“To me, photography is an art of observation. It’s about finding something interesting in 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
Thank you for all the new views and likes from last week, it helps keep me inspired.
Sunday, 02/09/2025: Posted photo — Snowshoeing.
We had a little snowfall last night. Only about 7 inches of snow fell. This gave me the opportunity to take my snowshoes out and hike on out property. There were many challenging areas to hike. I when up and down steel hills and through some swampy areas that were frozen over.
I used today to do a test run of my snowshoes. I will bring them with me during my hike tomorrow and hopefully I will be able to use them.
Here are some mountain laurel covered in snow. I saw this during my hike today.
I did not use my snowshoes, just carried them. Since I went the day after the snow, the trails were packed down. I used my microspikes and stayed on the trail. If I was not leading a group, I would have put them on and hiked off the trail. When I am leading a group, I need to be responsible for the fun and safety of all.
Tuesday, 02/11/2025: Posted photo — Snow on Swing.
There was still snow on the swings in our backyard. These swings have not been used for many years. One of our grandnieces was one of the last ones to use them. The photo of the snow on the swings is a photo that I take every year. The weather is going to warm up tomorrow so this may be the last opportunity before the snow next Saturday to take this photo.
I have been doing this project since January 1, 2010. After a while there is repetitiveness in my photos and photography topic. I need to branch out and take more photos of people.
Speaking of creatures of habit, I take a photo of this location often. Besides the moon, this location is my second most photograph location in my project.
A few years back I took a photo on the 6th of the month, every month of every year, at this location to see how it changes. I put a video of my photos together. Let me know if you would like to see it and I can figure out a way to post it in this blog.
Thursday, 02/13/2025: Posted photo — Snow Moon.
This month’s full moon is called the Snow Moon.
There is typically cold and snowy weather in February, so the full moon was given the name snow moon. Storm moon and hunger moon are other common names.
I took this with my 300mm lens, and not my “moon” lens because of the wing. My long “moon” lens is only manual and does not have a stabilizer making it difficult to take photos of the moon in the wind.
Friday, 02/14/2025: Post photo — Icicles.
As the temperature fluctuates, icicles begin to form. These photos were taken in the morning. One is a photo of the icicles on a building, the other of icicles on a handrail.
These were gone later in the day when the temperature rose slightly and the wind picked up.
Saturday, 02/15/2025: Post photo — Looking Up.
Blue sky this morning before the snow tonight. We are expecting several inches of snow, followed by sleet and rain tonight into tomorrow.
“The best thing about a picture is that it never changes, even when the people in it do.” — Andy Warhol
Thank you for all the new views and likes from last week, it helps keep me inspired.
Sunday, 01/26/2025: Posted photo — Something Old.
Photo challenge of the week — Something old.
Many have posted old house, jewelry, or other items. I have posted a Cub Scout award that my brother received back in the 1960’s. My brother would have aged out of Cub Scouts in 1961 making this 64 years old. I have this memento to remember him along with some other items from his youth and his time in the Peace Corps in the late 1960’s.
Monday, 01/27/2025: Posted photo — Sunset.
This was taken just as is leaving the office. The colors were past peak but still wonderful to see this time of year. This was the first opportunity that I had to take a sunset photo as I was leaving work. As the days get longer, I am looking forward to getting on the local mountain and seeing the sunset from the summit.
Tuesday, 01/28/2025: Posted photo — Garlic.
Another shopping day. I tend to do my grocery shopping on Tuesday nights. The only time I do not is when I go hiking with the Tuesday night hiking group.
Garlic can reduce the severity of common cold symptoms, helping manage cholesterol and blood pressure, boosting heart health, and reducing the risk of liver injury.
Wednesday, 01/29/2025: Posted photo — Sunrise.
We had a few inches of light, fluffy snow last night. It was snowing off and on during the day with little more accumulation that in the morning. Since there was overcast sky this morning, the sun was just poking through the clouds.
I also took this photo of the flag against the snow. The flag was changed today since the high winds of the last few days had torn it.
Thursday, 01/30/2025: Posted photo — Boots.
Went to a new store near us. It was called the Boot Barn. I wanted to go into see if they had any hiking boots. They did not (not that I saw).
When I walked into the store, I felt like I was back in Houston Texas. The store was full of cowboy boots and hats. It did have some work boots, but most of the store had the ranch theme. I do not know how long the store will be there since there are not many ranchers in our area, but I did find the price of the shoes and hats as expected.
I thought of my niece and her children when I saw these boots. She lives in Washington state and lives on a farm with her family. She loves cowboy boots and pink.
