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December 10, 2023

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2023

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

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

Sunday, 12/03/2023: Posted photo — Diamond Head.

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

Diamond Head State Monument

Monday, 12/04/2023: Posted photo — Rainbow Falls.

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

The Rainbow Falls (Waiānuenue) in Hilo

Tuesday, 12/05/2023: Posted photo — National Memorial Cemetery.

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

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

Wednesday, 12/06/2023: Posted photo — Anchor.

One of the anchors from the USS Arizona.

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

Thursday, 12/07/2023: Posted photo — US Sailor.

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

Friday, 12/08/2023: Post photo — USS Arizona.

This is one of the most visited historic sites in the United States. “Other highly-visited historic sites include the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial, the Jefferson Memorial, and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Washington D.C., along with Mount Rushmore in South Dakota, and Castillo de San Marcos in St Augustine Florida.

The Pearl Harbor Visitor Center is operated by the National Park Service and is free to the public. It includes a museum with exhibits about World War II, an outdoor walkway with numerous historical plaques and signage explaining the attack, and a theater that shows a video of actual footage and events from the attack which is viewed before boarding the boat which takes visitors out to the memorial.”

USS Arizona Memorial

Saturday, 12/09/2023: Post photo — USS Missouri.

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

https://www.pearlharbortours.com/battleship-missouri/?utm_term=&utm_campaign=Performance+Max&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&hsa_acc=8997022590&hsa_cam=18769258950&hsa_grp=&hsa_ad=&hsa_src=x&hsa_tgt=&hsa_kw=&hsa_mt=&hsa_net=adwords&hsa_ver=3&gclid=CjwKCAiA-dCcBhBQEiwAeWidtX92oG5ZegBRYqn-cwqu3vG0vYxf52eYepcIu88-Dqoyke4T5mhJUhoCS9UQAvD_BwE

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November 26, 2023

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Photographic Thoughts — 11/19/2023 to 11/25/2023

“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.

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

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November 19, 2023

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Photographic Thoughts — 11/12/2023 to 11/18/2023

“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, 11/12/2023: Posted photo — Training.

Today I taught 17 hikers how to use a map and compass. Some of the students were experienced hikers who needed a refresher and some never used a map and compass before today. The training was through the AMC and was held at Wachusett Mountain. This was the first of a two-part training. The second part will be in the spring when I plan to use an orienteering course to fine tune navigational skills.

During this training, the participants learned how to read a topographical map and how to determine a route on the map. Having a map and compass are part of the Ten HikeSafe Essentials. Knowing how to use a map and compass could be lifesaving. After the planning of the route, we went on the trail to enhance the training. It is one thing to just use a map and compass in a classroom setting, it is another to get out on the trail and use it. One situation that I gave them was, what if someone turned a trail junction sign to lead you in the wrong direction. Using your map and compass will guide you in the correct direction.

During the training, I discussed the differences between a reference mark, azimuth mark, magnetic station, and a benchmark. All these markers can be found on the mountain. It is surprising to me that hikers do not know the difference between a reference mark and a benchmark. I guess we all started out that way. It was a great training and there was positive feedback from the group.

Looking forward to the advanced training in the spring. I am considering doing an introductory training in the spring also since there was many people on my waiting list and others that wanted to sign up after registration was closed.

Monday, 11/13/2023: Posted photo — First Snow Hike in a While.

Tonight, it started to snow as I was driving to the trailhead for my Monday night hike. There were eight people that hiked tonight. Wachusett Mountain is not a tall mountain in most people’s minds. It is only 2006 feet tall. A far cry from its 23,000 feet height in its youth. The mountain does still affect the weather in the area.

As we started towards the summit, there was more snow on the trail. The hike was slow due to the snow and the snow-covered maple leaves on the trail. Wet leaves are dangerous. Wet leaves covered with snow with possible ice under them are more dangerous. The group took a “safe” trail to the summit.

