“The camera makes you forget you’re there. It’s not like you are hiding but you forget, you are just looking so much.” — Annie Leibovitz
Thank you for all the new views and likes from last week, it helps keep me inspired.
Enjoy this week’s rambling mind of a mechanical engineer and photographer.
This week’s post is short. I spent most of the week doing final preparations for my mother’s funeral and relaxing after.
Sunday, 07/17/2021: Posted photo — Roses.
Settings: Samsung SM-G930V (Galaxy S7), ISO 100, f/1.7, 1/60 s, 4 mm
Yellow is bright and conveys happy thoughts, so it is no wonder that yellow roses showcase positive feelings of warmth. The yellow rose meaning is often considered that of friendship.
I am posting this photo to thank all the people that have supported my family during the last few months when my mother was ill. She passed in her sleep, at home, last Saturday at the age of 95. I would like to thank family and friends, her doctors and caretakers, and anyone that had her in their prayers. She was playing cards up to the end. Raising seven boys was not easy. She did it lovingly.
As my mother said in the hospital last Tuesday, she did live 95 wonderful years.
Mom — may your rest in peace. Until we meet again. Love you.
Monday, 07/18/2021: Posted photo — Ten Commandments.
Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 400, f/7.1, 1/160 s, 37 mm.
This monument is on Mountain Road in Princeton, Mass. It is very easy to drive by since it is small and not near any landmark. It has been on the side of the road since 1927. The monument was produced by S.D. Sargent in Gardner Mass. The monument starts with “God Sake All these Words I the Lord thy God”.
I had the history of the monument once. Now I cannot find out any information about why this monument was place where it located.
I took a similar photo last week on the way back home from my mother’s house and did not like it enough to post. I took this one today as I was returning home from finalizing the funeral arrangements. The arrangements were easy to finalize since my mother was supposed to pass last March. She was a strong French woman that had many card games left in her.
Tuesday, 07/19/2021: Posted photo — Blue Vervain.
Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 200, f/5.6, 1/640 s, 85 mm.
“Blue vervain is a flowering plant that belongs to the vervain family, Verbenaceae. It has purple flowers and simple leaves with double-serrate margins. The scientific name of blue vervain is Verbena hastata and it is also known by other names like American vervain, simpler’s joy, and swamp verbena.” — Organic Facts website
Wednesday, 07/20/2021: Posted photo — Turkeys Through Windshield.
Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 3200, f/5.6, 1/600 s, 135 mm.
Turkeys this morning on my way to work. Took this through my windshield.
Thursday, 07/15/2021: Posted photo — Mass Card.
Settings: Samsung SM-G930V (Galaxy S7), ISO 160, f/1.7, 1/60 s, 4 mm
The mass card from my mother. We had her wake and funeral today. I will always love you mom!
Today my wife and took a trip up north to Maine to get away and relax. Here are some photos from Perkins Cove where we had our lunch and photo of the Nubble Light where we ended out day before driving home.
Saturday, 07/22/2021: Post photo — View from the Trail.
Settings: FUGIFILM FinePix XP70, ISO 100, f/4.7, 1/350 s, 12 mm.
The view from Old Indian trail looking down the Look Mom ski trail on Wachusett Mountain.
Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 200, f/5.6, 1/125 s, 135 mm.
The rough hermit beetle is a near threatened species with its population decreasing. The adult beetle lives two to three months. These beetles do not bite. They grow inside rotting, hollow trees. The larvae feed for three years on the wet, decaying wood. They are harmless and probably make great fish bait.
The beetle in my photo was at my in-law’s cottage. I did not see it at first and be wife pointed it out to me. I took out my Seek app to identify it.
I was going to post a photo of a hammock or a photo of water lilies before taking a photo of this beetle. Since I did not post these photos in my 365 project or on my website, I will post them here for you to enjoy as a bonus for reading my blog.
Settings: Samsung SM-G930V (Galaxy S7), ISO 50, f/1.7, 1/171 s, 4 mm
Mountain Stats:
Summit Elevation: 2006 ft Vertical Drop: 1000 ft Trails: 27 Lifts: 8 Uphill Capacity: 9200 skiers per hour Snowmaking: 100% Grooming: 2x per day Times I have skied on the mountain: 1 or 2 times in my life.
As you can tell, I do not ski. I would rather hike the mountain than to ski the mountain.