Friday, 01/31/2025: Post photo — Blue Sky.
This week’s theme is blue. We had some snow last night and the sun was out today. I took a photo of the blue sky. Nice contrast between the snow, trees, and the sky.
Saturday, 02/01/2025: Post photo — Flowers.
Some flowers to close out this tiring week. Been editing procedures this week at work and have not gotten much sleep.
“No place is boring, if you’ve had a good night’s sleep and have a pocket full of unexposed film” — Robert Adams
Thank you for all the new views and likes from last week, it helps keep me inspired.
Sunday, 01/19/2025: Posted photo — Leading Lines.
Photo challenge of the week — Leading Lines. I took many photos today to try to fit this theme. This was the winner. The lines are leading you down the seawall along the beach at Hampton Beach NH.
Wall at Hampton Beach NH
It was a cool day to be on the beach. When walking with the wind to my back, it felt warm. When I was walking into a headwind, you can tell it was frigid outside with the wind chill.
My bother made this one and just electrified it. He made one for one of his granddaughters during the summer and wanted to make one for himself.
Over all of GuitarSound board using tarp grommetsInscription on neck
As you can tell by the inscription, he is also a hiker. He was the past chairperson of the local chapter of the AMC and is now on the AMC Board of Directors.
Imagine the perfect citrus — super easy to peel, extra juicy and amazingly sweet. This is a hybrid of the satsuma, navel and mandarin orange varieties developed in 1970’s.
Dekopon Mandarins
I have posted many times before, the supermarket that I go to every week has a great assortment of fruits and vegetables. I like taking photos of them and doing research on them before purchasing them.
Wednesday, 01/22/2025: Posted photo — Coating a Japanese Yew.
Some snow on a Japanese Yew at my office. I like the contrast of colors.
Patches of snow
Thursday, 01/23/2025: Posted photo — Moon from Office Window.
I looked out my office window last week and saw the full moon. I took out my camera and took a photo for the moon through the office window.
I have people tell me that my moon photos are great and they wished I had something in the foreground, do I took this photo with the branches in the foreground.
Full moon in the morning
Friday, 01/24/2025: Post photo — New Hampshire Marine Memorial.
“It started as a grave marker… and became a monument!” This started out from a father wanting a grave marker for his son lost at sea in 1945. What his efforts brought after many years of endeavor, was a memorial at Hampton Beach to all New Hampshire sons and daughters lost or buried at sea during World War II.
Looking out at seaHonored names
This monument is across the street from the location of a cubing event that took place last weekend. I saw this monument as we entered for the competition and I went out to take it before the snow.
Saturday, 01/25/2025: Post photo — Training Hike.
Today I held a training hike to introduce people into winter hiking. I know that we are part way through the season but it was the first opportunity for a training hike. A few weeks ago, we (the Wachusett Hikers) had a conference call with people that wanted to learn about winter hiking. It was an informative call and some people wanted a hike planned to practice we talked about.
Summit photoSome gear inside my pack
I set up this hike to be the training hike. There were some that signed up for the hike and canceled last minute, as with typical hikes. Even if there were only one person signed up, I was going to do this hike. The temperature today was in the low 20’s (F) and the sun was shinning. This was so far the warmest day of the week.
I showed them my full winter gear and talked about which item was needed for local hikes and upcountry hikes. We also discussed layering for heat control, how to used microspikes, what type of microspikes to purchase and what type not to purchase, how to keep your water from freezing, how to properly adjust their hiking poles and how to use them properly, and other topics. It was a great hike and it made the two hikers that joined me more confident in their abilities. That was the main purpose of the hike.
As a bonus, we saw a bald eagle flying at the summit. By the time I took out my phone camera, it had flown out of range.
“It’s weird that photographers spend years or even a whole lifetime, trying to capture moments that added together, don’t even amount to a couple of hours.” — James Lalropui Keivom
Thank you for all the new views and likes from last week, it helps keep me inspired.
This week will only be photos. Did some commentaries on my photos that I wanted to post this week, but did not have the opportunity to finish so I am posting only photos. I will finish this week’s photos for next week’s blog.
Sunday, 01/12/2025: Posted photo — Grand Tetons.
Monday, 01/13/2025: Posted photo — Alaska.
Tuesday, 01/14/2025: Posted photo — Bird in Bryce Canyon.
“Essentially what photography is is life lit up.” — Sam Abell
Thank you for all the new views and likes from last week, it keeps me inspired.
Sunday, 01/05/2025: Posted photo — Mary and Jesus.