On the decent, four of the eight took the trail down and the other four walked the roads. I was with the group that took the trails. I was very careful on the trails, not wanting to reinjure my ankle. The trail we took had a gentler slope than others on the mountain. As expected, we arrived at the trailhead before the road walkers, but only one to two minutes before them.

Tuesday, 11/14/2023: Posted photo — Morning Snow.

Drove by one of my favorite photos locations on my way to work this morning. The sun was just rising, and I was able to practice low light photography. I wanted to get a photo of this scene just in case the snow melted today. The temperature rose a little today melting all the snow. Later this week, rain is predicted.

Wednesday, 11/15/2023: Posted photo — USGS Control Points.

Benchmarks can be divided into two general groups: the “vertical control points” are points that mark a very precise elevation above the standard datum plane (usually referred to as elevation above sea level) and the “horizontal control points” are points with precisely established latitude and longitude. The National Geodetic Survey, not the U.S. Geological Survey, is the Maintainer of federal Vertical Control Marks.

Here are photos of the control points on Wachusett Mountain.

Triangulation Stations: are markers with positions determined by measuring distances and angles from other stations. The triangulation station on Wachusett is a pin in a stone.

Wachusett Mountain Triangulation Station

Reference marks: help keep triangulation stations from being lost with arrows on their disks pointing in the direction of their referenced triangulation station.

Azimuth marks: coupled with its triangulation station, provide a compass direction of the true north. The azimuth on Wachusett is RM13. The USGS webpage calls it an azimuth. I was wondering if they did since this mark is away from the RM11 and RM8.

Magnetic Stations: are stamped with a six-pointed star in the center. The original purpose was to supply magnetic measurement information for the nautical charts, but later observations were extended into the interior to aid local surveyors. This is the magnetic station near the summit of Wachusett Mountain.

That was the educational portion of this week’s blog.

Thursday, 11/16/2023: Posted photo — Warmth.

The weather is cool in the morning, warm in the afternoon, and cool in the evening. Tonight, we had a fire in our woodstove to get the chill out of the house. It reminds me that I need to order the firewood that will take up through the winter. I think the way the light bounces off the phone lens give a nice feeling to this photo.

Friday, 11/17/2023: Post photo — Morning Glow.

I went to work a little earlier than I normally do on a Friday because I needed to get some work done before the Thanksgiving holiday week. Many of the workers in the shop will be on vacation next week and there was a project that needed to get done. When I arrived at work, I looked to the east and saw a glow in the sky. It was not sunrise yet. I waited a few minutes and then took this photo. Still not sunrise, but there was a nice glow in the sky.

Saturday, 11/17/2023: Posted Photo — Vermont Cubikon

Today in the small town of Bellows Falls, VT. There was a cube competition at the Moose Lodge.

The venue was small and cramped but the people did not mind. During lunch, two of the cubers took out their violins and played a few classical movements for the crowd. This was the first time I saw that happen at an event.

Here are a few more photos from the event.

That’s it for this week. Time to rest up for Thanksgiving.

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November 5, 2023

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Photographic Thoughts — 10/29/2023 to 11/04/2023

“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, 10/29/2023: Posted photo — Stained Glass Window.

Stained Glass windows two weeks in a row. This is the stained glass at a neighboring church. This is looking up into the choir loft. I just love older stained glass windows. The way the build churches now, there is not as may stained glass windows as in the past.

Stained glass windows in churches depict Biblical individuals, groups of people, stories, and/or moralizing images. Stained glass windows were once used to educate people who could not read. By looking at the painted scenes in the glass, people could learn about the stories of the Bible and religious teachings.

Monday, 10/30/2023: Posted photo — What is it?

Occasionally, I post a closeup of an item to see if anyone is reading my blog. Please identify the object in this photo.

I will respond later in the week to let you know if your answer is correct.

Tuesday, 10/31/2023: Posted photo — Colors.

I posted about the colors of flowers in my 10/15/2023 to 10/21/2023 blog. Tonight is my normal shopping night and I saw these bouquets of roses in one of the stores and wanted to show how the different colors interact, or complement, each other.

