of more interesting stuff.” — Jim Richardson

Random thoughts and ideas for this week.

Sunday, 04/02/2023: Posted photo — Crocus.

Crocus are among the very first flowers to bloom each spring. In cold climates, their cheery blossoms will often open when there’s still snow on the ground. That is what happening at our house. We had snow at this location up to a few days ago and the crocus were growing under the snow. Many places south and east of this area that the crocus are flowering. They are not yet in this area due to our elevation. You can have a carpet of crocuses or a chorus of croci. Both are the correct plural form of the word.

Monday, 04/03/2023: Posted photo — Certificate.

Finally received my AMC leader certificate and badge. The only thing is that the certificate is incorrect. It should also have a winter local leader certification on it. I am in the process of working on my backcountry leadership certificate. Will be doing some hikes in the White Mountains of New Hampshire starting in June. I have already hiked the forty-eight four thousand footers in New Hampshire twice and have led many hikes in them. Now I need to go through the formal training to receive my certification.

Tuesday, 04/04/2023: Posted photo — Flowers.

Shopping day. Saw these flowers in one of the stores. I took a photo of the one with the bunny since it is close to Easter. I took a photo of the roses because I like the way roses look.

Wednesday, 04/05/2023: Posted photo — Ready to Hike.

I lead a group on a full moon hike. The full moon is not until tomorrow. It rises so late on a weekday that the hike was held earlier. There was a good turn out for the hike, even though overcast sky was predicted. The clouds held out until after our hike was over. I started and ended with the same number of people, and the same people. Nobody was hurt so I would call this a successful hike.

Thursday, 04/06/2023: Posted photo — More Long Exposure.

Still playing with the long exposure settings on my camera. With the melting snow, the streams on the trails are starting to flow with more velocity. This would be a good shot if the dead leaves were not in it. Then again, I still am experimenting with this new feature.

Friday, 04/07/2023: Post photo — Clouds.

What a wonderful day today is. The temperatures were up in the high 60’s starting the day in the 30’s. This time of year, in New England, the temperature can fluctuate so quickly. I hear in other parts of the country that if you do not like the weather, just wait a minute. True in New England.

Saturday, 04/08/2023: Post photo — Glasses.

Had my eyes checked today for the first time in almost 10 years. I need new glasses and looking forward to getting them in a couple of weeks. This is a photo of some of the frames in the women’s section. I took this when my wife was selecting new frames.

Happy and Holy Easter to all.

For more photo of other projects I have work, visit my website: https://photobyjosephciras.weebly.com or visit me on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/PhotobyJosephCiras/.

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April 2, 2023

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Photographic Thoughts — 03/26/2023 to 04/01/2023

“I love the people I photograph. I mean, they’re my friends. I’ve never met most of them or I don’t know them at all, yet through my images I live with them.” — Bruce Gilden

Random thoughts and ideas for this week.

Sunday, 03/26/2023: Posted photo — Organ.

History lesson of the week.

“The earliest known organ was the hydraulis of the 3rd century bce, a rudimentary Greek invention, with the wind regulated by water pressure. The first recorded appearance of an exclusively bellow-fed organ, however, was not until almost 400 years later.” More information here.

“The Valère organ: The gothic organ is regarded as the oldest instrument of its type still in working order in the world. It is thought that it was installed in Valère between 1430 and 1440. It has barely three octaves, and the keys are much smaller than those on a modern instrument.” More information here.

Monday, 03/27/2023: Posted photo — Long Exposure.

This is from Machias Pool at a trailhead on Wachusett Mountain. I noticed that the camera on my phone has a long exposure setting so I was trying it out. I will need to try it out at the waterfalls at the end of Round Meadow Pond and at the Old Mill to see how it really works.

Tuesday, 03/28/2023: Posted photo — Bat House.

