Peace.

It has been a great year--full of good friends and good fun. Thanks for sharing it with me! I have decided to pursue other projects in the new year, and so I will not be continuing with this one. Thanks to everyone who visited and commented or e-mailed. I'll leave those options open for those who might come across this blog in the future and want to join in the conversation.

Here's hoping that we all have a healthy, happy, peaceful and prosperous new year!

Let it snow.

Was on my way out one morning this week, and couldn't resist the newly fallen snow on the Holly. SO Holiday-esque!

Party lights.

Snapped this last night at the first holiday party of the season! I liked the way the neon was reflecting through the windows...

... & through the woods

Happy Thanksgiving!

Over the river...

Took the back roads on my way to my family's house for Thanksgiving dinner today. The fog was so beautiful, that I couldn't resist stopping to take a couple of shots on the way...

Dusted!

This morning, just in time to kick off the holiday season, we got a light dusting of snow! It won't likely last until tomorrow, but things are very pretty outside at the moment...

One man's trash...

What a great find! I was in Vermont over the weekend, visiting friends who hosted a fantastic Halloween costume party... Earlier that day--while out scavenging for a hubcap to augment an Isadora Duncan costume--I was treated to a walk through the woods to an old, overgrown junkyard. There were at least 6 very old wrecked-up cars just peacefully rotting away out there, amongst other miscellaneous parts. While my friend searched for her hubcap, I managed to get quite a few interesting shots.

Local color.

Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.

~Albert Camus

Modern love.

Yesterday, I took a walk around the Phillips Exeter Academy campus with some friends, and was struck by the architecture of the George H. Love Gymnasium. Completed in 1970, it is a stark, yet beautiful contrast to the more traditional ivy-covered buildings that surround it.

Later, I searched online for more information, but could only find that it "covers an area of 220,000 square feet and includes two indoor hockey rinks, an eight-lane indoor swimming pool, exercise and weight rooms, a 130 x 200-foot gym large enough for three simultaneous basketball games, as well as training, conference, and office facilities. "

I am very curious as to how this building came to be. If anyone knows more about it, or at least who designed it, please feel free to comment or email using the links provided here!

Apples to apples.

In keeping with the Fall Harvest theme, here's a shot from a recent trip to Applecrest Orchards in Hampton, NH. Applecrest is the oldest and largest apple orchard in the Seacoast (the first tree was planted in 1913). They currently produce about 40,000 bushels of over 40 different varieties of apples each year.

Visiting Applecrest for their annual Harvest Festival (now 33 years running) has become an annual event for my friends and I. The festival offers something for everyone, with a world-famous corn roast, fresh cider & cider donuts, pie eating contests, pick-your-own apples and pumpkins, live bluegrass bands, horse-drawn orchard hayrides and a petting zoo for the kids.

This is a fantastic way to spend one of our beautifully crisp, sunny, fall New England days!

Volunteers.

Last fall, I couldn't resist buying a few of those miniature pumpkins to use as a natural table decoration when some friends came over for dinner. After a few weeks in the warm indoor temperatures, they started getting mushy, and without a thought, I tossed them into the back yard compost pile.

This spring, I dug the rich, dark, freshly-made humus from the pile, and used it to mulch my flower garden. Compost serves many functions in a garden. It makes an excellent mulch--providing organic nutrients to plants, retaining soil moisture, discouraging erosion and enriching soil texture--to name a few of many benefits.

As the summer progressed I noticed what looked like a squash or zucchini vine growing in the garden. I decided to leave it, just for the fun of seeing what it turned out to be (if anything).

As it turns out, those little pumpkin seeds can be quite hardy--and I don't need to buy any little pumpkins for the table this year!

Reflection.

I took this during a recent walk. It was a peaceful, meditative morning, and this image with its subtle criss-cross wave patterns, and reflections captured that mood for me.

Twilight treetops.

I had another chance at a sunset--this time with a most interesting treeline!

Square peg.

This rock pattern caught my eye during a morning walk out onto the breakwater in Penobscot Bay. This particular breakwater is almost a mile long, and took 18 years to build! Over the years, as the massive rocks have heaved apart at the surface, smaller rocks have been chinked in to preserve a fairly flat and level walking surface. It's a refreshing walk 'way out into the bay and back, rewarded mid-point with a chance to check out a classic New England lighthouse.

Sweet spot.