The weather is starting to cool around here. Tonight will be one of the first nights this season that the temperature will get close to the freezing point. Time to order wood for the winter. We do have wood left over from last season to take the chill out of the house.

Wednesday, 11/01/2023: Posted photo — Mass of Remembrance.

Today is the All Saints’ Day. The high school attended held a memorial mass for all alumni that passed during the year. St. John’s is a close-knit community with a very supportive alumni base. It was a moving mass in which they read the names of all the alumni, parents, and relatives of alumni that passed.

The entire school community attended, including the new junior high school (the junior high school started up recently) and all the high school students. It was great that the old-time teachers remember me and all my six brothers that have all attended the school.

Thursday, 11/02/2023: Posted photo — Oriental Bittersweet.

This is an invasive species of plant that is in our yard. It invades fields, field edges, and forests, forming dense mats that smother trees and shrubs. I keep cutting them back and trying to eradicate, but they still grow in our yard. I cut them off trees, pull them out of bushes and plants, and mow them over. Just one of the yard cleaning tasks of homeowners in this area.

Friday, 11/03/2023: Post photo — Quick Shot of the Moon.

Walking outside on this brisk fall day, I saw the moon. The moon caught my eye just above the brown of the foliage that have gone past peak and the blue sky. I did not take a photo of the entire tree so that I could get the moon in the photo.

Hope you like it. Not sure if this photo stirs the same emotions as seeing composition live.

Saturday, 11/04/2023: Post photo — Winter Hiking Workshop.

There was a winter hiking workshop today sponsored by the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) Worcester Chapter. At this workshop, lessons were taught about what it needed to have a safe hike in the winter. The training was for beginner winter hikers and was a start of winter hiking series that will increase the difficulty of winter hikes. I attended as a hiking leader who wanted to brush up on my winter hiking skill and to understand what the chapter tells beginner hikers.

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 10, 2023

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Photographic Thoughts — 09/03/2023 to 09/09/2023

“Photographs open doors into the past, but they also allow a look into the future.” — Sally Mann.

Flags on the 48 event this week. Here some photos of past FOT48 hikes I have done.

“On September 11th, 2001 the consciousness of United States of America was undeniably altered by overwhelming and devastating acts of terrorism, so far reaching in their intensity that our country will forever carry the scars. Thousands of lives were lost in a fleeting moment, immeasurable families shattered and countless hearts broken.

We in the hiking community continue to honor the deceased with a tribute: flying the American flag atop all 48 four-thousand foot and higher mountains in New Hampshire on Sunday, September 11. By demonstrating our steadfast unity in this challenging endeavor, we also hope to express our unwavering support to the families, friends and communities whose losses are beyond comprehension and whose suffering we remember in our hearts.” https://www.flagsonthe48.org/

All of the mountain descriptions were taken from the website http://4000footers.com/nh.shtml.

Sunday, 09/03/23: Posted photo — 2013 Garfield.

“Garfield Mountain is a 4,500 foot mountain in Franconia, New Hampshire (Grafton County) in the White Mountains. It lies in the Franconia Range along with Mount Lafayette, Mount Lincoln, Mount Flume and Mount Liberty. It is also along the edge of the Pemigewasset Wilderness.”

Fighting rain and wind. We dedicated this hike to both the victims of the 9/11 attack and the Boston Marathon bombing.

Monday, 09/04/23: Posted photo — 2014 Zealand.

“Mount Zealand is a 4,260 foot mountain located in Whitefield, New Hampshire. The mountain is in the Twin Range (along with 8 other mountains; 7 of which are 4,000 footers) of the White Mountains. Zealand Mountain stands on a spur ridge, northeast of Mount Guyot.”

Nice hike. Not much of a view at the summit of Zealand.

Tuesday, 09/05/2023: Posted photo — 2016 Mt. Carrigain.

