Ice Art

 

The rain was coming down and freezing upon contact one February afternoon.

When it finally stopped, I was anxious to get outside, but being in the middle of something, my walk was delayed.

The temps were quickly rising, and I could see the ice falling from the tree branches as I watched from the window.

I was going to miss my ice photos opportunity - one is lucky to get these perfect conditions once a season when it all comes together just right.

By the time I made it outside, there wasn't much ice left on the bushes, berries, branches, or pines.

A few mediocre photos made it onto my camera, and I was getting ready to retrace my path back into the house.

Then I saw it out of the corner of my eye.  That perfectly shaped ice leaf - all alone hanging from a branch.

It had separated from the leaf on which it had been formed, and it was just there - in the empty space between the branches.

I snapped a few photos of this little beauty before it joined all the other ice creations that had succumbed to the warming temps.

I had been fretting not ten minutes before about being too late in getting outside.  

Had I been earlier, this piece of ice art wouldn't have been finished and I would never have seen it.

And just a minute later, I would have missed it as well.

Timing was perfect for this shot, and I was most lucky. 

Things do have a way of working out if we just let them.

 

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. 

Breaker in the Harbor

Breaker in the Harbor

Rye Harbor has the reputation of being the seacoast town that is hardest hit when bad weather comes to NH's small coastline.

Even though it is protected by this breaker wall - one on either side of the harbor, all the boats are being taken in from the docks and the moorings.

There are times, not during a hurricane, I have seen waves flying over the top of this wall.

I can just image what it will look like this weekend when Hurricane Irene comes calling.

We are well inland - an hour away from the coast, but the eye is expected to pass even further west then us.

We are preparing the best we can, and hoping that all in her path remain safe.

There hasn't been anything like this in our area since 1938.

Keeping positive as we await her visit.

ABC Wednesday - W is for Weather

  

W is for Weather............





Most people think of the weather as a conversation piece or starter - "Nice day today, don't you think?" Well, I am one of those weirdos who actually likes the weather. I love to keep track of the forecasts to know what is coming. I love to watch the clouds, test the wind, read the temperature, and watch the barometer. I have a fancy little "weather station" right beside my computer so all my numbers and readings are right at hand. My internet browser has the 5 day forecast all lined up with all the necessary settings too.  My kids know who to ask when they are looking for the "right" days for outdoor activities. And you know - this "weather" thing goes way back. I can't remember a time I wasn't interested in it. Guess I missed my calling - I would love to make those big bucks the weather men do - even when they are wrong!



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

ABC Wednesday - T is for Thunderclouds

T is for Thunderclouds............







When you see these thunderclouds beginning to form in the summertime, you had better take heed.

These ones were not very tall - sometimes these things can get really high!

All fluffy and white on the top and dark and brooding on the bottom.

Then the really dark ones start forming under these ones, and that's when you know you had better get inside.

They are so beautiful though, as they usually come towards the late afternoon/early evening, and the sun is angled in the sky to give them the most gorgeous light.

The biggest and prettiest one I have ever seen was just a couple of days before these ones, and wouldn't you know, I didn't have my camera.

And I usually never leave home with out it - figures!








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

Crow Watching a Rainbow

Crow Watching a Rainbow







In a previous post, I had mentioned there was another viewer admiring the rainbow as we were during a summer storm.

He is hard to see - my lens would only zoom in so close, and one reader, Kay in Alberta, mentioned she thought she could see a bird on the right.

She is correct - a crow was sitting at the very top of a tree in the pouring rain.

He seemed to be admiring the view - I wonder what was running through his mind - if they saw things the same way we do.

He must have enjoyed it though because it was raining really hard, and he was the only one we could see that was getting soaked.

Thank you all for stopping by and commenting on my previous posts - it is appreciated!

Whole Rainbow - My World

Whole Rainbow - My World






As promised in the last post - here is the shot of the whole rainbow.

And if you look closely, you will see the second one that is much lighter just over the top of the bright one.

Now, this is not a quality image that can be used for sales because of the darkened corners.

I usually just crop the images that have them so they are no longer showing, but to do that to this image would cut off the rainbow on the sides.

I sometimes "fix" it in photoshop, but there is too much needed in this image to make it all blend smoothly.

I am just glad my lens has a large enough wide angle so I could get the whole rainbow in.

We were the only ones who stopped to enjoy this treat, but there was another viewer.

Can you spot him?

Half a Rainbow

Half a Rainbow







I knew it would be there somewhere in the sky.

It was pouring right where we were, but the sun was shining directly in our eyes as we headed home in the car.

I kept looking behind us - I know that was where it would be in order for the sun to shine through the drops and make the rainbow.

But the trees were all around us, so I couldn't find it anywhere.

Then we crested the hill about two miles from our home.

It is an intersection that has a corner store, so the area is cleared of trees.

I looked back, and the whole rainbow was arching across the sky.

Actually it was a double rainbow with a faint one just over the top of the bright one.

My husband pulled into the parking lot of the store, and since it was pouring, I was able to sit in the car and take the photo through the open window.

What a treat - being in the right place at the right time!

Next time I will post the whole view - stay tuned!

A Fine Layer of Snow

A Fine Layer of snow







We woke up yesterday with over seven inches of snow - it was supposed to be only 2-3 inches according to the weatherman.

By this morning we were supposed to have an additional 6-10 inches.

We had just a little over an inch, and the gusting wind had blown it all around.

A fine layer was left on the small pine boughs in the back yard.

I bet the trees were all so happy for this small amount - their branches take a beating when the big ones come.

Nature's Fury

Nature's Fury









This state park has been closed for the past two years due to severe flood damages that have been too expensive to repair.

We entered it from the back end and were able to take a walk through it.

