“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
Here are some mountains that I have seen during my travels.
There were many great views of the mountain in the park. Took this photo was in the morning when the water was calm. There was someone sleeping in a hammock just outside the frame of this photo.
Monday, 02/19/2024: Posted photo — Grand Teton National Park.
Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming
The Tetons are great and majestic mountains. Took this one just after sunset in the golden hour.
Tuesday, 02/20/2024: Posted photo — Lake McDonald.
Glacier National Park, Montana
This was my first view of Glacier National Park. We did some hiking with a mountain goat and her children on this trip.
Wednesday, 02/21/2024: Posted photo — Prince of Wales Hotel Waterton Lake.
Waterton – Glacier International Peace Park, Alberta
When we arrived at the park, the ranger saw that I had a camera. She told me of the spot to take this photo. It was up a private road used just by the rangers.
Thursday, 02/22/2024: Posted photo — Along the White Pass Yukon Route Railway.
Alaska
We took a ride on the White Pass Railroad on our trip to Alaska. We did go into the Yukon to turn around. This is one of the mountains along the way. This photo is in color.
Friday, 02/23/2024: Post photo — Lake Louise.
Banff National Park, Alberta
I did not know that Lake Louise was a famous lake. We just stopped in to take in the views. It was crowded when we arrived in the morning and was very crowded in the afternoon when we continued our journey.
Saturday, 02/24/2024: Post photo — Mount St Helens National Volcanic Monument.
Washington
Been to Mount St Helens many times since it erupted on May 18, 1980. I am amazed with the way nature is recovering. The first time I went there was ten years after the eruption and there were still logs floating in Spirit Lake.
Today is the 36th anniversary of my starting to date my wife. I celebrate if every year. It is close to St. Valentine’s Day, so I make it a double celebration. Yellow flowers mean friendship. There is a lot of red roses being sold this week, so I wanted to be different.
Monday, 02/12/2024: Posted photo — Rotary not Traffic Circle.
In New England we call this a rotary and not a traffic circle or roundabout. Sometimes I wish that GPS systems would be trained with local lingo. This is the Concord Rotary, one of the busiest rotaries that I have driven through. It has two lanes, and you need to pay attention to the drivers around you.
Tuesday, 02/13/2024: Posted photo — Icicles.
A foot of snow! No! Six to eight inches of snow! No! One to three inches of snow! No! A dusting of snow! Maybe. This weather forecast all happened within a few hours of the storm starting in our area. The snow moved out to sea quickly and the residents in southern New England and near the coast receive the most snowfall. Some up to a foot. Living in the snow belt of the state, we were expecting more. Schools close last night since heavy snow was predicted up until late in the evening.
Looking out an office window I saw the icicles hanging off the Japanese Yew, so I took this photo through the dirty window.
Wednesday, 02/14/2024: Posted photo — Keyboard.
Today is Ash Wednesday. This is the start of the season of Lent. 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.
The choir my wife and son sing in, sang for the Ash Wednesday Mass. At the end of Mass, I saw the lights reflecting off the organ keyboard, so I took this photo.
Thursday, 02/15/2024: Posted photo — Milky Way.
The topic of a photo project I am doing is called unexplored. There are many regions of the galaxy that are unexplored, so I wanted to take a photo of the Milky Way on one of the few clear sky days we have had lately.
Friday, 02/16/2024: Post photo — Harmony small things Grow.
“Concordia Res Parvae Crescunt” in harmony small this Grow. This is the motto of the Xaverian Brothers. The Xaverian Brothers were founded in Belgium by Theodore James Ryken in 1839 to be missionaries, and have been educators in the United States since 1854. The high school that I graduated from is an Xaverian Brother’s school. I go back every Friday to help the Robotics Team with engineering and project management advice.
Saturday, 02/17/2024: Post photo — Devils Tower.
Taken at Devils Tower National Monument in Wyoming.
At the base of the Tower is a bolder field that we hiked up to. Massive rocks, some large as a bus, form a 13-acre field. Predominantly around the west and south faces of the Tower, this field of giant rocks was created as pieces of the Tower weathered off and eroded down. Geologists agree that Devils Tower began as magma, or molten rock buried beneath the Earth’s surface. What they cannot agree upon are the processes by which the magma cooled to form the Tower, or its relationship to the surrounding geology of the area. This was one of the three movie sets were stopped in at during this trip. The other two were Goblin Valley were Galaxy Quest was filmed and the Field of Dreams in Iowa.