One of the best ways you can support bat conservation is to put up an artificial roost, like a bat house. Since bat populations have decreased significantly, bat houses can be very useful in providing secure roost sites for bats. This bat house is at one of the trailheads on Wachusett Mountain. It has been installed for a few years and is in great shape. There might be bats in there. I have hiked the mountain at all times of the day and during every season and have not see a bat use it.

Wednesday, 03/29/2023: Posted photo — Tomatoes.

Tomatoes take 60 days to more than 100 days to harvest, depending on the variety. Due to their relatively long growing season requirements (and late planting date), most gardeners plant small “starter plants” or transplants instead of seeds after the weather has warmed up in spring. Many gardeners purchase their transplants at a garden center or nursery but you can certainly grow you own from seed indoors.

Tomatoes contain lycopene, which may help lower your “bad” cholesterol and blood pressure levels. Lowering these numbers helps lower your chances of heart disease.

Thursday, 03/30/2023: Posted photo — Town Pound.

In the historical district in town, there is the old Town Pound. The pound is just a stone wall with a wooden gate. I can imagine the field filled with cows and goats in the old days.

Friday, 03/31/2023: Post photo — Melting Snow.

The temperature has been fluctuating between warm and cold around this area. The three feet of snow is still melting on our street. These are some pieced of wood that I need to split this summer to burn during the winter. There is still snow in our yard and in the mountains here in north central Massachusetts. The snow in our yard last longer than the surrounding area because we have many trees on our property that shade the sun.

Saturday, 04/01/2023: Post photo — St John’s High School.

I went to my high school today to watch our son compete in a cubing competition. I was in the class of 1982. He competes in a few events but mostly enters the data. He will be entering data for the cubing national championships this summer.

The place has changes since about 1990, the last time I was on campus. A few new buildings have gone up, the brother’s resident has been moved and a couple of state-of-the-art academic centers have been built. Here are a few photos from around campus.

Information from the school website. I would write its history the same way. “Saint John’s High School has educated young men under the sponsorship of the Xaverian Brothers since 1898. Saint John’s High School enjoys a unique history, one that is deeply rooted in the development and traditions of the Catholic Church in Central Massachusetts. The school was an outgrowth of both the first Catholic Church (1834) and the first parochial school (1873) in Worcester. It also has the distinction of being the first of many high schools operated by the Xaverian Brothers in New England.”

Have a good rest of the week and a Happy and Holy Easter next week.

For more photo of other projects I have work, visit my website: https://photobyjosephciras.weebly.com or visit me on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/PhotobyJosephCiras/.

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March 26, 2023

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Photographic Thoughts — 03/19/2023 to 03/25/2023

“You can look at a picture for a week and never think of it again. You can also look at a picture for a second and think of it all your life.” — Joan Miro

Random thoughts and ideas for this week.

Sunday, 03/19/2023: Posted photo — Laetare Sunday.

From the Catholic Dictionary: “The fourth Sunday of Lent, when the introductory word of the Introit is laetare, “Rejoice O Jerusalem.” As it is Mid-Lent Sunday, rose vestments are worn, flowers are permitted on the altar, and the organ is played.” Lent is a 40 day season of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving that begins on Ash Wednesday and ends at sundown on Holy Thursday. It’s a period of preparation to celebrate the Lord’s Resurrection at Easter.

This is the view of the altar from the choir loft of our church.

Monday, 03/20/2023: Posted photo — Hike.

Some photos from my weekly Monday night hike on Wachusett Mountain. It is getting lighter as we start our hike. Soon no headlamp will be needed.

Tuesday, 03/21/2023: Posted photo — Sunflower.

A sunflower that I saw today while I was out shopping. Tuesday night is my shopping night.

Wednesday, 03/22/2023: Posted photo — Umpqua River Lighthouse.