“Mount Carrigain is a 4,700 foot mountain located in Livermore, New Hampshire. It is located in the Pemigewasset Wilderness in the White Mountains. The mountain is named after Phillip Carrigain, New Hampshire’s Secretary of State from 1805-1810. One of the sub peaks of Carrigain is Vose Spur, which is on the New England Hundred Highest hiking list.”

Beatify day for the tribute hike.

Wednesday, 09/06/2023: Posted photo — 2017 Mt.Tecumseh.

“Mount Tecumseh is a 4,003 foot mountain in the Sandwich Range of the White Mountains. It is the shortest mountain on the AMC’s official 4,000 footers list.”

The first of my AMC hikes. I was not a leader at the time, one of my brothers was the leader. I did one more hike with the AMC before leading this year’s hike.

Thursday, 09/07/2023: Posted photo — 2019 Mount Moriah.

“Mount Moriah’s summit is 4,049 feet and is located 5 miles Southeast of Gorham, NH. It is part of the Carter-Moriah Range in the White Mountains. The shortest route up to the summit is up the Carter-Moriah trail, which goes over Mount Surprise (2,194’) before reaching Mount Moriah. The trail is relatively easy, compared to other NH 4,000 footer mountains, but, it can be very dangerous when wet, because a big portion of the Carter-Moriah trail is solid rock. (very slippery when wet, or icy!)”

Back to the regular group. The round trip on Moriah is over 10 miles. Much on the trail is on steep ledge.

Friday, 09/08/2023: Post photo — 2022 Mount Hale.

“Mount Hale is a 4,055 foot mountain in the Twin Range in Bethlehem, New Hampshire, Grafton County in the White Mountains. The mountain is named after Reverend Edward Everett Hale.”

First major hike after I fractured my ankle in February 2022. On this hike, I finished my second round of climbing the 48 four thousand footers in NH.

Saturday, 09/09/2023: Post photo — 2023 Middle Carter.

“Middle Carter Mountain is a 4,610 foot mountain in the White Mountains. It sits in the Carter-Moriah Range, which runs along the northeastern side of Pinkham Notch.

The summit itself is wooded, so there are no views. But you can enjoy some great views shortly before and after the summit along the Carter-Moriah Trail, which is also part of the Appalachian Trail.”

The group I normally hiked with, did not do the hike this year so I hiked as AMC leader. This hike certified me as a three-season upcountry hiking leader.

Here is the complete list of peaks that my group flew the flag. Some of these hikes had other 4000 foot mountain peaks that were bagged along with them:

Garfield 4500 ft — 9/14/13
Zealand 4260 ft — 9/12/15
Carrigain 4700 ft — 9/11/16
Tecumseh 4003 ft — 9/9/17
Hancock 4422 ft — 9/8/18
Moriah 4049 ft — 9/14/19
Monroe 5384 ft — 9/12/20
Willey 4285 ft — 9/11/21
Hale 4054 ft — 9/11/22
Middle Carter ft 4610 — 9/9/23

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

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August 22, 2023

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Photographic Thoughts — 08/13/2023 to 08/19/2023

“The camera is an excuse to be someplace you otherwise don’t belong. It gives me both a point of connection and a point of separation.” — Susan Meiselas

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

Sunday, 08/13/2023: Posted photo — Callahan Tunnel.

The Sumner Tunnel is named for William H. Sumner, son of Gov. Increase Sumner, who served from 1797 to 1799. Opened to traffic June 30, 1934. It was originally a two-way road that carried traffic in both directions, until the opening of the parallel Callahan Tunnel in 1961.

The twinned Sumner and Callahan tunnels, after all, begin and end in the same place on both sides of the harbor, a single entity for the casual observer. They were built decades apart, the Sumner in 1934, and the Callahan in 1961. With increasing volume, a single tunnel with traffic moving on one lane in each direction proved dangerous and inadequate, and the Turnpike Authority opened the Callahan on Nov. 11, 1961. Workers toiled 24 hours a day, six days a week crafting 14,500 tons of steel into the nearly mile-long tunnel.

