Milky Way Barton VT

I shot the Milky Way over my barn in Vermont last week. It was the easiest shoot ever. I set my camera on my tripod in my kitchen, and put it on manual focus, manual exposure, set the ISO and my exposure, walked out the door, planted the tripod where I wanted to shoot from, took five shots, went back in the house. Done!

I'm heading back up this weekend for a week and am planning n buying a big pumpkin to set in front of the barn. Hopefully will have a clear sky and be able to take this shot again.

Beaver Pond and Sugar Hill New Hampshire and Stannard VT Fall Foliage

I took a three day weekend trip up to VT this past weekend. We drove up Rte 93 North and took exit 32 in Lincoln NH. From here we took Rte 112 West from Woodstock NH. Rte 112 West runs through Kinsman Notch and it's always a pretty drive. Along the way I stopped to photograph at Beaver Pond. The foliage colors are still early in this area, but they look promising. We are waiting for a cold front to come through the end of this week. This cold weather is what the leaves need to get the colors to "pop'. It is incredibly unseasonably HOT here in New England right now.

From here we headed back along Rte 112 West. Fall colors in this area are still early, but they are coming along nicely. We then turned onto Rte 116 towards Sugar Hill NH. There were some very nice colors along this road. Lots of reds. We then took Toad Hill Road which also had some very nice early color.

St Matthews Church Rte 117 Sugar Hill NH:

We then had breakfast at Pollys Pancake Parlor in Sugar Hill and then headed North to Vermont. We took some back roads out of Lyndonville. Colors still early.......to Stannard Mountain Road which brings you up and over to Stannard VT. Stopped at Flagg Pond. Colors here are coming along but look rather dull. I'm hoping they will get more vibrant when the cold snap comes along.

From here went to one of the best breweries located along a remote country road. Hill Farmstead Brewery was rated number one brewery in the world on Ratemybeer.com a few years ago. From here took Rte 116North from Greensboro to Barton, The colors along Rte 116 are looking pretty good with lots of reds. Just waiting for the cold snap to get them kick started.

Crystal Lake fog Barton VT

A fisherman heads out in his skiff as the sun is breaking through the early morning fog on Crystal Lake in Barton

Ebook: Photographing Vermont's Fall Foliage is Available

Cover of the Ebook which I am happy to tell you that I have co-written!

In 1973, photographer Arnold J Kaplan wrote a pamphlet type book on photographing scenes in Vermont------where to find the iconic scenes. This book contained locations of many of Vermont's scenic places. These locations to this day are still referred to as "Kaplan Scenes". My friend and fellow photographer Andy Richards has spent a lot of time photographing Fall foliage scenes in VT, and relied heavily on using the booklet written by Kaplan. (I also have a copy of this booklet myself that I have used over the years) During Andy's travels, he realized that many of these scenes were no longer viable due to changes in the landscape, deforestation, tree growth blocking the view etc. so Andy began taking his own notes.

By the time Andy and I met Arnold Kaplan, he was in his 90's. Andy formed a friendship with him, and before his death in 2013, Arnold wrote the forward to Volume 1 of this book......and basically handed the baton to him to carry on with his legacy of  his Vermont Booklet.

Andy published volume 1 in 2012. A year and a half ago he asked me to co-write volume 2 with him. How could I say no? I'm thrilled to tell you that the Ebook is available to purchase as of today on Amazon.com.

https://www.amazon.com/Photog.../dp/B075M32NFD/ref=sr_1_1...

 It will be released on Apple ibookstore, Barnes and Noble, and Baker and Taylor within the next few weeks.This book contains directions to each local, and oftentimes the GPS coordinates as well. We also give suggestions on where to safely park your car, and the best time of day to photograph, as well as an example photo for each location that one of us has taken. My passion is photographing the Vermont landscape, especially in Autumn. I'm thrilled to be able to share my favorite landscape locations with other photographers.......and not just photographers as this book is the perfect guide for "leaf peepers" as well. 

Tangerini's Spring Street Farm Apple Picking

Today is all about my grandson Stevie, as it is his first birthday!!! We went apple picking at Tangerini's Farm in Millis MA on Friday and I took his one year old photos while we were there.

The apples we picked are absolutely delicious. This is the same farm where I took the sunflower photos and it is turning into one of my favorite farms to visit.

Here is Stevie......

We had a delicious lunch after the apple picking. The food there is all fresh farm to table and it's delicious. We ordered the hummus and veggie platter. It was yummy.

Wordless Wednesday 9/6/2017

Wheeler Pond Barton VT

We lost a very dear friend.......one of Mr. S's best friends......he and his wife are the reason we "found" the NEK of VT and found our home up there. He is the one who totally renovated our big old farmhouse in Barton after we purchased it. He was a jack of all trades, a kind, decent, honest, God loving, family loving, life loving man. His funeral was Saturday so we made an overnight trip up there this weekend to attend and celebrate his life and support his beautiful family.

We woke up Saturday morning to temperatures in the 30's. We took a drive around to some of our favorite spots. It was a perfect morning and it felt good to reconnect with nature and breathe in the fresh Vermont air. It was good for the soul and just what we needed during this difficult time.

The first place I wanted to visit that morning was Wheeler Pond in Barton. The temperatures in New England have been unseasonably chilly the past few weeks and these cold temps have kick started the very beginning of the progression of the Fall foliage. Wheeler Pond is always my "go to" spot for early fall colors, because the swamp maples that line the Northern end of the pond always turn early.

The Southern end of the pond still had some morning fog dancing along the water. Here is one of the Green Mountain Club Cabins enjoying the early morning view.

Rest in the sweetest of peace Danny. And as you whispered to me when I said goodbye to you two weeks ago, "We will meet again some day".