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October 29, 2023

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2023

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

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

Sunday, 10/22/2023: Posted photo — Stained Glass Window.

Two symbols of the Christian faith, wheat and grapes, which often signify the body and blood of Christ as the redeemer of mankind are shown here in this stained glass window.

This window is in our church just as you go down the stairs from the choir loft. Why did I take this photo? I took it because I liked the way the light was going through the window.

Monday, 10/23/2023: Posted photo — Point Pelee Mums.

Point Pelee Mums are a different flower to me. I may have seen them before and noticed them. Now that I am almost 14 years into my photo project, I look for more subjects to photograph. The name is derived from the warmth of the colors that come from their reflection of Pele, the Hawaiian volcano goddess, and hot glowing volcanic lava.

Tuesday, 10/24/2023: Posted photo — Night Hike.

My normal Monday night hiking was paused yesterday due to a gathering of the hiking group that I help start. It was a great get together and was plan on doing it again. We see many faces on social media, I have run into a few of them on the trail, and it was great to get together with the for a social event. This was the first time that I met the people that hike every morning or during the day when I am at work. I have passed many on the trail, not knowing their names.

Tonight, I hiked with a different group. This group hike is by invitation only. The people in the group are fellow AMC leaders and other people that hike often. This was the second time that I hiked with this group. The first time was just before the FOT48 since one of the people in the group was co-leading the FOT48 hike with me. Tuesday night was one of the nights that I did not know an organized hike existed. I am glad I found this group. I plan on hiking with this group once a month on a week that I am not leading a Monday night hike.

Wednesday, 10/25/2023: Posted photo — Sunrise.

Once again there was a great sunrise. Unfortunately, my “good” camera was not with me when I saw the sunrise, so I had to take out my cell phone.

Information off the internet: “Because the sun is low on the horizon, sunlight passes through more air at sunset and sunrise than during the day, when the sun is higher in the sky. More atmosphere means more molecules to scatter the violet and blue light away from your eyes. If the path is long enough, all of the blue and violet light scatters out of your line of sight. The other colors continue on their way to your eyes. This is why sunsets are often yellow, orange, and red. Because red has the longest wavelength of any visible light, the sun is red when it’s on the horizon, where its extremely long path through the atmosphere blocks all other colors.” (https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/11/071108135522.htm)

Thursday, 10/26/2023: Posted photo — Mushrooms Again.

Rain, not as much as in previous weeks, but the mushrooms are still growing. This is a group of mushrooms growing in the same area as the mushrooms I posted last week. According to Google Lens, they are Pholiota squarrosoides. These mushrooms grow in clusters (rarely alone or scattered) on the wood of hardwoods. These are growing on the hardwood that I am seasoning to burn this winter.

Friday, 10/27/2023: Post photo — October Full Moon.

Traditionally, people in the Northern Hemisphere spent October preparing for the coming winter by hunting, slaughtering, and preserving meats, giving this Full Moon its Anglo-Saxon name Hunter’s Moon. The name was added to the Farmer’s Almanac in North America and is used widely today. The full moon is not technically until tomorrow night, but I like to take a photo of the full moon the day before or the day after the moon is officially full. The moon tonight is a Waxing Gibbous moon at 99%.

Saturday, 10/28/2023: Post photo — Composite.

It was a warm and sunny day today. That allowed me to do some yard work today, cleaning up the remaining of the tree that I fell a few weeks ago and doing an initial racking of the yard. For my 52 week photo project, the challenge this week is using a tripod. One way to use a tripod is to do a composite photo.

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

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October 22, 2023

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Photographic Thoughts — 10/15/2023 to 10/21/2023

“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.

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

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October 15, 2023

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Photographic Thoughts — 10/08/2023 to 10/14/2023

“The picture that you took with your camera is the imagination you want to create with reality.” — Scott Lorenzo

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

Sunday, 10/08/2023: Posted photo — Cube New England.

Cube New England is an organization that was established to help organize cubing events in the area. Our son is on the Board of Directors for this non-profit. They supply venues and delegates the equipment needed to hold events.

This weekend they held the New England Championships in which cubers from New England and from other parts of the world competed in many categories. The event took place over a three day period. Our son was one of the organizers for the event and was the head of data (timing) verifying and certifying times for the competitors.

Monday, 10/09/2023: Posted photo — Clock Tower.

The Campanile Tower towers 300 feet above the Springfield, MA skyline. We walked by the tower yesterday going to the competition. Today we saw it with its lights on. With the black sky in the background, I could not resist taking a photo of the tower.

Here is a photo of the tower’s reflection in a nearby building.

Tuesday, 10/10/2023: Posted photo — Sunset.

