Denise Goldberg's blog

Monday, December 31, 2012

painting in the snow

As I walked this afternoon I wandered onto the grounds of the Phillips Andover Academy. I was following paths through the snow when I turned my head and saw a splash of unexpected color.

a painting of sorts standing in the snow

At first I was sure I was seeing things. I turned to walk closer and found a painting of sorts, placed in a field, standing. It's an image of a trail through the woods, a trail painted with the words "They walked here - not anymore".

a painting of sorts standing in the snow

Sunday, December 30, 2012

brr!

The air was cold, the wind picked up yesterday's snow and tossed it into the air, brr!

It was a good day for a walk at Odiorne Point State Park in Rye, NH. I saw footprints and cross-country ski tracks but I pretty much had the park to myself.

a lone tree on a winter's day, Odiorne Point State Park, Rye, NH

snow and crashing waves, Odiorne Point State Park, Rye, NY

A few more photos from today's wander can be viewed in the gallery Winter 2013 starting with this photo and ending here. (And yes, I know it's not 2013 yet, but it's winter, and this winter belongs to 2013.)

today's goal

A sign on a store in Portsmouth, NH: Do one thing a day that scares YOU.

today's goal:do one thing a day that scares YOU.

Thursday, December 27, 2012

top 13 images, 2012

I browsed through the photos I took this year with a goal of selecting (what I think are) my top 10 images of 2012. I looked at photos, marking them with "top 10 2012", ending up with over 30 images after a first pass. I reviewed my selection, removed some photos, reviewed them again, and again. Somehow I didn't manage to select 10 favorites; instead, I have 13 images to share with you.

In date sequence, here are my favorites from 2012.

reflections in smooth water, from the bridge to Plum Island

reflections in smooth water, from the bridge to Plum Island in Newburyport, MA

tulips unfolding

tulip unfolding


trees along Jessup Path, Acadia National Park

trees along Jessup Path, Acadia National Park


looking, Schoodic Peninsula, Acadia National Park

looking, Schoodic Peninsula, Acadia National Park


high on Cadillac Mountain, Acadia National Park

high on Cadillac Mountain, Acadia National Park


butterfly posing, perched on pink

butterfly posing, perched on pink


Schwabacher Landing, Grand Teton National Park

Schwabacher Landing, Grand Teton National Park


Jenny Lake, Grand Teton National Park

Jenny Lake, Grand Teton National Park


late season rose

late season rose


Gem Lake, Rocky Mountain National Park

Gem Lake, Rocky Mountain National Park


painted rocks, Schoodic Peninsula, Acadia National Park

painted rocks, Schoodic Peninsula, Acadia National Park


sanderlings standing, Parker River National Wildlife Refuge

sanderlings standing, Parker River National Wildlife Refuge


patterns in pools of water, Halibut Point State Park

patterns, pools of water on rock with an ocean background, Halibut Point State Park

These photos are collected into the gallery Top 13 images, 2012. If you'd like to view them as a full screen slideshow, click here to jump to the gallery, then click on the slideshow button.

Tuesday, December 25, 2012

a bubble of light

My mom and I were standing (high on a hill) Tuesday evening chatting with friends. I looked to the sky and saw a bubble of light, bright, moving, heading in our direction. We all turned and stared.

It was free floating, above our heads. A balloon came to mind so I started searching (the web) for balloons with lights. I think it was an LED light embedded in a balloon filled with helium.

Interesting, fun, and yet... do you think the individual who launched the balloon wandered the countryside later that night to pick up the balloons as they dropped back to the ground?

Friday, December 21, 2012

patterns in rock and water

from a visit to Halibut Point State Park a few weeks back...

patterns, pools of water on rock with an ocean background

patterns, pools of water in front of a relatively calm ocean

Thursday, December 20, 2012

four weeks

It's hard to believe that four weeks have passed since my dad died. It seems like just yesterday but it also seems like it has been much longer than four weeks. Time has folded, sometimes taking just a second to jump back, sometimes taking much longer to traverse the fold.

As time passes, memories grow stronger.

Monday, December 17, 2012

emerging winter

The weather wizard didn't wait for the winter solstice before decorating the landscape with snow and ice.

I headed a short way up the coast of Maine yesterday for a visit with a friend. Swirling snow squalls were with me for most of the drive followed by a quieter afternoon made for December-cold air walking. Ice started to form.

The snow returned in the evening, continuing through this morning. I woke to a few inches of white.

winter emerging, ice forming along the Royal River, Yarmouth, Maine

A few more photos from a quick snowy afternoon's wander in Yarmouth, Maine can be found in the the start of my running gallery for the season, Winter 2013.

Sunday, December 16, 2012

a bit of pink

from last Sunday's walk along the coast, at Jenness State Beach, Rye, NH

a bit of pink, near low tide at Jenness State Beach, Rye, NH

Friday, December 14, 2012

a little color

I'm feeling the need for a bit of color this morning.

While autumn color in the northeast is often bright, the color in the leaves of this Japanese maple is a bit more subtle.

leaves of a Japanese maple, wearing autumn colors

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

pastels

wet sand, the sparkle the ocean water, clouds, a study in pastels...

sparkling waves, a study in pastels

More photos from Sunday's wander can be viewed in the gallery New Hampshire coast - 2012 starting with this photo and ending here.

Sunday, December 09, 2012

painting a seascape

A painter paints, an empty frame captures a seascape...

painting a seascape, a frame for imagination
sculpture at Great Island Common, New Castle, New Hampshire

Friday, December 07, 2012

harbor view

boats in Rockport harbor

different seasons at Halibut Point

Today was a vacation day for me, a good day for a wander with my camera. I headed to Halibut Point State Park to fulfill a promise to myself to see the park in different seasons.

I circled the quarry, and I walked on the rocks by the ocean. It was quiet, empty of people, a good place to absorb beauty.

quarry view, December 2012

December, gray, trees without leaves

quarry view, July 2012

September, sweeping clouds against a blue sky, trees wearing green

More photos from today's wander at Halibut Point can be viewed in the gallery Halibut Point, quarry and ocean starting with this photo and ending here.

Sunday, December 02, 2012

crashing waves

I needed a good walk today, a walk along the ocean. Somehow walking the streets of Manhattan over the last month didn't satisfy my need for quiet wanders.

I arrived at the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge just after high tide this afternoon as the temperature edged into the mid-40s. That's a little warmer than winter walking temperature, calling for a few light layers and constant motion. The waves crashed along the shore, filling the air with a steady roar, a pleasant sound to accompany my wander along the beach.

I walked and I watched a flock of sanderlings standing just inland from the high tide line. I'm always fascinated by the movements of these birds; today I was equally fascinated by their stance. Some were standing on one leg, head tucked into body. Some were standing on two legs, looking around. They appeared to be happy to share their ocean with me.

waves curling, crashing

sanderlings line the sand, facing crashing waves

More photos from my wander today can be seen in the gallery Parker River - 2012 starting with this photo and ending here.

Saturday, December 01, 2012

clouds reflecting

I usually post current photos in my blog, but this (2009) image of clouds reflecting in a reservoir near home jumped out at me this morning.

clouds reflecting, Andover reservoir