Photographic Thoughts — 09/13/2026 to 09/19/2026

“Photography is a way of feeling, of touching, of loving. What you have caught on film is captured forever… It remembers little things, long after you have forgotten everything.” — Aaron Siskind

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

Sunday, 09/13/2026: Posted photo — Flags on the 48: South Kingsman.

This is a repost of the commentary from last Saturday. I came back late from the hike and did not post a picture.

I co-lead a hike with the Worcester Chapter of the AMC up South Kingsman for this year’s Flags on the 48 (FOT48). The FOT48 event has been held every year since 9/11/01. It started out with a group of people hiking Mount Liberty to fly the flag shortly after the event. A few more peaks were covered the next year, and then all the peaks after that. The FOT48 is the hiking community’s way to honor the deceased with a tribute: flying the American flag atop all 48 four-thousand foot and higher mountains in New Hampshire for two hours the Saturday closes to September 11. This was my 12th year of doing this hike. I started in 2013 when I hiked Mt. Garfield, only missing a couple due to family events on the day of the hike. I have not yet repeated a peak. I will not fly the flag on all 48 during my lifetime. I will continue hiking in this event if I am able to do so.

It is a very emotional day, and we get many words of thanks and encouragement from other hikers who just happen upon it. Some people plan to hike to see how my summits, and flags, they can see during the day. It is great to take out the binoculars to see the flags flying on nearby peaks.

I have hiked this event in bad weather, high winds, hot and humid weather, cold and raw weather, and ideal weather. When you hike with a fellow group of hikers and friends, the weather does not matter, just the meaning of the event.

Monday, 09/14/2026: Posted photo — Lights on Mount Washington.

For the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, Mount Washington sent up two pillars of light.

My brother and I took a trip to see the lights. We did not go near the mountain since there were many people heading towards the lights. We ended up going to the town of Jefferson.

The conditions for taking photos were great. Very dark sky, some clouds, and many stars. The difficulty was focusing. This was the best photo that I took of the lights. They were not as bright as I was imagining them to be.

Tuesday, 09/15/2026: Posted photo – Lonesome Lake.

This is a photo looking over Lonesome Lake looking into Franconia Notch from the AMC Lonesome Lake Hut. The mountains you are looking at are part of the Franconia Range, including Mount Lafayette and Mount Lincoln. the Arabian slave traders are the ones who gave the banana its name.

We stopped at the hut on the way to the summit and down from the summit to refresh our water and to use the facilities instead of the wilderness.

Wednesday, 09/16/2026: Posted photo — Summit Selfie.

Someone took my photo at the summit with the flag in the background. The photo was too backlit, so I took a selfie photo. I am not very good at taking selfies.

The words on the bottom of the flag: “Flag of Honor: This flag contains the names of those killed in the terrorist attacks of 9.11. Now and forever it will represent their immortality. We should never forget them”

Thursday, 09/17/2026: Posted photo — Gourds.

A gourd is a member of the Cucurbitaceae, or cucurbit family, A gourd is a hard-shelled, non-edible fruit related to cucumbers, summer and winter squashes, and pumpkins. We display gourds in the fall to allow them to dry and last as rustic decorations. In several indigenous mythologies the round gourd symbolizes the circle of life, the womb of the mother, and the repository for ancestral spirits.

Friday, 09/18/2026: Posted photo – Apple Pie.

This is one of the 49 apples pies that were baked tonight at our church’s bazaar on Sunday. The bazaar is normally on a Saturday. This year it is on Sunday. The local elementary school allows the use of their kitchen to bake all the pies. Crusts are made in advanced and the filling is prepared while the pies are baking. My job was to wrap the pies.

Saturday’s weather is predicted to be nice. There is predicted rain for most of the day on Sunday.

Saturday, 09/19/2026: Post photo —Wolf’s Milk Slime Mold.

Wolf’s milk slime looks like little, round, reddish pink balls; they exude a pinkish-orange or pinkish-gray paste when popped. It grows in groups on dead wood, especially large logs. They are not edible. Slime molds have inspired the science fiction movie “The Blob” in 1958. These are on some logs that we have in our yard.

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

“Sumens imagines consolateur et inspirat me. Pulchritudinem mundi video per camera mean.”

“Quod scripsi, scripsi. Ingeniarius sum, non scriptor.”