I was stuck in traffic as a passenger and was able to take this photo of the entry point of the tunnel.

Monday, 08/14/2023: Posted photo — Farm Stand.

Along the roadside this time of year are farm stands. The vegetables this year seem to be larger than in past years due to all the rain over the last few months. We stopped at this farm stand looking for some corn, but they only had zucchini and summer squash. We gathered some. Fresh fruits and vegetable are great to eat.

Tuesday, 08/15/2023: Posted photo — Fire Pit.

Sitting by the lake and having a fire is one of the most relaxing things to do during the summer. We had a family reunion on my wife’s side of the family and sat around the fire making smores. My wife and her sisters took out their guitars and we had a musical performance. I cannot play the guitar, but my wife and son can play. I played keyboards a long time ago and have not played in a while.

Wednesday, 08/16/2023: Posted photo — Candles.

Christians adapted the use of lit candles (and oil lamps in the Eastern Roman Empire) for Mass, liturgical processions, evening prayer ceremonies, funeral processions, and, again, to show reverence to the reserved Blessed Sacrament. Moreover, there is evidence that lit candles or oil lamps were burned at the tombs of saints, particularly martyrs, by the 200s, and before sacred images and relics by the 300s. St. Jerome (d. 420) in his Contra Vigilantium attested to this practice. Note, however, that this practice probably existed well before our available written evidence. https://catholicstraightanswers.com/why-do-we-use-votive-candles/

These candles are in the vestibule of our church. I have posted a photo of these in the past. I wanted to post a photo of them again since so many of the have been lit. The stand that these candles are on was dedicated to one of my friends and his family.

Thursday, 08/17/2023: Posted photo — Providence RI.

Providence is the capital city of Rhode Island. Providence was one of the first cities in the country to industrialize and became noted for its textile manufacturing and subsequent machine tool, jewelry, and silverware industries.

This photo was taken during the wedding rehearsal dinner for my niece. It was a great dinner on a rooftop restaurant overlooking the city.

Friday, 08/18/2023: Post photo — Purple Loosestrife.

Purple loosestrife is a wetland plant with showy purple flowers arranged on flower spikes.

Leaves are lance-shaped with smooth edges and grow up to four inches long. They are usually arranged in pairs opposite each other on the stem and rotated 90 degrees from the pair below. Leaves sometimes appear whorled (radiating out from a single point) around the stem. A recognizable feature is the square-shaped stem, which is generally four to six-sided. A single plant is made up of multiple woody stems. https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/invasives/aquaticplants/purpleloosestrife/index.html

These Purple Loosestrifes are near one of the trailheads on Wachusett Mountain.

Saturday, 08/19/2023: Post photo — Chicken of the Woods.

A highly sought-after top edible mushroom, Chicken of the woods is excellent for beginner foragers. There are no real lookalikes, and the bright orange shelf-like growth makes it easy to see. Finding Chicken of the woods (Laetiporus sp.) is known to inspire wild chicken dances in the middle of the forest. With this dense, meaty textured mushroom, you’ll eat well for days.

This mushroom has a lemony, meaty taste. Some think it tastes like its chicken namesake; others describe the flavor as being more like crab or lobster. Whatever your opinion, the chicken fungus makes a great substitute for meat in almost any dish. https://www.mushroom-appreciation.com/chicken-of-the-woods.html

Saw these as I took a hike the morning of my niece’s wedding. I took out my Seek app to identify them. I do not like to eat fungi, so I did not try them out. It is good to know that they are edible. If I am ever lost in the woods and of need of food, I would try them out.

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

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August 13, 2023

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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/.

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photobyjosephciras

Posted on

June 18, 2023

Posted under

hiking, Nature, Photography, Thoughts, Travel, water

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Photographic Thoughts — 06/11/2023 to 06/17/2023

“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.

Phots from Yellowstone National Park.

Sunday, 06/11/2023: Posted photo — Old Faithful.

They call it Old “Almost” Faithful. Old Faithful goes off plus or minus a half hour from its scheduled time based on the height of its last eruption. Still wonderful to see.

