Trees are poems that the earth writes upon the sky.”  
― Kahlil Gibran, Sand and Foam


This tree is directly across the street from my house.  It seemed astonishingly beautiful a few days ago when I took this photo.  A different day, a new perspective.

Block Island in Black and White

When I went to Block Island a few weeks ago, the plan was to capture the island completely in black and white.  Then the sun came out and some of the colors really worked for me.  Plus, it had been a dreary winter, so the whole black and white idea faded a bit. 
Today I want to post the pictures that had been my original plan, the ones that seemed to work without color.  For me, these photos capture the comfort of the solitude I feel when I'm on this island.  I have been visiting Block Island for close to 15 years and I never tire of it.  I am forever seeing something new, or with different eyes.  If there is a place of belonging for me, this is it.




 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

First Day of Spring

When I first moved to the northeast, someone told me,  "We must honor winter for the privilege of spring."  Ok, I have honored winter.  I am now ready for spring or at least for the snow to melt.  It snowed the entire day today.  In fact, snow continues to fall lightly this evening.  I have always loved winter, but this year I've had enough.

Can't wait until it's warm enough for the cows to return!

Block Island

The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever.
~Jacques Yves Cousteau

Surrounded by water for three days here on Block Island,  I've found myself totally content.  I will never tire of the sea and even in the dead of winter, the stark nature of this island is wonderfully alluring.

Right now we're under a Winter Storm Warning with 3-5 inches of snow expected during the overnight.  I'm hoping to leave on the 8:15 a.m. ferry tomorrow.  Then, homeward bound. Will get to the mainland and assess the traveling situation from there.  I'm not one for highway driving on icy snowy roads and this looks like a wet snow.  Regardless, it is beautiful.

View from my room at the 1661 Inn.

Charming house near the sea

Ah, the sea....

View from the porch of my favorite house on the island.  Breathtaking!

My favorite house on the island.  It IS a "bit of heaven."

ice patterns

more ice patterns

more....

My favorite street on the island - Dories Cove Road..  I had to take it from my car, very icy and narrow due to the snow.  You can't see the stone walls (snow covered), which make this road particularly enchanting.   Love the way this road seems to literally drop into the sea.

 Across the frozen pond.

Winter's quiet.

My last night on the island and it's snowing.  Magical.  Feels like Christmas, not March 1st.

February 23, 2015



 

“My soul is full of longing
for the secret of the sea,
and the heart of the great ocean
sends a thrilling pulse through me.”
― Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

I needed to be near the sea, so took off for Mystic CT last weekend with stops in Stonington and Niantic CT.  It is where I feel most at home.

Weather was frigid, the coldest day of the year, so I had the Mystic Seaport Museum practically to myself.  I immersed myself in maritime history, spent hours with the painting and photography and then time outside by the sea and ships.  Great day!  Later I caught the sunset in Stonington, getting lost as usual on its narrow one way streets which seem to have no rhyme or reason, except they lead to the sea.  The next morning on my way home I walked along the boardwalk in Niantic CT.  This town probably would look like Mystic except for the nuclear plant that one can see from the boardwalk.  Strange.

The Morgan.  She's a beauty!

On board the Charles W. Morgan, whaling ship, Mystic CT

Stonington CT

Stonington CT

Niantic CT - a frigid 7 degrees as I walked by the bay.  I felt invigorated!
 

February 15

There is one word for today - COLD.  I am up late watching the temperatures drop and paying attention to the pipes that could freeze.   Tonight will probably be our coldest night yet with temperatures expected to dip to at least 14 below and who knows how cold it will really be with the wind howling outside.  Oh my.  It's colder than St. Paul, Minnesota!!  I wouldn't mind being in warmer climes, but there's a sense of adventure with this wild weather. 

 I read this quote today and it felt true for me...

"In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer.
And that makes me happy. For it says that no matter how hard the world pushes against me, within me, there’s something stronger – something better, pushing right back.”
~Albert Camus

The photo below I have named "blowing not snowing."  Snow was blowing so hard this morning that I couldn't see the barn across the street.  I had to wait with the camera close by to capture it as the snow blew hard in intervals.  But, I think I caught it!

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.