.–. …. — – — / -… -.– / .— — … . .–. …. / -.-. .. .-. .- …

Photographic Thoughts — 09/06/2026 to 09/12/2026

“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.

We also celebrated Labor Day this Monday. Labor Day is, and should always be, a federal holiday and a day off from work. This week was also the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks. On Saturday September 12, I did my annual hike for the Flags on the 48 hiking the 4,358 feet South Kinsman Mountain.

Sunday, 09/06/2026: Posted photo — 3D View.

FinePix XP70 XP71 XP75, f/3.9, 1/70 sec, ISO 100

It has been a while since I posted 3D photos. We were at the cottage today, doing some planning on what to do to close it up for the season. We are not closing the cottage until Columbus Day, in about a month.

Do you see the 3D photo of the boats? This is how you should look at this image:

  1. Look at what looks like two identical images.
  2. Cross your eyes. A third image should appear in the middle. If you see 4 images, you’ll have to relax your eyes and cross them less.
  3. Focus on that middle image until it pops out in 3D.

To take a 3D image:

  1. Always take photos in portrait orientation.
  2. Set the camera to full manual and choose the correct exposure and focus.
  3. Put your feet square on to the subject of your 3D photo.
  4. Put your weight onto your right foot, without lifting your left.
  5. Take the first photo.
  6. Put your weight onto your left foot without raising your right.
  7. Unless your subject is very close, you don’t need to turn your camera to keep it in the center.
  8. Take the second photo.

Monday, 09/07/2026: Posted photo — Fish.

Canon EOS R50, f/5.7, 1/332 sec., ISO 2000

Happy Labor Day! Labor Day occurs on first Monday of September. The holiday pays tribute to the contributions and achievements of American. It was created by the labor movement in the late 19th century and became a federal holiday in 1894. This should always be a holiday and a day to be with family and friends, the ones we work to support.

Now about this fish. I was at the cottage today and saw this fish swimming near our dock. The water is clear in this area since there are not any weeds. The fish was closer to the dock when I took out my camera, and it just stayed in the location of this photo for a while. The fish was just far enough away that it was at the end of the focal point of my regular lens and too close to me for my zoom lens.

Tuesday, 09/08/2026: Posted photo – Bananas.

Pixel 7, f/1.8, 1/24 sec, ISO 51

Bananas originated 10,000 years ago and some scientists believe they may have been the world’s first fruit. The first bananas are thought to have grown in the region that includes the Malaya Peninsula, Indonesia, the Philippines and New Guinea. The personal physician to Roman emperor Octavius Augustus is credited for promoting the cultivation of the fruit from 63 to 14 B.C. Historians believe that the Arabian slave traders are the ones who gave the banana its name.

Bananas are a source of carbohydrates, potassium, vitamin B6, vitamin C, dietary fiber and antioxidants. Bananas have no fat, cholesterol or salt. Their potential benefits include Heart health, Digestive health, Weight control, Faster workout recovery, and Memory and mood help.

To peel a banana gently but firmly, pinch the bottom of the banana between your thumb and index finger. The skin splits into two clean sections, ready to peel away without any fuss. That is how animals peal a banana.

Wednesday, 09/09/2026: Posted photo — Reflection of a Duck.

Canon EOS R50, f/7.1, 1/250 sec., ISO 640

I was just taking photos testing out different settings on my camera. I took photos of the dock, sky, clouds, leaves staring to turn, and this duck. I was practicing panning.

When I uploaded the photos to my computer, I saw the reflection of this duck in the water. It almost looks like the duck has two heads. Or is that my imagination going wild. I did not achieve my goal of taking a panning photo, but I like this photo better.

Thursday, 09/10/2026: Posted photo — Hidden Bug.

Canon EOS R50, f/5, 1/100 sec., ISO 1250

Last week at this time, I took a photo of a rosebud. This is the rose in bloom. When I developed it, I saw this little bug hiding. Do you see the bug?

Did he just type “when I developed it?” Yes, I did. I always take my photos in RAW format since I want my photo to be as I like and not as the camera predicts what I like. It is like not using AI since I want my results to be what I am looking for and not what AI thinks I am looking. A RAW file is a digital image file that contains the unprocessed data from your camera’s sensor. RAW is not the abbreviation for anything, it just means raw as the sensor sees it. I postprocess, or develop, my photos using either Canon’s Digital Photo Professional or Darktable, both free programs. I then use either GIMP or Paint Shop Pro to further edit and clean up my photos. I am using GIMP often now since I carry the program around with me on my thumb drive.

