Another Winter for Rusty

Each winter I fear will be his last.

But with his determination and spirit, he always makes it through.

Rusty, our pet feral cat, came to us over 14 years, that we can figure.

Actually I think he has been around longer than that, as I remember our pet cat chasing him out of the yard, and he has been gone for over 15 years.

He refuses to come in the house - the wild in him just won't allow it.

But he is with us every time we step outside.

He follows us to get the mail, to shovel the snow, or just to walk around the house.

If we are working outside, he will be laying beside us, keeping us company and purring all the while.

He permits a pat, just barely tolerates being picked up, but when the brush comes around, he can't get enough of it.

He has put his winter heft and thick coat of fur back on.

And he is still at the door every morning and evening - he is not about to miss a meal.

We will continue our care for him as long as he wants to stay around.

And from the look of him, I believe he will make it through another tough New England winter.

Iced Cosmos Bloom

The snow came before the frost did earlier this season.

The delicate Cosmos blooms do not survive the frost.

But a bit of wet snow didn't seem to hurt them.

Bending under the weight of what is left of the ice crystals, the bloom popped back up once it all fell off.

A rare, beautiful sight, as the frost usually takes these flowers before the snow ever falls upon them.

Through the Dry Grasses

All of the wildflowers and grasses along the ocean's edge have prepared for the winter ahead.

A few sprigs of green grass remain there as well as in our yard.

They even withstood the heavy frost that we had a couple of nights ago.

The ocean is beautiful no matter what time of the year.

Each season has it specialties, and as much as the cold seems to get to us each year, we wouldn't want to be any other place.

Leaves Underwater

The colors weren't as vibrant this year as in years past.

And the leaves are pretty much all down now - it seems a bit early for that too.

Caught some colorful ones sitting on the bottom of the lake about a foot down under the water.

The polarizer on the lens cut through the reflections to capture them below the surface.

That  is my favorite filter - I have one for each lens.

As you turn it you can see the effects it has on your subject.

And if you don't want to use it, then there is a position for that too.

It does have a bit of an effect on the exposure though.

But with today's digital software that is something that is easily fixed during the post processing.

Glowing Leaves

The sun was reflecting off the lake water just right.

It seemed to set the red maple leaves all aglow.

We've walked by this tree many times, but those leaves never looked like this.

That's one of the joy's of photography.

Seeing that special light when it appears is a gift - and it's even better when my camera is with me.

Everyday sights made beautiful at just the right moment.

Life is good!

Website Finished

It has been about month since I started to redesign the website that hosts my images for sale.

I have been picking at it, changing little things here and there - both on the website and the blog.

I still have a couple of small cosmetic issues that I need to work out with the website, but overall I am pleased with the results.

The slideshow was pretty easy to set up once I figured out how to do it.

Uploading new images could be made easier, but perhaps that is something that will be worked on by the host as time goes on.

I like the clean, new design, and the gray color is different for a change.

I fixed the blocky look on the blog, and streaming a slide show on the side bar worked nicely too.

Check it out if you get a chance - I would love to hear what you think!

Redesigned Website

The email arrived stating that the site that hosted my photos would be making some major changes.

The whole look of our sites was going to be updated which meant we were going to have to redesign our individual webpages.

Sounded like a lot of work was headed my way - it was a big job to set it up originally.

But it has been almost five years and I had to admit that a change was needed.

And since I had set up my blog to match my website, I also had to update it as well.

I must say though, the whole thing went a lot smoother than I thought.

I originally had a slide show on my homepage of the website, but as of this time that option isn't available with the redesign.

I am hoping that will change as we all get to learn the new format and our host makes changes per our requests.

I do like the clean look and the way we can set up our gallery views.

I have changed the colors on the blog so far, and I need to put some time into cleaning up the sidebar.

It's blocky looking with the different textures I have used, but I think I will leave it as is for a while.

It's all different, and I would love to hear what you think of it.

You can find the photo website here.

Thanks for checking it out!

Good Old Summertime

It is officially here now - summer really begins once the 4th of July has come.

Although it has been a hot and wet one so far, it is still the best.

The gardens are growing, the robins are on their second family, and we are at the lake everyday enjoying the water.

All the little things that we love at this time of the year.

The blogs and photos have been a bit lax lately, but the older we get, the more we must enjoy all those little things.

Life is good in the good old summertime!

ABC Wednesday - S is for Sea

It is calling.

 It is the Sea that's calling.