From the website: https://oregonisforadventure.com/oregon-lighthouses/#:~:text=Umpqua%20River%20Lighthouse,lighthouse%20on%20the%20Oregon%20coast. “The Umpqua River Lighthouse was the first lighthouse on the Oregon coast. To this day, you are still able to climb to the top of it while also learning more about the area’s history. It is still operational and has only recently switched over from bulbs to LEDs to keep it lower maintenance. Once you reach the top, you are even able to take a look inside the working light.

The lighthouse a vibrant history, Before it was placed on the bluff on the entrance to Winchester Bay, it was commissioned along the beach of the Umpqua River in 1857. It was then moved less than 10 years later.”

This is a photo of inside the lighthouse I took a few years ago during one of our west coast trips to visit family.

Thursday, 03/23/2023: Posted photo — Sunrise.

The weather is getting warmer. Rain has been predicted for today so I was happy to see the sunrise on my way to work.

During sunrise and sunset the sun is low in the sky, and it transmits light through the thickest part of the atmosphere. A red sky suggests an atmosphere loaded with dust and moisture particles. We see the red, because red wavelengths (the longest in the color spectrum) are breaking through the atmosphere.

Friday, 03/24/2023: Post photo — Crater Lake National Park.

This is me standing in front of Wizard Island, a volcanic cinder cone, which forms an island at the west end of Crater Lake. Photo taken by my wife.

At 1,943 feet deep, Crater Lake is the deepest lake in America. Famous for its beautiful blue color, the lake’s water comes directly from snow or rain – there are no inlets from other water sources. Crater Lake was formed by the fall of a volcano. Mount Mazama, a 12,000-foot-tall volcano, erupted and collapsed approximately 7,700 years ago.

Saturday, 03/25/2023: Post photo — Loon.

From https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Common_Loon/overview, “The eerie calls of Common Loons echo across clear lakes of the northern wilderness. Summer adults are regally patterned in black and white. In winter, they are plain gray above and white below, and you’ll find them close to shore on most seacoasts and a good many inland reservoirs and lakes. Common Loons are powerful, agile divers that catch small fish in fast underwater chases. They are less suited to land, and typically come ashore only to nest.”

I have an interest in loons. When my wife and I went on our honeymoon almost 32 years ago, we were on a secluded island in a lake in northern Maine and were serenaded by loons.

For more photo of other projects I have work, visit my website: https://photobyjosephciras.weebly.com or visit me on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/PhotobyJosephCiras/.

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January 28, 2023

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Photographic Thoughts — 01/22/2023 to 01/28/2023

“I take photographs to hold on to the ephemeral, capture chance, keep an image of something that will disappear, gestures, attitudes, objects that are reminders of our brief lives. The camera picks them up and freezes them at the very moment that they disappear.” — Sabine Weiss

Thank you, John, for another quote to use this week. If anyone else has quotes for me to use, please pass them along.

This was a strange week for photos. We had snow Sunday through Thursday and no power most of the week. All these photos are from this week on the correct day. Many looks similar because the weather was the same most of the week. The wet heavy snow on the trees looked wonderful.

Sunday, 01/22/2023: Posted photo — House in the Snow.

As this week began, we had snow on the ground and were close to losing power. It was a black and white world with the trees and sky being white and the roads being black. I took a photo of this house to show that the world still had color. The red door just pops out from the white world around it.

Monday, 01/23/2023: Posted photo — Round Meadow Dam.

One of my favorite locations to photograph, the dam at the end of Round Meadow Pond. Today the dam and the falls looked spectacular. I was pleased by the amount of water going over the dam. I was glad it was not a trickle. A trickle of water over the dam would not take a good photo.

Tuesday, 01/24/2023: Posted photo — Dam at the Old Mill.

This is one of my favorite photos that I have taken over the years. I think it is because of the framing and the snow on the conifer trees. What do you think?

Wednesday, 01/25/2023: Posted photo — Wachusett Mountain.

I had to go home this morning to start our generator. We lost power for the third time in three days. It was out most of the night and the morning. I had to start it so that our refrigerator could still be working. I have a dual fuel generator and the gas side does not work so I can only use the propane side. Need to get that fixed. I have run the gas side this summer just to keep everything working.