Thank you for all the new views and likes from last week, it helps keep me inspired.
Sunday, 02/04/2024: Posted photo — New Snow.
New snow fell today with more snow on the way. I was out walking today and took this photo. Nature is wonderful when it covers the world in a new blanket of snow.
Snow in the meadow
Monday, 02/05/2024: Posted photo — On my Walk.
It seems to be a while since I posted a photo of the dam at Round Meadow Pond. Since it was snowing in the morning, I decided to take a 2.5 mile walk into work today. It is always great to break the trail on the way to work.
The dam at Round Meadow Pond on my hike home from work
This photo was taken on my walk home tonight. It was the first night in a while that I hiked home in the blue hour giving me the chance to use the low light setting on my phone.
Tuesday, 02/06/2024: Posted photo — Cold Feet.
I took these photos yesterday to post today. I have an infrared camera and wanted to see how effective the vapor barrier was on my foot. The vapor barrier I am using is a small trash bag. I put on a compression sock, then the vapor barrier, and then a wool sock.
Vapor BarrierVapor Barrier Removed
My foot did not get cold last year, the first winter after my surgery. It was getting cold earlier this winter, almost to the point of my big toe changing color. As you can see in the IR photos, the vapor barrier works well. I have not felt my toes getting cold since using the vapor barrier, even after being hiking out in the snow longer that the beginning of the winter.
Wednesday, 02/07/2024: Posted photo — Eggplant.
From the Allrecipes webpage: “Eggplant, also known as aubergine, is a fruit in the nightshade family. Other edible nightshades include tomatoes, potatoes, and bell peppers. Eggplants are typically large, dark purple, kidney bean-shaped fruits with a dark green stem at one end. They usually feel light for their size and have a yielding texture.”
Eggplant
I have eaten eggplant in the past and do not find it to be something that I like. I cannot remember the last time I purchased and eggplant.
Thursday, 02/08/2024: Posted photo — Droplet.
It is getting warmer around here. The temperatures are in the mid to high 30’s. With the temperature rising and the sun beating down on icicles, droplets are formed. Every year I take photos of droplets so that I can practice the high-speed settings on my camera.
Water droplet
Friday, 02/09/2024: Post photo — Collection Time.
Time to tap trees to make maple syrup. This is one of my neighbor’s newly installed and designed setups for collecting sap to make their maple syrup. He taps a few of my sugar maple trees along with his trees. The ratio of sap to syrup for the sugar maple is 40 to 1 (40 gallons of sap yields one gallon of syrup). He will tap the trees until there is too much water in the sap. The sap generally flows for 4 to 6 weeks, with the best sap produced early on in the sap-flowing season.
Tapping my tree with a new setup
Saturday, 02/10/2024: Post photo — WPI.
Went to my graduate school alma mater, Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), today for a cube competition. My family did the data entry and my son competed in a few events.
Boynton HallHiggins Lab
The two buildings in the photos are the towers of Boynton Hall and the Washburn Shop, these are in the school logo and buildings I had classes; and of Higgins Lab, a place where I had many more of my classes. In the second story of the student center, there is the Hall of Luminaries.
Hall of LuminariesRobert H Goddard, father of modern rocketry
One of those luminaries is Dr. Robert Goddard, the father of modern rocketry. Dr. Robert Hutchings Goddard (1882–1945) is considered the father of modern rocket propulsion. A physicist of great insight, Goddard also had a unique genius for invention. It is in memory of this brilliant scientist that NASA established the Goddard Space Flight Center. His family home was down the street from where I grew up in Worcester, and he did most of his experimenting at WPI.
“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.
Sunday, 01/07/2024: Posted photo — Snow.
The first snow of the year happened overnight and throughout the day. When I went out to shovel in the morning, there was 10 inches of snow on the ground. When I went out later in the day, there was an additional 6.5 inches of snow on the ground. Although the photo shows what looks like heavy snow on the trees, the snow was light when I shoveled. It took me a few hours in the morning and not as long in the afternoon to clear the snow in our yard.