I grew up beside it, and there isn't a time I remember it not calling me.

I have been away from it for over thirty years - going back a couple times a year to breathe in it's salty air and smell it's ocean scent.

It never leaves you once you are under it's spell.

It's always calling, and it is getting close to answering it once again.





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

ABC Wednesday - R is for Road

This is an unusual kind of road.

A vehicle can travel on it, but it is mostly used by pedestrians.

Maintained by the flood control engineers, it is actually built along the top of a dam.

We have seen the peaceful calm waters of the reservoir it holds back, and we have seen those same waters high and fiercely flowing during spring floods.

Part of it is a state park that was abandoned several years ago after a really bad flood.

There are no funds to restore the park, and it was even mentioned one time of being put up for auction.

Not sure where it stands now, but it remains abandoned except for occasional hikers and dog walkers who don't mind the long walk to get to it.



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

ABC Wednesday - O is for Orchard

One of my favorite places to visit in the autumn is the apple orchard.

One is completely surrounded by the aroma of fresh apples.

The tree branches are heavy with them and they all are very tempting to pick.

Each one perfectly grown and they do taste the best when just picked from the tree.

The orchard we visit is on top of a hill that has beautiful views of the distant mountains - they even have a map that names each of the peaks for those curious visitors.

I have never been in the springtime, but that orchard must be something to see with all those apple blossoms on the trees!







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

ABC Wednesday - M is for Marigold

Marigolds are always a bright spot of color in the garden and I like to include them each year in mine.

I have never purchased them as plants because they are so easy to grow from seeds.

And the seeds are much cheaper than the plant flats.

They have a slight smell to them, but nothing as grand as the roses or lilies.

It isn't Marigold season here yet, but I do have my seeds already and they will go in the ground at the beginning of next month.

Spring is slowly making it's way to New England this year, and it's arrival is most welcome!





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

ABC Wednesday - L is for Ladyslipper

We still have quite a covering of snow in our area, but in another month and a half or so, these little beauties will be making their appearance.

I always look forward to finding them as we walk along our road.

Each year there are less and less, though, as they are a very delicate bloom that only grows in specific conditions which are fast disappearing.

There is one particular spot that they grow without anybody bothering them, and I take in their beauty as we drive by along the highway.

Stopping to admire them is difficult in this spot and I wouldn't want to draw too much attention to them from the passers-by.

I have loved them ever since I was a little girl, and they always bring such joy each spring, these pretty little Pink Ladyslipper Wildflowers.





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

ABC Wednesday - K is for Ketch

Ketch is the fancy name for a sailing vessel that has two masts.

Not too impressive while docked or on a mooring as this one is.

But when the the sails are up and they are billowing in the wind, a ketch is a beautiful thing indeed.

So quietly they glide over the water - reminiscent of days gone by when only sails were around.

Love those old boats, or Tall Ships, as they are called.

And a ketch is a mini version of those beauties that we get a glimpse of when we visit the ocean.




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

ABC Wednesday - J is for Jojoba

Jojoba oil - have you ever heard of it?

It was a couple of years ago that I first discovered it.

My nails, which have always been long and natural, were getting brittle and breaking, especially  during the winter with it's drying inside air.

I did a search for the best remedy and found many, but decided to try the jojoba oil.

Of all the moisturizing oils, jojoba is the closest to human sebum and the small particles in it's chemical make up allow it to pass through the nail and get absorbed.

Olive oil was a close second for my choice, but it didn't penetrate as well, and it leaves a very oily coating.

The Jojoba plant is native to the southwest area in the US and it has a rich history with the Native Americans who lived there.

The oil, which is actually a wax, is derived from the seeds of the Jojoba nut.

It used to be more rare and expensive, but with desert cultivation around the world, the cost of growing and harvesting the oil has come down, though it is still more expensive than many other oils.

I like the non-greasy feeling it leaves behind, and my nails and hands are back to being themselves during these dry winters.

Love these natural remedies that really work!







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

ABC Wednesday - H is for Health

Our health is something that most of us take for granted.

When it gets threatened, that's when most people start to pay attention.

I like to think of my main exercise, yoga, as a reward rather than a chore.

Sometimes it's hard to get into it or even start it.

But the rewards kick in after I'm finished.

Everything inside and outside feels so much better, physically and mentally.

And it only takes a half of an hour of time.

It's a treat that even sugar can't touch, and for me that's a tough one to beat!