Many times, I can fix and recover a “bad” photo by editing the RAW file.

Friday, 09/11/2026: Posted photo – Northern Right Whale Skull.

Canon EOS R50, f/6.3, 1/125 sec., ISO 100

Today I am posting a photo from past travels. I am on my way to the White Mountains in New Hampshire to take part in the Flags on the 48 memorial hike.

The plaque reads: “Northern Right Whale Skull. This section is all the remains of a 60-foot Northern Right Whale that washed ashore on Ocracoke in 1988. Each spring and fall small groups of these plankton feeding giants migrate past the Outer Banks.”

The Northern Right Whale is an endangered large whale species. It has been listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act since 1970. The most recent estimate for the population is approximately 380 whales. The whale can weigh up to 140,000 pounds and can grow up to 52 feet long. It has a lifespan of up to 70 years. It must be a great sight to see one of these whales breaching.

Shortly after this photo was taken the sky opened with the rain so heavy you could not see out of the car. Now I have a better understanding of how quickly the Outer Banks flood during storms.

Saturday, 09/12/2026: Post photo — Flags on the 48: South Kingsman.

Canon EOS R50, f/4.5, 1/60 sec., ISO 1000

I co-lead a hike with the Worcester Chapter of the AMC up South Kingsman for this year’s Flags on the 48 (FOT48). The FOT48 event has been held every year since 9/11/01. It started out with a group of people hiking Mount Liberty to fly the flag shortly after the event. A few more peaks were covered the next year, and then all the peaks after that. The FOT48 is the hiking community’s way to honor the deceased with a tribute: flying the American flag atop all 48 four-thousand foot and higher mountains in New Hampshire for two hours the Saturday closes to September 11. This was my 12th year of doing this hike. I started in 2013 when I hiked Mt. Garfield, only missing a couple due to family events on the day of the hike. I have not yet repeated a peak. I will not fly the flag on all 48 during my lifetime. I will continue hiking in this event if I am able to do so.

It is a very emotional day, and we get many words of thanks and encouragement from other hikers who just happen upon it. Some people plan to hike to see how my summits, and flags, they can see during the day. It is great to take out the binoculars to see the flags flying on nearby peaks.

I have hiked this event in bad weather, high winds, hot and humid weather, cold and raw weather, and ideal weather. When you hike with a fellow group of hikers and friend, the weather does not matter, just the meaning of the event.

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

“Sumens imagines consolateur et inspirat me. Pulchritudinem mundi video per camera mean.”

“Quod scripsi, scripsi. Ingeniarius sum, non scriptor.”

.–. …. — – — / -… -.– / .— — … . .–. …. / -.-. .. .-. .- …

Photographic Thoughts — 05/24/2026 to 05/30/2026

“In photography there are no shadows that cannot be illuminated.” — August Sander

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

Short and sweet this week.

Sunday, 05/24/2026: Posted photo — Pentecost.

As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came on them as he had come on us at the beginning. — Acts 11:15.

Monday, 05/25/2026: Posted photo — Memorial Day.

The words are from a photo I posted a few weeks ago. I took this photo today during my hike since it is Memorial Day.

Memorial Day is a holiday in the United States for mourning the U.S. military personnel who died while serving in the U.S. Armed Forces.

The plaque reads: “10th Mountain Division. In memory of comrades who gave their lives in the Aleutians and Italy in WWII. This elite division of alpine troops spearheaded the victorious fifth army against the mountainous gothic line fortresses and across the PO Valley to shatter the German defenses in Northern Italy. It was their love of mountains, coupled with their dedication to human freedom, that they inspired hundreds of young patriots to join the 10th mountain division. Many returned to their beloved mountain. Those heroes who did not return are still fondly remembered as brave men whose souls rest forever. Sempre Avanti.”

Tuesday, 05/26/2026: Posted photo — Lady Slippers.

Lady slipper orchids are not universally illegal to possess or grow in the US, but it is illegal to pick, dig up, or damage them on federal and state lands. These Lady Slippers are in a protective area on Wachusett Mountain. I look for them every year. Most years I am either too early or too late to find them.