This is the time of year that it gets darker soon. We did not make it to the summit tonight before sunset. This is the colors at the end of the golden hour. What a great time of year to hike. Headlamps were on for most of the hike. Soon we will be needed out headlamps for all the hikes.

Wednesday, 10/11/2023: Posted photo — Sunrise.

What a great sunrise this morning. As I pulled into work, I saw the red sky. It has been a while since I have seen the sunrise since the sun has risen before my drive to work. This is one of my favorite views, seeing the morning sun reflecting in the clouds.

Thursday, 10/12/2023: Posted photo — Advisory Meeting.

Today I attended an advisory meeting tonight. I am the chairperson of the Engineering Technology department and have been for the last 10 years. During the meeting we discussed the current program and then make recommendations for the program in the future.

Friday, 10/13/2023: Post photo — Shadow.

This is a shadow of a tree on our lawn. As you can see, the leaves are starting to fall off the trees.

Saturday, 10/14/2023: Post photo — Our Street.

I am working on a weekly photo project. This week’s topic was street photography. I live in an area that does not have any street activity. The alternative photo is to take a photo of the street you live. Here is the photo of my street.

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

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October 8, 2023

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Photographic Thoughts — 10/01/2023 to 10/07/2023

“When I photograph, what I’m really doing is seeking answers to things.” — Wynn Bullock

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

Sunday, 10/01/2023: Posted photo — Tabernacle.

The tabernacle is a liturgical furnishing used to house the Eucharist outside of Mass. This provides a location where the Eucharist can be kept for the adoration of the faithful and for later use (e.g., distribution to the sick). The word tabernacle means “dwelling place.”

This is a photo the tabernacle in our church. This looks like a new tabernacle for our parish. We had a priest that worked with the parish to bring more people to Mass.

Monday, 10/02/2023: Posted photo — Sunset.

This is one of the windmills at a trail junction on Wachusett Mountain. It is not really a trail junction; it is the location at a trailhead. This week was the first Monday in a long time that we had to use our headlamps at the end of the hike. Last week some of the members of my group made it out just in time without headlamps on. When I hike at night, my headlamp is not used until it is needed. Others turn on their headlamps too soon, just when it is starting to get dark. This could be the difference between an experienced night hiker and people who are just starting to experience hiking at night.

Tuesday, 10/03/2023: Posted photo — Mums.

Chrysanthemums (mums) are one of the most popular fall garden flowers. Most mum plants are easy to grow with their basic needs being full sun, rich soil, good drainage, and good air circulation. There are hundreds of varieties available in a range of shapes and sizes that can provide blooms from late summer through fall. Mums symbolize joy, life, friendship, luck, and rebirth.

These mums were near one of the stores I shop. The sun was shining off them almost calling me to photograph them. The color of these mums seemed bright to me.

Wednesday, 10/04/2023: Posted photo — Japanese Yew.

Japanese Yew is an evergreen tree with a narrowly upright and columnar growth habit. Once again today the sun was shinning off these plants and looking very photogenic. We have not seen the sun much this summer so any photos of plants in the sunshine is worth taken.

Thursday, 10/05/2023: Posted photo — Foliage.

From the USDA:

“During the growing season, chlorophyll is continually being produced and broken down and leaves appear green. As night length increases in the autumn, chlorophyll production slows down and then stops and eventually all the chlorophyll is destroyed. The carotenoids and anthocyanin that are present in the leaf are then unmasked and show their colors.

Certain colors are characteristic of particular species:

Oaks: red, brown, or russet
Hickories: golden bronze
Aspen and yellow-poplar: golden yellow
Dogwood: purplish red
Beech: light tan
Sourwood and black tupelo: crimson

The color of maples leaves differ species by species:

Red maple: brilliant scarlet
Sugar maple: orange-red
Black maple: glowing yellow
Striped maple: almost colorless

Some leaves of some species, such as the elms simply shrivel up and fall, exhibiting little color other than drab brown.”

The leaves in this photo are of the sugar maples in our yard just starting to turn. The leaves are wet since it is raining again here in north central Massachusetts.

Friday, 10/06/2023: Post photo — Wet Leaves.

These are the same leaves as yesterday on my driveway after the rain.

Saturday, 10/07/2023: Post photo — Mushrooms.

These are mushrooms growing on a piece of wood that I have being seasoned in our yard. Most of the wood from when this tree was cut has the same mushrooms growing on them. It was a wet summer, and I am hopping that the wood is not rotten. If it is, I will use all the wood for outdoor fires either at my house or at the cottage.

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

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October 1, 2023

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Photographic Thoughts — 09/24/2023 to 09/30/2023

“It is more important to click with people than to click the shutter.” — Alfred Eisenstaedt

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

Sunday, 09/24/2023: Posted photo — Falls.

A little water flowing. Very unusual that there is low water flow after all the rain we have had lately.

