Magnolia, II

Waterbury, Connecticut

Another Swamp

Washington, Connecticut

Washington, Connecticut

Magnolia

Waterbury, Connecticut

Spent several hours walking around Waterbury this afternoon, looking for flowering trees to work with. This point when the tree blossoms appear is torture for allergy sufferers, but delightful for picture-making. Because of the Naugatuck River and all the paving in the small city, which all serve as heat sinks to retain solar energy, the seasonal sequence is a good week in advance of my rural location only about ten miles to the west. The magnolias (there aren't a lot) in Woodbury are just coming out yesterday and today, while in the little city they are past peak and dropping petals.

Meeker Swamp, V

Washington, Connecticut

Meeker Swamp, IV

Washington, Connecticut

Washington, Connecticut

Swoosh!

Kingston, New York

Meeker Swamp, III

Washington, Connecticut

U.S. POST OFFICE

Danbury, Connecticut

Meeker Swamp, II

Washington, Connecticut

Funeral

Roxbury, Connecticut

A beautiful 94 year life. RIP, Joan.

Meeker Swamp, I

Washington, Connecticut

Very early spring is probably my favorite time to do landscape photographs in color. All at once there's a lot of color, though it's all very soft and subtle. So the next few posts here will explore this at some nearby parks and forest reserves.

After freezing temperatures right up until two nights ago, suddenly this afternoon the temperature hit 85° F, so I expect that "early spring" is going to last only a short time.

Walking the Dog

Torrington, Connecticut

Beaver's Work

Litchfield, Connecticut

I'm SO Bored

Chatham, New York

Morning Fog

Woodbury, Connecticut

It was so warm overnight that a pretty thick fog rose in the morning after the all day rain yesterday. Later in the afternoon the temperature broke 70° F for the first time since, well, whenever last fall.

Portugal in Upstate New York

Kingston, New York

A plaque on the iron fence reads, "apparition of blessed mother to shepherd children May 13, 1917, Fatima, Portugal, 'immaculate heart of Mary, pray for us.'"

Future Site

Kingston, New York

Blown in ~ or ~ Blankets

Chatham, New York

Two Church Signs

Chatham, New York

Chatham, New York

NO HORSES

Washington Depot, Connecticut

Public School

East Chatham, New York

FREE WILL OFFERING

Kingston, New York

Two Walls, With Markings

Housatonic, Massachusetts

Housatonic, Massachusetts

A railroad overpass.

Ain't It the Truth...

Watertown, Connecticut

I WANT YOU

Kingston, New York

Two Shop Windows

Pittsfield, Massachusetts

Kingston, New York

Flood Waters

Canaan, Connecticut

The flat land in the foreground is normally a large field in the floodplain of the Housatonic River. Yesterday it was completely flooded. Spring rains and winter melt-off have left all the rivers at or near flood stage for weeks now.

I think the water may have been over the road at some point Saturday night.

As an addendum to my recent post about the unfortunate passing of Brunhilde, this was the first shakedown cruise for her replacement.

Rough Winter

Litchfield, Connecticut

This one is not going to reach a ripe old age.

Purple Door

Kingston, New York

At least closer to purple than anything else.

In Memoriam

Woodbury, Connecticut

It may be silly to become emotionally attached to inanimate objects—things—but photographers can get pretty emotional about cameras or even processes, and lots of people become very attached to their cars. Cameras and cars are both pretty animate objects, anyway.

Last week it became clear something was very wrong with Brunhilde, my 1997 Chevy pickup truck. The rear shocks were non-functional, maybe broken. Up on the lift, the mechanics found that the brackets that mounted the shocks to the frame had rotted away—and so had the section of frame they attach to. Fourteen winters in southern New England, and especially the highly corrosive road "salt" the state switched to five or six years back, had taken their toll. There must have been a sort of cascade of corrosion this past winter, rotting out the entire rear half of the frame. Repair is not feasible. The engine still runs great, too bad I don't have a boat to put it in.

For fourteen years, and very nearly a quarter of a million miles, this truck has in a sense been my most important piece of photographic equipment. All my pictures over that time were made after driving somewhere in the truck. Whether working with a tiny digital capture camera, a 12x20-inch banquet camera, or anything in between, the cameras and I didn't get anywhere to take pictures without the truck. End of an era around here.

Two Walls, with Words and Pictures

Kingston, New York

Kingston, New York

Interested in Me?

Highland, New York

You can click on the picture for a larger, more legible view. Use your browser back button to return.

Brick Walls, City Trees

Kingston, New York

Kingston, New York

Morning in the Woods

Litchfield, Connecticut

Yesterday morning I went to a nearby forest reserve to look for signs of early spring in the woods. Wandering around in a light (and surprisingly cold) rain, what I mostly found was evidence of what a severe winter we've been through. Lots of newly fallen trees, including some massive mature hemlocks. Lots of chain saw chips where the people who maintain the reserve had been working to clear pathways and sort out the jumbles. I don't know whether this marshy spot is permanently wet or is a vernal pool, but leaving the path would get your feet wet in a hurry.

Litchfield, Connecticut

As always, you can get a little bit bigger view by clicking on the picture. Use your browser back button to return.

What is Art?

Kingston, New York

Kingston, New York