Monday, 01/08/2024: Posted photo — Snowshoe Hike.
What do you do when you have over a foot and a half of snow? Snowshoe on the mountain! My usual Monday night group did not schedule a hike for this week. The group I sometimes hike with on Tuesday nights, switched their night to Monday night to take advantage of the newly fallen snow.
We hiked over three miles on the mountain at a slow pace. There were a couple of trails that had to be broken in since no one else used them. I also had to fill in some “post holes” from people that hiked in the deep snow without using snowshoes. “Post-holing” is a term in winter hiking that refers to someone sinking their entire leg into new snow. It makes for exhaustive and agonizingly slow walking. It also can make the trail dangerous for anyone following you. It is why people wear snowshoes.
Tuesday, 01/09/2024: Posted photo — Snowshoes.
This was a great week to snowshoe. I went out today before the rain. We are expected to get heavy rains this evening. Tonight’s storm started out with light snow, then the heavy snow, then rain.
I was out shopping tonight, and the roads were not cleared. Driving was a little dangerous during the heavy snow.
Wednesday, 01/10/2024: Posted photo — Selfie.
The first week of my 52-week photo project is a self-portrait. This is a selfie I took the hiking trail this week. I needed a photo for today, so I am using this photo I took on Monday.
Thursday, 01/11/2024: Posted photo — Tracks in the Snow.
Here are some tracks in the snow. The tracks were made by either a squirrel or the rabbit that lives on our property. The animal traveled under the eves of my roof to stay out of the snow. Could someone help me identify the tracks please?
Friday, 01/12/2024: Post photo — Banana.
Information off the Chiquita banana website: Bananas are hailed as the best superfood because they have a good level of fiber and heart healthy fats. The fiber is also a special kind of fiber – soluble fiber – that drives down bad cholesterol and reduces the risk of coronary heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Bananas can aid digestion and help beat gastrointestinal issues (thanks to a helpful amount of soluble fiber) and their natural sugars that provide a long-lasting boost of energy.
I started eating bananas more to reduce my bad cholesterol and to help me with my weight loss.
Saturday, 01/13/2024: Post photo — Fire.
On a cold day like today, a nice warm fire in the wood stove feels great. The temperature in this area is dropping to below freezing so we like to keep a fire going in our wood stove. The room that the stove is in has brick wall and concrete floors under the rugs. When the fire gets going, we need to open up the doors and windows to cool down the house. The brick and the concrete hold the heat very well. The problem is when we start to feel chilly, the fire most likely has gone out.
“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, 12/24/2023: Posted photo — 4th Sunday of Advent.
The final Sunday of Advent symbolizes peace. It reminds us of the message of the angels: “Peace on Earth, Good Will Toward Men.” The 4th Sunday of Advent is also the morning of Christmas Eve. This year was the shortest time of Advent. The Advent season is a time of preparation that directs our hearts and minds to Christ’s second coming at the end of time and to the anniversary of Our Lord’s birth on Christmas.
Yesterday was Christmas Eve. Today is Christmas Day. As you can see, not much has changed in decorating the altar. The tree is lit, and the Advent wreath is no longer present. Today is the day that Jesus was born. In the early fourth century, the church fixed the date as December 25 and scholars are still debating the reason why.
Tuesday, 12/26/2023: Posted photo — Sneaky Santa.
This is one of my favorite holiday decorations at my in-law’s house. My father-in-law is known to many people in town as Santa and he loves to sneak cookies.
We did not have a white Christmas this year. We had rain, just as we did for most of the year. If the rain were snow, we would have about 4 feet of it. With all the rain, the rivers and streams in the area are flowing to capacity and some past flood stage. These photos were taken handheld without a filter.
For your information: on average, thirteen inches of snow equals one inch of rain.
A candle is lit to represent the Star of Bethlehem, guiding the Magi to the stable where Jesus was born. Candles symbolize love, relaxation, optimism, and spirituality. This candle was not lit since the wick is buried with wax and is very short.
Friday, 12/29/2023: Post photo — Andy Warhol Effect.
I am doing a 52-week photo project instead of my photo a day photo project. I have been doing tis for the last two year. I still take a photo a day to post on this blog. I find it harder sometimes to have a subject dictated, yet it does enhance my skills. This week we can redo photos from previous weeks. This photo is a redo of two different weeks: “Inspired By A Famous Photographer!” and “Self-Portrait!”