What a wonderful week! I have been on vacation this past week and a half. Amazingly enough, I managed to pick a beauty--the weather was just perfect. Took a getaway trip up the Maine coast, and stayed at the fabulous Samoset Resort in Rockport. We enjoyed the great food, luxurious surroundings and lounging on our sunny deck in the morning, watching the golfers below. This shot, taken from the deck, barely begins to do the panoramic ocean views justice!

Cats and dogs.

Here's another one of some cattails taken on a recent walk. Does this photo make anyone else hungry for hot dogs, or is it just me? :)

Fall foretold.

Suddenly, fall is in the air! We have been having unseasonably cool weather here in New England this past week. I, for one, am loving it!

Early fall is my favorite time of year. The days are brilliant, clear and perfectly warm. Then--once the sun sets--the temperatures swoop down to jeans-and-sweatshirt digits. Perfect nights to pull out that firepit and invite some friends over for a glass of wine and some conversation.

As I was walking the other day, I saw this telltale sign of the season ahead... I can't wait!

The scenic route.

Earlier this spring, when it got warm and I felt that I needed a change, I treated myself... to a new route to work. By simply getting on the road a few minutes earlier, I am able to avoid the morning-commute rat-race of Interstate 95.

Instead, I meander along the back roads, taking in the views with the windows rolled down. This has done wonders for my morning outlook! It is actually a shorter distance at a slower pace, and so I find myself filling the gas tank less often--a serious bonus this summer!

My new route takes me past this wonderful old barn. I have been meaning to stop and shoot it since May, and I finally got up early enough this week to squeeze it in on my way.

Midsummer mist.

Earlier in the week, I was invited to a party over at Rye Beach. Those of you who know me well will know that I am not much of a daytime beach person, preferring instead to visit during the early evening hours for a walk or picnic dinner--or even later still for a bonfire or some meteor-watching.

Luckily for me, on the afternoon of this gathering the coast was completely fogged in! I managed to steal away from the proceedings for a short beach-walk and caught this shot of the tide (and fog) rolling in.

Eventide.

In an effort to find new and interesting places to shoot, I have joined up with a group of photographers who meet a couple of times a month to shoot a specific New England location/event.

My first outing with them was for some sunset and night shooting last week. I picked this particular gathering, because I have a LOT to learn about low-light and night photography... I got some help experimenting with some new techniques, and managed to come away with a few things that I liked...

This one was taken a bit late for me to catch the best light/color, but I liked the way the sun looked behind the bridge.

The works.

I was in Exeter visiting friends on Saturday during the American Independence Festival. This annual festival includes historic role players, a traditional NH artisan's village, and the opportunity to view early drafts of the Constitution, amongst other Revolutionary-era delights.

After dinner, we walked down to Swasey parkway to check out the fireworks display and listen to Mr. Nick's Blues Mafia. I decided to bring the camera, but leave the tripod at home, so I wasn't expecting great things.... But I did get a few halfway decent shots. Here's my favorite.

Coastal bliss.

This shot was taken on the very spot where friends of mine were married on Saturday. Can you imagine a better backdrop for a summer wedding? It was a beautiful day--one of those perfect summer Maine coast days when it feels like the sign at the NH/Maine border on interstate 95 is absolutely right, and not the least bit pretentious. This truly is "The Way Life Should Be."

Got Moo?

Yes, you guessed it--I spent this past weekend with the cows, in lovely Vermont! I had a great time visiting some (human) friends who live just outside of Montpelier. Everything is so gorgeously green there this time of year! And my beautiful bovine friend shown here was (literally!) eating it up.

Have a seat.

Recently, I spent a beautiful Saturday afternoon at the Wentworth By The Sea hotel in New Castle, NH. This picturesque Victorian-era hotel has recently been lovingly restored, upgraded and re-opened by Marriott. They did a fantastic job balancing the old with the new. The gardens and grounds have been kept very much in the spirit of the originals, right down to this crisply ornate bistro chair.

Under the big top.

Last week, I went to a beach party in Rye, NH. I liked that the people who put up the party tent included three cheerful red banners at the top, evoking the look of an old circus-tent.

As the sun set over the water, the wind picked up and a bank of storm clouds moved in, making for a fairly dramatic sky. Before the clouds took over, I managed to snap this lone banner catching the wind and the last rays of sun...

All fired up.

This past weekend, I had a little bit of time in between other activities for some more after-party cleanup. When I washed the ashes out of the backyard firepit bowl, I was struck by the beautiful patterns that the fire had left on the copper...

Field day.

