Round Barn, Barnet VT

Dy 11/365

I love round barns!!! This particular barn is located along Route 5 in Barnet VT. It was grey and overcast the day we stopped here to take some pictures. I added a little texture to the photo to cover up the dreary sky.

I posted two blog posts today to catch up for the days I was away. Don't forget to view the other post. Thanks!

Monroe's Sugarin' Barton VT

Day 10/365

The rite of Spring for me is visiting Monroe's Sugar House, owned by our good friends Steven and Terri Monroe up in Barton VT. This year was even more special, because I was accompanied by several members of my camera club. I just love showing off all things VT to them, and I'd have to say, this was on the top of the list.

It was snowy as we made our way to the sugar house......the kind of snow that dances around but doesn't really stick to anything. The snow helped to make the images nicer that I took at a farm we stopped at along the way.

We were so happy that "the boil" was going on while we were there. Here is Steve setting things up.

The sweet aroma in the sugar house is simply divine. Here are some of my camera club buddies taking some pictures through the aromatic steam

Syrup for sale......and there was a lot more than this display!

We were treated to the most delicious hot dogs cooked the VT way.......they were boiled in sap and then browned on the grill. Amazing!

Freshly made syrup....

And as always, we were treated to the most amazing dessert of warm raised donuts dipped in our own little bowls of freshly made maple syrup. Divine!

Swiftwater Bridge Bath NH

Day 9/365
Our next stop was to photograph the Swiftwater Covered Bridge in Bath NH. Here you can find a pretty little waterfall running as the water runs under the bridge. There is still a fairly deep snow pack, and it the water was still mostly frozen.......but we were able to see some of the waterfall breaking through the snow and ice.

My friends arriving on the scene!

Sticky Buns and Snow!

Day 8/365
I'm back from my long weekend up North. Friday morning we left at 5 am. We had breakfast at the Woodstock Inn in Woodstock NH. One word.....delicious. If you are ever in the area, you must stop here for breakfast. All I can say is the sticky buns that they put down on your table as soon as you arrive are A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!
After we filled our bellies we headed West on Rte 112. The higher elevations were so beautiful as the snow was still on the trees. There were low clouds and fog dancing along the mountain tops. It was breathtaking.

It's funny.....we had so much snow here this winter that I never thought I would want to see snow again. But this was different. It was beautiful and a reminder of why I really do like snow!

So I am now going to write another blog post so please scroll down. I am trying to catch up on the days I missed while away.

Tulips

Day 7/365

The tulips from the other day revisited:

                                                             "Lean On Me"

"Spring Gathering"

I will be going away tomorrow and won't be home until Sunday. The good news is I should be coming home with some nice photos to share here on the blog. The bad news is I'm not sure that I will be able to post until at least Sunday. I will try to post if I can....so if you don't see any blog posts over the weekend, don't fret. I'll post when I can and will make up for any missed days.

One week down of posting daily. :-)

Sap buckets, Springtime, and New Pants

Day 6/365

Today I took my father to the mall to buy some pants. He was so happy with his new pants. It's amazing what makes a 92 year old man happy. It's the little things in life. Actually, it's true that it's the little things in life that really make us all happy anyways, right?

So after the pants buying extravaganza, we went for a ride up through the Blue Hills. Today was a lovely Spring day where it actually feels like early Spring outside. I stopped at Brookwood Farm and took a picture for today's blog using my cell phone. This is more or less just a snapshot, but it's a preview of things to come really soon. Hint hint.........I'm going to VT in two days for a three day weekend. Can't wait! I'll be posting many more maple sugar type shots when I come home.

"The Three Musketeers"

Spring Reminders

Day 5/365

Bought myself some tulips at Whole Foods the other day. They are starting to open up.

It still doesn't look like Spring outdoors, but these flowers are a nice reminder that Winter is over !

Hairy Grandson

Day 4/365

Call me crazy but for some reason I think my "Grandson" Stanley needs a haircut....

But we love him anyways.

What Is Love?

Day 3/365

Love is family!!
 While I was at work today, my family (minus Jay because he was working too!) attended the St Patrick's Day Parade in my hometown. They walked down to the parade from my house......and when I got home from work I started working on dinner. Here they are coming up the driveway on their way home from the parade:

We celebrated Miss J's birthday today with cake and ice cream for dessert.

Family.....it's all we need!!!!!!

Pretty Gull

Day 2/365

The second day of Spring has brought a little more snow, a little bit of rain, and some grey skies. I'm looking forward to some sunshine and prettiness. (Is prettiness even a word?) I don't know if it is a word, but I'm sure you know what I mean. This gull is as pretty as it gets today! I hope you are enjoying your weekend!

Seasons Change

Day 1/365

After enduring a long cold, and snowy winter, the first day of Spring arrived today. I went down to the pond late this afternoon to take some pictures. It sure didn't look like it was a Spring day.......but that shouldn't surprise us with the kind of winter we had. It's good to know that sunnier and warmer days are ahead.
By this date, the swans are usually building their nest...... on a typical year. But as we know, this is not a typical year. The pond is still 95 % frozen and snow covered.
So, as the snow fell this afternoon, Daddy Swan posed pretty for me in a few close-up shots. Here's one of them:

***Did you know that I wrote the very first blog post six years ago today?***

You also may have noticed some changes to the look of the blog. Each year on the first day of Spring, which is the first day of the new blog year, I change some of the colors and fonts.

I have decided to go back to the original purpose of this blog this year......I am going to take a photograph and write a blog post every day for the next 365 days. Ready or not........here we go!!!!!! Thank you for joining me in this photographic journey.

Happy birthday Miss J!

A beautiful flower for a beautiful girl. She makes the world a better place. There are not enough words to tell you how proud I am of the person, the daughter, the wife, and the mother that she is. She lights up my life! I love you Miss J.

Kennedy's Garden Center, Scituate MA

Scituate is a lovely little coastal town, not far from where I live, and it's one of my favorite places to do landscape photography. I met up with some members of my camera club yesterday morning in Scituate......but this time it was for indoor photography at a garden center.

As I was driving there along beautiful Rte 123 in Norwell, I was thinking how depressing it looks outside right now. The snowbanks are at least four or five feet high, and they are filthy dirty rotten covered in black. Many of the beautiful historic homes along the road were so buried in snow you could not appreciate their beauty. It's been a very cold icy snowy winter here and I think we are all ready for Spring......Summer.......the beaches..........Aaaaaaahhhhhh. Yes. All of those things sound great right now!! So this "road trip" to the garden center is just what I needed!!!!!

Flowers!!!! Yes!!!! And it was in the 80's.....hot and humid in the greenhouses. Yes!!!!!!

I spent a lot of the time in the gift shop area. I LOVED seeing all of the pretty Spring and Summer and Beachy items!!!!!!

Starfish.......yes please! (And I bought some)

Sea shells!!!!

Love this little window display.

These furry little chicks are so adorable. I bought three of them.

I sound like a broken record.....seems like I say this every time I blog.....but we are expecting another 6 inches of snow here tonight.

Oh joy.

But actually it's not a bad thing for a few reasons.

1. What's six more inches anyways?

2, The fresh new snow will cover up the yucky dirty snow so at least it will be pretty and clean and sparkly tomorrow.

There's always a bight side, even if we have to look for it....it's there!