Vinca

So it's raining again. As I was searching for something to shoot this afternoon, I happened upon the vinca in one of my garden beds. I just raked here this weekend. I love that it keeps its deep, green tones, even after being covered with snow all winter long. It will look even better once it sports its pretty, light purple petals!

Jelly Beans

I enjoy jelly beans this time of year. I bought some of the "gourmet jelly beans" for fun, and I have to say I like some of the flavors. But then there are flavors like caramel corn or buttered popcorn or Dr. Pepper. The latter is best as a soda only! What is your favorite flavor of jelly bean?

Golf Anyone?

My husband is a land surveyor. While working around the state, he has come across many a stray golf ball and picked it up. He offered up his collection today (of which this is a small portion) for me to shoot. Mind you, although I'd like to, I do not golf. But as I sorted out the ones I wanted in the photo, I began to notice the number of balls that carried a special endorsement of a product, company, destination, or cause. I found it fascinating the variety of logos found on these golf balls, but it also got me to thinking- what does this say about the game of golf?

Purple Crocuses

Remember the crocuses I uncovered last Saturday? It's amazing what a week of above normal temperatures and sun will do! Such a nice surprise!

Emerged Tulips

My second graders have a Journey North tulip garden. We planted Red Emperor tulip bulbs in the fall (along with other schools throughout the country and world). Then everybody waits for spring's arrival as the tulips first emerge, and then bloom. As you view the Journey North data, one can literally watch spring's "journey north". I have been doing this for over 6 years now. This is the earliest emergence, to be seconded only by the spring of 2006. Wacky weather!

March Sunrise

I was out walking early this morning with camera in tow. I was enjoying shooting the before-sunrise pastel colors in the sky. Before I knew it, the sun was up!

Wrought Iron

This morning I got out for an early morning walk. I passed this interesting wrought iron gate at the entrance to a local cemetery down the street. This weekend I learned, at a local genealogy meeting, that there is apparently a federal law stating that all cemeteries wherein a veteran of the Revolutionary War is laid to rest, must be enclosed by a wrought iron fence. Interesting!

Kitty Toes

Our cat likes to recline on the couch during the colder months and bask in the heat from the wood stove. (Once we measured him at over 3 feet long when totally stretched!) Love his cute, little toes!

Roots

In addition to considering myself an "experienced amateur photographer", I also consider myself an "experienced amateur genealogist". I started back about 7 years ago researching family medical history, and I was bitten by the genealogy bug! During my research I've learned a lot about my ancestors, as well as history in general. It's been fascinating! This gentleman is my great, great grandfather, John Dyer. He fought in the Civil War. This photo was taken sometime before he died in 1917, thanks to the good fortune of having had a professional photographer in the family at the turn of the century. John was what genealogists refer to as a "roadblock"- I had many clues, but given his common name, I hadn't uncovered conclusive evidence of when or where he died. Finally last spring I happened upon the information I was looking for- a copy of the death certificate from the veteran's hospital where he died. It brought many pieces of information and possible leads together with one simple document. Now I can look at his picture with a sense of accomplishment...and knowledge.

First Crocuses-2010

Raked out the garden beds today. I was hoping to find some crocuses underneath all those leaves. Peek-a-boo!

Tabletop

One of our tables is covered by this creation made by my grandmother, likely 50 years ago. I think this might be an example of tatting, though I'm not sure. I love the contrast of it against the dark wood. I also love the reminder of a beloved family member every time I look at it.

Newest Addition

The latest addition to the family. It just arrived today! Researched the price, performance and popularity, and decided that this was the best pick. I hope to read up over the coming weekend and start shooting with it soon! (Thanks to those who voted on my blog poll!)

Barberry

I probably should know what kind of bush this is, but I don't. It has some nasty-looking thorns protruding from it too. Spotted it on a chilly morning walk today and was drawn to the red.
P.S: I've figured out this is barberry!

