We used to live in a rural area of Wisconsin. One of the best things about being there was the variety of birds that were always seen and heard around our property. I had a broken ankle one spring, and I sat on the porch counting the birds I saw. By the end of the day I had counted 30 some different kinds of birds.
Now we live in an urban area, and many of these Virginia birds are unfamiliar to me. But I still watch for the when I am walking or visiting other areas. I am particularly happy to see the hawks that live in the city. Here a few recent pics of some of the recent sightings from Virginia and a visit to Massachusetts.
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Recently, I decided to forego the car and try the train for a trip from Charlottesville VA to the Boston, MA area. The time was just about the same with either transportation, but it was a lot easier to sit and knit, sleep, and get up and walk around on the train. I chose "business class" for the ride up - from 7pm to 9am. It was quiet, comfy seats, and being the last car on the train, very few people walking through. We did have a 3 hour layover in NYC. I think this was to delay the train long enough to make it convenient for the early morning commute from NYC to Boston. But it meant three hours of very good sleep.
On the way home, I was in the "normal" car. Still very comfortable, and relatively quiet. We were never so busy that I had a seatmate. I did decide to try the cafe care food. Let's just say I will not do that again! Terrible sandwich. But with very little luggage restrictions, bringing my own food would be no problem. We didn't have the layover on the way home, so the ride was 3 hours shorter. My final take-away is that I will do this again. It is anything like the trains in Europe? NO. But nonetheless was not too bad. Just bring your own food and maybe some sanitizing wipes! Here are some of the photos I took during the ride. We recently took a great trip to Portugal! It was wonderful, and I took so very many pictures. I will not bore you with them all, but here are a few of my favorites. click on the photos to see the whole crop.
One of the unavoidable benefits of dog ownership is "walkies". Each morning Kettu and I head out on an adventure. Luckily we are both morning folk. She wants desperately to get caught up on the "P-mail" that has been left recently and I love the quiet newness each dawn brings to the earth. Not to mention, that it is often the only bearable time to be out of doors during summer in Virginia!
The dew is fresh, the birds are singing, and the only other people around are the runners and other dog walkers. So numerous waves and knowing nods also occur. I do take my phone. It is for getting back into the building when I realize I left my keys upstairs, and to take photos. Kettu has learned that when I stop to take photos, she often has almost unlimited sniff time, so it works for both of us. Here are a few of my recent early morning shots. Photography has always been something I love. IMHO there is no better way to train your eye to compose than through the lens. It will teach you to take a photo that is "about" something; not just "of" something. It will slow you down and make you observe. It will make you do as Mary Oliver suggests: "Pay attention. Be astonished. Tell about it." Everything you do with photography will transfer to any other medium you choose. So here I will be posting photos that I take and the reasons (if any!) behind them.
Let's start with last night. There was an incredible sunset. But, this being Virginia, there was no where to pull over and photo it when it was visible, and too many tree when I could stop. So here are some quick shots taken out the car window. In one you can see the reflection on a small pond. That pond, along with the cows that are often surrounding it, is one of my favorite scenes and I get to drive past it at least once a week. Thus, I have included a day-time image of that pond too! The deer are always around, but rarely stick around after the car lights hit them. |
To see the photos from my 2014 daily project Click Here PhotographyPhotography has been my diary, my observation journal, my composition teacher, and my idea storage for many years. Categories |
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