Saturday, 12/30/2023: Post photo — Bison.
Imagine seeing this by the side of the road. Such a docile looking animal. Not very docile and very fast. The people that get attacked by the bison get to close. Saw some this summer by my tent and many on the side of the road.
“Taking pictures is savoring life intensely, every hundredth of a second.” — Marc Riboud
Thank you for all the new views and likes from last week, it helps keep me inspired.
Sunday, 12/17/2023: Posted photo — Jackfruit.
Jackfruit is the largest tree-borne fruit in the world, weighing up to 40 pounds or more.
Never heard of Jackfruit before so I had to take a photo of it when I was shopping this week. I do find some interesting fruit when shopping. It looked too large for me to purchase to try. Time to do some reading on the internet to see how it tastes and what the health benefits are.
Canterbury Bells are biennial, blooming most prolifically in the second year and rarely blooming in the first year. That is an interesting fact. I saw this flower in a holiday bouquet today. I wanted to identify it and found out a new flower name. Hope I named it correctly. Canterbury Bell is the name that Google Lens gave me, and you can always trust what you find on the internet.
Tuesday, 12/19/2023: Posted photo — White Rose.
A white rose symbolizes loyalty, purity, and innocence. This rose drew me to it today because if its contrast to its surroundings.
Wednesday, 12/20/2023: Posted photo — Ring Around the Moon.
Rain and cloud cover tonight. At one point during my walk, I thought I saw the moon shining through the overcast. When I arrived home, I saw more of the moon and a ring around it. I went to get my DSLR and took a photo of the ring. This winter halo is formed as sunlight or moonlight is refracted by millions of hexagonal ice crystals suspended in the atmosphere. Wish I took a better photograph of it.
Thursday, 12/21/2023: Posted photo — Empty Shelf.
There must be a holiday coming up. The grocery store had some empty shelves, or nearly empty shelves. Some of the produce I was looking to purchase were not longer available. These are items that I regularly purchase so I had to think on my feet to come up with substitute items.
Friday, 12/22/2023: Post photo — Trail Blaze at Night.
I am planning on walking to work every Thursday from now on. I took this photo last night at a location in which the trail turns to the left. Normal blazes at turns will have two blazes offset from each other showing the direction of the turn. Many locations along the Midstate Trail have the blazes rotated this way since the trail turn is a gentle turn.
Saturday, 12/23/2023: Post photo — The Old Stone Church.
The Old Stone Church at the Wachusett Reservoir. In 1897, the Nashua River above the town of Clinton was impounded by the Wachusett Dam. Six and 1/2 square miles were flooded in the towns of Boylston, West Boylston, Clinton and Sterling and its water conveyed by the Wachusett/Weston Aqueduct to Weston Reservoir and then by pipeline to the Chestnut Hill and Spot Pond Reservoirs. Work was completed in 1905 and the reservoir first filled in May 1908. The water is for the City of Boston.
“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 helps keep me inspired.
Sunday, 11/19/2023: Posted photo — Moxie.
Distinctively Different since 1884. Moxie is the oldest continually produced soft drink in the United States. It is a New England tradition. Moxie was designated as the official soft drink of the State of Maine in 2005.
I like Moxie. Most of my friends and family do not like the taste. We had Moxie when I was younger since my father also liked it. “Live your Life with a little Moxie.”
Monday, 11/20/2023: Posted photo — Stars.
Today would have been my father’s 101 birthday. Miss you dad.
Nice hike tonight. The temperature was cool, and the air was brisk. Hiking keeps you warm and if you dress properly, you stay warm.
When the group was at the summit, I put my phone on a handrail and took a photo of the sky.
Tuesday, 11/21/2023: Posted photo — Compass.
During my map and compass course, I talked about the difference between a fixed declination compass and an adjustable declination compass. I have been putting together my slides for the advanced map and compass class and took a photo of the two of my compasses. The fixed declination compass (Suunto A-10) has the declination scale in the North while the adjustable declination compass (Suunto M-3) has the declination scale in the South.
I am also discussing the principle of back bearing. Back bearing is the way to backtrack to find your way back to your original location. The fixed declination compass is taking a back bearing without taking into account magnetic declination.