Today I hiked 4.6 miles on the mountain. It has been a week since I hike Mount Isolation and just took my time to relax and stretch out my legs. I hike with a group on Monday nights which is a great motivator. Tonight, we hiked in the rain and fog and being with a group made the hike easier. You could not see the mountain much due to cloud covering so my gear was damp at the end of the hike.
This is a photo of the fountain at the base of the mountain. This location is used for many events, such as weddings, reunions, and other celebrations. The Midstate trail goes past this location giving my fellow hikers a great view to refresh their mind during a long hike.
Tuesday, 07/13/2021: Posted photo — Unicorn.
Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 1600, f/5.6, 1/50 s, 135 mm.
A unicorn is a mythical, usually white animal generally depicted with the body and head of a horse with long flowing mane and tail and a single often spiraled horn in the middle of the forehead, or it is an animal mentioned in the Bible that is usually considered an aurochs, a one-horned rhinoceros, or an antelope.
Many people are into unicorns. My mother is one of those people. She is not a crazy unicorn woman by any means. She has a collection of unicorns in her China cabinet. This one is a Christmas unicorn as you can tell by the wreath around its neck.
Settings: Samsung SM-G930V (Galaxy S7), ISO 160, f/1.7, 1/30 s, 4 mm
Sitting at my mother’s house, I needed a photo (surprising is it not) and I saw these pillows. Pillows have some interesting pattern in them. I took this photo and did not think anything about it.
When I went to process it to post, the pattern looked to me to be either and alien spaceship, an alien, or one person doing a handstand on the hands of another person. Apophenia is a general term for interpreting patterns or meaning in meaningless data. This data may be meaningless, but the power of suggestion will make someone see something that is not there.
Thursday, 07/15/2021: Posted photo — Bench.
Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 1600, f/8, 1/200 s, 41 mm.
At the intersection of Bicentennial Trail and High Meadow Trail is a bench for people to rest. This bench looks over high meadow and faces to the due south and has great views of the surrounding hills.
I meet a hiker there that told me that a local college was doing a snake study in the high meadow. I checked out the study one day only to find a snakeskin. I was going to look for a snake tonight, but I did not want to walk in the high grass in the study area because I did not want to get any ticks on me. I had my camera ready to take the photo, and my son with me to lift the board so I could get a photo of any snake that was resting.
I thought I knew everything that goes on at the mountain, but I am learning new things. You can teach and old dog something new!
What a wonderful sunrise this morning. The hazy sky made the reds jump out at me.
As I was driving into work, I saw this wonderful sunrise over Round Meadow Pond. I drove around the area of the pond to find a good location for taking a photo of the sunrise. I could not find a good location off the main road, so I stopped in the breakdown lane to take this one. Good thing I live in a town where there is not much traffic, especially at 5:40 a.m. when I was on my way to work.
Saturday, 07/17/2021: Post photo — Mother’s Hand.
Settings: Samsung SM-G930V (Galaxy S7), ISO 50, f/1.7, 1/167 s, 4 mm
Thank you for all the new views and likes from last week, it helps keep me inspired.
Enjoy this week’s rambling mind of a mechanical engineer and photographer.
Sunday, 07/04/2021: Posted photo — Planter.
Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 400, f/7.1, 1/50 s, 52 mm.
Planters are used on houses and cottages for plants. A planter is a decorative container in which plants are grown. This planter is located at my in-law’s cottage. I like the look of this, very rustic. A few of the leaves on this planter looked real to me when looking at it quickly.
Planter
Just for fun, I am posting a photo that I took today and that you should be able to see in 3D.
See if you can view this photo in three dimensions. Use the techniques below and a middle photo will appear.
Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 100, f/6.3, 1/500 s, 45 mm
A cloud inversion, or temperature inversion is when the normal temperature distribution of air – warm at the bottom, colder as you go up – becomes inverted or flipped upside down. This means you have a cold layer of air trapped at ground level, overlain by warm air. I know that information may not be useful to you, but it may be useful to some.
Cloud inversion from the Glen Boulder Trail
This photo was taken on a 14-mile round trip hike to the summit of Mount Isolation in NH. I did this hike with my son and two of his friends. Mount Isolation is one of the 48 4,000-foot mountains in New Hampshire. The path we took was Glen Boulder Trail to Davis Path to Isolation Trail to Rocky Branch Trail. Mount Isolation is only 4,003 feet tall. To get to it we hiked over Gulf Peak (4,774 feet) and North Isolation (4,291 feet). Both mountains are not official 4,000 footers because they do not meet the official criteria to be counted. A 4,000-footer is a mountain that has an elevation of at least 4,000 feet and a minimum of 200 feet prominence. Today turned out to be the best day of the holiday weekend.