During a hike this week, I came across them and took this photo.

Wednesday, 05/27/2026: Posted photo — Iris.

Irises bloom best in at least 6 to 8 hours of sunlight daily. They can tolerate as little as half a day of sun, but it’s not ideal. This iris is at my in-law’s house. Like the photo of the Lady Slippers I took a photo of yesterday, some years I see them, some years I do not.

Thursday, 05/28/2026: Posted photo — Flowing Water.

We have had periods of heavy rain this week leading to the streams on the mountain flowing quickly. It is wonderful hearing the streams flowing in the distance as I hike.

This photo was taking from one of the bridges on the mountain that straddle the streams.

Friday, 05/29/2026: Post photo — Old Gardner Courthouse.

The courthouse and police station were dedicated on May 1, 1929. The courthouse and police station were moved to the new facility in 1988. The Gardner Youth Commission took charge of the building and from 1988 to 1989, dances and other activities were held there. Once the dances were discontinued, the building remained vacant for several years. A decision was made in 1996 to turn it into the City Hall Annex building. The annex officially opened on April 5, 2006.

Saturday, 05/30/2026: Post photo — Ajuga.

Ajuga, also known as bugleweed, ground pine, carpet bugle, or just bugle.

Bugleweed is a low-maintenance ground cover that is used to cover large areas of land. The small, rounded foliage comes in a range of colors and patterns, with showy flower spikes that appear in spring attracting hummingbirds, butterflies, and other insect pollinators.

The subject of this week’s photo project is “On the Ground”. I took this photo as if I was on the ground looking up at it.

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

“Sumens imagines consolateur et inspirat me. Pulchritudinem mundi video per camera mean.”

“Quod scripsi, scripsi. Ingeniarius sum, non scriptor.”

.–. …. — – —  -… -.–  .— — … . .–. ….  -.-. .. .-. .- …

Photographic Thoughts — 03/08/2026 to 03/14/2026

“Essentially what photography is life lit up.” — Sam Abell

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

Sunday, 03/08/2026: Posted photo — Votive Candle.

A little candle in a church, often called a “votive candle”, represents a personal prayer, offering, or intention, allowing a worshiper’s devotion to continue even after they leave. These candles are in a frame that is dedicated to a friend and his wife who have passed. He passed from ASL and she passed from cancer.

Monday, 03/09/2026: Posted photo — Post Hole.

Here is an example of the use of snowshoes vs not using snowshoes. This is from tonight’s hike. I used my snowshoes and others did not. I put my snowshoes next to their post hole to show the difference.

Tuesday, 03/10/2026: Posted photo — Collecting Sap.

The best weather to collect sap is a “freeze-thaw” cycle in late winter/early spring, characterized by nighttime temperatures below freezing and daytime temperatures rising to around 40–45 degrees F (4–7 degrees C). Stop collecting sap when tree buds appear, temperatures remain above freezing at night, or the sap turns yellow/cloudy.

Wednesday, 03/11/2026: Posted photo — Water under the Bridge.

“Water under the bridge” is a phrase used to say that something happened in the past and is no longer important or worth arguing about. Even though I am not very old, I am at a stage where I do not get stressed out with life. I have had a few experiences in my life that I could not control, (loss of a child, loss of a sibling, loss of loved ones, loss of close relatives and friends), that just have me going with the flow, or saying that is just water under the bridge.

Thursday, 03/12/2026: Posted photo — Sunset Afterglow.

I did not make it to the summit for sunset. This was the first night in a few months that I saw the afterglow of the sunset. I did not think I would get a good photo and my intuition was correct. I feel that this photo is too dark. I attempted to edit it, with no luck.

Friday, 03/13/2026: Post photo — Flowing Stream.

The temperatures this week so far had a high of 73 degrees F and a low of 29 degrees F. This was taken during one of the warm days this week. The streams on the mountain were running fast.

Hiking was not easy this week with the rapidly changing conditions. It started out this week where snowshoes were needed. Then the hiking was slow due to muddy trails. Now at the end of the week, we have much cooler temperatures and the muddy areas are starting to freeze. Snowshoes Monday and Tuesday, mud boots Wednesday and Thursday, and bear boot today. Will bear boot tomorrow with my microspike on my pack, just in case I need to use them.