Wednesday, 11/22/2023: Posted photo — Flowers.
During my shopping trip, I took another photo of flowers. Always good to take photos of flowers when there is more darkness than light during the day.
Thursday, 11/23/2023: Posted photo — Desert.
Today is Thanksgiving Day. On this day we give thanks to what we have, have family gatherings, and large meals that include desert. This year we had a small dinner with my family my niece and here husband (one of my son’s friends). After dinner we invited the family over to our house for dessert.
Here are photos of a traditional apple pie, a wonderful chocolate and peanut butter pie, and the frosting on a pumpkin and chocolate chip cake. These desserts go well with ice cream and homemade whipped cream.
Friday, 11/24/2023: Post photo — Wood Delivery.
This morning we received the first of two wood deliveries. The normal length of wood we order was flooded out due to all the rain we had this summer, so we needed to purchase some wood that is longer than we do and some shorter. We received two cords of the longer pieces this morning and had them stacked in our woodshed by early afternoon. Firewood is sold by a measurement called a “cord.” A cord must equal 128 cubic feet.
In the next week or so, I will be ordering the three cords of shorter wood for us to stack in our woodshed. The woodshed can only handle four cords, so we will have to stack some outside the shed in our uncovered racks.
Saturday, 11/25/2023: Post photo — Book.
Was out blowing leaves today since the leaves were dry. Some of the leaves were, and still are, frozen to the ground. What does this have to do with the book photo? Well, I needed a photo for today and I am still putting together my advanced map reading course for the spring. This is one of the best books to get to learn navigation. I have been using it for many years now.
“A portrait is not made in the camera but on either side of it.” — Edward Steichen
Thank you for all the new views and likes from last week, it helps keep me inspired.
Sunday, 10/15/2023: Posted photo — Chopping Maul.
I went out to chop some wood this afternoon and used both my axe and my maul. This is a photo of my maul. When I was chopping the wood, I had the idea for today’s photo. I wanted to let people know the difference between an axe and a maul.
An axe and maul are primarily distinguished by the fact that an axe is lightweight, has a sharper cutting edge, and has a shorter handle. A maul’s blunt, hammer-like edge is used alone or in conjunction with a wedge to pry open wood that has been cut. Sometimes I use a wedge with my axe. Using the axe with the maul is better since the maul has a better splitting action. If I need to wedge with the maul, I will hit it with the axe.
I do have a hydraulic log splitter. I have not used it in a few years since the gas line needs to be repaired and I have not had a good opportunity to fix it. I may have to bring it to a repair shop. Some of the wood that I am splitting have knots, and it is not easy to use a maul or an axe to split wood that has knots.
Monday, 10/16/2023: Posted photo — West Side Trailhead.
Tonight, for my hike, I decided to lead the group up a different trail. We have been using the same trailhead for weeks now and I wanted to mix it up a little. The West Side Trail is on what I call the back of the mountain. It is away from where most people hike. There is a rock scramble not to far in from the trailhead. It was a little more difficult to go up today since it was wet from the rain that fell earlier in the day. I decide to do a loop on the way down the mountain to avoid this section of the trail. Rain, wet leaves, and wet rocks are a safety hazard at night.
Tuesday, 10/17/2023: Posted photo — Flowers.
I have posted in the past the meaning of color in flowers. It has been a while so here is a reminder.
Red flowers: associated with feelings of true love and passion, they can also be used to convey respect, desire, and courage. Yellow flowers: are associated with spreading happiness and joy. They can also symbolize friendship. Pink flowers: are also a symbol of love, though they can also mean happiness, gentleness, and femininity. Orange flowers: are known to symbolize feelings of excitement and enthusiasm. White flowers: range in meaning from purity and innocence to sympathy. Blue flowers: are said to symbolize tranquility and peace. Purple flowers: symbolize success and even royalty, although feelings of admiration and tradition may also come through in purple flowers. Lavender flowers: typically symbolize grace, elegance, and youth. Green flowers: are associated with rebirth and renewal. Additionally, green can also symbolize good health, good fortune, and youthfulness.
Wednesday, 10/18/2023: Posted photo — Direction.