Mary and Jesus next to the Paschal candle. Today was the feast of the Magi but the kings were hiding at the time I took this photo. When I was putting up the numbers for the hymns, I liked the look of this setup. The Paschal candle is lite at Easter and represents the light of Christ coming into the world.
Monday, 01/06/2025: Posted photo — End of the Line.
I posted a photo of the ski lift last week when the snow was melting and the trails were wet. This week, the temperature was in the low 20’s F with the wind chill making the real feel temperature of around 3 deg F.
Tuesday, 01/07/2025: Posted photo — Gardner City Hall.
I had my yearly physical yesterday and took this photo. Gardner is the 92 our of the 351 cities and towns in Massachusetts.
Wednesday, 01/08/2025: Post photo — Brussels Sprouts.
Brussels sprouts are named after Brussels, Belgium, where it is believed they were first widely cultivated in the 16th century.
When I took a photo of the moon today, it came out looking a little abstract. This is due to the fact that the mount of my lens was loose so there was too much movement in the lens. I knew it was loose, but I thought that it would not effect my photos. Guess I was incorrect.
Friday, 01/10/2025: Post photo — Trip Planning.
I am finalizing my plans on my second leadership hike this winter so that I can receive my Winter Upcountry credentials. I am looking for a hike in the White Mountains. I will be selecting a hike that is not one of the 4K mountains, yet the mountain will be challenging. The full planning of the hike is the last requirement for my credentials. I have planned many winter hikes in the Whites, including some of the taller 4K mountains, but none of them for the AMC.
The most difficult part of this hike is to get the one or two mentors that are needed to evaluate me. There are only a few people in the chapter that are qualified and there is another hiking series going on at the same time. Once I am credentialed, I will be able to lead hikes year round, both locally and upcountry in the higher, more dangerous, mountains.
Saturday, 01/11/2025: Post photo — Snow.
The inch of snow that was predicted turned into three plus inches. Not much snow for this time of year. The temperature will be getting warmer and then a freeze will happen, so I went out today to clean off our driveway, walkway, and deck before the freeze.
“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 keeps me inspired.
Sunday, 12/22/2024: Posted photo — Never too Old.
You are never too old to believe. This is our son with Santa, his grandfather. My nieces and nephews all know that my father-in-law is the real Santa.
On a sadder note, I found out today that my college roommate passed from COVID a couple of years ago. I wished him a happy birthday on Facebook and a mutual friend let me know he passed. So sad that someone so young died from an illness that some people claim does not exist. COVID is real! Be safe.
Monday, 12/23/2024: Posted photo — Weather Front.
Here is a photo of a weather front that came through the area today. I like the look of weather fronts, the crisp line that creates them.
Here is a bonus photos of how some people feel so close to the holidays.
Tuesday, 12/24/2024: Posted photo — Possible White Christmas.
Here is a photo of my neighbor’s driveway. I just love the way the driveway looks in the winter. It is even better with tire tracks.
A white Christmas is a Christmas when there is snow on the ground or it is snowing on Christmas Day or Christmas Eve. The National Weather Service (NWS) defines a white Christmas as at least one inch of snow on the ground at 7 AM local time on Christmas morning. The last white Christmas in our area was in 2009. We had a little snow last night and there might be some more tonight.
Wednesday, 12/25/2024: Post photo — Christmas and Hanukkah.
Merry Christmas to all. Happy first day of Hanukkah.
We have an official white Christmas this year. This was a great year for this hiker. I received new MSR Lightning Explorer snowshoes, CAMP crampons, and heated socks. Friday I will be picking up a new to me ice axe. I should be ready for my above tree line winter training on Saturday.
Jesus celebrated Hanukkah, and it’s mentioned in the New Testament. At that time, Hanukkah was called “the Feast of Dedication” because it commemorated the dedication of the Temple. My family celebrated both Christmas and Hanukkah.
Thursday, 12/26/2024: Posted photo — Day after Hike.
It was a wonderful sunny day today. The temperature was cool and the air was refreshing. I went on a hike today during the day for the first time in a long time. The trails had heavy ice on them in some of the typical locations.
It was a practice hike for me. I had a full pack on me to practice carrying heavier weight. I wanted to carry the weight to practice for my above treeline leadership/safety training on Saturday.
Friday, 12/27/2024: Post photo — Headstone.
I had a day off today so I went to a neighboring town to pick up some supplies for tomorrow’s training hike. On the way back, I went to visit my parents, paternal grandparents, one of my aunts, one of my uncles, and by brother to wish them a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
This gave me an opportunity to see if my brother’s name was on his headstone. It was.