Saturday, 03/14/2026: Post photo — Icefall.

I do not know if this is technically an icefall, but that is what I am calling it.

When on a hike this afternoon with a family friend to stretch out my legs on this wonderful and sunny day. The weather today sums up the weather for this week. It started to be sunny, then the clouds came in and we had a snow squall. Then it was sunny and warm and then the temperature dropped when I was on the trail. The trail conditions were tough. I bear booted and used my spikes. I could have used my snowshoes in spots, but they were so short that it would have been longer to put on and take off my snowshoes as it would have been just walk in that section of snow with my spikes. The ice was hard is some steeper slopes and my spikes did not grip the snow well. I had to be very careful and take it very slowly in those locations.

Now it is time to look at my microspikes to see if they need sharpening. I did use my “rock” spikes, so the odds are great that they do need to be sharpened.

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

“Sumens imagines consolateur et inspirat me. Pulchritudinem mundi video per camera mean.”

“Quod scripsi, scripsi. Ingeniarius sum, non scriptor.”

.–. …. — – —  -… -.–  .— — … . .–. ….  -.-. .. .-. .- …

Photographic Thoughts — 02/15/2026 to 02/21/2026

“A good photograph is one that communicates a fact, touches the heart and leaves the viewer a changed person for having seen it. It is, in a word, effective.” — Irving Penn

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

Sunday, 02/15/2026: Posted photo — Numbers.

These are some of the numbers that I put up every week to list the hymns that the choir will sing during Mass. I do not sing in the choir. My job is to put up the numbers before the service and to give Communion to the choir. According to the Second Vatican Council the primary purpose of music at Mass is the glory of God and the sanctification of the faithful.

The Mass I attend is a folk Mass. The music is performed by guitar and voice. Occasionally there are some brass instruments. When I was in college, I played the organ in a traditional choir.

Monday, 02/16/2026: Posted photo — Rope.

Tonight is one of many nights that I will be hiking this week. I brought my rope with me to practice using it down steep and icy slopes. One of the trails on Wachusett is steep and was a great place to practice. Some people may say that the slope on Wachusett is not difficult. It is not, but it is a great place to practice techniques for bigger and longer hikes.

Tuesday, 02/17/2026: Posted photo — Traction.

Tonight, I practiced using my crampons since the snow is getting soft. The temperature is almost above freezing today, and the snow is much different than it was last night. Crampons are not needed on Wachusett as a rule. Occasionally I wished I had them, especially when I am in a very icy trail.

As I stated yesterday, some people think this is overkill. Over my many years of hiking, there is no such thing as overkill when it comes to my safety. I follow the rule that if you do not use a skill, you may lose that skill.

Wednesday, 02/18/2026: Posted photo — Wachusett Mountain.

I stopped by the side of the road before tonight’s hike to get a photo of the mountain. This is not the greatest photo since they were making snow, and the mountain looked fogged in.

If you look closely at the trails in the photo, you can see that they spell “ski”. This was pointed out to me a few years ago and I keep seeing it when I drive past the ski area.

Thursday, 02/19/2026: Posted photo — Hike.

What a great hike I had with this group hiking at night in the snow. I was in the sweep position tonight since I already hiked the mountain a few times already this week. The ability of the hikers in this group varies greatly, from very experience to not so experience. I would say that the not so experienced hikers are getting better every week. They have been hiking with this group for a while.

When I was sweeping, I was observing the use of hiking poles. Members of the group were using them incorrectly. I plan on posting tips on using hiking poles to this group and other hiking groups that I am a member. Poles are very useful equipment to use. They help with fatigue and save your knees and back, if used properly.

Friday, 02/20/2026: Post photo — Tapping.

It is that time of year again. Our neighbor is tapping our sugar maples to make his syrup. It generally takes 40 to 60 gallons of sap to produce 1 gallon of finished maple syrup. He has many trees tapped on our property and his property. On average, a tapped maple will produce 10 to 20 gallons of sap per tap.

Saturday, 02/21/2026: Post photo — Sunrise.

What a wonderful way to end the week. When I woke up this morning, I saw colors in the snow. The snow had a pink hue due to the colors of the sunrise. I grabbed my camera and took this photo.