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

ABC Wednesday - G is for Green

This was one of the prettiest dragonflies that I have seen.

When I first saw it, it was on a leaf in the garden, and I almost missed him because he matched that leaf so well.

So, I followed him around until he landed on something that he stood out against.

It took a while, and I guess he was tired, because he stayed quite a while on these rocks.

He didn't fly away as I closed in on him.

This was the closest I could get with the lens I had on the camera - not my macro one which would have done a great job with his details.

He was beautiful, and I have yet to see another one like him - perhaps this summer I might get a chance.

My eyes will be peeled.





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

ABC Wednesday - D is for Drink

The animals at the county fair are always a big hit in the autumn.

And the that first weekend in September was a steamy one.

This thirsty cow was so happy to get back to her stall after the showing.

She drank all the water and the bucket was promptly refilled for her.

She didn't even mind me going right up to her to snap the photo.

We couldn't wait to get out of there ourselves and head straight to the lake for a swim.

Most times we are bundled up against the chilly fall air, but that year was a hot one for animals and people alike.





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

ABC Wednesday - B is for Bricks

Brick walkways are all through these pretty, formal gardens.

Another childhood memory is the Prescott Park garden that was right beside my grandmother's house when I was a little girl.

We loved to walk through them, and she always sat on one of the benches and would allow us to "smell" the flowers as much as we wished.

Most of the flowers have always been annuals, and they sure have changed the varieties since I was little.

No more Petunias and Marigolds.

These days there are mostly Impatiens  - they are of every color one could wish for.

But the trees and the fountains have stayed the same.

I have more photos of them and when we get to the right letters, I will share then with you.

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

ABC Wednesday - A is for Abode

This stately, rambling abode was built in the 1700's in Portsmouth, NH during the colonial years.

It is the Wentworth-Coolidge Mansion and it sits on a peninsula in Little Harbor.

It's a most beautiful spot on the ocean with views of the harbor and islands around it.

This abode has 40 rooms and was home to NH's first royal governor, Benning Wentworth.

In the early 1900's, John Coolidge purchased the 65 acre property and restored the neglected house and grounds to it's original colonial beauty.

When his wife passed away in 1954, the lands and home were donated to the state, and it is now maintained as a historical property and is open for tours to the public.

When I first visited this house during a field trip in grammar school, I loved the grounds and the views.

The inside wasn't open on the day I visited it a couple of years ago, but the outside and surrounding lands were just as lovely as I remembered it from that childhood trip.






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

ABC Wednesday - Z is for Zenith

Zenith - the point in the heavens directly above an observer.

The storms clouds were moving in fast on the day this photo was taken.

The zenith was directly pin-pointed at that instant.

I have always enjoyed watching the weather and keeping an eye on the clouds is second nature for me.

And you never know what photo opportunity might appear in the sky.

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

Holiday Fashion

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of No nonsense for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

As a middle age lady, my dress style is very conservative.

Come to think of it though, even as a younger lady, I also tended to dress conservatively.

My husband has been after me for years to add some bright colors and different styles of clothing to my wardrobe.

Little by little I have been taking his advice on the colors, but old habits are hard to break on the styles.

Before the holidays I was sent a couple pairs of No nonsense tights and leggings to try out.

I love the tights.  For years I have only used nylons and haven't tried a pair of tights since I was a little girl.

I was sent a pair of Espresso colored ones that are very comfortable with a waistband that stays in place perfectly.

I will keep my eyes open for an off-white pair like the ones in the above image - I love that outfit and would love to try something on like that - even at my age.

But utilizing what I have in my wardrobe, I was able to put together an outfit that was just right for the holidays.

No nonsense also sent me a pair of bright red, or Apple Red, Corduroy Leggings.

Well, my husband was thrilled to see them - he thought that color was going to be just right for me.

I was very excited to try them out - they were going to be perfect for this time of the year.

Warm and stylish at the same time with a very comfortable feel and look to them.

Well, they certainly lived up to my expectations - they were extremely comfortable and I loved the feel of the cotton blend fabric.

And checking out some of the other colors of leggings, I found that they are very affordable.

Since I can find them in many drug, food, and retail stores, I can select the colors and styles I want when I want them.

And the new face for No nonsense, fashion expert, Jill Martin,  is as axcited as I am about this new product.  

Check them out for yourselves, Ladies, I am sure you will be pleased too.

Follow No nonsense on Facebook and Twitter to keep updated about them.