Saturday, 12/28/2024: Post photo — Hike.
Today was a training hike for AMC up-country winter leadership. This was also a practice hike for next weekend when the AMC is leading some hiked up Mount Monadnock. All of the participants for this hike were AMC up-country winter leaders. I was the only Leader-in-Training that went on the hike. The other LIT’s could not make it for various meetings. This was a very good training in leading winter hikes and included the use of crampons. I expect to be fully certified by the end of the winter.
The summit was fogged in and there were winds of an estimated 40 mph. We were dressed for it so the weather did not bother the members of the group. These photos do not show how windy it was on the summit.
An Up-Country Hike is defined as a hike (offered within the state of Massachusetts) that is over 8 miles in length or over 1000 feet of elevation gain or any hike offered outside the state of Massachusetts. A winter hike is defined as any hike that takes place during the time period between December 1 and March 31.
The view of Wachusett Mountain from the summit of North Pack Monadnock.
Tuesday, 12/17/2024: Posted photo — Pattern.
Some interesting pattern on my car door this morning. It is starting to get cold. There will be a 40 degree F drop in temperature over the next few days.
Wednesday, 12/18/2024: Post photo — Ornaments.
Some ornaments on a tree.
Thursday, 12/19/2024: Posted photo — Roses.
Some roses to brighten your day.
Friday, 12/20/2024: Post photo — Colorize.
I attempted to do a different colorization today. Normally I would colorize using black and white. Today I wanted to use sepia.
Saturday, 12/21/2024: Post photo — Simplicity.
This week’s theme is simplicity in black and white. This is my submittal for the week.
“Once you learn to care, you can record images with your mind or on film. There is no difference between the two.” — Anonymous
Thank you for all the new views and likes from last week, it keeps me inspired.
Happy Thanksgiving to everyone.
Sunday, 11/24/2024: Posted photo — Gospel Cover.
When one of the two churches in town closed a few years ago, the Gospel cover was saved and is used in my parish. This is an ornate and heavy cover. The figure in the center is St. Nicholas. If I am incorrect, please let me know in the comments below.
Every week I put up the numbers for the hymns that will be sung for my wife. This week this cover was inspiring me to take its photo.
Monday, 11/25/2024: Posted photo — Looking Up.
It was a cold and windy day on the summit this week. I was attempting to take a photo of the stars. It looks like my headlamp washed out the photo. I have the red light on in an attempt not to interfere with the exposure.
You should use a red light on your headlight bulb when you need to preserve your night vision while navigating in the dark, like when camping, hiking at night, or reading a map, as red light has minimal impact on your eyes’ ability to adjust to darkness compared to white light; essentially, you would use it when you want to see without blinding yourself or significantly disrupting your night vision.
When I camp in dark sky areas, I always use my red light. When I stop at trail junctions, I use my red light so that I do not blind the other people in the group.
Tuesday, 11/26/2024: Posted photo — Kiwi.
The topic for my 52 week photo project this week is low key. Last week the topic was high key.
Low Key photography is creating a frame that is mostly dark unlike last week when the frame was mostly light. Last week I took the roses into GIMP and turned them into a high key photo. This week I took the kiwis into GIMP and made them low key.
Original PhotoLow Key edit of photo
Here are the before and after photos.
Wednesday, 11/27/2024: Post photo — Pomegranate.
Pomegranates are rich in polyphenols. There is some evidence that polyphenols help protect against diseases in your heart and blood vessels. Polyphenols may have many health benefits, including Antioxidant properties, Lower risk of type 2 diabetes and Reduced risk of heart disease.
When I make my fruit salad for the holidays, I like to put pomegranate seeds in them for a touch of color.
Thursday, 11/28/2024: Posted photo — Rutabaga.
Research on rutabagas below.
Rutabagas and turnips look similar, but they are not identical. Rutabagas are large, more yellowish, and only grow in cool climates. Meanwhile, turnips are small, usually have a reddish tinge, and grow in a variety of climates.
Rutabagas are high in vitamin C and fiber which makes them a great alternative to potatoes in a low-carb diet. One cup of boiled and cubed rutabaga contains 12 grams of carbohydrates, while the same amount of boiled and cubed potatoes contains 31 grams of carbohydrates.
With Thanksgiving today, I wanted to post a photo of a food that many people may not have on their table today. Thanksgiving is a celebration of gratitude and reflection on blessings. The holiday’s origins are rooted in the first Thanksgiving feast in 1621, when the Wampanoag people and the Pilgrims shared a meal to give thanks for the successful harvest.
Friday, 11/29/2024: Post photo — Sunrise.
