The morning sky wore a blue background decorated with mottled clumps of clouds, beauty for the eyes. It didn't take too long before the clouds were replaced by brilliant sunshine, bringing sparkles to the crystals of snow still covering the ground.
Late afternoon seemed like a good time for camera play. I headed out with the intent of experimenting with my macro lens, looking for small things hidden from a simple passing glance.
Sunlight masked by haze called out to be photographed - not a target for a macro lens, but still an interesting vision. Then my camera turned to the edges of the snow and ice, remnants of dried flowers, pine cones...
I managed a few shots that I really like, but I suspect that the addition of a tripod or monopod may be one of the things I need to improve my macro capabilities. First I have to seek out images that attract my eye and my camera, and then I have to manage a still shot. Finding interesting shots doesn't seem to be an issue for me, but holding the camera steady when focusing on something small that is very close to my lens is an interesting exercise in steadiness.
Interested in seeing more of my macro experiments? Photos can be viewed in my Winter (macro) images photo gallery.
When I look back at today in a month or so, I'm sure that I'll be surprised that I referred to temperatures in the mid-30s as warm. But today? It seemed warm to me.
My bicycles were calling again, and this time I headed out earlier in the day without any hesitation. Of course it was a riding day! Twenty-seven happy miles rolled beneath my wheels as they passed over sometimes dry and sometimes puddled road surfaces. I suppose I will just have to put up with the puddles for a while as the snow melts.
And snow? Please keep melting!
As the sun sinks in the west, remnants of orange tint the horizon, bare skeletons of trees stand before the deepening blue sky...
The sun rose to highlight a crisp, cold day, clearly still winter here in New England. I knew for the sake of my sanity that today's exercise needed to be some sort of outdoor play, but I decided to wait until the sun had a chance to warm the air before I ventured out either walking or riding.
Mid-afternoon, it was time to (finally) get moving. Brrr! It was still a bit chilly out. Temperatures in the high 20s, wind blowing, it seemed like a good day for walking. I headed out walking, quickly warmed up, and oops! time to turn around and heed the call of my two-wheeled steed. You'd think I would have learned from Monday's experience that if I had any fleeting desire to ride that I should head out on my bicycle and not on foot. Apparently that lesson didn't stick with me last week; maybe today's will.
A tale of a ride, as told by my purple bicycle...
We (Denise's bicycles) really didn't understand why she headed out on foot today. We knew that she would be back sooner than she expected, and we knew that one of us would be rolling down the road with her very soon. After all, it was a beautiful day - even though it was a bit chilly. The temperatures were in the high 20s, and that stuff Denise refers to as wind was blowing. We've ridden in colder temperatures and on windier days before. And we just knew that riding was the perfect solution to Denise's winter funk.
Yes, it was a bit cold out. We don't feel the cold event though Denise does. It's late enough in the winter that she has finally figured out the right layers to wear, so she was quite comfortable. And there was a huge plus to the below freezing temperatures - the road was dry. We rolled in loops not too far from home, chatting with dogs walking down the road with their owners, passing still frozen ponds, and even seeing some other cyclists braving the cold. We didn't stay out terribly long - an hour and a half on the road on this cold winter's day. It was a good ride.
As we wait for spring to arrive, it's time for Denise to remember that riding - even on a cold day - makes her happy.
...of snow decorated everything in sight early this morning. The early gray sky gave way to sunshine a few hours later, new snow glistening.
Warm temperatures lured me outside for a quick mid-afternoon walk. It's amazing to me that what felt like amazing warmth today - temperature in the mid-40s - will probably feel cold in a relatively short amount of time. I'm hoping that by the end of next month that 40 degree temperatures actually seem cold, but for now they make me quite happy.
I tried to convince some Canada Geese that it would be safe to pose for pictures, but they were clearly leary of the 2-legged creature who was missing her wings but who did have a funny device (a baby camera!) attached to one hand. They were right though - it's probably safer not to stand still for too long, not knowing the intent of the person who insisted on following them.
In case you're worried, I really wasn't that close to these big birds, and the thought of chasing them didn't even enter my mind.
17 miles in 17 degrees, with winds blowing at 17 miles per hour (and with gusts to 21)...
This feels like déjà vu; I know I've been here before.
A blue sky greeted me this morning, but brrr! it was cold. The early morning temperatures were in the single digits, and the wind was blowing. No work for me today on this odd federal holiday (Washington's birthday), and it wasn't a day when I wanted to be pinned down by the weather.
I wasn't going to ride today; I thought it was too cold. It was so cold that I waited until afternoon when the temperature warmed into the teens before I headed out walking. Right foot, left foot, right, left... walking, moving quickly... I was still warm when I finished my hour-long walk.
I opened the door, and I thought I heard my bicycle calling to me. What was she saying? That it was time to ride! Yes, it was still very cold and fairly windy, but the roads were dry (unlike yesterday when they were streaming with water just waiting to through salt onto my bicycle). So I agreed; it was time to ride.
It was cold enough outside that I stuck with some relatively short loops where other humans (in houses) weren't too far away. Rolling past Harold Parker State Forest, I was somewhat surprised that the frozen ponds didn't sport any people on skates. And unlike most of my other winter rides, I didn't see anyone else wandering on a bicycle. Do you think there was a reason? I couldn't have been the only person wandering on two wheels, could I?
The late afternoon sun cast shadows through the trees, shadows interspersed with shine from the ice-crusted snow. Winter beauty...
Success! A comfortable winter ride meant that I was still toasty warm when I got home. The remaining Gatorade in my water bottle was another story; it had changed from liquid to slush around a solid core of ice.
My final mileage for the day seems fitting, doesn't it?
Glistening snow surrounds fallen pine needles
What do you see? A bear? Someone (something) else? This looks like a human-aided sculpture to me, but I suppose it could have been accidental.
A cold day greeted me this morning, tempting me with blue skies and gradually warming temperatures. After a quick chat with my bicycles I knew that it needed to be a riding day. A late morning start allowed me to ride in comfortable temperatures - mid 20's, rising to 30 while I was out. (Amazing that I refer to those as comfortable temperatures, isn't it?) Many of the roads were cloaked in wet, sand and salt hiding in the puddles, ready to cling to my bike. I chose the dry roads, staying on the more heavily traveled (but still back) roads in my area, and riding for a little over an hour.
I had a need to wander today, and my short ride didn't satisfy that need. Restless...
Ah, the coast was calling to me. I quickly responded, heading to the short southeastern edge of New Hampshire clad, in warm layers for walking, camera at hand and ready for action. The ocean was quiet today, and sections of the beach glistened with water. Sea gulls walked, wet sand acting as a mirror, reflecting images. Sea gulls flew, blue skies framing their wings. Away from the water, snow showed the art of the wind, drifting over the sand.
Walking along the water, talking to and capturing images of the sea gulls provided smiles, calming my earlier restless feelings.
Even small reflections are magic...
Add a sea gull in motion, and the reflections get even better...
Focus? Yes, I would have been happier with a slight improvement in focus on this shot, but I do like the feeling of flying.
More photos? Yes, of course there are more. You can see them in my Conversations with birds photo gallery.