Big Old Burl

This burl is growing on the side of a tree across the street. I searched the term online and found out that a burl is a tree growth in which the grain has grown in a deformed manner. Apparently burls are highly valued and sought after by woodworkers and the like. A burl results from a tree undergoing some form of stress. Aren't you glad that humans don't respond to stress in a similar way?

Sap's Running

Every year these sap buckets get hung up on the maple trees near my house in early to mid-March. Spring can't be far away if the sap's running. I can just smell that maple syrup now!

Swinging Bridge

This swinging bridge is in a nearby town. It was built back in 1892 for mill workers to cross the river on foot from new housing to a mill on the other side. It's now on the National Register of Historic Places, and was renovated in 2006. Would you believe during high school my husband rode across this bridge in a VW Bug with some buddies? Unbelievable!

Bugged Birch

This birch tree is in my back yard. As the number of woodpecker holes signal, it must be rotten and riddled with bugs! It's bark looks so aged and brittle.

Moon Dog

We learned in digital photography class this week about the "blue 60"- the hour before dawn and dusk where you get rich, blue tones in the sky. I couldn't resist the "moon dog" either!

Lazin'

My daughter loves to read, thankfully. What a great habit to develop as a teenager!

Lamp

I've had this lamp for many years now. I love its textures!

Time For a Change

After the 4" of rain that's fallen in the last few days... I think it's time for a change.

Peace Rock

So I came home from a bad day at school with a throbbing headache, and in search of a "pic of the day". No sooner had I told my husband that I was "off to my happy place" (ie. shooting pictures), than I looked down one of my garden beds and saw this. The drenching rains of the weekend have taken the snow, and exposed a leftover "garden rock". I found the message rather ironic!

Siphon in Action

I needed to take an "action shot" for this week's digital photography class using a slow shutter speed. After our 12-hour power outage on Friday, the siphon system we used to sump our basement was still running full blast! Thought I might create a soft image of the water, but didn't totally get the effect I was hoping for. Not really happy with this shot, but it served as a learning experience if nothing else. At least the basement's not flooded!

Cookies

A cold, raw day is perfect for some comfort food. My 14-year old daughter loves to cook (a trait she did not inherit from me). Chocolate chip cookies made from scratch. YUM!

Wash-Out

Yep- as alluded to in last night's photo, we got hit with a powerful storm that delivered over 3 inches of rain, sustained winds of 30-40 mph, and a lot of power outages. This morning we were disappointed to find that our driveway had yet again washed out, for about the seventh time this year! Such strange weather for February in New England!

Candlelight

Copious amounts of rain + Flood Warning + High Wind Warning = potential power outages. Best be prepared tonight, I say.

Truck Turkey

Okay, so this isn't my best photo yet, but perhaps among my weirder ones! Although we live right in town, we've seen lots of "critters" over the years, but to look out and see a huge turkey sitting on top of my son's truck... well this was just strange this morning! Perhaps he needed a ride to work? (And here I was worrying about a picture of the day!)

Thread

Our spare room finally got renovated last year. In our 125 year old house, it's taken almost 18 years to work on this, the last room! Part of the renovation included adding a sewing area for me. My friends and family know what an organization fanatic I am. It felt so good to get my collection of thread tidied up as well!

Fancy Grass

Out for a morning walk today before school, I spotted this fancy-looking grass. I loved the contrast of textures.

Low Tide

I headed down to a local state park this morning, unsure of what I might capture. Luckily it was low tide, which afforded me all kinds of options I wouldn't have had at high tide! (I feel so fortunate to live near the ocean.) I couldn't believe it when I returned and uploaded 79 photos! How did that happen?

Tracks

Apparently the tracks near our house will not just carry freight, but passengers as well within two years. I find this prospect encouraging from both an environmental and historical perspective. There are so many positive opportunities in this. I wonder, though, how having a local train stop might change things in town. Not necessarily change for the worse... just different.

Happy

This week's assignment for my digital photography class is to take portraits. My daughter was a willing victim...er...subject. Very pretty subject at that!

