February 12, 2015

Can't believe how much time has gotten away from me.  I've put my blog aside for too long.   And, it's the dead of winter!  Yeah, winter is forcing itself upon us with a vengeance.  Tomorrow the weather forecast is predicting a high of 2 degrees!  Yikes.  As crazy as the season can be, it continues to hold a fascination for me, probably the reason I live here.

I prefer winter and fall, when you feel the bone structure of the landscape. Something waits beneath it; the whole story doesn't show.

Andrew Wyeth

It does feel as if something "waits beneath."  I hope.

 

Here's  a photo from today's early morning snow and then another barn photo with subtle sunset colors. 

 

 

Barn and snow - across the street from my house.

Sunset over the barn.


 

January 17

Can't believe we had another dreary day with freezing rain.  However, the slightly warm weather is a plus 

I have always loved the forced solitude of winter.   I was out with friends last night and I was completely happy to spend my entire day at home today, wood fire going, house warm and cozy.  Perfect.

Seems like many friends want to head south.  But, I really truly embrace winter.  Found this Steinbeck quote today.  It speaks to the fact that I'm becoming seasonal in nature.  I feel no need to escape the winter.  In fact, I'm headed to Maine in a few weeks. 

“What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness.”
― John Steinbeck, Travels with Charley: In Search of America


In attemping to keep with the 365 day photo challenge, I'll post a few photos taken this past week.  I'm shooting with a simple point and shoot.  Temperatures were too cold for my DSLR.

Waiting for the light to change - Sidney, NY 

 

 

 

January

Another icy mess today, but at least it was warm.  Loving the bit of extra daylight each day.

 "The shortest day has passed, and whatever nastiness of weather we may look forward to in January and February, at least we notice that the days are getting longer.  Minute by minute they lengthen out.  It takes some weeks before we become aware of the change.  It is imperceptible even as the growth of a child, as you watch it day by day, until the moment comes when with a start of delighted surprise we realize that we can stay out of doors in a
twilight lasting for another quarter of a precious hour."
-  Vita Sackville-West


Because of the ice, it was tricky to get outside to shoot photos today.  Most of the day it was sleet or freezing rain coming down.  Not exactly what I want to expose my camera to.

The 365 day photo challenge, my New Year's resolution, is not going quite as planned.  I'm not getting  a photo every day,  but it's close.  Here's a couple from the past few days taken from my kitchen window.  The first photo was taken about 5 p.m. with the lingering daylight and below it, almost the same view the next morning.

Love that it's 5 o'clock and I can still see the barn!

 

365 Day Photo Challenge

“You don't make a photograph just with a camera. You bring to the act of photography all the pictures you have seen, the books you have read, the music you have heard, the people you have loved.”  
― Ansel Adams

 

 

Today I started the first day of my 365 day photo challenge.  I didn't feel particularly creative, but got a few more shots of the river with my little point and shoot.  A couple photos are similar to yesterday, but without the mist.   Temperatures are now warming up with another ice/snow event in the forecast.  I probably could've used my DSLR today with the warmer temps, plus I finally bought the fog eliminator cloth for my lens.  I'm also getting the system down of acclimating my camera from colder to warmer temperatures.  This is something one never had to think about with film cameras, but technology makes life a bit trickier, although I couldn't live without it!

With warmer temperatures, I did manage to make it to the car wash in-between taking pics.  Glad I had my ice treads on, but I think ice skates would've been more appropriate.  Winter is a constant adventure!  Its beauty is what holds me here.



Ice on the Delaware River



 

It's Cold!!

 

Temperatures were below zero a couple nights ago.  Yikes!  Schools were delayed, so kids didn't have to wait for buses in the bitter cold.  Many friends had pipes freeze and some of us struggled to stay warm.  No one seems to want to turn up their thermostat when it's that cold, even though fuel prices are fairly low right now.  I'm happy to have the wood on the front porch (above) that I use for these super cold days, as opposed to hauling wood from the woodshed.  For some odd reason, my friend Greg and I decided to build the woodshed quite a distance from the house.  Not sure what we were thinking!    Anyway, temperatures climbed to around 12 degrees today, somewhat of a heat wave I suppose.  I went to the dump, so I was outside for awhile, but literally felt like I needed to thaw out when I returned to my house.  Wood stove is keeping things warm and cozy right now.