Thursday, 01/26/2023: Posted photo — Walkway.

Back to the Old Mill to take more photos. I intended to take photos of the ducks and geese in the duck pond but decided to take a photo of the walkway since it still had snow on it.

Friday, 01/27/2023: Post photo — Droplet.

The weather is warming up after the storms have passes. I practice droplet photos every year. I get better by the end of the winter.

Saturday, 01/28/2023: Post photo — Lonely Tree.

I have a photographed this tree in the Leominster State Forest several times. When I walked out to this tree, I had to step over many branches that have fallen during the storm. On my way back from taking this photo, I had to dodge a branch that was falling. I heard it break off the tree and luckily a branch slowed the fall so I could get out of the way.

For more photo of other projects I have work, visit my website: https://photobyjosephciras.weebly.com or visit me on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/PhotobyJosephCiras/.

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January 15, 2023

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Photographic Thoughts — 01/08/2023 to 01/14/2023

“When people ask me what equipment I use – I tell them my eyes.” — Anonymous

One of the things that I like to do is to turn some of my photos into posters. Here is a few of the photos that I have turned into posters over the years.

Sunday, 01/08/2023: Posted photo — Lake Louise.

Lake Louise is located in Banff National Park, Canada’s oldest national park, in the Canadian province of Alberta. It sits at an elevation of 5,679 ft (1,731 m) making it Canada’s highest permanent settlement. The lake extends northeast for around 1.5 mi (2.4 km) and is around 0.75 mi (1.2 km) at its widest point. The Lake Louise area is separated in two – the larger community is known as Lake Louise Village and is directly accessible via the Trans-Canada Highway, while Upper Lake Louise is directly next to the lake itself and contains the famous Lake Louise Chateau, along with a host of incredible hiking, biking, and horse-riding trails. https://adventures.com/canada/attractions/lakes/lake-louise/

Monday, 01/09/2023: Posted photo — Bubble Net Feeding.

Bubble-net feeding is a cooperative hunting strategy that occurs within a group of whales. It is a complex, highly synchronized set of behaviors that involve communication and cooperation, demonstrating signs of high social intelligence.

How it works

To bubble-net feed, whales dive deep below schools of fish and use bubbles blown from their blowholes to stun and trap fish closer to the surface. One whale generally leads the effort followed by the rest of the group. The leader will usually be responsible for blowing the bubbles and the other members will surround the fish, following them to the surface by swimming in spiral patterns to keep the fish trapped.

Humpback whales are known as “gulpers”, which means they feed by leaving their mouths open, swallowing everything in their paths before closing their mouths, pushing water out through their baleen plates and swallowing the critters (usually fish and small crustaceans) they caught. During bubble net feeding, the whales swimming toward the surface will have their mouths open and gulp fish from the school they have corralled.

Tuesday, 01/10/2023: Posted photo — Wellesley Glacier.

Wellesley Glacier is a 4-mile long glacier in the U.S. state of Alaska. It trends east for 4 mi to a lagoon on the west bank of College Fjord, 3.7 mi southwest of College Point and 54 mi west of Valdez. It was named for Wellesley College in Wellesley, Massachusetts by members of the 1899 Harriman Alaska Expedition. https://alaska.guide/glacier/wellesley-glacier

Wednesday, 01/11/2023: Posted photo — Wine Barrels.

For over a century, five generations of the Kunde family have farmed our 1,850-acre estate in the heart of Sonoma Valley. Our winemaking mission is to carry on that tradition by crafting elegant, estate-grown, sustainably-farmed wines with a real sense of place—beautifully balanced and expressive of our dramatic vineyard landscape. https://www.kunde.com/

I took this photo when we attended a wedding at the winery. The couple rented out the vineyard for the occasion.

Thursday, 01/12/2023: Posted photo — Glacier National Park.

