Denise Goldberg's blog

Friday, December 29, 2023

top photos :: 2023

It's that time of year, the time when I wander through the photos that I've published during 2023 to find my favorites. It's always an interesting exercise, one that takes time and changes day-to-day until I have made my final choices.

From the beginning of the year, here are my selections.

Malachite butterfly

Malachite butterfly
hanging upside down



pooled water

pooled water
at Halibut Point State Park



tulips

tulips
opening



dahlia delight

dahlia delight
posed



coastal view

coastal view
Parker River National Wildlife Refuge



dahlias

dahlias
in pink



across the dunes

across the dunes
Parker River National Wildlife Refuge



petals

petals
of a chrysanthemum



still water

still water
at Pomps Pond



mirrored patterns

mirrored patterns
Parker River National Wildlife Refuge


These photos are collected into the gallery top photos :: 2023. If you'd like to see larger versions of the photos or you would like to view them as a full screen slideshow, click here to jump to the gallery, then press the triangle-shaped button at the top.

Wednesday, December 27, 2023

calm

While rain is predicted for tomorrow, today's weather tempted me to walk at Harold Parker State Forest.

The calm waters of Field Pond created a canvas showing reflecting trees.

trees reflecting in Field Pond, Harold Parker State Forest

Monday, December 25, 2023

on the wall

Yesterday afternoon I headed to the Punto Urban Art Museum on the streets of Salem, MA.

My goal was to see the set of new murals on the walls around the power station in The Point. The exhibit is titled "A Dream Called Home", inspired by the book of the same title by a Mexican-American author, Reyna Grande.

mural YOU ARE NOT LESS, YOU ARE MORE, by @GORGONEIA

YOU ARE NOT LESS, YOU ARE MORE, by @GORGONEIA

Click here to see more photos of the art on the walls in the gallery murals in Salem :: 2023. The first 29 photos in the gallery are from yesterday's visit; the rest were taken in March of this year.

Saturday, December 23, 2023

beach walk

It was a perfect afternoon for a walk on the beach. I started walking about an hour before low tide; I even managed to keep my feet dry.

The low angle of the winter sun provided interesting light as it emerged from behind a layer of clouds.

Parker River National Wildlife Refuge

Parker River National Wildlife Refuge

Thursday, December 21, 2023

quiet water

The water of Pomps Pond is smooth and quiet, a match for the pure blue sky.

Pomps Pond, Andover, MA

Monday, December 18, 2023

wet

What a crazy storm!

I know it would have been smart to stay in today but when the rain lightened up a bit I decided to head out for a walk. The rain continued for a while, then stopped, leaving the wind to dry my rain jacket. It was just a lull - I finished my walk in heavy, heavy rain.

I'm glad that today's precipitation was liquid, not frozen.

water where there normally is grass, Merrimack College

water covers a field that is normally dry

Sunday, December 17, 2023

trees

Evergreen trees color the landscape at Pomps Pond in Andover, MA.

evergreen trees

Friday, December 15, 2023

iridescence

A play of color emerges as sunlight hits a heart-shaped lock on a fence in Portsmouth, NH.

iridescent heart-shaped padlock

Wednesday, December 13, 2023

across the Piscataqua

The sky kept changing today, from blue with clouds to gray and back again. Even with a chill wind, it was a good day for a walk in Portsmouth, NH.

Ripples in the Piscataqua River show refections of the clouds.

looking across the Piscataqua River, Portsmouth, NH

Friday, December 08, 2023

skim ice

Temperatures have been cold enough to support the formation of skim ice on the surface of ponds.

This view of early ice is from a walk in Harold Parker State Forest this afternoon.

skim ice, Harold Parker State Forest

Monday, December 04, 2023

rust and green

A few trees wearing rust-colored leaves pop in a stand of evergreens.

trees, Valley Forge National Historical Park

in Valley Forge National Historical Park

Thursday, November 30, 2023

pinecones

Pinecones decorate evergreens in Maudlsay State Park.

pinecones

Saturday, November 25, 2023

light through leaves

Leaves appeared to be painted in the magic of angled afternoon light.

autumn leaves, Maudslay State Park

Thursday, November 23, 2023

mixed

Late autumn highlights mixed colors where deciduous trees live next to evergreens.

trees, Harold Parker State Forest

Monday, November 20, 2023

sunshine via flowers

While the air outside wears a crisp chill, chrysanthemums living in a greenhouse bring sunshine to the day.

chrysanthemums

Tuesday, November 14, 2023

photos! chrysanthemums

Photos from yesterday's visit to the 2023 Fall Chrysanthemum Show at Smith College can now be viewed in the gallery chrysanthemums at Smith College :: 2023.

chrysanthemum

Click here to wander through the colorful mums.

Monday, November 13, 2023

layers of color

What a treat!

Today I headed west in the state to visit the 2023 Fall Chrysanthemum Show at Smith College. If Northampton was an hour closer I would probably visit more than once. Still, wandering through the bright flowers made the two hours travel time well worth the effort.

I arrived just after the conservatory opened for the day and was delighted to have at least an hour for my first wander through the flowers without too many other humans.

chrysanthemums

Saturday, November 11, 2023

across the dunes

Vegetation on the dunes at the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge shows the color of autumn.

