Sunday, January 27, 2013

Warming trend?

No.

8:00 AM 26 January

I think it got colder during the day. At least it felt like it did! I just hate the cold. There's nothing good about the cold. It's been like this for a week now.

L is really crabby having been barn bound a few days because of the footing. It's hard for everybody.

Get away from me!

What happens is the mud gets all churned up when it's mild and then it freezes that way. The footing is very treacherous.

The property is abundant with life even in the cold. Along with bunnies and the mice I see a lone coyote happened by within the past few hours.

Fresh coyote tracks

The wind and the sun distorted those tracks. But not by much. They're just a few hours old. We have some good sized coyotes pass through! We've seen them. As a matter of fact L has, more than once, wanted to chase them down and stomp them.

Last week while in the woods we came across this.

Holly?

The green as you can see was quite conspicuous. I was very surprised to find holly out there. Apparently some species are native to eastern North America but I've *never* seen holly growing wild. That's a male holly tree. It had to have been planted by somebody. It appears to be thriving.

I would love to know more about the history of the property. Oh I've looked. The grounds are criss crossed with stone walls and brooks have been diverted with sophisticated dams that fell into disrepair decades ago. One of these days I'll have to see if I can find something at the local historical society.


Product Review!

My hands have been like blocks of ice at the ends of my arms this year. So I got these.

Fleece lined double ragg mittens from Fox River

Love 'em! Two thumbs up!

Monday, January 7, 2013

Pet Projects. Part 2.

My second pet project this year has been scanning some old slides.

Cape Cod Light April 1981

Many years ago I supported myself for a time as a photographer. Oh I did stock material and weddings and advertising and some newsworthy things. I have hundreds and hundreds of slides, mostly Kodachrome, and an additional hundreds, if not thousands of negatives. I sent what I felt were the better ones to these guys to be scanned. They did an excellent job and I'm very pleased with their service.

It's said a (good) picture tells a story. Which is true. But I think a good picture evokes a story. Still photography freezes a moment in time and has the power to make one wonder. Abandoned places have always fascinated me - they make me wonder in a way occupied places don't. I chose to share this picture because it's been bothering me. It's the Cape Cod Light keeper's house in 1981. Cape Cod Light, also called Highland Light, in N. Truro, MA, is historically significant.

Cape Cod Light, also known as Highland Light, N. Truro, MA, April 1981

I thought it would be fun to look up the light on Google Maps and see an aerial view where I took these pictures. But the pieces don't add up. Nothing looks right as I remember it. Then yesterday I figured it out! They moved it!

In 1996 they moved the lighthouse and the lighthouse keeper's house is gone forever.

But the mystery doesn't end there. The lighthouse keeper's house pictured above was built in 1961 and, according to the record, was used as housing by the Coast Guard until 1986. So why is it boarded up in 1981? I have no idea. Maybe it was boarded up for the winter and only occupied in the summer months? I find it hard to believe the Coast Guard was anxious about Winter weather!

It remains a mystery.

I like this picture better:


I think it's more timeless and has a romantic quality the color picture doesn't have. It's not a desaturated version of the picture above. Black and white pictures need to be made from black and white film. I'm old fashioned about that. Back in the day I'd carry different cameras with different films. The first picture and the last picture were taken with different cameras. Same lens, same tripod in the same place, different camera with different film.

Tuesday, January 1, 2013

Looks like Winter

This is the first real winter storm we've had in over a year.

30 December 2012

Oh I don't mind the snow so much. This wasn't very pleasant. I don't like the cold and I don't like the wind.

This stuff just makes me enjoy Summer all that much more. And I have to admit hot chocolate is a nice thing on a day like this.



My friends are frequently amused by what is, sometimes anyway, my downright uncanny devotion to my habits.

For example. My Christmas day ride with L. Every year. Same time. Same place. Here, check this picture I took last year. And compare it with ..this picture this year.

Riding L. Christmas Day 2012

I didn't plan that. It just sort of worked out that way. As a matter of fact it wasn't until a day or two later I realized the picture looked familiar. They really were taken a year apart! We didn't have the owls keeping us company this year.
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