If you remember my images of the flooded dam tower, then this is part of the area that is all under the water.

Take a look at that horizontal tree stuck up high in the branches of the pines towering above us.

It was wedged there by the receding flood waters.

It's another one of the reasons why this park remains closed - the dangers overhead that many people will not even see.

And those picnic tables under the trees look so inviting.

This scene is repeated all around the park.

Hopefully in the future it will be safely picked up so we can all enjoy it again.

After The Storm

After the Storm





These passing storm clouds made the light really beautiful after they finished dropping their rain on us.

I will say though, nothing was too pretty about this powerful little storm as it was happening.

We made it into the house just as the huge summer raindrops began to fall. The computers were turned off once the thunder and lightening started - not taking any chances with them.

And it was a good thing we did - within ten minutes, the lightening struck the transformer down the road - and off went the power.

Thanks to my husband's good thinking, he had set up a diesel generator to cover these unexpected power outages.

His trusty kubota diesel generator has come in so handy over the years. It has kept us from freezing in the winter, and the freezers from thawing in the summer.

I can remember when we had it set up - the power company was right there inspecting everything out. We had to install a special switch so the power didn't run back into the lines and hurt the guys working on the transformer.

We have lived in the boonies for over 26 years now, and it has become an expected thing to loose our power when the snow falls a bit too heavily or the lightening flashes just a little too brightly.

I am most glad that we decided diesel generators were the best - ours has never let us down.

ABC Wednesday - D is for Driftwood

D is for Driftwood.............








This was a whole tree trunk that had washed ashore on the rocks at the ocean.

From this macro shot, you can see the texture and how it splinters away in tiny pieces.

The surface is really quite fragile, and it has been weathered to a shade of light gray.

It must have been one heck of a storm that threw this giant up so high in the rocks, and it must have been at sea for a long time also.

Makes you wonder how far and how long it traveled to get here.

I enjoy taking macro images like these - designers also enjoy these types of shots as they make nice backgrounds.


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

Rising Waters

Rising Waters

It was a winter of record breaking snowfall here in the Northeast. The snow was piling high on the roof tops - there were more roof cave-ins than we had ever seen in this area.

The roofs that didn't get cleared off and were lucky enough to avoid collapsing, had thick ice build up all along their eves. This created havoc inside with the melting ice seeping into the walls and ceilings causing major Water damage.

And if that wasn't enough, the spring rains moved in. There were floods all along the rivers - one house was swept completely away, land and all, as it gave in to the flowing currents.

Many homeowners piled sandbags to avoid the rising waters, but it managed to slowly seep in - filling basements and living areas with water.

Our area of the country was not the only region affected by all this water this past winter - the nightly news carried stories of rising rivers and torrential rain all across the nation.

All of this water created many headaches and work for homeowners. There are many helpful resources available for water damage restoration online, as homeowners search for solutions for their specific needs.

Fast help is important and can be found here, at Dryout, Inc. They offer their services nationwide either online or with a toll-free number - for homeowners and businesses alike. With emergency forms available online and fast response times, homeowners can find help and piece of mind sooner.

ABC Wednesday - C

(The Wordless Wednesday post is beneath this post.)

C is for Coneflowers .......

I was drawn instantly to the beautiful mauve color of these pretty Coneflowers.

Set against the deep green leaves, with their centers so full and perfect, I just couldn't resist them.

Notice the dark gray sky behind them - I had just enough time to snap these little beauties before Mother Nature sent us a whooping summer thunder storm.

Be sure to check out my Wordless Wednesday post beneath this one - the image was taken about half an hour after this one. Love that special light that only comes around after storms!





Stumble It!
Digg It!

Wordless Wednesday - After the Storm

After the Storm






Stumble It!
Digg It!

ABC Wednesday - X

(The Wordless Wednesday post is beneath this post.)

X is for X .......

X was a hard one this week, so I had to use my imagination.

Mother Nature presented me with this tumbled mass of old weathered upturned roots and I took a picture - trying to capture the textures and patterns in the wood.

It wasn't until I got home and was processing the image that I saw the X that was made by the roots crossing each other.

There were many of these old upturned stumps that had been moved by the fierce flood waters that we had in the autumn.

There was even a whole stump like this one up high in one of the trees - floated up by the high water and caught in the tree's branches.

Hard for man to fight these forces - Mother Nature is always holding all the cards.






Stumble It!
Digg It!

Green Thumb Sunday - Snow Covered Pines

Snow Covered Pines for Green Thumb Sunday







Green Thumb Sunday Blogroll

How to join Green Thumb Sunday


This is how my Balsam Fir Pine trees looked yesterday morning after 10 inches of snow fell the night before.

We are getting a major snowstorm tomorrow, so I fear the poor things will be completely drooped after we get the predicted 12 inches.

One of these was going to be our Christmas tree this year but it looks as if we will have to come up with another idea.








Stumble It!
Digg It!

Washed Ashore

On a recent trip to the ocean, we stopped at a local State park. The boys did some fishing, and I wandered around with my camera.





One of the first things to draw my attention was a brightly colored lobster bouy that had been tossed up in the rocks during the last storm.

After climbing over rocks that were large and small and sharp and slippery, I reached the bouy that was wedged between two boulders.

It had been broken on one edge, and I found it made a neat abstract shot when I closed in on it. The foam also has a neat texture.

Beachcombers usually grab these bouys when they find them washed ashore, but this one must have been too much of a challenge for anyone to attempt. The power of Mother Nature!

Summer Storms

After several days of hot, humid weather in our region, some summer thunderstorms moved through yesterday.






The light was amazing after the storm passed over. It cast a warm glow over us and reflected off the dark clouds that had already passed over. The conditions for this kind of light only come around a couple times a year, and it is always a beautiful sight.