Glacier National Park is a 1,583-sq.-mi. wilderness area in Montana’s Rocky Mountains, with glacier-carved peaks and valleys running to the Canadian border. It’s crossed by the mountainous Going-to-the-Sun Road. Among more than 700 miles of hiking trails, it has a route to photogenic Hidden Lake. Other activities include backpacking, cycling and camping. Diverse wildlife ranges from mountain goats to grizzly bears. https://www.nps.gov/glac/index.htm

Friday, 01/13/2023: Post photo — Bear at Curry Village.

Curry Village is a resort in Mariposa County, California in Yosemite National Park within the Yosemite Valley. A rockfall in 2008 damaged a number of structures, and about one third of visitor units were closed because of risk. https://www.nps.gov/places/000/curry-village.htm

There was a fisher cat next to our tent site. It hid when this bear walked by. The ranger asked up if we were able to get a look at the number on the bear’s tag. Yosemite National Park is the only park that I know of that a bear will open the door of your car for you if they see something shinny in it or if they smell anything that might be food.

Saturday, 01/14/2023: Post photo — Royal Arches.

The Royal Arches refers to a cliff containing natural occurring granite exfoliation arches, located below North Dome and rising above Yosemite Valley, in Yosemite National Park, California. The Royal Arches are located on the north side of the valley, northeast of the Ahwahnee Hotel. http://www.supertopo.com/rock-climbing/Yosemite-Valley-Royal-Arches-Area-Royal-Arches

For more photo of other projects I have work, visit my website: https://photobyjosephciras.weebly.com or visit me on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/PhotobyJosephCiras/.

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January 8, 2023

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Photographic Thoughts — 01/01/2023 to 01/07/2023

“You don’t take a photograph, you make it.” — Ansel Adams

Happy New Years to all. Wishing you all a healthy and safe 2023.

Sunday, 01/01/2023: Posted photo — Sunrise Selfie.

Happy New Year’s to all. For the last 15 or so years, I have been starting off the new year by hiking a local mountain to see the first sunrise of the year. This year’s hike was a wonderful hike. There had been snow and ice on the trails for most of December. Just after Christmas, we had a warm and rainy spell so there was not ice and snow. I did have to use my microspikes in areas near the trailhead and the mountain was clear of snow and ice at the summit.

Monday, 01/02/2023: Posted photo — 7 Sisters Hike.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 3200, f/3.5, 20 s, 18 mm.

On the second day of the new year, I hiked the 7 Sisters in Mt. Holyoke Range. The 3,000-acre Mount Holyoke Range State Park features a 7-mile mountain ridge line. The park also includes streams, wetlands, woods, and thickets. Visitors can explore more than 30 miles of blazed trails.

The range may be on a ridge line, but during the first three miles of the hike, there were ten different peaks. Looking at my gps tracking, I agree with someone I was hiking with, the tracking looks like the EKG of ones heartbeat. Not and easy hike, but fun. Again, now snow and ice. The range is at lower elevations that near my house. The highest peak in the range is lower than the elevation of my house. The difference is that you start just above sea leave because the range starts near on the of major rivers in the area. The Mount Holyoke Range is unique because it runs east to west, not north to south as most of the ranges. The Metacomet Ridge runs mostly north to south.

Tuesday, 01/03/2023: Posted photo — Mount Holyoke.

This is a photo of Mount Holyoke from the high point of the range, Mount Hitchcock at 1,005 feet. This is 1,001 feet lower than the mountain that frequent, Wachusett Mountain.

Mount Holyoke, a traprock mountain, elevation 935 feet, is the westernmost peak of the Holyoke Range and part of the 100-mile Metacomet Ridge. The mountain is in the Connecticut River Valley of western Massachusetts.

Wednesday, 01/04/2023: Posted photo — Ladder.