Parker River National Wildlife Refuge

Tuesday, November 07, 2023

to Parker River

Today's weather brought a bit of warmth sandwiched between two colder days.

Temperatures in the mid-60s pulled me to Parker River National Wildlife Refuge for a low tide walk by the ocean.

Parker River National Wildlife Refuge

Monday, November 06, 2023

oak leaves in red

While most leaves remaining on trees are wearing shades of rust and brown some insist on being different.

Today I saw an oak tree wearing autumn red.

autumn oak leaves in red

Sunday, October 29, 2023

coastal Odiorne

Yesterday was the last summer-like day for what will probably be a long time.

I took advantage of the 80+ degree temperature to walk along the coast in Odiorne Point State Park.

Odiorne Point State Park

Friday, October 27, 2023

late dahlia

As autumn leaves fall from trees there are still dahlias in bloom in the gardens of Maudslay State Park.

dahlia

Wednesday, October 25, 2023

one

A single maple leaf in bright red is caught by the branches of a tree.

maple leaf in red

Thursday, October 19, 2023

bright & fading

Trees wearing autumn leaves continue to paint bright pictures even as the color is starting to fade.

autumn leaves in Harold Parker State Forest

Saturday, October 14, 2023

layers in sky & water

It was about an hour past high tide when I walked the beach at Parker River National Wildlife Refuge.

The sand was soft, swept free of footprints. The sky wore a pretty shade of blue and the waves showed a bit of green.

Parker River National Wildlife Refuge

Wednesday, October 11, 2023

from the dike

In honor of National Wildlife Refuge Week the dike between sub-headquarters and Hellcat at the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge is open for walking this week.

I took advantage of a beautiful day to walk along the dike this morning.

Parker River National Wildlife Refuge

Sunday, October 08, 2023

layers

As I walked in the park on Friday I saw layers of color.

There were yellow leaves, shades of green in leaves and grasses, and rust-colored ferns.

autumn color at Maudslay

Saturday, October 07, 2023

red

Bright red berries complement small green leaves.

An image search tells me this is a variety of cotoneaster. Whatever name it wears, I like the pop of color!

cotoneaster

Tuesday, October 03, 2023

mixed

Evergreen and deciduous trees present a palette of mixed color.

trees reflecting, wearing autumn color

Sunday, October 01, 2023

ocean song

Late afternoon...

Instead of heading directly home from volunteering at the visitor center of the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge, I headed into the refuge. It was a perfect time to walk and to listen to the sounds of the ocean.

Parker River National Wildlife Refuge

Thursday, September 28, 2023

changing

While most of the trees in the area are still wearing shades of green, patches of color are starting to emerge.

The trees standing on the edges of Berry Pond in Harold Parker State Forest show the color of autumn.

autumn color on Berry Pond

Saturday, September 23, 2023

pop!

A pop of red shows on the inland side of the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge.

Autumn approaches.

looking inland, Parker River National Wildlife Refuge

Friday, September 22, 2023

on the beach

Low tide was at a good time this morning and today is the last day without predicted rain. That meant I was pulled to the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge for a walk on the beach.

The refuge was quiet, the beach used by a few people and a lot of birds. Sea gulls rested, sanderlings scurried across the sand.

on the beach at the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge

Wednesday, September 20, 2023

autumn color

While most trees in the area are still wearing leaves of green, an occasional maple is wearing bright red.

It's an early sign of autumn approaching.

maple leaves in red

Sunday, September 17, 2023

late dahlia

It's been a good season for dahlias.

I was delighted to find this beautiful bloom in Maudslay State Park during my wander there last Thursday. Here's hoping that they continue to decorate local gardens for a little longer.

dahlia

Saturday, September 16, 2023

outdoor sculpture at Maudslay

It is time for the annual Outdoor Sculpture at Maudslay event. This year's show runs from September 10th through October 1st. I usually try to visit early in the show, often returning for a second look.

On Thursday I headed to Maudslay State Park to wander through the sculptures.

Liberty Denied, sculpture at Maudslay State Park

Shattered Colors, sculpture at Maudslay State Park

To see more of the sculptures, click here to visit the photo gallery outdoor sculpture at Maudslay :: 2023

Friday, September 15, 2023

celosia

Celosia blooms through the summer - but somehow it makes me think of fall.

celosia

Tuesday, September 12, 2023

early morning

It was quite early when I opened my eyes this morning. The ground was wet from last night's rain but no water was falling from the sky. It felt like a good time for a garden walk.

Even though we are nudging into autum there are still dahlias sharing bright colors.

dahlias

Monday, September 11, 2023

approaching low tide

Friday's walk on the beach at the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge was delightful. While there were other people around the end of the boardwalk I enjoyed a solo walk.

I walked.
I watched gulls and sanderlings feeding by the edge of the ocean.
I absorbed the beauty around me.

Parker River National Wildlife Refuge

Sunday, September 10, 2023

the wait is over

Yay! I woke up at 3:52 AM when the lights and the air conditioner popped on; the power was back!

The power was out for 37 hours. I feel very lucky; the weather wasn't too bad from a heat standpoint, and there are still areas around me without power. Not having power makes me realize how much it affects everyday life. I'm glad it's back.

goldenrod, Parker River National Wildlife Refuge

This photo is from the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge. It is the last photo I took before heading home Friday afternoon, arriving home shortly before the power disappeared.