Monday, 09/25/2023: Posted photo — Erosion.

One of the ladies I hike with showing us how deep the trench in the road is due to erosion.

Tuesday, 09/26/2023: Posted photo — Flowing Water.

This is more like it. One of the many falls that I passed during my hike. The water was moving very fast on the mountain.

Wednesday, 09/27/2023: Posted photo — Whoopie Pie.

Some of the Whoopie Pies made for our church bazaar.

Thursday, 09/28/2023: Posted photo — Rose.

I took this photo today to use for my other photo projects. The subject of this week’s project is red. I was going to do a selective color of the red. Instead, I used this photo.

Friday, 09/29/2023: Post photo — Discussion.

The ladies having a discussion during my Monday night hike. The rain stopped just in time for our hike.

Saturday, 09/30/2023: Post photo — Fall Fest.

Fall Fest is an Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) event. It was held by be Western Mass Chapter of the AMC. I am a leader/member for the Worcester Chapter of the AMC. I was there to teach people how to navigate using a map and compass.

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

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September 24, 2023

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Photographic Thoughts — 09/17/2023 to 09/23/2023

“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)

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

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September 17, 2023

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Photographic Thoughts — 09/10/2023 to 09/16/2023

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

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

Sunday, 09/10/2023: Posted photo — Trail Marker.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 200, f/7.1, 1/25 s, 31 mm.

This is an old trail marker on Wachusett Mountain. There are a few trails on the mountain that have the trail name carved into stone. When I see these markings, I wonder how long it took for someone to carve the marking.

I took this photo to show how the trails were marked many years ago.

Monday, 09/11/2023: Post photo — Koldinghus.

Koldinghus is a Danish royal castle in the town of Kolding on the south-central part of the Jutland peninsula. The castle was founded in the 13th century and was expanded since with many functions ranging from fortress, royal residency, ruin, museum, and the location of numerous wartime negotiations.

I took this photo with my very first digital camera. The light off this castle was amazing and was very surprised of the way this photo came out.

Tuesday, 09/12/2023: Posted photo — Wachusett Mountain.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 200, f/7.1, 1/250 s, 79 mm.

Today I needed a quick photo, so I took a photo of Wachusett Mountain over Round Meadow Pond.

Wednesday, 09/13/2023: Posted photo — Heart.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 200, f/7.1, 1/250 s, 135 mm.

People see items in ordinary item in the strangest places. This weekend I saw this rock looking like a hike at the trailhead of the Hancock’s in the White Mountains.

Seeing familiar objects or patterns in otherwise random or unrelated objects or patterns is called pareidolia. It’s a form of apophenia, which is a more general term for the human tendency to seek patterns in random information.

Thursday, 09/14/2023: Posted photo — Mushroom.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 3200, f/7.1, 1/30 s, 87 mm.

Have you noticed that there are many more mushrooms this year then in the past? At least here in north central Massachusetts and in the mountains of New Hampshire. The photo I took today was on one of the trails on Wachusett Mountain. I took this photo on my way to the summit. I was planning on taking a sunset photo tonight but there was cloud cover at the summit. I was happy that I took this photo so I would have something to post today.

Friday, 09/15/2023: Post photo — Abstract Painting.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 400, f/7.1, 1/8 s, 31 mm.

Abstract art is art that does not attempt to represent an accurate depiction of a visual reality but instead use shapes, colors, forms, and gestural marks to achieve its effect. Abstract art is made up of six basic elements: Line, Texture, Shape, Form, Color, and Value. You can go online to find more about these elements.

Saturday, 09/16/2023: Post photo — Lego Land.

Nyhavn made from Lego bricks at Legoland in BillundDenmark.

Nyhavn is a 17th-century waterfront, canal and entertainment district in Copenhagen, Denmark. Stretching from Kongens Nytorv to the harbor front just south of the Royal Playhouse, it is lined by brightly colored 17th and early 18th century townhouses and bars, cafes, and restaurants. That is all for now. Until next week, be safe.

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

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September 3, 2023

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Photographic Thoughts — 08/27/2023 to 09/02/2023

“Taking pictures is like tiptoeing into the kitchen late at night and stealing Oreo cookies.” — Diane Arbus

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

Sunday, 08/27/23: Posted photo — Hotdog Stand.

Art Bradish Snack Bar is in North Grafton, MA. The Bradish family were campers at the campground that my in-laws owned. My wife’s family goes there often, and my wife worked there during the summers her family ran the campground. We went there on one of the last weekends they were opened.

Monday, 08/28/23: Posted photo — Rain in the Distance.

During my hike today I was going to take photos of the sunset. Looking off into the west, I saw rain. I like the look of rain in the distance.

Tuesday, 08/29/2023: Posted photo — Clouds.

