Winter Solstice

Winter began for us here in New England long before the Winter Solstice date on the calendar.

Tomorrow we begin our journey to Spring.

It will be cold and probably long.

But each day we gain a bit more light.

A good thought to get us through the snowy freezing months ahead.

The older we get the more daunting these months seem.

But the beauty and healthfulness that comes with it keeps us here.

A happy and healthy holiday season is wished for all!

Portland Head Light

  Portland Head Light 



  Sharing a photo from the past today - the Portland Head Light in Portland, Maine. We are still without power from Hurricane Irene, so this post is a quick one. My husband, when he was a young man, stood on the rocks overlooking this light house during a big storm. It sits pretty high up on that rocky cliff, but he saw the waves going over the top of it. Mother Nature is surely powerful and amazing! 

Bird Feet - My World

  Bird Feet - My World



  It was just a few minutes after we started swimming in the cold lake water. A first year eagle started flying above us. Swooping and gliding, he circled on the wind currents, his sharp eyes on the look-out for his dinner. He continued until we reached the half way point in our swim, then he took off for home, unsuccessful in his fishing. We finished our swim, keeping an eye on the sky. Leaving the water and running for our warm towels, we caught him just above us again. So back into the lake we went - man that water was so warm now. We watched for another fifteen minutes until he headed for home, unsuccessful again. He was a joy to watch, but unless mama eagle is still around to help him out, he will have an empty belly tonight. The prints above are not his, but a set from another of the many birds that make the lake their home. 

New Castle Lighthouse - My World

  New Castle Lighthouse - My World



  It was a very gray day the last time we visited the ocean in the spring. And from what the weatherman is saying, it will be this time we go too. I don't  mind the gray as long is there is no rain. It just doesn't go with the camera equipment, and I am so itching to use my new camera at the ocean. My fingers are crossed it holds off until the afternoon. Wish me luck! 

Gate Blocking the Field - My World

  Gate Blocking the Field - My World



  Last week I showed an image of a path that lead to a field. This week's post is the entrance to that field. That pretty path of last week is way over on the left of this field - too far to see in this photo. The farmer is the one who holds the key to this gate so he can get in with his tractor. All that crushed stone was added in the last year. Before it was there, the mud was ankle deep all year round as there is a little stream that runs right across that entrance. 

Path to the Field - My World

  Path to the Field - My World



  The whispy clouds had just the right pose. The spring green buds on the trees add their own special touch. The blue sky was perfectly vibrant, and the sporadic green grass creates a beautiful lead into the scene. This path leads to field of grass that is used for haying by a local farmer. A most beautiful spot in the spring! 

The Lake in the Spring - My World

  The Lake in the Spring - My World



  A view of our lake just after it reached the level it will be at for the rest of the summer. That picnic table down there under the tall pine is our favorite - you get a good view of both sides of the lake from it. This image is one of the first ones I have taken with my new camera, the Sony A580. To me, the colors are so vibrant, more so than with the A100. I am quite impressed with the quality of the images straight from the camera. Sony did really good with this one! 

Beginning of the Lake - My World

  Beginning of the Lake - My World



  In last week's post, one side of the bridge shows the canal that begins the lake. This is the view from the other side of the bridge - it's so different it doesn't even look like the same place. It is more of a swamp and it feeds into the lake through the canal on the other side of the bridge. Once in a while you will catch a canoe in this swamp, but that would be about it for boats. There are no houses or docks on this side either. Just a big swamp that goes on for miles, connecting to a much larger one further down. Funny how the water systems are all tied together - all leading to their final destination - the ocean. 

Canal at the Lake - My World

  Canal at the Lake - My World



  The lake that we so love to swim in during the summer is a man-made one. I have posted photos in the past of the dam end, but this canal is technically the beginning of the lake. I am standing on a small bridge here, and this is the view towards the lake. Just beyond those trees, at the end of the canal, it opens wide and becomes our lake. Next week I will show the view when I turn around on the bridge. It's very different from this side of the bridge. 