 

As to photos, I'm nervous about taking my DSLR with me in the car.  The cold is ok for my camera, but not jumping in and out of a car with a camera that has warmed up in the car to take a picture in sub-zero temperatures.  Guess it can damage the sensor.  So, my latest challenge is taking pictures with my $90 Canon Point and Shoot.  I've gotten a few good shots, which I'll post below.

 

Another challenge I'm taking on is a 365 day photo shoot.  This means I'm  taking a picture every day.  Even if it's in the house. Charley the cat is always a good subject.  It's a way for me to hone my skills and force myself to think about photography on a daily basis.  Not so difficult, as I love taking pictures!  The hard part is squeezing in the time around my day job.

 

The Delaware River was particularly beautiful last Thursday early morning when my car told me it was -2 degrees.  I do love winter, not the bitter cold though.  Hopefully, this will pass.

 

Here are the pics taken with my little point and shoot from the Callicoon Bridge, which crosses from NY to PA.  I love the maroon colors in one of them, but I'm also drawn to black/white photography these days.  So, I'm sharing a similar shot with both.

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

One more shot with the point and shoot - inside of an old barn with light snow falling outside.
 

A New Year

For last year's words belong to last year's language
And next year's words await another voice.”
― T.S. Eliot


As I get older, I am stunned by the passage of time and how quickly this year flew by.  Today marks the first day of a new year.  I am feeling tired and it's not particularly the best way to welcome 2015.  Stayed up late with friends ringing in the new year.   I probably should attempt to  nap, but decided to blog instead.

I refuse to go crazy with resolutions this year.  It has never been my thing.  I do know I want to keep taking pictures and not get frustrated when I don't capture the right moment.  Sometimes that's a tricky piece for me.  Letting go of expectations and practicing acceptance - not just with my photography, but with life as well.  Ok, I guess I do have some resolutions!

Winter is upon us and I am forced to remember what the cold of this season feels like.  I put on "Big Black," my long down coat, to go outside, and I keep the home fires burning.  Thank God for a wood stove.  Love its warmth!

We had a series of dark dreary days, at least fifteen of them.  It had begun to wear on me and then this magically warm sunny day arrived with temperatures almost hitting 50.  I called a friend to have wine and cheese at the lake, followed by dinner here at my house.  The lake was gorgeous.  First visible sunset in days, and ice beginning to form on the lake.  A perfect evening.

On Swago Pond after "dock"tails.

The ice cometh.

 

Winter sky near the lake.

 

Ice patterns

 

 

Spectacular sky.

Happy New Year!!

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

Winter Solstice

 

Yesterday marked the beginning of the winter solstice.  It's a happy time for me because I look forward to more daylight each day.  I took the photo above about a week ago when there was a bit of snow on the ground, but all the snow has disappeared now.  It has been gray and dreary with absolutely no sunlight for days on end.  I've lost track of the cloudy days.  My guess is we've had about ten days of no sun and it's expected to stay this way.  Rain is in the forecast for Christmas Eve.  Not exactly the white Christmas that I'd hoped for.  But, we'll make the most of it, turning on the festive decorations and lighting the candles, creating our own holiday cheer.

 

I remember living in Key West and wishing for a cloudy day.  I tell my friends that I got more than I wished for when I moved to this little corner of the northeast.  But, soon the snow will arrive.  It's almost inevitable and then my little world will be transformed.  Can't wait! 

 

Yeah, I'm one of the crazy people who  loves winter and gets excited about snowstorms.  It's a forced retreat that I cherish.  In a big storm, the world  around us often comes to a complete halt.  Kind of special.  And, peaceful.  But, not for the faint of heart.  I often think that my sailing days prepared me for the serious snowstorms and sometimes bitter cold.  It's another adventure.

No big storms yet this year, so I'll post some winter photos from the past couple years.

 

The barn across the street. Why would I want to go south??

 

Delaware River - looking south from Basket Bridge.

 

Winter on Swago Pond.



 

A sunny shot of the barn.
 

 

Snow falling in the backyard, magical.