Here are some more photos of our hike.
Rocky Branch Saco River
Heading up to Glen Boulder
Wet and muddy trails
Sign to the summit
Mount Washington from the summit
Benchmark at the summit
Tuesday, 07/06/2021: Posted photo — Reflection.
Settings: Samsung SM-G930V (Galaxy S7), ISO 50, f/1.7, 1/385 s, 4 mm
I was on my way home from my mother’s house and was thinking about what photo I would be posting today. As it was much if the weekend, it was rainy and overcast. I drive past the Holden Reservoirs. The Holden Reservoirs supply the city of Worcester, Mass, and the surrounding communities.
Sunset reflection from one of the Holden Reservoirs
As I passed the last of the reservoirs, I say some color in the sky, so I took to take a photo of this. I took this photo not knowing if there was anything else to photograph for the remainder of the day. Cell phone photos do not do any justice to the beauty of sunsets.
Wednesday, 07/07/2021: Posted photo — More Clouds.
Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 100, f/6.3, 1/1000 s, 25 mm.
One word for today, humid. It was not raining and very humid, with a severe weather warning. One of the things I like about a day like today is watching the clouds grow as the storm develops. I like the contrast between the white clouds and the blue sky. I also like when the sun rays seem to jump from cloud to cloud.
Storm clouds building
I took this photo with treetops in the foreground to have some contrast between the sky, trees, and clouds. There were better clouds to photograph down the road, but I decided to use this photo because it seemed dramatic to me.
Thursday, 07/08/2021: Posted photo — Calculator.
Settings: Samsung SM-G930V (Galaxy S7), ISO 400, f/1.7, 1/10 s, 4 mm
These are some of the keys on my HP 35s Scientific Calculator. It is an older RPN calculator and is one that is allowed into the professional engineering examination. I am not taking the examination for a little while longer since I need to study for it. Being a mechanical engineer for over 35 years, I need to get back to study topics that I do not use every day.
Key on my HP 35s calculator
Reverse Polish Notation (RPN) is a system of representing mathematical and logical operations in which the operands precede the operator, and which does not require the use of parentheses. I find RPN much faster to use and I now find it difficult at times to use regular, or normal, notation when using a calculator.
Rained today. Heavy rain today due to Tropical Storm Elsa. The storm brought very heavy rains in flooding to some towns in the area. Once the sun came out, the sky was a great blue.
Mushroom in our yard
On my way home from work, I was just going on settling on posting a photo from the past because the rain put a damper on taking a photo outside. When I arrived home, I saw some mushrooms growing in our front lawn. Great photo opportunity for me. A mushroom is the fleshy, spore-bearing fruiting body of a fungus, typically produced above ground, on soil, or on its food source. Some people eat mushrooms, some people can tell if it is poisonous or not. I am neither of these people. I do not eat mushrooms and cannot tell if one is poisonous or not. I should work on identifying edible and non-edible mushrooms since I see many on them on my hikes.
Saturday, 07/10/2021: Post photo — Rose.
Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 400, f/5.6, 1/2500 s, 113 mm.
“A rose by any other name would smell as sweet” — William Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet.
Yellow rose
Red roses are often considered the universal symbol of love. Pink roses symbolize gratitude, grace, and joy. White roses are a symbol of purity, innocence and in some cases, chastity. Purple roses are not nearly as common, they indicate a fascination or adoration. Yellow roses are a symbol of friendship and caring. Orange roses indicate enthusiasm and passion, making them a creative substitute for Valentine’s Day roses and other holidays when people typically buy red roses.
“Taking pictures is savoring life intensely, every hundredth of a second.” — Marc Riboud
Thank you for all the new views and likes from last week, it helps keep me inspired.
Enjoy this week’s rambling mind of a mechanical engineer and photographer.
This is the last of the “catch up” series of blogs.
Sunday, 06/27/2021: Posted photo — Bridge.
Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 400, f/7.1, 1/3 s, 18 mm.
This is one of the bridges in Watkins Glen State Park. This bridge is over Central Cascade, one of the 19 waterfalls that are in the park. We camped at the state park three nights, enjoying the Glen in-between storms.
Monday, 06/28/2021: Posted photo — Yahoo Arch.
Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 100, f/7, 1/250 s, 24 mm
Yahoo Arch has a height of 17 feet and a base of 70 feet. It is in McCrary County, Kentucky. You get there by hiking 1.5 miles, one way, on a spur trail that brought you to Yahoo Falls. The height of Yahoo falls is 113 feet.
