opening

A summer flower, opening soon...

upgrade :: Windows 10

Today was the official release date for Windows 10. Instead of waiting for the automated downloads that I had requested I decided to reach out, grab the upgrade tool, and update both my Surface 3 and my "big" computer. Elapsed time was probably about 2 hours between downloading, installing, and configuring. The entire process was easy, pretty much running itself.

Next step? It's time to re-familiarize myself with my computers!

I've used (and like) the new Edge browser, I've wandered through the menus and tiles to find the things I use often, so far everything looks good. I plan to spend some time with the Surface with and without the keyboard attached since that automatically changes the operation of the device. I think that makes sense - with the keyboard it acts more like a laptop, without the keyboard it behaves like a tablet.

It's an interesting change.

tiger lily

I don't remember seeing downward-facing small lilies before this summer. Perhaps these small beauties weren't planted in gardens that I visited; I'm glad to have made their acquaintance.

a surprise destination

Knowing that it might not be a good destination on a summer afternoon I still headed to Rockport yesterday, hoping to walk in Halibut Point State Park. My uneasy feeling slapped me in the face when I arrived at the road leading to the parking lot to see a "full" sign with an indication that the parking lot would reopen in a half hour. Hmmm... how does the park staff know there will be spaces for more cars in that timeframe?

This is the first visit to the park that stopped me in my tracks, but then again arriving in the early afternoon on a cool summer day is something I'd never tried before.

I turned around, thinking I would find another place to walk for a bit, then return.

I was lucky, turning towards the sea down a random street a little closer to the town center (but not leading to the town center as I knew I was unlikely to find parking there). There were wider streets off of that street that looked to support parking - at least there weren't any "no parking" signs as there were on the narrower streets. I left the car and started walking.

I found a public path leading out onto the rocky coastline, wandering there for a while.

My next stop was a small harbor where I was treated with the view of fishing boats reflecting in the calm waters.

It was a good wander in a new-to-me spot along the coast. It satisfied my need to listen to the ocean waves.

More photos can be seen in the gallery coastal Massachusetts :: 2015.

portrait

A portrait of a dahlia moving in the wind...

a happy bee

Gardens provide a home for flowers and busy bees.

reaching

A leaf on edge, reaching toward a sunflower wearing variegated petals...

golden

Petals in golden colors decorate the garden.

two

Yesterday was a day of two... two friends wandering together, visiting two parks in two states.

Our first stop was Fort Foster in Kittery Point. It's a good place to walk along the rocky coast, watching the water, the birds, the other people, happy dogs.

Once we finished our ocean-side walk we headed to Portsmouth where the vibrant colors of summer flowers in Prescott Park called to me.

It was a good day for visiting, for wandering, and for a bit of camera play.

For more photos, click to the galleries south coastal Maine 2015 and in Prescott Park.

simple beauty

Sunflowers splash simple beauty, brightening the day.

dreamy

Flowers move in the wind; a capture in motion creates a dreamy image.

bright

Brightly colored strawflowers reach to the sun.

under a bridge

The light was magical, creating reflections of these colorful boats in their home under a bridge.

on Fort Point Channel, Boston

to Plum Island

It's July and the beach at the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge is closed to humans. The piping plovers take over on April 1st each year; two-legged beings are allowed on the beach again when the nesting season is completed. July is way too early! Even knowing that I decided Plum Island was a good destination for today. After my city walk yesterday I felt the need for a calming walk along the water. I decided the wetlands side of the refuge would satisfy that need.

My first stop was the bridge to Plum Island. It was about an hour after high tide when I arrived. The sky was bland, no clouds and little color, the water wore ripples and a steel blue color that complimented the green of the marsh grass.

The light breeze stopped for a few minutes while I was wandering the inland side of the refuge. Luckily it started again pretty quickly because it is greenhead fly season and ouch! they bite! I swatted a few away before the breeze kicked in again and kept me comfortable.

There are six and a half miles of beach in the refuge, all owned by the birds.

a sign

A sign to live by, as seen on the Rose Kennedy Greenway...

a Boston wander

This afternoon I was pulled into Boston to see art. My first stop was along the Rose Kennedy Greenway where I needed to see Janet Echelman's aerial sculpture. I was fascinated by the description when it was first installed. The second piece of the wander was walking and walking and walking, to find the Lawn on D where where an installation titled Intrude included massive blow-up rabbits.

It was a bright day so the aerial sculpture was made up of color against blue. I'd love to see it again on a cloudy day; maybe that will happen before the sculpture is removed in early October.

The sculpture is anchored to a number of tall buildings. It contains over 100 miles of rope - between the soft net and the structual rope, over half a million knots make up the sculpture - 542,500 to be exact, and the approximate weight of the sculpture is 1 ton.

For more information on the sculpture, click to Greenway Sculpture Facts and Janet Echelman's Artist Statement.

Next I wandered through the streets looking for the Lawn on D Street. There I found the exhibit called Intrude consisting of 5 x 7m high giant illuminated inflatable rabbits. The park was teeming with people posing with the rabbits, playing, and relaxing.

More photos can be seen in the gallery a wander in Boston, 2015.

It was an enjoyable wander, a city walk as opposed to my usual nature walks.

summer smiles

Summer smiles, bright flowers decorate gardens.

follow the hose

Funny, I haven't seen a sprinkler that sits on and follows a hose in a long time.

This beauty was sitting next to the house at Chanticleer during our visit last weekend; I saw a newer plastic version yesterday traveling and watering a lawn.

from flower to seed pod

The seed pods of poppies are topped with crossing lines that look like they were drawn by a person. As the flower's spectacular bloom fades a new form of beauty emerges.

relaxing

A turtle's resting spot out of water, a place for relaxing...

in the pond garden area, at Chanticleer

photos! Chanticleer

Photos from yesterday's wander through the gardens at Chanticleer in Wayne, Pennsylvania can be viewed in the gallery Chanticleer delight. Enjoy!

garden morning

It was a good morning for a first visit to Chanticleer, a wonderful garden in Wayne, Pennsylvania. If I lived closer this would be a place I would visit often - it was absolutely gorgeous!

The flowers were wonderful, as were the hand-made benches, chairs, and bridges scattered through the property.

One bench in particular stands out in my mind - the back was sculpted wood showing radishes and pumpkins; the arm rests were celery stalks, the side pieces in the front were carrots and in the back were asparagus. What an awesome piece of usable art!

bleeding hearts

The name of this flower seems perfect for its shape, bleeding heart. I love the color and the way the flower's shape matches the name.

jagged

Rain began falling just after I started my drive to work this morning. The sky seemed to lower, the rain strengthened. As I headed to the west I saw a jagged fork of lightening heading from sky to ground, then heard the loud crash of thunder.

The forecast calls for a very wet day.

before or after

Are these buds (before) or seed pods (after)? There were a few purple blooms but the plant was mainly wearing these interesting shapes.