I took this photo on Wednesday and wanted to share it this week.
Today is what is known as Black Friday. It was that day that shops put on special sales for the holiday season. Now Black Friday starts after Halloween, so this day is not as crazy as it was. I can remember people not sleeping or camping out in front of stores to get the item of their choice.
To counter the craziness of this day, I am posting a peaceful sunrise photo. The sunrise was not as spectacular as it was last week, but the colors in the clouds warranted a photo.
Saturday, 11/30/2024: Post photo — Dusting.
We has a dusting of snow last night. It is nice to see a little snow covering. Waiting on the first snow fall of the season so that I can go snowshoeing and winter hiking.
The winter hiking season officially starts tomorrow, December 1. I will be going for my upcountry winter hiking leader certification this year. Once completed, I will be a four season local and a four season upcountry hiking leader. Looking forward to the challenge. I will not be as young as some of the leader, but I will be having fun. I have hiked year round local and upcountry so the additional training I will received this winter will be wonderful.
“Photography takes an instant out of time, altering life by holding it still.” — Dorothea Lange
Thank you for all the new views and likes from last week, it helps keep me inspired.
Sorry for the broken English some weeks. I type as I think and sometimes do not make all the corrections that are needed.
Sunday, 11/10/2024: Posted photo — Moon from Movie Clip.
Last week I noted that I would not post a moon shot unless I took it during the week. I took this one tonight as a movie. One of the features of the AutoStakkert program is that you can take a movie of the moon and then have the program stack all the frames of the movie.
The movie I took tonight was with my “moon” lens and my Canon 60D. This might have come out better if I were to have a tracking telescope, or if I did a better job focusing, but I like to practice with what I have. The wind was also blowing, and the long lens does not like the wind. Also, I do not plan on purchasing a tracking telescope. I have investigated a tracking feature for my camera, but I would not use it enough to justify the cost.
Monday, 11/11/2024: Posted photo — Ring around the Moon.
The temperature was dropping during tonight’s hike. We have not had much rain lately and the clouds were moving in for possible rain showers tonight.
I saw this ring around the moon earlier in the hike and wanted to take a photo of it at the summit. When I saw it earlier, we were in a wooded area. This ring may or may not be a luna halo, I need to look up the official scientific definition.
The White Pass & Yukon Route climbs from sea level in Skagway to almost 3,000 feet at the Summit in just 20 miles and features steep grades of almost 3.9%. The tight curves of the White Pass called for a narrow-gauge railroad.
I have, in the past, posted a photo of one of the mountains that can be seen from the railway. This is a photo of the train as it goes through a valley. Not happy about the washout in the background, but I did not have much time to adjust any camera settings.
Navajo Arch sits on a short side trail off the Devils Garden Trail in Arches National Park. The arch is made of Entrada sandstone and sits at the mouth of a small sandy alcove. The tree in this photo looks like it is full of branches, but if you look at it from the other side, the branches have been blown away. The area that I think looks like water, is the sun shining.
The day we did this hike it was over 100 degrees F in the shade. We were hugging the cliff walls during rest stops to keep out of the sun. The rule in the park is one gallon of water per person per day. We had one member of our group, me, carrying most of the extra water, with the other parties in the group carrying their own. This was a spur trail that we took on our way to Double O Arch, the second largest arch in the park, behind Landscape Arch.
Thursday, 11/14/2024: Posted photo — Fire.
I was bored today. It was the coolest day of the week so far and we had a fire in the wood stove. As I was loading wood into the fire, I had and idea of adding texture to a photo. I took a photo of the fire and went into the archives to my texture photos.
This photo is what I came up with. It looks like the photo is sideways, but it is not. This was just after I placed a log in the fire and the log was beginning to burn. The fire was following the contour of the log.
Friday, 11/15/2024: Post photo — Beaver Moon.
This is a composite of 12 photos stacked together with the AutoStakkert program. It is one of my favorite moon photos. I have been taken moon photos for 14 plus years and I am almost happy with one. All I need to do next is to take a full moon photo at moon rise, when it is closer to the horizon, so that it looks big.
The full moon for November is named after beavers because, at this time, they become particularly active in building their winter dams in preparation for the cold season. The beaver is mainly nocturnal, so they work under the light of the Full Moon. This is also the last supermoon of the year. A supermoon occurs when the Moon’s orbit is closest (perigee) to Earth at the same time the Moon is full.
Saturday, 11/16/2024: Post photo — Photo.
Needed one for today so I took a photo of the buttons on our projector.
Photo by Joseph Ciras 