Earlier this week, I spent an inspiring day volunteering in a nearby city with about 3,500 others from all over the world. We revitalized the central city, building gardens, painting murals, landscaping, painting schools, building and renovating playgrounds, parks, etc... It was hard work, but also a very rewarding day full of fun people and personal accomplishments.

During the lunch break, we ate and relaxed in a nearby baseball stadium. As usual, I did some exploring with my camera...

No more tears.

I had a backyard barbeque party for about 25 people this weekend. We had a pretty good time grilling food, playing some lawn games, burning stuff in the firepit (last years' holiday wreath sent flames about 25 feet into the air--whoosh!) and just socializing in general.

While prepping the food, I was slicing up a red onion, and really liked the way that it looked all layered-up on the plate. I managed to snap this shot before my eyes got too watery!

Back in bloom.

I promised more garden shots a couple of weeks back. Here's one I took this morning during a break in the rain. This peony is just about ready to pop! I like the way peony buds are so compact right before they unfurl into huge blooms. I have seen some varieties with buds as big as golf balls!

Memorial mansion.

The sun finally did come out--just in time for a stunning Memorial Day weekend. I took a walk around downtown Portsmouth before meeting a friend for a drink at "the decks," and caught the Governor John Langdon House looking stately, and yet, a little bit wonky as well. The fence slopes downward with the road, making it impossible to line things up, but I actually kind of liked that... It seems to give this otherwise very serious historic site, a more "fun" side as well.

Fun fact: George Washington slept here! :)

May flowers.

Lately, it has been a struggle for me at times to maintain my generally sunny outlook, and the non-stop rain these last few days is not helping matters at all... But the upside of all this rain and gloom is that the garden is doing amazingly well. Everything is bursting with color--this photo absolutely does not do it justice. I'll try to take some more, if it ever stops raining...

Trash talk.

This past weekend I was invited to go on a Saturday morning canoe trip down the Cocheco river. The group that organized the trip provided everything: the canoe, paddles, PFD, and a great little barbeque at the finish line.

The catch? We had to pick up as much garbage as we could along the way. What a beautiful morning it was! Sunny, approaching 70 degrees and who knew that there was this lovely little river peacefully winding its way along behind the highway and its attendant sprawl? It is amazing what a zoned minimum 300 foot buffer zone can do towards preserving the natural peace of an area.

Unfortunately, it cannot prevent people from throwing their garbage there. Along the way, we saw 6 tires, 5 propane tanks, and filled our trash bag with innumerable soda and beer cans and bottles...

They Might Be Giants!

I just got home after seeing what will likely be one of the best local shows of the year... Amazingly, They Might Be Giants kicked off their 2007 tour in a little NH Seacoast town called Newmarket, at a swanky little nightclub called the Stone Church because... um... it is actually in a renovated church made out of... stone.

Anyway, the show was just great! I'm looking forward to picking up some of the new songs I heard this evening when they are released next week. There was one about Mesopotamians that seemed especially catchy...

Unfortunately, they wouldn't let me bring my camera inside, so you'll have to make do with a picture of some sea foam that the Nor'easter washed up a couple of weeks ago. Enjoy!

Compost cross-section.

Ahhhh... Spring is finally here, and with it a fresh crop of compost! As I was taking apart my backyard pile yesterday in order to reach the "black gold" on the bottom, I was intrigued by this side view. I kind of like the way the (unbroken!) egg shell adds a sort of sculptural interest to the middle layer...

I don't know... maybe winter was just 'way too long this year, and I am finally losing it. :)

Surf's up!

Over the weekend, we weathered a Nor'easter--which for those of you who aren't familiar with coastal life--is a pretty dramatic storm. I'm happy to report that other than a flooded basement, and some altered weekend plans, I was not adversely affected. Those who were not so lucky had to deal with downed trees, wind damage, major flooding, washed out roads--and some people are still without power today.

I had the opportunity today to capture some of the storm's after-effects out at Odiorne Point, in Rye NH. While I was struggling to capture the scale of the enormous waves, this surfer stepped into my shot.

Thanks, dude. :)

Spring cleaning.

In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt.

~Margaret Atwood

This year's first blooms. Things have been very busy these last two weeks. Here at home, I am in the throes of a good spring clean--indoors and out. There is nothing like a warm spring day and the inevitable opening of the windows to the breezes to put me in the mood for renewal. Today was just beautiful--a wonderful opportunity to rake the yard and mulch the (already blooming!) garden.

Snowed in.