Tuesday, 06/29/2021: Posted photo — Clouds.
Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 100, f/7.1, 1/1000 s, 44 mm
Now that we are back home, I needed a photo. The air was very humid, and clouds were forming near Round Meadow Pond.
Wednesday, 06/30/2021: Posted photo — St John’s Wort.
Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 100, f/5.6, 1/25 s, 69 mm.
“St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum) is a flowering shrub native to Europe. It gets its name from the fact that it often blooms on the birthday of the biblical John the Baptist. The flowers and leaves of St. John’s wort contain active ingredients such as hyperforin. St. John’s wort is available as a supplement in teas, tablets, liquids and topical preparations. People use St. John’s wort to treat depression and menopausal symptoms.” — Mayo Clinic
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These wildflowers are in an area that I hike often. I stopped to take this photo since I was in a rush to take one for the day.
Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 100, f/7.1, 1/25 s, 18 mm.
This is a new month, and I wanted a good photo for the first day of the month on my web page. This location is one that I photograph often and is one of the favorite locations for those who look at my photographs.
Rainy day today. No opportunity to get outside to take a photo. I took this when walking between buildings at work. This photo can also be used as a historic record of today’s weather.
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Saturday, 07/03/2021: Post photo — Mangos.
Settings: Samsung SM-G930V (Galaxy S7), ISO 64, f/1.7, 1/120 s, 4 mm
“A mango is a popular tropical fruit that is eaten in sweet and savory dishes around the world. It can be green, yellow, orange, red, or a combination of these colors, and has yellow or orange flesh surrounding a flat, hard pit. The fruit is typically peeled and cut away from the pit before use. A mango can be eaten raw unripe or ripe, or cooked into desserts, curries, and chutneys. It’s a moderately expensive piece of produce per fruit, but many varieties are large and heavy. It is also a popular dried fruit.” — The Spruce Eats
“Photograph: a picture painted by the sun without instruction in art.” — Ambrose Bierce
Thank you for all the new views and likes from last week, it helps keep me inspired.
Enjoy this week’s rambling mind of a mechanical engineer and photographer.
Sunday, 06/20/2021: Posted photo — Mass of Thanksgiving.
Settings: N/A.
Today was the Mass of Thanksgiving for Fr. Matt Duclos. What a great turn out for the mass. The reception following was full of family and friends. You could see how proud my wife’s cousin and her husband were of their newly ordained son.
Now off to Watkins Glen State Park.
Monday, 06/21/2021: Posted photo — Watkins Glen.
Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 400, f/9, 1/3 s, 18 mm
“Watkins Glen State Park is the most famous of the Finger Lakes State Parks, with a reputation for leaving visitors spellbound. Within two miles, the glen’s stream descends 400 feet past 200-foot cliffs, generating 19 waterfalls along its course. The gorge path winds over and under waterfalls and through the spray of Cavern Cascade. Rim trails overlook the gorge. Campers and daytime visitors can enjoy the Olympic-size pool, modern playground, scheduled summer tours through the gorge, tent and trailer campsites, picnic facilities, and excellent fishing in nearby Seneca Lake or in Catherine Creek, which is renowned for its annual spring run of rainbow trout.” From the park website.
Here are the photos from day one.
Tuesday, 06/22/2021: Posted photo — Watkins Glen Day Two.
Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 400, f/6.3, 1/2 s, 47 mm.
More photos from Watkins Glen before traveling to Cumberland Falls, Kentucky.
Wednesday, 06/23/2021: Posted photo — Moonbow.
Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 800, f/5, 44 s, 18 mm.
Cumberland Falls is one of the few places in the world that regularly produces a moonbow. The “moonbow,” also called a white rainbow or lunar rainbow, is formed just like a rainbow—light is refracted in tiny water droplets—and appears for the two or so days, as long as the sky is clear, on either end of the full moon. The other place in the world that a moonbow occurs regularly is Victoria Falls.
This photo was taken at 11:30 p.m. on a great moonlit night.
Today we left the park to hike to Yahoo Falls and Yahoo Arch. Enjoy the photos.
Here are more photos on our hike out to Yahoo Arch.
When we came back to the park, we watch nature at work. Here is what happens when a grasshopper gets caught in a spider web. The grasshopper did put up a good fight.
Saturday, 06/26/2021: Post photo — Hanger.
