green

As I headed to the area of Maudslay State Park where stands of mountain laurel flourish, I walked by the end of Flowering Pond. Reflections of the trees in the still waters of the pond created serenity.

mountain laurel

One of the things Maudslay State Park is known for is "...one of the largest naturally-occurring stands of mountain laurel in Massachusetts". I had never before walked in the area of the park where the mountain laurel live; today I set out to correct that lapse.

It was simply amazing to be in the woods surrounded by a sea of exquisite white flowers.

solstice

It seems that the flowers in the garden know that the summer solstice has arrived. The beauties of late spring - the iris and the peonies - are faded and almost gone. Summer blooms are starting to arrive.

While I prefer the cooler temperatures of spring and autumn, the longer days of summer can be a treat. Technically the solstice started at 12:24 AM today, making yesterday the longest day of the year.

If you're curious about the solstice you may be interested in the article Summer solstice is here. What does it mean? in today's Boston Globe.

back to the beach

Today felt like a good time to visit the completed sand sculptures at Hampton Beach. While the light later in the day would have been kinder from both a photographic and a looking point of view, I chose to listen to the forecast of a severe thunderstorm watch for the afternoon, heading to the beach in the early morning.

I headed straight for the sand sculptures, comparing the in progress work in my mind with the finished creations waiting to delight the eye.

I walked on the beach for a while, eventually moving to the sidewalk as the water encroached on the sea wall. The air inland was a bit muggy but there was cool air rising from the ocean, a wonderful feeling.

Photos of the finished sculptures can be seen in the gallery emergence :: Hampton Beach 2017 starting with this photo.

delicate

Tiny flowers appear in a cloud of white.

emerging from sand

This is the week of the annual Hampton Beach Master Sand Sculpting Classic. The solo competition runs for three days, with the sculptors set to work specified hours on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Since I enjoy seeing the work in progress, I headed to Hampton Beach in the middle of the day yesterday.

The sculptors were on their lunch break when I arrived. That meant I could see the sculptures at a quiet point, and that I was able to watch some of the creative process a bit later. As always, I'm in awe at what these skillful sculptors are able to create from sand.

Keep in mind that the sculptures in the photos below are works in progress; work time left included Friday afternoon, and Saturday.

Look at the eyes in the second sculpture below, simply amazing.

The full gallery can be seen by clicking emergence :: Hampton Beach 2017.

My goal is to head back within the next few days to see the finished creations.

watercolor

I was about to head for home when I looked up and saw an impressionist painting, a reflection on the surface of a pond at Harold Parker State Forest.

I moved closer to the water, looking, enjoying the beauty.

a busy bee

As my eyes seek the color and shapes of a beautiful garden, bees feast on the nectar of the flowers.

leaves

You can see a glimpse of the pale purple flowers of a false blue indigo in the background. This evening the green of the opening leaves caught my eyes.

calm water

Yesterday afternoon I braved the heat for a walk along the water in Portsmouth, NH.

It's always interesting to see the current state of construction on the Sarah Mildred Long Bridge between Portsmouth and Kittery. There are more connected (or almost connected) bridge sections in place than there were the last time I visited.

The new bridge is scheduled to open to traffic in late September or early October, with project completion in June of 2018.

If you're curious, check the MaineDOT page The Sarah Mildred Long Bridge Replacement - The Regional River Crossing .