Photographic Thoughts — 03/09/2025 to 03/15/2025

Beauty can be seen in all things, seeing and composing the beauty is what separates the snapshot from the photograph.” — Matt Hardy

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

Sunday, 03/09/2025: Posted photo — First Sunday of Lent.

Today is the first Sunday in Lent. Lent is the time of year when we prepare for Easter, the holiest day in the Liturgical Year.

Lent is not only giving up chocolates or drinking or smoking, etc. but also doing a little extra for others. If you go to church and listen to the readings, they teach you to give up prejudice towards others. In this day, many of us are prejudice towards people unlike us, immigrants from other countries, people with different color skin or different social and political views. Jesus teaches up to get along with each other and respect others.

Some people forget this. Some people are very prejudice to immigrants and other. Remember what Jesus said — love one another as I have loved you. If you see yourself as being religious, you should follow his words and not those of false prophets.

Monday, 03/10/2025: Posted photo — Sunset.

This is the first sunset of the year from the summit. With the time change, my group was able to get to the summit in time for sunset.

The trails were very tricky tonight. With the warm temperatures, the trails were muddy, and the snow and ice patches were unstable. I started out without my microspikes but put them on shortly after the hike started.

My hike last Saturday was on Mount Chocorua in the White Mountain National Forest. The summit on Saturday had gusts of over 50 mph with temperatures in the high signal digits (F). We had to brace ourselves so that we did not blow off the mountain.

Two different mountains, two different locations, two different experiences.

Tuesday, 03/11/2025: Posted photo — Sunset Sky.

What a wonderful view from the summit. This looks like the last good night this week. I am hoping that the clouds hold off for Thursday night / Friday morning so that I can get at least one photo of the total lunar eclipse.

Wednesday, 03/12/2025: Posted photo — Lunch Time.

We were sitting down for lunch last Sunday and saw this squirrel sitting on the rail eating acorns. It was posing for me, so I took its photo. I kept waiting for it to run away but sat there for about 10 minutes.

Thursday, 03/13/2025: Posted photo — Roses.

Quick photo for today. Took a photo of some roses. I need to go to sleep to check out the eclipse tonight.

Friday, 03/14/2025: Post photo — Lunar Eclipse.

Will the clouds hold out? Will the moon clear the trees in our yard so that I do not have to drive to a location to take photos at 2 in the morning? No and Yes. We had partly cloudy skies tonight making it extremely difficult to focus on the moon. I would normally go out before the eclipse starts to focus on the full moon because I know that once the eclipse starts, it would be difficult to focus. I went out and it was difficult to focus on the moon due to the thin layer of clouds. The moon was in and out of the clouds, so I had to guess on the focus. With my lens, any bit of wind makes the photo out of focus.

I set my alarm for 1:45 in the morning so that I could check to see if the clouds covered the moon. I was able to see the moon through some breaks in the clouds, so I put on warm clothes and went to my side yard to take photos. The moon moves very fast, and I needed to set my exposure for over 2 seconds, something I do not like to do for moon photos. You can see in this photo that there is a star next to the moon that shows signs of motion blur.

Here are two total lunar eclipse photos taken 10 years apart. I did the best I could to save the photo from this year. The direction of the shadow is very evident in these photos. Enjoy.

Saturday, 03/15/2025: Post photo — Eggs.

Eggs. Have you seen the price of eggs go down? I have just seen the price skyrocket.

The topic of the week for one of my photo projects is eggs. I needed to go out and purchase eggs so that my wife could bake a birthday cake. I have seen the price as high as $8 for a dozen. I have seen a package of 24 for almost $30. My neighbor sells them at a much lower price. When you purchase eggs in the store, you do not know how old they are. There is a date on the carton but I like them fresh.

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

“Sumens imagines consolatur et inspirat me.”

Photographic Thoughts — 02/23/2025 to 03/01/2025

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, 02/23/2025: Posted photo — Baptism.

Baptism is a sacrament of initiation.