Settings: Samsung SM-G930V (Galaxy S7), ISO 50, f/1.7, 1/238 s, 4 mm
There is a black bear that frequented the campground at Cumberland Falls. The sites have hooks on there posts to have garbage so the bear could not get at it.
Today we travel back home.
Next week’s blog will be the same as this week. They it will be back to normal.
“I don’t trust words. I trust pictures.” — Gilles Peress
Thank you for all the new views and likes from last week, it helps keep me inspired.
Enjoy this week’s rambling mind of a mechanical engineer and photographer.
Sunday, 06/13/2021: Posted photo — Star Trails.
Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 1600, f/3.5, 16 s, 18 mm.
This photo is a stacked composite of 399 sixteen second exposed photos. It has been a while since I took a star trail photo. There are two different methods for taking star trails: one is by taking multiple shots and stacking them, the other is by doing long exposure shot. I have done star trails both ways. The longest exposer I took was a 45-minute exposure at Craters of the Moon National Monument and Reserve in Idaho a few years ago. The sky was very, very dark at this park. So dark, you had a difficult time seeing your outstretched hand. I the area I live, staking is the best way of doing star trails.
Here is how I prepare for my star trail photos. I setup my camera before I go to bed pointing in a northerly direction. Then when it gets to astronomical twilight, I turn the camera on to start taking photos and then go to bed.
Here are some definitions for your and my reference. All angles are the position of the Sun to the horizon:
Nighttime (below -18°)
Morning twilights (from -18° to 0°)
Astronomical Twilight (from -18° to -12°)
Nautical Twilight (from -12° to -6°)
Civil twilight (from -6° to 0°)
Morning magic hours
Blue hour (from -6° to -4°)
Golden hour (from -4° to 6°)
Daytime (above 6°)
Evening magic hours
Golden hour (from 6° to -4°)
Blue hour (from -4° to -6°)
Evening twilights (from 0° to -18°)
Civil twilight (from 0° to -6°)
Nautical Twilight (from -6° to -12°)
Astronomical Twilight (from -12° to -18°)
Nighttime (below -18°)
Why 16 seconds? Sixteen seconds is based on the aperture, pixel density, and focal length (NPF) rule. This considers the megapixels of your camera to make the stars still. With my camera and settings, a shot of 15.17 s or less will not show moment in the stars if you zoom into the picture. It is not necessary for star trails, but I use this rule for Milky Way shots. The better-known rule is the 500 rule. This is the classic rule for making the star stand still.
Settings: Samsung SM-G930V (Galaxy S7), ISO 50, f/1.7, 1/171 s, 4 mm
“Sweet William is an irresistible, colorful, biennial flower. It grows for two years, blooming in the second year. Native to Europe, this colorful, compact plant is grown all over the U.S.
Sweet William varieties include perennials and biennials. The perennials are often grown as biennials. Plants grow 7-18 inches tall, depending upon variety. Flowers blooms are produced in clusters in the spring. Colors include white, red, pink, crimson, scarlet, purple, and bi-colors.
The compact size of Sweet Williams make them great for containers and pots. Try them in a windowsill or vertical planter. In flower beds, put these small plants at the front of the garden. Despite their small size, they make good cut flowers. All they need for indoor splendor, is a small vase.
The Raging Name Debate — There is much debate over who Sweet William was named for. The list of honorees includes: William the Conqueror, Saint William of York, and Prince William Augustus, the Duke of Cumberland.
These Sweet-Williams were in a flower patch near one of the parking lots at the Wachusett Mountain ski area. I passed them on my way to my Monday night hike and stopped to take a photo of them on my way back from my hike. I did not have my DSLR with me, so I took this with my cellphone. I do not like the quality of this photo. Then again, I do not like many of my cellphone photos.
Here are some more photos of that flower patch.
Tuesday, 06/15/2021: Posted photo — Monkey HDR.
Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 1600, f/5.6, 1/13 s, 52 mm.
This monkey is a trinket in my mother’s china cabinet. The definition of a trinket is a small ornament or item of jewelry that is of little value. The trinkets in my mother’s collection have emotional and sentimental value.
A china cabinet is a piece of dining room furniture, usually with glass fronts and sides, used to hold and display porcelain dinnerware. Her china cabinet is filled with unicorn trinkets and other trinkets that she has collected over the years with my father. He good china and silverware are also located in the cabinet.
This cabinet was “no-touch” in our house when I was younger. With six brothers, she did not want any of the items broken. We were able to go into the cabinet when company was coming over.