One of the hills on the 7 Sister’s hike required the use of this ladder. As I noted a few days ago, the hills were very steep on the trail. The route I took had about 1,092 feet in elevation gain. As you can see, the elevation gain was more that the height of the tallest peak on the hike.

Thursday, 01/05/2023: Posted photo — Snow.

Starting to snow around here. Great to see the ground covered in snow again. This snow is a wet snow, so I need to keep up with the shoveling so that it does not get too heavy.

Friday, 01/06/2023: Post photo — During the Storm.

Happy Epiphany. Epiphany, also known as Three Kings’ Day, is a Christian feast day that celebrates the revelation of God in His Son as human in Jesus Christ.

About this photo: one thing about snow is it does make for some great photos.

Saturday, 01/07/2023: Post photo — Full Moon.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 100, f/7.1, 1/250 s, 135 mm.

Today I went on a full moon hike with the members of my hiking group. We are re-starting group hikes with the group. When the group was founded eleven years ago next week my four of my friends and myself, the goal was to do group hikes. It lasted for a while, then the group grew exponentially. Now we are back to schedule group hikes to get back to our roots.

For more photo of other projects I have work, visit my website: https://photobyjosephciras.weebly.com or visit me on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/PhotobyJosephCiras/.

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January 1, 2023

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Photographic Thoughts — 12/25/2022 to 12/31/2022

“To me, photography is an art of observation. It’s about finding something interesting an ordinary place… I’ve found it has little to do with the things you see and everything to do with the way you see them.” — Elliott Erwitt

This week I will be posting a few random photos from this past year.

Happy New Years to all. Wishing you all a healthy and safe 2023.

Sunday, 12/25/2022: Posted photo — Nauset Light.

Nauset Light, the most well-known and photographed lighthouse on Cape Cod, is located within the boundaries of the Cape Cod National Seashore. It is an important part of Eastham’s cultural and maritime history. In 1993 a group of citizens in Eastham formed the Nauset Light Preservation Society (NLPS), a non-profit volunteer organization whose original mission was to rescue the lighthouse. Through the successful efforts of the NLPS the Nauset Lighthouse was moved approximately 300 feet back from the edge of a sixty-foot high eroding cliff in 1996. Though no longer under the auspices of the United States Coast Guard, Nauset Light serves as a private aid to navigation used by the fishing fleets and small recreational boaters who navigate close to the shore. https://www.nausetlight.org/mission

Monday, 12/26/2022: Posted photo — Milky Way.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 3200, f/3.5, 20 s, 18 mm.

We arrived at our first campsite at Badlands National Park late at night. After we setup our campsite, my wife and stayed up late to look at all the stars. I practiced my Milky Way photography. Still need much work.

Tuesday, 12/27/2022: Posted photo — Female Longhorn Sheep.

Some female longhorn sheep I saw during one of my national park trips.

Wednesday, 12/28/2022: Posted photo — Hiking Buddies.

Some mountain goats that joined us on our hike in Glacier National Park.

Thursday, 12/29/2022: Posted photo — Smith Glacier.

Smith Glacier is a 5.5-mile (8.9 km) long glacier in the U.S. state of Alaska. It trends southeast to Harvard Arm of College Fjord, 2.8 miles (4.5 km) northwest of College Point and 51 miles (82 km) west of Valdez. It was named for Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts by members of the 1899 Harriman Alaska Expedition.

Friday, 12/30/2022: Post photo — Bison.

Here are some bison that we saw at Wind Caves National Park. There were a herd of about 300 bison just roaming the fields.

Saturday, 12/31/2022: Post photo — Looks Like a Good Site.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 100, f/7.1, 1/250 s, 135 mm.

Here are a couple of bison looking for a campsite at Yellowstone. Looks like they found a good one.

For more photo of other projects I have work, visit my website: https://photobyjosephciras.weebly.com or visit me on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/PhotobyJosephCiras/.

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December 18, 2022

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Photographic Thoughts — 12/11/2022 to 12/17/2022

“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

Photos from this week. I was on vacation this week so I had a little more time to get out and take photos.

