lady's slipper

Orchids come in many different shapes. This one is known as a lady's slipper.

flower smiles

Seeing the delicate beauty of an orchid always makes me smile.

wicked windy

The air was crisp and a strong wind was blowing.

It was still a good moprning for a walk in Valley Forge National Park.

orchid morning

I loved the color around me as I walked through Longwood Gardens this morning.

It's orchid season, with the Orchid Extravaganza show continuing through March 22nd. I'm always happy to visit these intricate flowers.

message on a wall

Judging by a few bits of peeling paint I suspect this mural has been in place for a while. It has a good message, "Everyone has a role in ending hunger".

a reflection

Late day light and a smooth reflecting surface created a canvas for an afternoon scene.

painted walls

This morning I went looking for bright color.

I knew there were murals scattered through the central area of Lawrence but I didn't know the exact locations. I plotted three points by searching for murals online then making note of the addresses. One of the three addresses didn't pan out but by taking a crisscross path and keeping my eyes open I found a number of painted walls.

These were long murals needing more than one photo to capture them. Imagine you are standing in front of a long wall wearing these three images.

quiet

I walked alone, enjoying the quiet.

into the light

Late afternoon light showcased a stand of trees in Harold Parker State Forest.

an old camera

I had a chance to visit the small but delightful "Elsa Dorfman: Me and My Camera" exhibit at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston yesterday. It was pretty amazing to see the self-portraits Dorfman created with a 200-pound, 20 x 24 Polaroid camera.

Though many of her portraits are of others, Dorfman’s self-portraiture is integral to her entire practice. “Being comfortable with the camera on myself affected how I felt in taking pictures of others,” she once said. “I really had in my mind that this was helping me, in some magical way, to take portraits, because people would sense I did it to myself, too.” credit: Museum of Fine Arts

Information on the exhibit can be seen here.

floating ice

A bit of ice floats in the Parker River as the tide continues to rise.

afternoon light

The sun was dropping to the horizon about an hour before high tide. The view to the west over (tidal) Parker River was pure magic in the late afternoon light.

brisk

Sunshine and cold air combined to form a beautiful winter day, a good day for a walk.

Non-winter color for today comes from a red camellia happily living in a greenhouse.

trees :: reflections

While the water level is low during the Field Pond Dam & Dike Rehabilitation there is still enough water to create a reflection of trees standing on the edge of the pond.

Field Pond, Harold Parker State Forest

calm

Field Pond in Harold Parker State Forest is wearing a combination of ice and water as the temperature edges above the freezing point.

dream big

Supporting a political candidate can have ups and downs.

Elizabeth Warren's campaign slogan "Dream Big Fight Hard" is very fitting; her speech tonight as the polls closed on the primary in New Hampshire was very moving.

Click here for a quick intro. (Don't forget to click to turn the sound on!)

Click the play button here to listen to the full speech.

camellia

A camellia is a beautiful flower. Its shape, curves, and color are wonderful.

curves

The petals of a camellia show as soft curves.

icy

Rain is falling. With the temperature hovering around the freezing point ice is forming.

messy

A small amount of snow fell overnight before the precipitation turned to freezing rain, then rain. Today's walk was messy!

I'm very happy to have waterproof and warm walking shoes for days like this.

powerful

I just watched "BREAKING: Midnight In Washington - Impeachment Zero Hour". Eleven Films created the video using Adam Schiff's words from the closing statements of the impeachment trial paired with pictures of events that support his words.

The video is very powerful.

Watch it HERE.

---

Update at 6:25 pm

Yes, I know, he was acquitted in the Senate. He is still impeached, and the video is still worth watching and believing.

patterns

Patterns in nature create an ever-changing view of the landscape.

winter warmth

Today's forecast called for almost warmth with temperatures moving into the mid-40s. That called for a beach walk!

After checking the tide charts I headed to the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge, arriving about an hour before low tide. When I first arrived the sky was clear; puffy white clouds arrived a little later.

subtle light

Layers of light and reflections in the Parker River caught my eye as the sun was dropping to the horizon.