Here's a shot of Thompson (a.k.a. Screwy) watching the snow fall Saturday. I liked the way his profile was outlined by the white of the falling snow, sort of like an old Victorian silhouette portrait...

While I was disappointed to see yet another snowstorm heading our way after the wonderful warm weather we had here last week, it was nice to have a quiet day to relax at home. And what a satisfying feeling lifting what will hopefully be the last shovelful of snow for winter '06-07!

Peaceful easy feeling.

Another shot from my recent trip to New Orleans. This one was taken on the front porch of the bed and breakfast that I stayed at.
I like the light in this one, and the peaceful and hopeful feelings that it evokes for me.

I can absolutely recommend The Avenue Inn Bed & Breakfast on St. Charles Avenue as a wonderful place to stay, should you find yourself traveling to New Orleans sometime soon!

Les bons temps.

Just returned from a few blissful days in wonderful, warm, sunny New Orleans! Contrary to what you might have read in the press, the uptown area and French Quarter are recovered from the trials of Katrina and Rita, and are ready (and anxious) to welcome visitors. While I did not see the worst-hit places, I did see much activity towards rebuilding in many of the previously flooded areas.

I missed Mardi Gras by about a week or so, but colorful reminders of its recent passing were, literally, all over the place...

Heat and light.

Solas played a fantastic sold-out show at Tumbledown Farm in Brookfield, NH over the weekend, and I was lucky enough to be invited to attend! And better yet, the camera policy was extremely liberal... Solas is hands-down my favorite contemporary Celtic band. Seamus Eagen (shown here playing the mandolin and flute) is one of the most talented multi-instrumentalists I have had the pleasure of listening to. Wolfeboro Folk (http://www.wolfeborofolk.com/) has made the barn at Tumbledown Farm their new home. We opted for their entire experience, which includes an organic, farm-raised dinner, great music in an intimate, yet inspiring space, and a dozen free-range eggs compliments of the farm on your way out the door! This was a wonderful night. Hint: If you go to a winter show, wear layers--they haven't yet completely finessed the heat issue in this space--it was very warm upstairs and a little cool downstairs.

Getting creative.

I have been spending a lot of time with my guitar this month, playing and even attempting to write a bit. Nothing I'd call the "next big hit" as yet, but I'll keep you all posted. ;) We have been experiencing arctic cold these last couple of weeks here on the Seacoast, and it has been kind of harsh outside for my usual photo-walks. So, I have been playing around inside instead. To create this effect I lit the guitar with a halogen on one side only and then pushed the contrast on the resulting image, applied the "find edges" filter and then super-saturated the result. Cloned out anything that seemed irrelevant--and voila!--a colorful little tribute to my Takemine.

To the point.

Seapoint Beach on a beautiful winter's day. Normally, I don't make it out to the Point much during the winter months, but I had a friend visiting this weekend who had never experienced the view from this special bit of Maine coastline. The snow on the rocks made for some interesting patterns, but I don't feel like I captured exactly what I was after here. Regardless, it was a wonderful day, and so much fun to play tourist in my own town!

Icing sugar.

Winter has finally arrived... It has been storming off and on since last night. Today, everything is edged in a lovely ice-fringe. I especially liked the way that the ice formed on my backyard firepit grill overnight.

Out with the old.

One of my first shots of the new year... I liked this one because it seems to evoke that "sky's the limit" feeling that I always get when the New Year begins. Anything could happen this year! We wrote things that we wanted to leave in the past on little slips of paper and tossed them into the fire. Watching the sparks spin upwards, taking the remnants of those things left behind was most satisfying and inspiring!

A whole new year.

When I was twelve, I started a journal which I kept faithfully for many years thereafter. Each time I would finish filling up one of those decoratively and self-importantly bound books, I would store it away for posterity in a special box in the back of my closet.

In my twenties, I pulled that box out of storage and spent an afternoon reading about all that was important to me in my teenage years. Sadly, it could be summed up with a single word: boys. I was horrified. Could I have possibly been so shallow?

My photo albums, by contrast, have remained meaningful and often more poignant records of life's experiences. I have always been interested in photography, and have owned a camera for as long as I can remember. And I recorded much, much more than just the boys I knew with my camera--thank goodness!

Twenty years and many, many experiences later, I hope to combine the two mediums (and probably more) with the help of this site, into a multi-media endeavor. I can only hope that this new attempt at chronicling my life will be a more interesting "read" for anyone who might come across it.

With this photo-journal, I hope to record and share some of my experience in the world so far, and hopefully help myself to decide where the journey leads next...