This is the baptismal font at our church. I was putting up the hymn numbers and saw that the setup for a baptism after Mass, so I took this photo. In the past, baptisms took place during the Mass. When I was baptized, they took place during Mass. That was over 60 years ago. They now take place after the Mass in complete so that more family members, friends, and relatives can witness the Sacrament of Baptism.

Monday, 02/24/2025: Posted photo — Yard Cleanup.

We had snow, ice, sleet, and freezing rain last week. I spend most of the weekend on my roof removing the ice dam. The next project to tackle is the cleanup of all the branches that have fallen from the trees due to the ice and strong winds.

Tuesday, 02/25/2025: Posted photo — Unfinished.

The topic for my weekly photo project this week is unfinished. I was going to call this photo something different and decided not to do so.

The food supply has gone down in the last few months, prices have skyrocketed, leaving empty shelves in the grocery stores because there is no food to stock the shelves. There is no food since the producers are concerned about higher prices to produce the food. The produce and fruit area of the store I shop at was very empty. If you have been following me for a while, you know that I like to take photos of unusual foods that I come across. I cook on the days that I go shopping since it is easier to pick up food and cook instead of defrosting food. Today my dinner plans had to change since the food supply was limited.

The unfinished part of this photo is that they stocking of the shelves is unfished.

Wednesday, 02/26/2025: Posted photo — Flowers.

Why do I take so many photos of flowers. Practice, practice, practice. I am never happy with my photos. After doing this project for over 14 years, you would think that I would get better.

Some weeks are better than other weeks.

Thursday, 02/27/2025: Posted photo — Motion Blur.

Today I was playing around with motion blur. I focused on the center of a fan and set my camera to 1/8 second exposure to get this shot. I experimented with different shutter speeds and found this one to be the best.

I am disappointed in the amount of light in this photo. The photo looks dark to me. Also, the fan is not centered. I could have fixed this with post processing, but I decided to leave it as is as a baseline for future photos.

Friday, 02/28/2025: Post photo — Snow.

This is snow in the wetlands on my way to work. It snowed overnight leaving a little more than a coating of snow on the ground. The snow was wet and heavy, but it melted by the end of the day.

We have having cold nights and warm days. This is great weather for those who make maple syrup. Next week I will be posting a photo of our neighbors taps on our sugar maples.

Saturday, 03/01/2025: Post photo — Flag at Sunrise.

Posting this flag and hoping that this country will not be the laughing stock of the world much longer.

I took this photos since I liked the color of the sunrise against the whites of the flag.

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

“Sumens imagines consolatur et inspirat me.”

Photographic Thoughts — 01/05/2025 to 01/11/2025

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.

Thursday, 01/08/2025: Posted photo — Abstract Moon.

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.

That is it for now. Stay safe.

“Sumens imagines consolatur et inspirat me.”

Photographic Thoughts — 12/22/2024 to 12/28/2024

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.

That is it for now. Stay safe.

Happy New Years to all.

“Sumens imagines consolatur et inspirat me.”

Photographic Thoughts — 12/15/2024 to 12/21/2024

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.

Little words this week. I was busy getting work done before the holidays.

Sunday, 12/15/2024: Posted photo — Advent.

The altar setup before Advent Mass. This is the third Sunday of Advent.

Monday, 12/16/2024: Posted photo — Wachusett Mountain.

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.

That is it for now. Stay safe.

Happy holidays to all.

“Sumens imagines consolatur et inspirat me.”

Photographic Thoughts — 12/08/2024 to 12/14/2024

If you see something that moves you, and then snap it, you keep a moment.” — Linda McCartney

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

Sunday, 12/08/2024: Posted photo — Organ.

Organ music is played at church because it has a historical association with religious ceremonies, its powerful and sustained sound is well-suited to accompany congregational singing, and it is considered a dignified and solemn instrument that enhances the atmosphere of worship.

In my younger days, I played the organ at church when I was a college undergrad. I also played keyboards in a jazz band in high school. It has been a while since I have played the organ. The one in my house is an older model that needs tubes and some of the broken tubes are hard to find.

