ABC Wednesday - X is for Xylology

X is for Xylology............







This is my 5th time of trying to come up with an idea for the letter X.

It was not an easy task - I had to take to the internet as my dictionary isn't as advanced in X words as it should be.

So I stumbled across the word, xylology, which means the study of the structure of wood.

And I thought, if I really stretch it, I have a photo for that!

I found this old tree stump in a field on an outing last spring, and I couldn't resist snapping a photo - it looked just like a face.

A gnarled face with a very lopsided grin, but it had all the characteristics in the right places for a face.

So I figure that studying the structure of this face in the wood must constitute as xylology.

Do you think we can stretch it that far?






This is the fifth round of ABC Wednesday. If you would like to join in please visit this site for the details.

White Birch Bark in the Snow - My World

White Birch Bark in the Snow







The wind picked up after a recent snow/ice storm, and it was blowing pine needles and pine cones all over the place.

This piece of white birch bark must have become loose on the tree and the wind whipped it off.

The White Birch is our State Tree.

As beautiful as they are, they are a rather weak tree and are the first to succumb to the weight of the snow and ice in the winter.

If they are young enough to regain their strength, they will straighten back up in the spring.

The older ones usually die though and it is not uncommon to see them scattered on the forest floor.

Garden Snake

Garden Snake







Last week I posted about a wood pile in our backyard.

I tend to give it a wide berth as a snake has surprised me a few times I have walked by it.

This is the resident of that woodpile.

The boys caught it sunning one afternoon and called me out so I could grab a photo.

I would have loved to get closer, but my fear of him coming after me would only allow me so much - and this was it.

If we catch him sunning this summer, I will use my new lens to keep a great distance, but capture him nice and close.

I am looking forward to this one!

Happy Holidays Around the World

Happy Holidays!







Happy Holidays!

Vacances heureuses !

Glückliche Feiertage!

Ευχαρίστως διακοπές!

Vacanze felici!

Glad Fridager !

Happy Święta!

¡Vacaciones felices!

Maligayang Pasko

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all my friends around the world!

Be safe in your travels and enjoy all the special gifts this season has to offer!

ABC Wednesday - W is for Winter Wood Pile

W is for Winter Wood Pile............







Won't be long until this whole pile is covered under a blanket of snow.

We don't have a woodstove or fire place to burn these logs - they were just neatly cut and stacked after the tree fell down in the back yard.

A few of the logs have come in handy for a bonfire, but other than that, they are resting against the stone wall and becoming home to at least one snake that I have seen on them.

Right there, that's enough to keep me from touching them.






This is the fifth round of ABC Wednesday. If you would like to join in please visit this site for the details.

Snow on the Pond - My World

Snow on the Pond - My World







I don't remember ever having such a cold snap in December.

The cold winds and single digit temperatures are usually reserved for January and February.

But not this year.

The snow is frozen solid - a big ice pack already.

And today is the first full day of winter - wonder what the rest of the season will bring,

I am just glad that each day is getting longer - only a minute at a time, but longer nonetheless!

Baby Has Arrived

Baby Has Arrived







We have a precious new addition to our family.

My daughter gave birth to our grandson yesterday, at 3:13 in the morning.

He weighed in at 7 pounds and 12 ounces and measured 20 1/2 inches long.

I couldn't be more proud of my beautiful daughter.

She has that special glow that only new mothers have and both parents have already developed such a strong bond to this new little life.

And we can't get enough of him either - he will never be short on love.

Newborns are indeed a miracle!

ABC Wednesday - V is for Visiting

V is for Visiting............







They were clear across the park, but I could see that these two friends were having a great visit with each other.

They must have stood there for over an hour and half, enjoying the view and each others company.

They were quite animated and the sound of laughter would drift over on the wind every now and then.

Certainly a great spot to spend some time with a friend.





This is the fifth round of ABC Wednesday. If you would like to join in please visit this site for the details.

Fishing in the Harbor

Fishing in the Harbor







The photo I posted yesterday is a view from under the structure that is out on the end of this breaker wall.

As I said, I don't get out there too often - the walk is intimidating at times.

But my boys love to go out to the end and do some fishing.

I sat on the shore, and just waited for my son to take another cast with his rod.

See the darkness that goes halfway up the rocks - that's the high tide mark.

So quite a bit of this wall is under the water - and it rushes in between those rocks all the time with a vengeance.

We have been there on days when the wind and surf is so wild that it is flying over the top of that wall like it wasn't even there.

That's what I think of when I am walking out too far on those rocks, and the wimp in me wins out.

And I sit down on whatever rock I am on.

And when I get brave again, I hightail it off them in a hurry.

Someday I will get out to the end again - I have a new lens I would love to experiment with out there.

ABC Wednesday - U is for Under

U is for Under............







This structure stands on the end of a wall built of huge boulders that form a protective barrier for the harbor against the open sea.

The rocks out to this marker in the harbor are very uneven with large spaces between them.

You hear the water crashing under and against them as you walk on them to get to the end.

Of all the times I have been to this wall, I have only walked out the the end a couple of times.

I have to really talk myself into getting out there - heights and jumping across wide open spaces are not my forte.

This marker stands on the very end - behind me is the edge and the rolling ocean crashing on the rocks.





This is the fifth round of ABC Wednesday. If you would like to join in please visit this site for the details.

Photo Tip Friday Will Return After the Holidays

Photo Tip Friday - Returning After the New Year







As the holidays draw nearer, my plate is becoming overfilled with many projects, obligations, and family.

I will have to postpone new Photo Tip Friday posts until after the New Year.

Until then, my friends, grab a piece of this delicious chocolate fudge and enjoy it's rich, smooth flavor.

Many batches will be made in the coming weeks so there is enough to go around.

ABC Wednesday - T is for Tees

T is for Tees............







Golf tees, that is.

These are the best kind - made of completely biodegradable wood that goes back to the earth when the golfers forget to pick them up.

We have also used them for crafts, and the most ingenuous use was one time while we were camping.

With no running water, we kept a plastic jug filled with water and it had a hole towards the bottom.

The plug for the hole - you guessed it - a golf tee.

It worked as running water for washing hands, and the kids got a kick out of using it.

They didn't mind filling the water jug on that trip!





This is the fifth round of ABC Wednesday. If you would like to join in please visit this site for the details.

Feathery Grasses - My World

Feathery Grasses - My World







The tall feathery grasses along the ocean have lost all their color as they ready themselves for the upcoming winter.

The wind was really whipping, and when spring approaches, those feathery tops will be few and far between.

Between the wind and the heavy snows, many of the stalks will break off.

If this photo had sound, you would hear the rustle and shake of the dried stalks - it is actually pretty loud.