Spring romance

The rain, oh the rain! It's been like a deluge here in New England over the past several days, but finally the sun in shining and we're jumping right into summer with a heatwave beginning this Thursday. 

Thank you to everyone who commented on my previous post. Quite frankly I'm shocked that anyone reads my blog at all anymore, especially since I only publish once or twice every 6 months or so. But I really do thank you. 

This first image was taken in Little Compton, RI and every time I see it the view makes me sigh ... such a beautiful area. I'd move there in a heartbeat if it were feasible. 

Newburyport, Mass

How is your spring? Have you been out shooting much? 

If only our cameras could capture all the beauty the season holds. All the little nuances of budding flowers, lilac scented breezes, thick green grass, and even the return of the ever challenging dandilion. Once again the sun shines through the leaves and the Catbird cries as I type at my computer and sip a vanilla latte from Starbucks. These are the days we longed for in mid February. Finally they are here in all their glory. Relish every moment.

As we bid adieu to May, sweet June is knocking on Mother Natures door. Oh what a sweet month it is indeed.

Spring

Spring. The older I get the more I appreciate its arrival

The sunshine, the warmth, the flowers ~ blue skies between green leaves ~ a Catbird squeaks and calls outside the open window .... ahhh ... I love it all

And I love Newburyport, where all of these photos were taken

The perfect pink tulip

Petals fall like pink snow covering everything in their path

Ever so slowly we segue into a golden summer

Beach stroll

Last Friday I enjoyed a beautiful late morning walk with a friend along the beach. Although I wasn't going to bring my camera along for the walk, my friend Karen encouraged me to grab it. I know how anxious she is to see a few of the shots I took, so Karen, here you go!

There's nothing like salty air, the rush of the waves, and a good friend to make everything else seem a million miles away.

One of my favorite things to photograph at the shore ... dogs. They always exude such joy. This very happy Golden Retriever had found a shell to call his own and was not going to give it up no matter what.

Brodie, above, was so darn sweet I wanted to bring him home! His mom and I were talking and it turns out her son and my daughter go to the same high school. It really is a small world here along the seacoast.

This little lady is a service dog who puts in time on a regular basis at a local retirement home. Jeff, her owner, spoke in such a loving way about his dog.  You could visibly see the bond between the two of them. 

While walking around Rye Harbor we came across this saying engraved into a large rock

Also in Rye Harbor ... a male merganser enjoying the warm sun. In all the time I've photographed mergansers I don't think I've ever seen one sitting on the beach.

Although I posted this in part for Karen I hope some of my regular readers enjoy it as well. It's been far to long since I've posted. Thank you for stopping by!

Oyster River Swans

Happy Monday!

I know there were a few of you who said you were looking forward to my Fall photos. Well, unfortunately between work, the rain, and a lousy cold, I still haven't had time to get out and do any photography whatsoever. That being the case I thought I'd go through my mass amounts of photos and post some you've never seen before! And believe me I have plenty!

These photos were actually taken 3 years ago along the Oyster River in Durham, NH on an overcast afternoon.

I had been shooting up by Mill Pond Dam when suddenly a swan flew overhead, across the road and towards the river. Curiosity got the best of me so I drove down route 108 for a better view. As you can see the Swans were quite a ways off in the distance.

No matter how far away, their beauty is unmistakable. 

Autumn, such a glorious time of year!

Autumn fountain

We haven't quite reached orange-leaf-status here in my neck of the woods ... yet ... but I saw these images from last year and thought I'd post them anyway.  My parents fountain always reflect autumns leaves and summers flowers perfectly.

Here in New England the nights have been cold and the days warm. The perfect recipe for gorgeous autumn foliage. If everything goes as planned my husband and I will be able to get away for at least one day to the White Mountains of NH. Between his job and mine though it could be a challenge!

Tonight I'm making a homemade Pumpkin Pie. I hope you're enjoying something of the pumpkin or apple variety this week-end as well!

Hen house

Chickens always seem to make a good subject. They add quirky life to whatever surrounds them. 

This was a drive by shooting. lol!

Here in the Northeast the weather has turned chilly, and I'm loving it. Although I am not normally a big fan of the passing of summer it just feels right this year. The air is clear and refreshing, the skies are bluer, and my new job (at a brand new Trader Joe's!) has brought much positivity to my life as well as new friends. 

I know I'm not the best blogger in the world so for those of you who still stop by, thank you. Can you believe the first day of Autumn is this Saturday??!!

The good life

If you lived here I would definitely consider it 'the good life'. Even just being able to enjoy the day in such a beautiful place was good. Very good indeed.

These images were shot on a recent afternoon in Cape Porpoise, Maine from a small connector bridge on Pier Road.

If you're in the area head on over to the island and have lunch at the Cape Pier Chowder House. It's very fair priced with an excellent view and delicious food! Parking is sketchy though. We were just lucky to snag a spot on the side of road. The island is small so parking is at an absolute premium! 

As you can see the tide was quite low.  It looks like a real zen moment for the gentleman out there by himself. Being a person who cherishes those moments of solitude it's almost like I can hear his thoughts.

Turning around this is the view from the other side of the bridge: a family out on the water for the day. Grandparents, children, and grandchildren. The two smaller boats were being towed by the power boat. Love the little dog wearing a life vest! I should have zoomed in on that!

Unlike the images above this sailboat shot was taken in Kennebunkport, just down the road from George Bush Sr's home. 

Have you ever been to the area? Judging by the amount of people in Kennebunkport I'm guess you were there the same day as me! LOL!

Queen Annes Lace

As you'll notice all of these images are quite different. I was playing with different lights and varied edits. Personally I find photographing Queen Annes Lace to be one of the most fun flowers there is! I love all the white and how it works against the background colors.

See the plentiful bokeh in the photo above? It's all created from shooting first thing in the morning when the sun is shining on the sparkling dew of a hundred other QAL flowers in the background. First I set my camera on Macro or Super Macro, then squat down and focus on the flower. I continue to move around a bit until the sparkle begins to show itself. Click, click, click. Then I hope for something beautiful!

A little Queen Annes cup of dew!

Mixing a little pink and white is always nice. 

Lately I notice many of the QAL are turning brown. A sure sign August is waning. However, the fresh white flowers are still plentiful. 

It seems my summers are never quite as exciting as I think they'll be, including this one. I start out with grand plans but somehow the days just seem to slip through my fingers. Does that happen to you?

No matter how many times I photographed Queen Annes Lace this summer it would be one to few.