Sunday, 12/11/2022: Posted photo — Covered Bridge.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 100, f/7.1, 1/125 s, 24 mm.

A covered bridge is a timber-truss bridge with a roof, decking, and siding, which in most covered bridges create an almost complete enclosure. The purpose of the covering is to protect the wooden structural members from the weather. This covered bridge is mor of a covered walkway that leads to the Old Mill Restaurant in town.

Here is a photo of the waterfall that you can see as you cross the bridge.

Monday, 12/12/2022: Posted photo — Round Meadow Pond Dam.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 100, f/7.1, 1/400 s, 35 mm.

This is one of my most photographed locations. I took a photo a month at this location a few years ago.

We had some snow overnight. Here are some photos of the snow.

Tuesday, 12/13/2022: Posted photo — Hike.

Settings: Google Pixel 7, ISO 51, f/1.8, 1/5155 s, 7 mm.

This photo was taken from a member of the hiking group that did not want their photo taken.

Today I went on a hike with members of the Wachusett Hikers. The Wachusett Hikers is a group, that I am a founding member, that was formed by one of my friends a few years ago to organize local hikes. Currently there is over about 1.4K members to the group. Not everyone is active in the group, but we are surprised by the number of people interested in local hiking. Not bad for a group that started out with just five members.

Wednesday, 12/14/2022: Posted photo — LL Bean Boot.

Settings: Google Pixel 7, ISO 57, f/1.8, 1/1287 s, 7 mm.

This is the 90thanniversary boot. My wife and I take a trip up to the LL Bean Flagship store every year to go shopping for the holidays. We have a weekend away in Maine and other places a few times a year. Some of these trips we took were electronics free. We spent time in Kittery, ME and Freeport, ME.

Here is a photo of one of the decorated trees at the flagship store.

Thursday, 12/15/2022: Posted photo — Ducks and Goose.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 100, f/7.1, 1/500 s, 50 mm.

I went back to the Old Mill today to take a photo of the ducks and geese. The Old Mill has a duck pond and there are ducks and geese there all year round.

As a bonus for today, I am posting a photo of our neighbor’s driveway. I always like the look of their driveway in the snow.

Friday, 12/16/2022: Post photo — Wachusett Mountain.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 100, f/7.1, 1/1250 s, 88 mm.

Here is a photo of Wachusett Mountain from Round Meadow Pond. You have seen a photo from this location in the past. This is the first one at this location in the snow for this winter season.

Saturday, 12/17/2022: Post photo — Wachusett Mountain Ski Area.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 200, f/7.1, 1/640 s, 18 mm.

Here is a photo of the Wachusett Mountain ski area. This is the mountain that I hike one or two times a week since I fractured my ankle. I hiked this mountain two to three times a week, minimum, before my accident.

For more photo of other projects, visit my website: https://photobyjosephciras.weebly.com or visit me on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/PhotobyJosephCiras/. I hope to update these sites at the start of the new year.

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December 11, 2022

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Photographic Thoughts — 12/04/2022 to 12/10/2022

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

In memory of Pearl Harbor Day, I will be posting photos of my last trip to Hawaii.

I have also renamed my header to the current week since I will not add the week that I missed.

Sunday, 12/04/2022: Posted photo — Diamond Head.

“The unique profile of Diamond Head (Lē’ahi) sits prominently near the eastern edge of Waikiki’s coastline. Hawaii’s most recognized landmark is known for its historic hiking trail, stunning coastal views, and military history. Diamond Head State Monument encompasses over 475 acres, including the interior and outer slopes of the crater.”

Diamond Head State Monument

Monday, 12/05/2022: Posted photo — Rainbow Falls.

“The Rainbow Falls are a broad waterfall in the Wailuku river that is conveniently located within Hilo town. They are very easy to visit and you’ll have a high chance of seeing rainbows if you visit somewhat early in the day (perhaps even before breakfast).”