The sun shining of some clouds at sunset.

Wednesday, 08/30/2023: Posted photo — Blue Moon.

A seasonal Blue Moon is the traditional definition of a Blue Moon and refers to the third full moon in a season that has four full moons according to NASA. Whilst the second definition — borne out of a misunderstanding of the first — is a monthly Blue Moon which refers to the second full moon within a single calendar month.

The Super Blue Moon — one of the biggest and brightest moons of the year — rose tonight; inspiring skywatchers around the world to reach for their cameras and capture some incredible photographs. This was the last Super Blue Moon for 14 years.

It has been a while since I took a good photo of the moon. I like the way this one came out.

Thursday, 08/31/2023: Posted photo — Sunrays.

Rays coming out of the clouds at sunset.

Friday, 09/01/2023: Post photo — Rainbow.

Driving down the road the other day, we saw a rainbow. I was in the back seat of the car, took out my phone and took this camera.

Saturday, 09/02/2023: Post photo — Field of Goldenrod.

Saw this field this morning as I was verifying the coordinates for a map and compass course I will be teaching soon.

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

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photobyjosephciras

Posted on

August 13, 2023

Posted under

hiking, Inspiration, Nature, Photography, Thoughts, Travel, water

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Photographic Thoughts — 08/06/2023 to 08/12/2023

“Taking pictures is like tiptoeing into the kitchen late at night and stealing Oreo cookies.” — Diane Arbus

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

This post is a re-post. People liked this post so I am uploading it again so that some new followers can enjoy its content.

Animals from past vacations.

Sunday, 08/06/2023: Posted photo — Prairie Dog.

One of the campsites we were camped, was a remote campground in Badlands National Park. In this campground and the surrounding area, there USGA was doing a study on Prairie Dogs. These were some that were near my tent.

Monday, 08/07/2023: Posted photo — Camping Bison.

In the same campground, there was a bison that used the site markers as scratching posts. This bison also showed up in the morning. The remote campground had only 10 sites. All eyes were on the bison. People did come out of these tents as the bison moved away.

Tuesday, 08/08/2023: Posted photo — Ducks.

These ducks were in one of the rivers at Yellowstone National Park. I did look up the type of ducks these are but did not write it down.

Wednesday, 08/09/2023: Posted photo — Elk.

This elk came to visit us at the first campground we had in Yellowstone.

Thursday, 08/10/2023: Posted photo — Bison by River.

At the second campground in Yellowstone, we took a walk in the morning and saw this bison by the river. There was a plaque at this location that stated that this was the exact location that the idea to make Yellowstone a national park was born.

Friday, 08/11/2023: Post photo — Mini Cow.

One of my sister-in-law’s animals.

Saturday, 06/25/2022: Post photo — Feasting Bald Eagle.

This Bald Eagle just caught a fish, brought it to the top of this tree, and had its dinner.

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

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

Posted by

photobyjosephciras

Posted on

July 23, 2023

Posted under

hiking, Photography

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Photographic Thoughts — 07/16/2023 to 07/22/2023

I am posting a day late.

For this week’s post, I will just post a photo of I hike I took yesterday. I lead an AMC hike to two mountains on the 52 with a View list.

The hike took place in the Sandwich Wilderness in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. The mountain is the highest on the 52 with a view list. I have only hiked ten of the mountains on the list. After I hiked the 48 4,000 footers a couple of time, I do not feel the need to follow a list.

The 52 With a View list (also known as the Over the Hill Hikers) contains fifty-two mountains with elevations under 4,000 feet and have incredible views.

This list first came about in 1979 with an ordinary group of friends hiking in the New Hampshire. Lib Bates and her husband Charlie Crooker soon took over to organize the group. In 1990, some of the older members of the hiking group suggested a new hiking list (getting tired of only hiking the NH 4,000 Footers) called 52 with a View; A list of mountains shorter than the NH48, but all with amazing views!

We took the Sandwich Mountain Trail to Jennings Peak and then to Sandwich Mountain.

The first obstacle we found was close to the start of the hike. There was a river crossing. The river was running fast, and the rocks were wet. We took a path around the river for the safety of the group.

Along the hike there was a glacial erratic. A glacial erratic is glacially deposited rock differing from the type of rock native to the area in which it rests.

We then took a wet and muddy trail to Noon Peak (2930 feet) for the fist view. Noon Peak is not on the list but it gave the group the opportunity to see our target mountains.

After this view we hike a little further down the trail to the Jennings Peak spur. From Jennings Peak, I could see Sandwich Mountain which was about a mile away on the trail.

Here is the view from Sandwich Mountain.

I spent most of my time hiking and leading the group, making sure everyone was safe. I did not have time to take photos along the trail, I had to keep everyone safe.