I had to work quicky to get his photo since my camera battery was dead. There is something wrong with electronics in camera. When the camera is off, it is still draining the battery. I need to either get it serviced or purchase a new camera. I purchased my camera in April of 2014. Technology may have changes slightly in twelve years!

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

“Sumens imagines consolateur et inspirat me. Pulchritudinem mundi video per camera mean.”

“Quod scripsi, scripsi. Ingeniarius sum, non scriptor.”

.–. …. — – —  -… -.–  .— — … . .–. ….  -.-. .. .-. .- …

Photographic Thoughts — 03/16/2025 to 03/22/2025

“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 week will show you some of the animals that I encountered during my travels.

Sunday, 03/16/2025: 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, 03/17/2025: 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, 03/18/2025: 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, 03/19/2025: Posted photo — Elk.

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

Thursday, 03/20/2025: 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, 03/21/2025: Post photo — Mini Cow.

One of my sister-in-law’s animals.

Saturday, 03/22/2025: 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.

“Sumens imagines consolatur et inspirat me.”

Photographic Thoughts — 03/02/2025 to 03/08/2025

“When I have a camera in my hand, I know no fear” — Alfred Eisenstaedt

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

I am just getting back from a weekend hike so I did not have time to compose last week’s blog.

This is a blog that I posted three years ago. I will be working on last week’s blog and will post during the week.

Enjoy some more travel photos from past trips.

Sunday, 03/06/2022: Posted photo — Desert View Watchtower.

Settings: Canon EOS DIGITAL REBEL XS, ISO 200, f/5.6, 1/100 s, 20 mm.

Desert View Watchtower, South Rim Grand Canyon National Park.

We arrived at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon just before sunset. We spent the last couple of nights camping and hiking along the North Rim of the Grand Canyon and would be spending time on the South Rim. I have been to the Canyon before, but never from this entrance.

From the National Parks Service: “A National Historic Landmark, the Watchtower was constructed in 1932.The design by Mary Colter, is based on the architecture of the Ancestral Puebloan people of the Southwest. This particular tower was patterned after those found at Hovenweep and the Round Tower of Mesa Verde.”

We have been to Hovenweep and to Mesa Verde and agree with that statement.

Monday, 03/07/2022: Posted photo — Four Corners Monument Navajo Tribal Park.

Settings: Canon EOS DIGITAL REBEL XS, ISO 200, f/16, 1/400 s, 49 mm.

The Four Corners Monument marks the quadripoint in the Southwestern United States where the states of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah meet. It is the only point in the United States shared by four states.

Tuesday, 03/08/2022: Posted photo — Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve.

Settings: Canon EOS DIGITAL REBEL XS, ISO 200, f/13, 1/800 s, 90 mm.

Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, Mosca, CO.

One of the amazing things about the Great Sand Dunes is that you can see them from miles away. As you turn off the main road and head towards the dunes, they are right in front of you. We spent the day hiking the dunes pretending we were in a desert. When you look at this photo, you see a couple of dots in the sand. Those are people. The sand was hot. According to Park Service, the sand surface can reach 150 degrees F (65 degrees C) on a summer afternoon or drop to minus 20 degrees F (minus 29 degrees C) on a winter night. It was close to the 150 degrees when we were walking on the sand.

From the National Parks Service: “The tallest dunes in North America are the centerpiece in a diverse landscape of grasslands, wetlands, forests, alpine lakes, and tundra. Great Sand Dunes National Park is a complex geologic story going back millions of years. Intense volcanic activity built the San Juan mountain range to the west of the modern day dunes and tectonic activity raised the Sangre de Cristo Mountains to the north and east.”

Wednesday, 03/09/2022: Posted photo — Hiking the Narrows.

Settings: Canon EOS DIGITAL REBEL XS, ISO 200, f/9, 1/2050 s, 18 mm.

Zion National Park Springdale, UT.

This is a photo my wife took of me as we were hiking the Narrows in Zion National Park. It was a refreshing hike on a hot summer day. When you hike the Narrows, you need to be very aware of the weather. Because it is so narrow, there is no escape route if there happens to be a flash flood.