I edited this photo with as a High Dynamic Range (HDR) photo because the light was bad in the room, and I wanted to save this photo. It was one of the only photos I took today, and it was of the best quality.
Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 100, f/5.6, 1/20 s, 52 mm.
These flowers are called purple crown vetch. According to my Seek app, Securigera varia (synonym Coronilla varia), commonly known as crownvetch or purple crown vetch, is a low-growing legume vine. It is native to Africa, Asia and Europe and is commonly used throughout the United States and Canada for erosion control, roadside planting and soil rehabilitation. It has become an invasive species in many states of the US.
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These were on a roadside. I passed them during one of my walks today. As written many times in different ones of my blogs, I take many photos during the day and pick out one to post.
Here is another photo I took today. My niece purchased these cookies for a party that did not happened today. She brought them to my mother’s house for all the aids to enjoy.
Thursday, 06/17/2021: Posted photo — Cookies.
Settings: N/A.
Some cookies left by one of my nieces at my mother’s house. She was going to have a party at work that did not happen. I do not know why. All I know is that there are many cookies around to be eaten.
Some poor bird lost its feather. I took this photo since I was getting ready to travel from my vacation (holiday) and needed a quick photo.
Saturday, 06/19/2021: Post photo — Ordination or Holy Orders.
Settings: Samsung SM-G930V (Galaxy S7), ISO 200, f/1.7, 1/24 s, 4 mm
My wife’s cousin’s son was ordained a priest today for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany NY. We were invited ordination to the deaconate last year in Rome that did not happen due to COVID. We had planned to go to this ordination and glad that we could attend. Congratulation Fr. Matt Duclos!
Here are some more photos from the day.
I am not sure when I will post my blogs for the next two weeks due to commitments. I will see if I can post a partial blog later in the week and follow up with an update to that blog.
“Essentially what photography is life lit up.” — Sam Abell
Thank you for all the new views and likes from last week. It helps keep me going. Enjoy my blog post!
Enjoy this week’s rambling mind of a mechanical engineer and photographer.
Sunday, 06/06/2021: Posted photo — Cross.
Settings: Samsung SM-G930V (Galaxy S7), ISO 50, f/1.7, 1/415 s, 4 mm
This carving of a cross on the backrest of one of the chairs in the choir loft at church. Taken today since I needed a photo. I took this one just in case I did not have the opportunity to take another one today.
If you go to my post “Photographic Thoughts—03/14/2021 to 03/20/2021” you will be able to read my explanation on the difference between a cross and a crucifix.
Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 400, f/7.1, 1/320 s, 135 mm
“Mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia) is flowering broadleaf evergreen shrub with a gnarly, multi-stemmed growth habit. It has beautiful spring blooms, and its elliptical, glossy deep-green leaves (resembling those of rhododendrons) and gnarled stems make it attractive in all seasons. This shade-loving shrub produces clusters of rose, pink, or white flowers with purple markings in late May to early June.” — The Spruce website
The mountain laurel in this photo is from a shrub that we transplanted many years ago. I am amazed about how hardy mountain laurels are. This shrub has taken a beating over the years and is still blooming.
One of the items that impress people is how delicate the flower is on this shrub. We have white and pink mountain laurel in our yard and in the neighborhood. The white ones bloom first, then the rose, then the pink.
Tuesday, 06/08/2021: Posted photo — Daisies.
Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 400, f/7.1, 1/320 s, 48 mm.
“Daisies are a popular choice for gardens—and for good reason. Bright, cheerful, and easy to grow, the flowers are readily identifiable and are mainstays of cottage gardens and classic perennial borders alike. The common name “daisy” is applied to a large handful of species among several genera within the huge Asteraceae family of plants, a group known for blooms that are flat and disc-shaped, with petals that form rays projecting outward from a central hub. The family also includes chrysanthemums, zinnias, asters, and sunflowers as well as a number of common weeds, such as dandelions. However, the daisy species that’s best for your flower garden depends on several factors. A daisy that’s perfect for one growing zone might be a total pest in another.” — The Spruce website
There are daisies growing in many locations in this area. I spotted these on the side of the road during one of my walks. The daisy symbolizes purity and innocence, and it can also stand for new beginnings. The meaning of the flower is “loyal love”.
Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 100, f/7.1, 1/400 s, 75 mm.
Multiflora rose (Rosa multiflora), an invasive species, is a deciduous shrub with white flowers and red fruit. Brought here from Asia, it was planted as wildlife food, and also as a living fence, due to its dense growth and sharp thorns. It can grow to 10 feet high or more, and is typically wider than it is tall.