What direction am I going? How do I get from point A to point B? To answer these questions, I use a compass with a map. Many people, including very experienced hikers, do not know how to use a map and compass. The setup for this photo is the map of an orienteering course in my area that I have used for training.
I will be teaching a basic navigation class in a couple of weeks at Wachusett Mountain. After the class, I will test the student’s skills on a hike. We will plan out the hike during the course and then use it on the trail. There will be a few obstacles and a field test along the way. In the spring, I will be teaching an advanced navigational course using the orienteering course.
Here are the 10 Essentials.
1. Navigation: Map, compass, and GPS system 2. Sun Protection: Sunglasses, sunscreen, and hat 3. Insulation: Jacket, hat, gloves, and rain shell 4. Illumination: Flashlight, lanterns, and headlamp 5. First-aid supplies: First aid kit 6. Fire: Matches, lighter, and fire starters 7. Repair Kit & Tools: Duct tape, knife, and scissors 8. Nutrition: Extra food 9. Hydration: Water and water treatment supplies 10. Emergency Shelter: tent and tarp
Having these items with you will keep you prepared. Knowing how to use them could save your life.
Thursday, 10/19/2023: Posted photo — Close to Peak.
The foliage is getting close to peak in this area. I attempted to get a photo with the sun on the leaves, but it was not out very long today. Peak season means the time when most leaf have changed color.
Leaves can change their color from as early as mid-September all the way through early November. Typically, the second and third week of October are the peak times, but it shifts depending on where you live and your local weather conditions.
Foliage starts to change in the northern-tier states out West and in the Midwest by late September. By October 4, the leaves in some areas will be past their prime.
Much of New England as well as the Pacific Northwest, will be at or near peak fall color by October 11.
A little further south in the Blue Ridge Mountains, mid-October is when the leaves are near or at peak.
Friday, 10/20/2023: Post photo — Mushroom of a Stump.
Since June we have had about 65 days of rain. It is raining today. With all the rain comes fungus in the form of mushrooms. Even though I hike, I do not like mushrooms, and I cannot tell you the edible types versus the non-edible types.
Some good rules apply for avoiding poisonous mushrooms if you are a novice that I found online:
Avoid mushrooms with white gills, a skirt or ring on the stem and a bulbous or sack like base called a volva. You may be missing out on some good edible fungi, but it means you will be avoiding the deadly members of the Amanita family.
Avoid mushrooms with red on the cap or stem. Again, you will be missing out on some good mushrooms but more importantly you won’t be picking poisonous ones.
Finally, don’t consume any mushrooms unless you are 100% sure of what they are.
Saturday, 10/21/2023: Post photo — Nature’s Elements.
Here is a photo I took today in the Leominster State Forest. I have posted photos of this lonely tree in the past. This photo shows the foliage, rain, and fog. This is how most of our summer and fall has gone so far, very wet this year.
“I never have taken a picture I’ve intended. They’re always better or worse.” — Diane Arbus
Thank you for all the new views and likes from last week, it helps keep me inspired.
This is a re-post blog.
Sunday, 09/17/2023: Posted photo — Reflection in the Fog.
Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 400, f/7.1, 1/80 s, 113 mm.
Driving into church this morning, I notice fog off the lakes in the area. The location of this photo is one in which I take many practice photos. It is a difficult location to take a photo since I needed to stop on the edge of a busy road.
My initial thought on this photo was to get a picture of the mist rising from the surface of the lake with the foliage behind it. When I arrived at this location, the mist was thicker than I would like. I did see the reflections of the trees on the water and thought that that would take a good photo.
Monday, 09/18/2023: Posted photo — Western Tanager.
Settings: Canon EOS DIGITAL REBEL XS, ISO 200, f/6.3, 1/320 s, 300 mm.
Fact from All About Birds: “The oldest Western Tanager on record—a male originally banded in Nevada in 1965—had lived at least 6 years and 11 months by the time he was recaptured and rereleased during banding operations in Oregon in 1971.”
We were walking the north rim at Grand Canyon National Park when I spotted this male Western Tanager in a conifer tree. The color contrast between the bird and the tree caught my eye.