From the National Parks Service: “The Narrows is the narrowest section of Zion Canyon. This gorge, with walls a thousand feet tall and the river sometimes just twenty to thirty feet wide, is one of the most popular areas in Zion National Park. You can see The Narrows by hiking along the paved, wheelchair accessible Riverside Walk for one mile from the Temple of Sinawava. If you wish to see more, you will be walking in the Virgin River. This can involve wading upstream for just a few minutes or it can be an all day hike.”

Thursday, 03/10/2022: Posted photo — NRAO Very Large Array.

Settings: Canon EOS DIGITAL REBEL XS, ISO 200, f/10, 1/800 s, 165 mm.

NRAO Very Large Array, Magdalena, NM.

One of the most interesting places to visit. As you can see from the description below, the array can be very large. When we visited, there were 26 radio antennas pointing in one direction and one pointing in an opposite direction. We thought that was strange. They told up that the odd one was scanning the sky.

“The Very Large Array, one of the world’s premier astronomical radio observatories, consists of 27 radio antennas in a Y-shaped configuration on the Plains of San Agustin fifty miles west of Socorro, New Mexico. Each antenna is 25 meters (82 feet) in diameter. The data from the antennas is combined electronically to give the resolution of an antenna 36 km (22 miles) across, with the equivalent sensitivity of a dish 130 meters (422 feet) in diameter.” — http://www.vla.nrao.edu/

Friday, 03/11/2022: Post photo — Owachamo Bridge.

Settings: Canon EOS DIGITAL REBEL XS, ISO 100, f/7.1, 1/125 s, 18 mm.

Owachamo Bridge, Natural Bridges National Monument, UT.

Owachomo is the smallest and thinnest of the three natural bridges in the National Monument and is commonly thought to be the oldest. We had a great hike out to the bridge.

We like to travel to the lesser know parks. These parks are lesser know mostly because of location. They are not close to any major city or town. We like to say it is great to have a park to ourselves.

Dimensions

Height: 106 feet (32 meters)
Span: 180 feet (55 meters)
Width: 27 feet (8 meters)
Thickness: 9 feet (3 meters)

Saturday, 03/12/2022: Post photo — Spruce Tree House.

Settings: Canon EOS DIGITAL REBEL XS, ISO 200, f/5, 1/50 s, 20 mm.

Spruce Tree House, Mesa Verde National Park, CO.

From the National Park Service: “Spruce Tree House, the third largest cliff dwelling (Cliff Palace and Long House are larger), was constructed between about 1211 and 1278 CE by the ancestors of the Pueblo peoples of the Southwest. The dwelling contains about 130 rooms and 8 kivas (kee-vahs), or ceremonial chambers, built into a natural alcove measuring 216 feet (66 meters) at greatest width and 89 feet (27 meters) at its greatest depth. It is thought to have been home for about 60 to 80 people.”

We were lucky enough to get to the park prior to 2012 during one of our northern National Park tours. We were able to explore the Spruce Tree House. We went into some of the rooms and into the kivas. Due to the unstable cliff about the Spruce Tree House, the entire site was closed to the public in October 2015. We have visited the park since then since I have a relative that works at the park. We were able to obtain permits to do some backcountry hiking with my relative guide to some dwellings that are off limits to the public.

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

“Sumens imagines consolatur et inspirat me.”

Photographic Thoughts — 09/01/2024 to 09/07/2024

“A photo is worth a thousand words.” — Frederick R. Barnard

A photo is worth a thousand words. Do not feel creative this week, so I am posting just pictures. You can make up your own story.

Sunday, 09/01/2024: Posted photo — Mushrooms.

Monday, 09/02/2024: Posted photo — Hiking Sign.

Tuesday, 09/03/2024: Posted photo — Turkeys in Yard.

Wednesday, 09/04/2024: Posted photo — Round Meadow Pond Dam.

Thursday, 09/05/2024: Posted photo — Wachusett in the Morning.

Friday, 09/06/2024: Post photo — Hidden Shelter on Trail.

Saturday, 09/07/2024: Post photo — Wachusett from Crow Hill.

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

Photographic Thoughts — 04/28/2024 to 05/04/2024

“I never have taken a picture I’ve intended. They’re always better or worse.” — Diane Arbus

Photo for the week. Comments welcome.

Sunday, 04/28/2024: Posted photo — Leading Lines.

I needed a photo for one of my photos projects this week. The topic was leading lines. I kept my eye open for the perfect photo opportunity and did not find it. I saw the lines in the ceiling leading to the altar, so I took this photo to post if I did not see anything else that met the topic today.