Monday, 12/09/2024: Posted photo — Candle.

Candles represent the Star of Bethlehem that guided the Magi to Jesus’s birthplace. The candlelight symbolizes the light of Christ coming into the world and the hope he brought.

In our church we have candles with real flames and candles with fake flames. The real flames are on the altar and represent the presence of God at the altar and at the tabernacle. The fake flames, such as the one in this photo, are placed on the windowsills near the stained glass and in areas were there might be a fire hazard. I am a traditionalist and like the real flames but understand the reason for safety for the fake flames.

Tuesday, 12/10/2024: Posted photo — Droplet.

It was slightly warmer today than normal. It was in the high 50’s F and low 60’s F. This causes the icicles to melt causing droplets.

If you have been following me for a while, you know that I try to post droplet photos at least once a year. I do this to practice my high-speed photography.

Wednesday, 12/11/2024: Post photo — Sunrise.

I know, I know — would Joe get creative and stop posting sunrise photos? Well, I was not going to post one this week.

I was at my office on the west side of the building and saw the red trees outside my window. I walked to the other side of the building, took out my cell phone, and took this photo.

Thursday, 12/12/2024: Posted photo — Wabi Sabi.

Wabi-sabi is a Japanese aesthetic, philosophy, and way of life that embraces imperfection and transience.

I found beauty in these old roses. They were dried out and I just liked the delicateness and textures in them.

Friday, 12/13/2024: Post photo — Sensor Check.

Every once and a while I check the sensor on my camera to see if it needs cleaning. You can tell if a sensor needs cleaning because there will be some smudges, sometime hard to see smudges, on the sensor.

Looking at this photo, my sensor looks clean. The only thing that I see is a little vignetting in the corners. This might have been caused by my lens hood. Vignetting is a photographic effect that occurs when the edges of an image are darker than the center. A lens hood is primarily used to block stray light from hitting the lens, preventing unwanted lens flare and improving image contrast by shading the front element. The vignetting occurs when I zoom in to closely to an object and the camera’s angle of view is wider than the opening in my lens hood.

Saturday, 12/14/2024: Post photo — North Pack Monadnock.

North Pack Monadnock or North Pack Monadnock Mountain is a 2,276-foot monadnock in south-central New Hampshire, at the northern end of the Wapack Range of mountains. It lies within Greenfield and Temple, New Hampshire; the 22-mile Wapack Trail traverses the mountain. We hike along the Wapack trail during today’s hike doing a 5.5 mile loop.

Today I co-lead a hike up North Pack Monadnock with the AMC. It was my first official upcountry winter hike lead. I need one more lead to be fully certified as an upcountry four season hiking leader. I have hikes and lead hikes upcountry. I decided to make it official this year.

The hike was a learning hike for participants. We were hoping for snow so that we could practice snowshoeing but there was just ice due to this week’s rain and warmer temperatures. We had everyone carry their snowshoes so that they could practice carrying weight. We did have a great day teaching how to use microspikes. Some have never used them properly previously.

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

“Sumens imagines consolatur et inspirat me.”

Photographic Thoughts — 12/01/2021 to 12/07/2024

Most things in life are moments of pleasure and a lifetime of embarrassment; photography is a moment of embarrassment and a lifetime of pleasure.” — Tony Benn

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

Sunday, 12/01/2024: Posted photo — Stained Glass Window.

This is the first Sunday in advent.

Here are some photos from around out church.

Monday, 12/02/2024: Posted photo — Sunrise.

Another week, another sunrise photo.

I will keep taking them as long as I can before the time of the sunrise does not allow for it.

Tuesday, 12/03/2024: Posted photo — Joke.

Shopping night. Here are some fruit. These are quick photos since I needed to get ready for my trip to Ohio this week. One of these photos reminds me of end of a knock-knock joke. As I write this, I realize I missed my opportunity for the full joke.

I have been busy at work, attempting to get more work done so when I return from my vacation, my backlog will not be so great.