It forms dense thickets in fields and field edges, crowding out other species. It also grows in open wetlands and in forests where canopy openings occur. — Massachusetts Audubon Society
The multiflora rose in this photo is at my mother’s house. I like it because of the contrasting colors between the white and the green. An invasive species is an introduced organism that negatively alters its new environment. Although their spread can have beneficial aspects, invasive species adversely affect the invaded habitats and bioregions, causing ecological, environmental, and/or economic damage.
Thursday, 06/10/2021: Posted photo — Partial Solar Eclipse.
Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 400, f/9, 2 s, 300 mm.
Here is the best photo of this morning’s partial solar eclipse. I think the clouds give it character.
“During a partial solar eclipse, the Moon, the Sun and Earth don’t align in a perfectly straight line, and the Moon casts only the outer part of its shadow, the penumbra, on Earth. From our perspective, this looks like the Moon has taken a bite out of the Sun.
Solar eclipses occur 2–5 times a year and they are usually named for their darkest, or maximum, point. Both total and annular solar eclipses are seen as partial eclipses from the areas on Earth that are outside the Moon’s inner shadows, the umbra or antumbra, but inside the penumbra (outer shadow).” — Time and Date website
I took many photos of the eclipse this morning. Most of them were not in focus. This was the best one. I have a special solar filter for my lens. Without the special filter, the sensor in my camera could have burned out. I purchased this filter when my family went to see the total solar eclipse a few years ago. Solar filters are constructed to not only sufficiently dim the sunlight, but they also protect your eyes and equipment from non-visible IR and UV radiation.
One word of advice — if you are taking a photo of an eclipse, it is not good to stand on a bridge. I noticed during some of my longer exposure shots that the camera was shaking slightly due to the traffic under the bridge and the occasional vehicle traveling over the bridge.
Hope. We made the work “hope” out of luminaria for Relay for Life. Relay for Life (RFL) is a fundraiser for the American Cancer Society. My family has been participating in the RFL for many years.
The RFL is normally held at a local college. Due to the pandemic, it has been held at home for the last two years. If you notice, each letter of hope has a different color in it to have it stand out better in the photo.
Everyone knows someone who has been touched with cancer. If you would like to donate, contact me in the comments below and I will send you a link to our team.
Saturday, 06/12/2021: Post photo — Markers.
Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 3200, f/5.6, 1/40 s, 100 mm
Today is the second day for Relay for Life at home and I wanted to take a quick photo before I went on my hike and then fell asleep. I saw the markers that we used to write on the luminary bags and liked the arrangement of colors.
For your information, here are the meanings of the different colors.
Red: The color of passion and energy.
Orange: The color of enthusiasm and emotion.
Yellow: The color of happiness and optimism.
Green: The color of harmony and health.
Turquoise: The color of calmness and clarity.
Blue: The color of trust and loyalty.
Purple: The color of spirituality and imagination.
Pink: The color of love and compassion.
Brown: The color of stability and reliability.
Black: The color of power and sophistication.
Gray: The color of compromise and control.
White: The color of purity and innocence.
I am not sure when I will post my blogs for the next two weeks due to commitments. I will see if I can post a partial blog later in the week and follow up with an update to that blog.
“Photography has nothing to do with cameras.” — Lucas Gentry
Sorry about the late post last week. With the hike and Memorial Day, I did not find the time to post on time. Thank you for understanding.
Thank you for all the new views and likes from last week. It helps keep me going. Enjoy my blog post!
Enjoy this week’s rambling mind of a mechanical engineer and photographer.
Sunday, 05/30/2021: Posted photo — Lupine.
Settings: FUGIFILM FinePix XP70, ISO 100, f/4.5, 1/100 s, 9 mm.
From the Garden Design website: “If you’re looking for a showy summer-flowering perennial that will stand out from the crowd, lupine is a sure front-runner. The tall, lush spires of vividly colored flowers are like floral traffic cones, compelling you to slow down and take notice. In addition to their irresistible beauty, lupines are also valued for their ability to flourish in challenging environments, including sandy nutrient-poor soils, high elevations, and areas with cool summers.”
Lupines grow wild in this area. They are tall in this area and make fields look very colorful. I saw lupine in Colorado, and they were not as tall as New England because of the altitude that they grow. These lupines are in the parking lot of the church. I have seen them year after year and have photographed them yearly. There does not seem to be as many as in the past for some reason. Maybe someone who reads this can educate me.
