Category: on closer examination

'scene' along the way, boats, live and learn, on closer examination, photography, road trip, the big picture, travel

Peaceful places…

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I’m not sure why but my GPS took me on a route I’d never been on when I left Cape Cod last Wednesday.  I was happy it did because I noticed a pretty little harbor and stopped for photos.  The boats were all at anchor, it struck me as a sleepy little place.  Only later did I notice that I was in the town of Weymouth, MA.  Weymouth, where a policeman was killed recently during a routine traffic stop, along with an innocent woman killed in her home in the same incident.  Sleepy and peaceful for days, and weeks, and years, but not immune to the craziness that we see on the news all the time.  Even in the aftermath it’s hard to imagine that such horrific things can and do happen in such lovely places.

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adventure, friends, fun, natural wonders, nature, on closer examination, perseverance, photography, road trip, sunset, travel

The Flume…

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New Hampshire sunsets happen behind layers of mountains, but if you are lucky you see the sky light up before it’s done altogether.

On Saturday we found the trails I was looking for on Friday, when we made a last minute decision to go to the Flume Gorge.  With it’s wooden walkways, and an 800 foot gorge, it sounded like a beautiful sight to see.  And while there was a nice trail to follow to get to the walkway, that trail was straight uphill.  The struggle to get up the hill was real, and the fellow hikers were encouraging to each other as we made our way up the hill.  Fortunately there were benches and boulders to sit on to rest as you headed ever upward.  I thought that instead of climbing every mountain we were sitting on every bench, and when I said that out loud I heard a few people around us laugh in agreement.     Here and there along the way we saw people who had gone off the trails and made their way onto the boulders in the river, usually for photo ops.  (Not me, I had my hands full just getting up the hill).  And there was one guy who was doing his darnedest to make a rock pyramid by trying to balance a triangular rock on one of it’s points and get it to stay long enough to take a picture.  It was giving him lots of trouble, that was obvious, so we kept on with our climb, but when we reached an overlook the people up there were excited because they could see that this guy had succeeded.  There he was down below in the gorge, taking pictures of his creation.  I have no idea how he managed this feat, if smaller rocks were helping to keep it in place, or possibly mud?  It’s a mystery.

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That this gorge was discovered in 1808 by a 93 your old woman who happened across it while fishing is especially amazing to think about.  I’ll bet there weren’t any benches for her to sit on back in her day.  And I ought to mention that there is a bus available that will take you up the trail to the walkway, and back down.  But we are tough, or possibly just stubborn, we made it on our own…

a second look, kids, live and learn, on closer examination, photography, road trip, travel, Uncategorized, unintended images

Antiques and more…

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It’s Salisbury, NH’s 250th birthday this year.  The Sestercentennial, for which there is a competition for the residents involving placing a wagon and flowers out on your property.  This one is my favorite, so far, the truck that is.  But the wagon is fun too.  Plus another covered bridge, more photos from Weir Beach, and alpacas from the local veterinarian’s yard.  As we were driving the other day I said to Kathy that I’m not in Florida anymore, she said, “You’re not in Kansas either.”  No, I’m not.  And I won’t be here much longer.  The dreaded good-byes are just around the corner, but only ’til next time…

7-14truck7-14wagonwheels7-14coveredbridge7-14dock27-14dockbirds7-14bluehouseHDR7-14boohoo7-14alpaca17-14alpaca2I love that little kid from Weir’s Beach.  I thought I was taking pictures of a little kid having fun on the beach.  Turned out she was sobbing her eyes out.  My daughter once said of me that I see what I want to see, if the shoe fits…

adventure, connections, finding my way, friends, fun, home, moments, nature, on closer examination, perseverance, photography, sunset, technology, travel

Barnstable Harbor…

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I was supposed to be heading to Provincetown at the tip of Cape Cod last night, but sat and talked a little extra long, (don’t say it), so I opted for Barnstable Harbor so that I’d have more time.  I parked in a residents only area, but a very nice older couple said that that rule only applies when the life guard was there.  I asked if that meant that I had their permission to stay and take pictures and they said yes.  It made me feel better to have someone’s permission.  I’m still a slave to ‘the rules’… mostly.6-21boat6-21chair6-21grassesSingle photo enhanced with easyHDR 3.12.0: IMG_3845.jpg6-21sunsetHDR6-21sunsetHDR2

It takes a special talent to take this picture.  I love when there is a surprise waiting for me when I upload photos into the computer…6-21oops!

'scene' along the way, learning, on closer examination, perseverance, photography, Uncategorized

Over the Tappan Zee…

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The last time I visited New York I was looking for someplace to go to spend the day with my grandchildren and my google search showed me the Sleepy Hollow Cemetery.  I thought that sounded like a great idea but the kids weren’t enthused at all so we didn’t go.  Today, however, I headed up and down a lot of hills, and managed some hairpin turns, and eventually drove over the Tappan Zee bridge, but I got there.  It was originally the Tarrytown Cemetery, founded in 1849, but it was posthumously renamed at Washington Irving’s request.  His grave overlooks the adjacent 3 acre graveyard from The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, adjacent to the Old Dutch Church.  Nearby is a bridge which was built in a rustic style to suggest the bridge upon which Ichabod Crane failed to escape the Headless Horseman.  It’s a beautifully set and well maintained resting place, I think I need to reread the story…6-18Irving6-18officeHDR6-18olddutch6-18redtreeHDR6-18stepsHDR6-18ivyHDR6-18woodenshoes6-18stream6-18bridgeAs I was driving away intending to head home I saw a road sign pointing to a waterfront area, and who could resist that?  The Tarrytown riverwalk I think it was.  And a little ice cream shop alongside the parking lot, and the signs on the window announced ‘coffee’ and also ‘ice cream’, which to me became Coffee Ice Cream, so I went in.  Alas there was no coffee ice cream, but the young man behind the counter suggested their specialty, vanilla ice cream with a shot of espresso.  What a good idea.  And the view from the waterfront was the Tappan Zee from the feature photo, but in the other direction was this from the iPhone…Single photo enhanced with easyHDR 3.12.0: 6-18iphonelighthouse.jpg6-18lighthousecloseAnd this is why I carry the 150-600mm lens.  Just sayin’