Wednesday, 12/04/2024: Posted photo — Wood Stove.

Settings: FLIR i5, ISO n/a, f/na, 1/30 s, 7 mm.

Some of you may know that I own an infrared camera. This camera takes photo of heat signatures of object. I use it to look at insulation in houses and efficiencies at power generating plants. Occasionally I use it to take artistic photos. Some of these photos are of footprints, handprints, car engines, warm tires, and even have used it as a stud finder.

Once or twice a year, I use it to check out my wood stove. My wood stove is old and not as efficient as some of the newer stoves. It is just a steel box with an exhaust pipe. One item that I often check is the temperature given on the stovepipe thermometer. This is a thermometer that has a magnetic backing and just sticks to the stove pipe. To my surprise, that thermometer and my thermal camera normally show the same temperature. The 518°F (250°C) temperature reading is the maximum temperature my camera can detect. The brand name of our stove is Nashua. You can just make out the name near the center of the photo next to the pointer.

Thursday, 12/05/2024: Posted photo — Snow.

We left today go to Columbus OH to see our nephew dance with the Columbus Dance Theatre.

Here is some history from their web page: “COLUMBUS DANCE THEATRE (CDT) is a unique voice for dance in Columbus with work born out of a rich background in ballet, contemporary and modern dance, music and theatre. As a professional arts organization, CDT produces high-quality work in an intimate environment. CDT prides itself on creating collaborations with new and upcoming artists of all art mediums and has collaborated with many visual and musical artists local to the city. The work of the company is new, fresh, and innovative, offering central Ohio audiences a cutting edge performance experience.”

We left our house in a snow storm. The storm was ending and we had to drive through the snow most of the trip until we were in Western Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Ohio.

Some photos of the snow around our house before we departed.

Friday, 12/06/2024: Post photo — Wonderment.

Our nephew did his last lead in the Columbus Dance Theatre’s production of Wonderment. He is aging out of the roll of Kai. This is the fourth year of this production. We went to Columbus four years ago for the world premier. His photo is not in the program since he is only in the intensive training program.

Here are photos from around the theatre.

Saturday, 12/07/2024: Post photo — Anchor.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 400, f/9, 1/1600 s, 18 mm.

Yesterday, December 7, 1941— a date which will live in infamy— the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by the naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.” — FDR. Thus started the United States entry into World War II.

This photo is from my second visit to Pearl Harbor. It still amazes me that there is oil floating out of the USS Arizona. Looking back, I posted the same photos a year ago. This is from that post — “’This anchor was recovered from the Arizona. The ship had three anchors. The crew used one in calm seas and two in foul weather, the third as a spare. Each weigh nearly 10 tons.’ This are the words on a placard near the USS Arizona Anchor at the World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument in Hawaii. The sacrifice these men and women made to make our country the great country it is today.”

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

“Sumens imagines consolatur et inspirat me.”

Photographic Thoughts — 11/24/2024 to 11/30/2024

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.

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.

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

“Sumens imagines consolatur et inspirat me.”

Photographic Thoughts — 06/30/2024 to 07/06/2024

“The whole point of taking pictures is so that you don’t have to explain things with words.” — Elliott Erwitt

Sunday, 06/30/2024: Posted photo — Negative Space.

Negative space photography is a style of photography that emphasizes the empty space around a subject.

This was my attempt at negative space. My original plan was to take a photo of an object against a bright blue sky. The sky did not cooperate this week.

Monday, 07/01/2024: Posted photo — Burl.

The cause of burls is hard to pinpoint entirely, but they most often form because your tree is under invasion or being affected by some external stressing factor.

This burl is at the junction of the West Side Trail and Old Indian Trail on Wachusett Mountain. The section of Old Indian Trail that we are hiking is considered by most, myself included, as the second most difficult part of the mountain. It is long and steep and then gets steeper towards the end of the incline.

Tuesday, 07/02/2024: Posted photo — Red-berried Elder.