The Rainbow Falls (Waiānuenue) in Hilo

Tuesday, 12/06/2022: Posted photo — National Memorial Cemetery.

“Few national cemeteries can compete with the dramatic natural setting of the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific. The “Punchbowl” was formed some 75,000 to 100,000 years ago during the Honolulu period of secondary volcanic activity. A crater resulted from the ejection of hot lava through cracks in the old coral reefs which, at the time, extended to the foot of the Koolau Mountain Range.”

https://www.cem.va.gov/cems/nchp/nmcp.asp

Wednesday, 12/07/2022: Posted photo — Anchor.

One of the anchors from the USS Arizona.

https://www.nps.gov/perl/index.htm

Thursday, 12/08/2022: Posted photo — US Sailor.

My father served in WWII in the US Navy. He had a uniform just like this. I used his duffle bag for a hockey bag when I was young.

Friday, 12/09/2022: Post photo — USS Arizona.

This is one of the most visited historic sites in the United States. “Other highly-visited historic sites include the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial, the Jefferson Memorial, and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Washington D.C., along with Mount Rushmore in South Dakota, and Castillo de San Marcos in St Augustine Florida.The Pearl Harbor Visitor Center is operated by the National Park Service and is free to the public. It includes a museum with exhibits about World War II, an outdoor walkway with numerous historical plaques and signage explaining the attack, and a theater that shows a video of actual footage and events from the attack which is viewed before boarding the boat which takes visitors out to the memorial.”

USS Arizona Memorial

Saturday, 12/10/2022: Post photo — USS Missouri.

“Located on Ford Island and in line with the Arizona Memorial along battleship row, the Battleship Missouri (USS Missouri (BB-63)) towers over its dock some 216 feet high. It is accessible only by shuttle from the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center or on our tour vehicles. The island is a military installation so the public is unable to drive onto it without special passes.”

Battleship Missouri

For more photo of other projects I have work, visit my website: https://photobyjosephciras.weebly.com or visit me on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/PhotobyJosephCiras/.

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photobyjosephciras

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November 13, 2022

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hiking, Inspiration, Nature, Photography, Travel, water

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Photographic Thoughts — 10/30/2022 to 11/05/2022

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

Events over this past week.

Sunday, 10/30/2022: Posted photo — Wood.

We had five cords of wood delivered. Looks like we have a few hours ahead of us putting into the wood shed. We normally receive two shipments a few days apart in order to put the first truckload away. This year we received all five at once.

Monday, 10/31/2022: Posted photo — Residence.

A private residence near the Kennedy Compound on the Cape. Made to look like a lighthouse.

Tuesday, 11/01/2022: Posted photo — Gull.

Just a gull looking out at sea on this wonderful day. Hard to believe it is November.

Wednesday, 11/02/2022: Posted photo — Lunar Eclipse.

Was not easy to get a photo of the lunar eclipse. The sky was very dark during totality. This is a two second exposure. Anything less that two seconds, the moon was too dark. Look at the movement in the moon.

Thursday, 11/03/2022: Posted photo — Sagamore Bridge.

From the web: “The Sagamore Bridge has a 616-foot-main span over the canal like the Bourne Bridge, but from abutment to abutment, the bridge is 976 feet shorter than its identical twin two and one-half miles to the west.”

Friday, 11/04/2022: Post photo — Cranberry Bog.

From the web: “Cranberries grow in beds layered with sand, peat and gravel. These beds are commonly known as bogs or marshes and were originally formed as a result of glacial deposits. In Massachusetts we call the place where cranberries grow a BOG. Natural bogs evolved from deposits left by the glaciers more than 10,000 years ago.”

Saturday, 11/05/2022: Post photo — Cranberries.

From the web: “Both cranberries and their close cousin the blueberry are not actually berries. Rather, they’re classified as epigynous, a type of fruit commonly called false berries.”

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