The range of the Western Tanger is the western parts for the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Again, from All About Birds: “A clear look at a male Western Tanager is like looking at a flame: an orange-red head, brilliant yellow body, and coal-black wings, back and tail. Females and immatures are a somewhat dimmer yellow-green and blackish. These birds live in open woods all over the West, particularly among evergreens, where they often stay hidden in the canopy. Nevertheless, they’re a quintessential woodland denizen in summertime, where they fill the woods with their short, burry song and low, chuckling call notes.” (https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Western_Tanager/overview)
Tuesday, 09/19/2023: Posted photo — The Gathering.
Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 3200, f/7.1, 1/100 s, 135 mm.
On my way home from work today I saw this rafter of turkey. I have seen them many times before on the property and did not feel the need to photograph them. Today was different.
When I was approaching them today, it looked like it was a group of workers getting ready to clock out of work and were planning what they were going to do tonight. Just the way they were gather in pairs and it looked like they were talking to each other.
Also, I thought it would be a good picture to take.
Wednesday, 09/20/2023: Posted photo — Cattails.
Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 800, f/5, 1/800 s, 52 mm.
I had a choice of photos to post today — a photo of an island or a photo of cattails. I decided on the cattails for the photo to put in my 365 project because I liked it just a little bit better than the photo of the island. I will be posting both in this blog for you to compare.
Cattails are a type of aquatic plant, approximately 5-10 feet tall. These plants have long, slender, branchless, and upward-growing leaves and a distinguishable brown, cylindrical flowering head at their apex. The grow around ponds and other wetland areas.
What is the difference between a pond and a lake? Here is something I found in my research: “To help determine the difference, both the depth and surface area must be considered. Lakes are normally much deeper than ponds and have a larger surface area. All the water in a pond is in the photic zone, meaning ponds are shallow enough to allow sunlight to reach the bottom. This causes plants (sometimes too many) to grow at the bottom of ponds as well as on their surface. However, sunlight can’t reach the bottom of all areas of lakes. Lakes have aphotic zones, which are deep areas of water that receive no sunlight, preventing plants from growing.” (https://lakes.grace.edu/ponds-vs-lakes-whats-the-difference/)
I took the cattail photo with a shallow depth of field (DOF) to blur the background and the make the cattails “pop”. As you can tell by this photo, the cattails are starting to spread their seeds.
Here is the photo of the island that I took and did not like as much as the cattail photo.
Thursday, 09/21/2023: Posted photo — Sunset Through Trees.
Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 100, f/5.6, 1/160 s, 100 mm.
After a week and a half, I was back on the hiking trail today. It felt good to get back. I hiked 4.3 miles on Wachusett Mountain after work with some colleagues. I took a series of photos along the way to determine what one to post. I decided on this sunset photo. I had another sunset photo that I took from the summit, but I accidentally deleted it. Rookie mistake.
The other choices of photos were a glacial erratic called Balanced Rock or a burl on a tree at a trail junction. Just a reminder that a glacial erratic is glacially deposited rock differing from the size and type of rock native to the area in which it rests. And a burl is a strange-looking collection of tree cells, which are called callus tissue. Normally, callus tissue is formed by a tree in response to an environmental injury such as a pruning cut, disease, or insect damage. If you have a piece of wooden furniture, such as an end table, it was most likely made with a burl.
These are the photos that I did not post for my 365 project.
Friday, 09/22/2023: Post photo — Pareidolia.
Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 100, f/10, 1/250 s, 21 mm.
Pareidolia is the defined by Merriam-Webster as the tendency to perceive a specific, often meaningful image in a random or ambiguous visual pattern. I have posted about this tendency in the past.
Today I am posting a photo of a cloud. I see a couple items in this photo. I see an opera singer hitting a high note and I also see a ships figurehead. It is amazing how one can see an object when one is not there.
What to you see? Do you see what I see, due to the power of suggestion, or do you see something else. Please respond in the comment section.
Saturday, 09/23/2023: Post photo — Iris Bouquet.
Settings: Samsung SM-G930V (Galaxy S7), ISO 100, f/1.7, 1/60 s, 4 mm
From The Old Farmer’s Almanac: “The tall, beautiful iris, named after the Greek goddess who rode rainbows, comes in many magical colors. Despite its divine origins, this June bloomer is rugged, reliable, and easy to grow. Learn all about planting, growing, and caring for iris flowers.” (https://www.almanac.com/plant/irises)
Photo by Joseph Ciras 