The Red Elderberry is a large native deciduous shrub or small tree. It produces clusters of tiny white or cream flowers in early spring, followed by bright red berries in mid-July through early August.

These are found on Wachusett Mountain during my hike.

Wednesday, 07/03/2024: Posted photo — Newt.

Newt is generic name used to describe several partially terrestrial salamanders. An interesting fact about newts from the Encyclopaedia Britannica, some newt larvae can become terrestrial juveniles, but remain aquatic as adults. Adult newts that return to water to breed may undergo a partial “reverse metamorphosis” back into a larval state.

There are many newts on Wachusett Mountain. When you hike and the ground is wet, you need to take your steps with care so you do not step on a newt.

Thursday, 07/04/2024: Posted photo — Tiger Lilly.

Tiger Lilies symbolize wealth, prosperity, and strength, reflecting cultural significance.

Tiger lilies are one of the most interesting flowers to me. They almost look fake, like plastic, and I like their colors.

Friday, 07/05/2024: Post photo — Annual Fleabane.

Annual fleabane is an annual native to the eastern United States but introduced across much of North America.

These are in my in-law’s flower patch. They are native flowers but look like weeds to me.

Saturday, 07/06/2024: Post photo — Daylily.

Daylilies are rugged, adaptable, vigorous perennials that endure in a garden for many years with little or no care. Daylilies adapt to a wide range of soil and light conditions. They establish quickly, grow vigorously, and survive winters with little or no injury.

This is another flower from my in-law’s flower garden.

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

Photographic Thoughts — 06/16/2024 to 06/22/2024

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

Photo for the week. Comments welcome.

There was a heat wave this week in our area, so most of the photos are from the cottage.

Sunday, 06/16/2024: Posted photo — Votive Candles.

Happy Father’s Day!

The usage of votive candles is a pious practice which continues today in many churches. The symbolism reminds us that prayer is the light of Christ, allowing our souls to be filled with His light, and letting that light burn on in our souls even though we may return to our other activities. These candles are usually lite in memory of or for pray for someone we love and care for.

Theses candles are in the back of our church. As mentioned in past posts, the holder for these votive candles is dedicated to a friend who passed with ALS and his family. It is good to see people using the candles.

Monday, 06/17/2024: Posted photo — Hiking Group.

We had a good time hiking tonight. One member of the group took this photo to capture the closeness of the Monday night hiking group.

If you live in around Wachusett Mountain and would like to join the group, please let me know. The group once had 12 regular hikers and is down to 5 or 6 regulars. We hike year-round and hike at the speed of the ability of the people that hike that evening.

Tuesday, 06/18/2024: Posted photo — Pinecones.

This year there have been many more pinecones on the ground than I can remember. Maybe my memory is not that great, but this was the first year that I have seen them around in our yard.

I do not have any pine trees on my property and have seen pinecones in the yard. These pinecones were on the croquet course at the cottage. They had to be raked to the side so that the croquet ball can make it to a wicket with fewer obstacles.

Wednesday, 06/19/2024: Posted photo — High Bush Blueberries.

This is another repeat/progress photo. A few weeks ago, I posted a photo of these high bush blueberries starting to flower. Today I took a photo of them starting to ripen. It will not be long until it is time to pick them and use them for breakfast and deserts.

Thursday, 06/20/2024: Posted photo — Baby Robins.

Remember back when this nest was found so that I could not power wash a deck? The eggs have hatched, and three of the four babies survived. There is one big bird and two smaller birds (you can see the beaks of the smaller birds in this photo). The mother was feeding them and teaching them how to fly. It will not be long until they leave the nest and live on their own.

Friday, 06/21/2024: Post photo — Fish.

Sitting by the lake today, I saw these fish looking at me. When I moved the fish shifted position to look in my direction. It was strange.

Saturday, 06/22/2024: Post photo — Promise.

Today is our 33rd wedding anniversary. This is one of the gifts that I gave my wife a few years ago.

Bonus Image:

Here is a 3D image of boats under a tree.

Look at the image cross-eyed and the 3D image will appair in between the photos.

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