Monday, 06/12/2023: Posted photo — Thermal Feature.

Grand Prismatic Spring is one of more than 10,000 thermal features in Yellowstone.

Tuesday, 06/13/2023: Posted photo — Moose.

A female moose seen along the road. One of many different forms of wildlife found in the park.

Wednesday, 06/14/2023: Posted photo — Hot Springs.

Mammoth Hot Springs. One of the areas in the northern part of the park. This is the area that received the most flooding.

Thursday, 06/15/2023: Posted photo — Formation.

This is one of the formations caused by the sulfur in the hot springs.

Friday, 06/16/2023: Post photo — Tower Falls.

A spectacular waterfall in the part. Tower Fall is a beautiful, accessible waterfall in Yellowstone located in the northeastern part of Yellowstone near Tower Junction, the fall plunges a stunning 132 feet.

Saturday, 06/17/2023: 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.

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

Posted by

photobyjosephciras

Posted on

June 11, 2023

Posted under

Inspiration, memorial, religion, Thoughts

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Photographic Thoughts — 06/04/2023 to 06/10/2023

“And if I go, while you’re still here… Know that I live on, Vibrating to a different measure, Behind a thin veil you cannot see through. You will not see me, So you must have faith. I wait for the time when we can soar together again, Both aware of each other. Until then, live your life to the fullest, And when you need me, Just whisper my name in your heart, …I will be there.” — Emily Dickinson

A small tribute to my oldest brother. My he rest in peace.

Sunday, 06/04/2023: Posted photo — Baby.

10 months and 6 days after my parents were married, my oldest brother was born. What a life and many adventures that were ahead of him. 16 years, 6 months, and 29 days later, our youngest brother was born. The first four were each three years apart from each other. Number five, me, came 5 years later. Another brother came four minutes later and then three years later.

Monday, 06/05/2023: Posted photo — Poetry.

My brother was a poet. He wrote hundreds of poems and started a company that wrote poems for weddings. He wrote on anything. We found poems on items from the backs of tickets, backs of envelopes, notepads and electronically. We have a few large boxes full of poems that one of my brothers will type and publish.

Tuesday, 06/06/2023: Posted photo — Family.

He loved family. These are two of my favorite photos. There are not three sets of twins, just looks that way. The one with our mother was the first time all seven of us were together. The other photo is my favorite Easter photo. People enjoy looking at us in our Easter best with our dog in front of our Easter egg tree.

Wednesday, 06/07/2023: Posted photo — High School Graduation.

Here is a photo of his high school graduation. We all ended going to the same high school.

Thursday, 06/08/2023: Posted photo — Peace Corps.

The adventure in his life stared by joining the Peace Corps. The Peace Corps brings together skilled, committed Volunteers with welcoming host communities for service opportunities in more than 60 countries.

Volunteers live and work side by side with community members on locally prioritized projects, building relationships, exchanging cultures and knowledge, and helping transform lives for generations. He spent in time in the Peace Corps in Marrakesh Morocco teaching English and poetry to the children. That was an experience that he talked about during his life.

Friday, 06/09/2023: Post photo — Baseball.

He loved baseball. The Red Sox was his team. And as stated by one of his friends at his funeral Mass, It was always “wait until next year” starting on opening day. Hid and my Red Sox never won anything. My son’s Red Sox won four championships.

This is a photo of my brother at Polar Park in our hometown of Worcester. The WooSox, as they are called, are the AAA team for the Boston Red Sox. AAA is the highest level of baseball before the players make it to the major league.

Saturday, 06/10/2023: Post photo — The End was too Soon.

This is a modification of his prayer card. The photo that originally picked was good, but I like this photo and I wanted to use it in this post.

My brother passed away very unexpectedly last week at the young age of 72. He will be truly missed by all who met him. The people in his apartment complex only said good things about him.

Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord.

And let perpetual light shine upon him.

May he rest in peace.

Amen.

May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.

Amen.