“Photograph: a picture painted by the sun without instruction in art.” — Ambrose Bierce

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

Sunday, 01/21/2024: Posted photo — Photo.

I like the colors in this photo. They are very peaceful. I took this photo last week during the gathering after the funeral of a family member.

Monday, 01/22/2024: Posted photo — Flowers.

Flowers are a quick subject to photograph when I go shopping. Not too much more to say about them the I have said in past blogs.

Enjoy on this cold week.

Tuesday, 01/23/2024: Posted photo — Tomatillos.

These little fruits are native to Mexico but have been adopted by American farmers due to their resistance to disease. Tomatillos are used in many Latin American cuisines, particularly in Mexican and Central American dishes, and prized for their ability to add tartness and depth of flavor to sauces, soups, and stews.

It is interesting to find out about new foods when I go shopping. Do not know if I would try them all, just interesting to see them and to photograph them.

Wednesday, 01/24/2024: Posted photo — Snow.

Snow and ice today. The temperatures have been around the freezing mark from most of the day so we have had snow and freezing rain. The roads were not that bad to drive on in the morning, were covered in black ice in the afternoon, and were fine for the commute home.

Thursday, 01/25/2024: Posted photo — Covers.

Abstract photo for the day. I have not photographed the covers of products in the 14 years that I have taken a photo a day. I had a calling to take these two photos.

Friday, 01/26/2024: Post photo — Ice.

I did not take a photo today since I was waiting for my hike tomorrow to take photos.

These are photos from my hike. We had some rain in lower elevations and freezing rain in the upper elevations. This caused some nice ice formations on the mountain.

Saturday, 01/27/2024: Post photo — Going Down.

Today I lead my second qualifying hike for the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC). After today’s hike I am officially a four-season local hiking leader. I am now a four-season local hiking leader and a three season upcountry hiking leader. I did have the opportunity to receive my upcountry winter this year but did not want to do it. That is the goal for next winter season. Winter hikes, according to the AMC Worcester Chapter, are hikes between December 1 and March 31.

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

“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 helps keep me inspired.

Sunday, 12/10/2023: Posted photo — Holiday Lights.

The tradition of using lights during Christmas most likely originated in Germany during medieval times with the burning of the Yule log. This was done during the short, dark days of winter to help bring light into the home.

Monday, 12/11/2023: Posted photo — Falls at Night.

We had rain late last night and into this morning. The rain was heavy at times. During my hike tonight, I could hear the streams running quickly. This photo was taken at one of the many crossings. I did not know how much blue light my headlamp provided until I compared this photo to what I had seen on the trail.

Tuesday, 12/12/2023: Posted photo — Long Exposure Failure.

During a walk tonight I wanted to use the long exposure feature on my phone to make light streaks. It did not work as well as I hoped. Next time I try this I will bring my cellphone tripod with me.

Wednesday, 12/13/2023: Posted photo — Dress Code.

I took this photo on Friday this week.

Every Friday after work, I head down to my high school alma mater to help the Robotics Team. I mentor the students in engineering, project management, and critical thinking. The school is a private college prep school that is part of the Diocese of Worcester. When I went to school there, it was run mostly by the Xavian Brothers. The Xaverian Brothers are a Roman Catholic religious institute founded by Theodore James Ryken in Bruges, Belgium, in 1839 and named after Saint Francis Xavier. The institute is dedicated to education. The Robotics Team holds it meeting and does all its work in the Ryken Center at the school.

These are the rules when I went to school 40+ years ago and still are the rules. I am always surprised at how many of the students still follow the dress code when we gather for robotics long after school get out.

Thursday, 12/14/2023: Posted photo — Geminids Meteor.

From Space.com: The Geminid meteor shower gets its name from the Gemini constellation, the area in the sky from which the meteors appear to originate (also called its radiant point). The Geminids are noteworthy in that, unlike other meteor showers, they are created not by debris from a comet but by leftovers of 3200 Phaëthon, an Earth-crossing Apollo asteroid with an orbit that brings it closer to the sun than any other named asteroid.

To get this photo, I set my camera up in my backyard a couple hours before taking photos to allow it to normalize to the cold, used my intervalometer to take a 17 second photo with a 1 second delay, and went to bed. This is one of the eight meteors I captured in my 1094 photos taken. The clouds did move in for about two hours. The difficulty in taking photos of a meteor shower is that the camera can only focus into one area of the sky. I did see many more during the night.

Friday, 12/15/2023: Post photo — Blue.

Blue sky, nothing blue sky. Wonderful sunny day today. There was rain that had the edge of the storm across the driveway, otherwise there was blue sky. One side of the building was wet and the other side dry.

Saturday, 12/16/2023: Post photo — Abstract Lights.

In many countries it was believed that evergreens would keep away witches, ghosts, evil spirits, and illness. Germany is credited with starting the Christmas tree tradition—as we now know it—by the 16th century when sources record devout Christians bringing decorated trees into their homes. Some built Christmas pyramids of wood and decorated them with evergreens and candles if wood was scarce.

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