Glasses

Noticed these glasses in the hutch today and thought they might make a nice photo. I've always liked the variety of colors in the bases.

Green Sea Glass

A friend asked me today if I was wishing for spring. She was referring to me likely wanting new material to shoot for this Project 365 challenge. Truth be told, although I am learning lots about my camera, and thoroughly enjoying the challenge, she echoed the very thought I've wrestled with as of late. Winter has not been very "scenic" here in northern New England this year. So here's a new take on a previous theme. My day #20 photo featured this glass in a container alongside my containers of brown and clear sea glass. I think it's much more interesting spread out like this, though! (Keep an eye out for the clear and brown in a similar spread!)

February Snow

As alluded to in yesterday's post, snowfall has been unusually light this winter. This afternoon a light snow began with large, light, fluffy flakes. This was apparently the first snowfall here in 3-1/2 weeks. Quite a contrast on the green rhododendron leaves!

Winter Corn

Usually in mid-February, these rows would be fully covered in snow. Not this year, though. Seems as though we're almost in a period of drought to make up for the rainy summer and fall. All the big storms have gone south of us.

Stained Glass

Looks a little like a quilt square, but it's not. I love the stained glass window in my bedroom. It always forces the sunlight into a variety of shades of colors.

Balusters

Okay, so you really do learn something new every day. I had to look up the correct spelling for "baluster", and in the process found that the word originates from the Italian word for wild pomegranate flower. "So named because part of the pillar resembles the curving calyx tube of the flower." Hmm. I guess it does!

Sweetness

This morning a colleague on my wing surprised us with Valentine cookies! They were delicious! How sweet!

Multi Links

Got out the multi link cubes for a math lesson today. No wonder the kids love using them. So colorful!

Why Would Somebody Keep These in a Jar?

Oak plugs. They belonged to my dad. After he passed away, we found them amongst lots of stuff in a jar in his barn. Why would somebody keep these in a jar? The same reason my dad kept most things. You might need it someday!

Good Kitty

Remember the toilet paper incident from two days ago? (Day #38) Well here's the antithesis- good kitty!

Appreciation

After an especially tough PET meeting this morning, I was totally shocked to find these on my desk after lunch today! They were from the student-in-question's mom with a note confirming that I am truly appreciated. Parents rarely go to such lengths, but when they do... we remember it.

Bad Kitty

So I walked into the bathroom this morning to find this spare roll of paper torn to shreds. Apparently my cat had aggressions he felt he needed to take out on this helpless roll of T.P. Better the roll than one of us, I guess! Cats!

Old Fashioned Taste

A few years ago we cleaned out the old family camp in preparation for renovation. In the process we found these old glass soda bottles. Several are from local companies (no longer in business). Others were national companies but bottled locally. In case you're having trouble reading them, left to right they are: Moxie, Clark's, Pepsi Cola, 7-Up, Hires, and Leary's.

Hearts

I bought some Valentine gel clings for decorating my classroom this year. Shot this right out through a classroom window. Another beautiful, blue sky today too!

Sprinkled

Overnight we got a dusting of snow and cooler temperatures. Almost looked like the ground and vehicles (this is the back of my husband's truck) had been sprinkled with sugar!

Glowing

I snapped a quick photo of my cat, Graham. It wasn't until I downloaded it to my computer that I noticed the freaky quality of his glowing eyes! This is totally unedited. Bizarre! (He really is a lot more affectionate than he looks here too.)

Buttons

It's been a really long day and I was looking for something to shoot (picture-wise, that is). I took a photo over the weekend identical to this for my photography class. It actually came out much better than this. But to stay true to the technical aspect of "taking a photo a day", I decided to re-shoot this photo for day#33. Not sure how good a choice that was.... but here it is. And if you ever lose a button, I've got quite a variety on hand!

Pink and Purple

Bought another bouquet of flowers this weekend. It really becomes a chronic need during the winter months. And after all, it is February now. Can spring be that far away???