delicate

Walking through a greenhouse on a cold winter's day floods my mind with thoughts of (still far away) spring.

motion

Sanderlings walk the beach in a flock, probing for food in the wet sand. They seem to move as one, quickly walking, probing, then bursting into flight.

an attempt to capture motion

listen...

Listen... can you hear the ocean?

I headed to the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge early this afternoon, leaving time to walk on the beach before my scheduled volunteer time. It was close to two hours before low tide, a perfect time to walk on wet sand without worrying about an inadvertent walk in the ocean. While it was a warm day for January it was still too cold for wet feet.

The sound of the ocean brings a feeling of peace.

color!

This morning I satisfied my need for color with a visit to the greenhouses of the Lyman Estate.

It's a funny time of year even in an environment that encourages flowers. While there were fewer flowers in bloom than on my last visit, there were enough to provide a splash of color.

a camellia in bright pink

quiet waters

Quiet waters of the Piscataqua River show subtle reflections.

wishing

On this winter day I find myself thinking of and wishing for spring. I know, I know, it's still January and there are many more winter days ahead.

I walk outside for exercise year-round and I also do a fair amount of wandering with my camera, looking for interesting photo targets. Unfortunately inland trails are ice-covered and treacherous, keeping me away from some of my usual walking with a camera spots. Luckily I'm not too far from the coast; beach walks always make me happy.

There are likely many days of cold and snow remaining. Perhaps it's time for a greenhouse visit.

send a wish on a feather...

one tree

A single tree stands on the edge of Peirce Island.

In the distance three bridges that cross the Piscataqua River are visible - Memorial Bridge, the still under construction Sarah Mildred Long Bridge, and the very high bridge carrying I-95.

in Rye Harbor

The government shutdown cancelled my usual Sunday volunteer activity at the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge.

It was a beautiful day for a walk by the sea so I took advantage of my free day and headed to the New Hampshire coast. Without a specific destination in mind I drove until an interesting scene caught my eyes, stopping to walk and absorb my surroundings. The water in Rye Harbor was glassy providing a perfect spot for a bit of camera play.

the face of an orchid

I'm fascinated by the many shapes and colors of orchids.

footsteps

While the beach is quiet, footsteps capture a low-tide walk along the ocean.

flowers

Flowers grouped on a single stem provide a splash of color.

coastal ice

Cold air for many days encouraged ice to form in the coastal end of the Merrimack River. Several days of warmth last week failed to change the landscape; the ice remains.

late day light

The colors of sunset caught my eyes as I drove past Lake Cochichewick last this afternoon. Even after several warm days, the lake is still wearing ice.

January thaw

It appears that today is the last day of a welcome January thaw. It was delightful to be outside wearing layers that work for spring rather than winter.

Spring is (likely) many weeks away; I'm glad I have indoor gardens to visit during the cold season.

This Clerodendrum thomsoniae posed for me during a mid-December visit to the greenhouses at Smith College. I think I need to plan a return visit.

low tide

Today's non-January temperature was very welcome. Low 50s by afternoon was sweet!

The tide was low when I arrived at Jenness State Beach in Rye, NH, perfect conditions for a walking and for a bit of camera play.

layers of blue

As I looked out at the ocean I saw the blue of the sky reflecting in ocean waters.

warmer

What a difference! Temperatures were in the mid-30s when I headed out for an (exercise) walk this morning. I was delighted to log 6 miles, moving quickly through comfortable air.

This afternoon I headed to the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge for a walk on the beach. My visit last week was cut short by wind-driven cold. Today the temperature was a good 10 degrees warmer providing the environment for a delightful walk.

before the snow

Last Wednesday's Plum Island visit showcased a little bit of snow and ice, the calm before the storm the next day. It's always interesting to take in the view from the bridge to the island.

tiny

A close-up of a tiny flower helps me to imagine a bit of warmth on this very cold winter day.

a world of white

Yesterday's storm left about 12 inches of snow behind, opening the door to frigid air entering the area. Today's mid-teens temperature allowed me to walk outside, to explore the much narrowed roadways. In some places the sidewalks were shoveled; in others only the road provided walkable terrain.

A bit later I headed out again with my camera. While I was toasty during my long walk this morning the temperature had dropped and the wind was howling, brr! It didn't take me long to realize that today was not a good day for outdoor photo play.

...yes, the photo below is from that very short walk with camera.

to Parker River

After a week of cold, today's temperature in the 20s felt balmy! I took advantage of the calm before tomorrow's (predicted) storm to get in a long exercise walk this morning followed by an afternoon visit to the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge.

The wind coming off of the ocean carried a bit of chill. I shared the beach with a few sea gulls; no other humans were in sight. When I moved to the inland side of the refuge I could see large numbers of Canada Goose flying, then landing and standing on distant ice.

Visiting Parker River always feeds my need for beauty.

100 years

Winter's cold air warmed up a bit today with temperatures in the teens accompanied by light winds. While that is pretty cold it is a reasonable temperature to dress for, supporting a brisk walk outside. Tomorrow's forecast calls for a warmer day; I suspect that temperatures in the predicted high 20s will feel balmy.

Today marks the 7th day in a row that the temperature has remained below 20 degrees. That ties the record set on January 4, 1918 for the longest stretch in Boston where the high temperature did not rise above 20F. I will be quite happy if the weather wizard doesn't try to break that record again anytime soon; 100 years is a good span.

It looks like there will be 2 warmer days before a few more days of extreme cold. Tomorrow I plan to head to the coast with my camera to take advantage of a warmer no precipitation day. Thursday looks like it will be a good day not to travel far. When I headed out for my walk this afternoon the forecast for Thursday called for 4 inches of snow; now the weather map shows that I am in a predicted band of 9 inches. Yikes!

Yes, it is winter.