Monday, 04/29/2024: Posted photo — Off on a Hike.

Monday night is hiking night, as you know if you have been following this blog. The last couple of hikes started and ended in daylight. The trails have been drying up over the last few weeks, so more people are out hiking.

These are some of the members of the Monday night hiking group enjoying the good weather.

Tuesday, 04/30/2024: Posted photo — Trail Junction.

This is the trail junction of Harrington and Semuhenna on Wachusett Mountain. Semuhenna trail a 1.1 mile connector trail. The trail I took tonight was a 0.5 mile sections between Harrington and West Side. Most of the time I go up Harrington. The section of Harrington after this trail junction is the steepest section on the mountain. It is steep and there are many scrambles for novice hikers.

Semuhenna is not an old Indian name, as most people believe. Looking at the name backwards, it is Annehumes or Anne Humes, the name of the wife (or daughter according to some people) of the person who made the trail.

Wednesday, 05/01/2024: Posted photo — Texture in the Sky.

When I looked at the cloudy sky tonight, I saw textures in the clouds. There is rain coming in tonight. I do not think that this photo does this justice. Sometimes it is difficult to relay the emotion of nature into a photo. Sometimes the photo puts more emotion into nature. I think this photo is too blown out to have the intended emotional value.

Thursday, 05/02/2024: Posted photo — Fiddleheads.

Fiddleheads are the tightly coiled tips of ferns that are eaten cooked. These delicate delights are available only in early spring when ferns grow their new shoots. These fiddleheads are growing near my mailbox. I may have posted photos of fiddleheads earlier this year and they are still growing. They are around for a very short period.

Friday, 05/03/2024: Post photo — Mount Rainier.

This mountain always inspires me. Either seeing it from Seattle, hiking on it, viewing from different sections of the national park, or flying past it, Mount Rainier is majestic. I feature Mount Rainier on the cover of my first photo book (portfolio book).

An active volcano, Mount Rainier is the most glaciated peak in the contiguous U.S.A., spawning five major rivers. I have camped at Mount Rainier a few times and always remember the signs stating that this is an active volcano, and I am camping in a lava flow path.

I took a photo of a waterfall one spring and went back a couple of years later to take a photo of the waterfall with more snow cover. I had the GPS location but could not find it. After looking at my path, I was standing on top of the waterfall and could not see it because of the snow cover.

Saturday, 05/04/2024: Post photo — Historic Marker.

I have Wilderness First Aid (WFA) training today and tomorrow. This class will certify my in doing first aid on people that are more than 1 hour away from definitive care. That means when I am leading groups or hiking in the mountains or a remote location.

On the way to the training, I passed this historical marker in the John Havard Mall adjacent to the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) headquarters.

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

Photographic Thoughts — 04/14/2023 to 04/20/2024

“There is one thing the photograph must contain, the humanity of the moment.” —Robert Frank

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

This week I will be re-posting photos of posters that I made from various trips.

Sunday, 04/14/24: Posted photo — Prince of Wales Hotel.

Settings: N/A.

Prince of Wales Hotel, Waterton Lake National Park, Waterton Park, AB

Monday, 04/15/2024: Posted photo — Indian Pipe.

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Indian Pipe from my backyard in Westminster, MA.

Tuesday, 04/16/2024: Posted photo — Mountain Sunset.

Settings: N/A.

One of the amazing sunsets seen from the summit of Wachusett Mountain in Princeton, MA.

Wednesday, 04/17/2024: Posted photo — Bison.

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Part of a herd of bison in Wind Cave National Park in South Dakota.

Thursday, 04/18/2024: Posted photo — Washington HQ.

Settings: N/A.

General George Washington’s Headquarters in Valley Forge National Historic Park.

Friday, 04/19/2024: Post photo — Arethusa Falls.

Settings: N/A.

One of the many waterfalls in the White Mountain National Forest.

Saturday, 04/20/2024: Post photo — Devils Tower.

Settings: N/A.

The inside of an ancient volcano. Devils Tower in Devils Tower National Monument in Wyoming.

Here are a couple of bonus posters for this week.

The Bean in Millennium Park in Chicago.

Half Dome in Yosemite National Park in California.

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