Lowered Boom - My World

  Lowered Boom - My World



  The bright orange boom at the dam is ready and waiting for the waters to rise. It stretches from one end of the canal to the other. As the water rises, it floats up. It's main purpose is to keep the debris that floats on the top of the flood waters from touching and piling up around the dam building. As the water lowers, the boom does also. Once the waters are back to normal, the debris can be removed. I love the bright orange against the darkness of the day. 

Old Building - My World

  Old Building - My World



  Each time I see this building, it is more and more dilapidated. It stands on a little island in the harbor, and I believe it is the old Coast Guard Station. As long as I have seen it, those pilings leading out to it have been in this condition. The only way to get to it now is by boat, but I believe it is government owned land, so it is off-limits anyway. The roof was starting to give way the last season - I sure the past winter was rough on it. We will check it out again the next time we visit the ocean. One of these times I expect it will be there no more. 

Young Gull - My World

  Young Gull - My World



  He watched with a wary eye as we passed by - shifting from leg to leg but not taking flight. We walked to the end of the dock - it was very long, and he was towards the beginning. I kept my eye on him as we sat and took photos at that far end. I didn't expect him to stay there the whole time. But he did, and he posed ever so nicely on our return trip - the sun was at a much better direction heading this way. He is a young gull - his feathers are still brown and white. By next season he will sport the white and gray of his kind. I wonder if he will still be as friendly when he matures.

Fiddlehead Ferns - My World

  Fiddlehead Ferns - My World



  We have been picking three times this season - yesterday was the last trip. These delicious treats of spring are only here for about a week. Then they become unfurled and are beautiful ferns for the rest of the year. Cleaning them is a big job - they must be rinsed until the water they are soaked in is clear. After four soakings and rinsed under running water, they are ready to be cooked. We spent the afternoon blanching and cooling them for the freezer. They will taste oh-so-good this winter when we pull them out for a meal!

Bright Daffodils

  Bright Daffodils - My World



  I love to walk by the garden and see the bright smiling faces of the daffodils. Mixed in among the red tulips, these daffodills dance and nod in the wind. Even when covered with raindrops, they still smile and brighten the day. A welcome sight these first flowers of spring - I just love them! 

Closer to the Ceiling - My World

  Closer to the Ceiling - My World



  I had to laugh. We made a big purchase this past week on something we hadn't done since we were first married. And my, have there been changes since then! Our new bed mattress and box spring were delivered today, and they are sure different from the ones they hauled away. This set is high - so high my legs swing in the air when I sit on the side of the bed. My husband's first words - we are sleeping closer to the ceiling tonight - look, my foot can almost touch it. An exaggeration for sure, but I'm worried about the middle of the night bathroom run, and not being able to find the floor! 

Tough Sprouts - My World

  Tough Sprouts - My World



  I think these daffodils are just as anxious for spring as we are. They are bound and determined to grow right through the cold snow that is still over them. Tough and hardy they are. The tulips that are beside them have sprouted too. I love to see them as I pass by - won't be long now before their beautiful blooms have joined their leaves! 

Ice Covered Leaf - My World

  Ice Covered Leaf - My World



  The calendar says it's Spring, but Mother Nature has decided she isn't through with winter yet. Some snow and ice were on the agenda for today. Hey, it covers up all that dirty snow and makes it all look pretty again. For a day or so anyway. We will appreciate the warm spring weather all the more! 

Shadows in the Snow - My World

Shadows in the Snow - My World



  The air was cold and the sky clear - just perfect for making shadows in the snow. Standing on a small hill overlooking the docking area at the lake, the sun cash our shadows on the surface of the snow covered lake. This image was taken about a month and a half ago. We were at the lake about two weeks ago, and there was so much snow that had been plowed on top of this hill that our shadows would be no where to be found had we been able to even climb the banks.  Melting has been going on this week, so it would be nice to get back down there sometime to see how it is progressing.