Monday, 05/31/2021: Posted photo — National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.
Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 400, f/9, 1/1600 s, 31 mm
“Few national cemeteries can compete with the dramatic natural setting of the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific. The “Punchbowl” was formed some 75,000 to 100,000 years ago during the Honolulu period of secondary volcanic activity. A crater resulted from the ejection of hot lava through cracks in the old coral reefs which, at the time, extended to the foot of the Koolau Mountain Range.
In August 2001, about 70 generic unknown markers for the graves of men known to have died during the attack on Pearl Harbor were replaced with markers that included “USS Arizona” after it was determined they perished on this vessel. In addition, new information that identified grave locations of 175 men whose graves were previously marked as unknown resulted in the installation of new markers in October 2002. The National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.” National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.
When I took this photo, it was the second time that I visited the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific. I have been to both Arlington National Cemetery and this one. Arlington has a feel that overtakes you emotionally. This one also does in a different way. It does not have all the “famous” people there since Hawaii is new to this country. There are no headstones, so everyone is equal. The National Cemetery is a must visit if you get the opportunity to visit Hawaii. When we visited, there was a memorial wreath for the late Senator John McCain in the Vietnam War section laid there by Senator Brian Schatz of Hawaii.
People post photos of Arlington National Cemetery for Memorial Day. I posted this photo since most people to not have the opportunity to see the National Cemetery in person.
The quote is from the Bixby Letter. Mrs. Lydia Bixby, a widow believed to have lost five sons during the Civil War.
“Executive Mansion, Washington, Nov. 21, 1864.
Dear Madam,–
I have been shown in the files of the War Department a statement of the Adjutant General of Massachusetts that you are the mother of five sons who have died gloriously on the field of battle.
I feel how weak and fruitless must be any word of mine which should attempt to beguile you from the grief of a loss so overwhelming. But I cannot refrain from tendering you the consolation that may be found in the thanks of the Republic they died to save.
I pray that our Heavenly Father may assuage the anguish of your bereavement, and leave you only the cherished memory of the loved and lost, and the solemn pride that must be yours to have laid so costly a sacrifice upon the altar of freedom.
Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 100, f/7.1, 1/250 s, 135 mm.
Short and sweet. We have a red rhododendron that blooms after our azaleas. They are such wonderful plants that attract bumble bees and other insects.
Wednesday, 06/02/2021: Posted photo — Mothering.
Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 100, f/7.1, 1/250 s, 135 mm.
Birds incubate their eggs to keep them at the proper temperature to ensure normal development. Female songbirds usually begin incubation after they have finished laying all their eggs so that they will hatch at approximately the same time.
These are smart birds. The mother has made the nest under shelter in a protected area. There is little chance that the nest will be washes away, or that a predator will disturb the nest.
Thursday, 06/03/2021: Posted photo — Fire Tower.
Settings: FUGIFILM FinePix XP70, ISO 100, f/4.5, 1/110 s, 9 mm.
I took one of my work colleagues up Wachusett Mountain today. It was his first time up the mountain. When I hike, I see the same people most of the time. Today these people stopped and introduced themselves to me. I know a few more hikers now and my colleague just thinks that I talk to everyone when I hike. Not the case.
I needed a photo for today and like the way the fire tower looked against the clouds. There was a low ceiling since there was rain in the area. We were dry but the trails were very muddy due to the rain over the weekend.
Quick photo Friday. I took a photo of this piece of wood to see how well the wood is drying. You can tell how well the wood is drying, or seasoning, by the way the wood is changing color.
Saturday, 06/05/2021: Post photo — Spools of Thread.
Settings: Samsung SM-G930V (Galaxy S7), ISO 160, f/1.7, 1/24 s, 4 mm
One of my wife’s friend is the owner of a new consignment shop. It is a women own company. Today was the opening day for the shop. My wife’s friend was very surprised to see her at the shop since it is about an hour away from our house.
I took a photo of these spools of threads since I liked the colors of the threads and the pattern they were in. The shop is in North Andover, MA. If you would like to know the location of this shop, please message me and I will send it to you.
“A tear contains an ocean. A photographer is aware of the tiny moments in a person’s life that reveal greater truths.” — Anonymous
Thank you for all the new views and likes from last week. It helps keep me going. Enjoy my blog post!
Enjoy this week’s rambling mind of a mechanical engineer and photographer.
Sunday, 05/23/2021: Posted photo — Get Out of my Tree.
Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 200, f/5.6, 1/80 s, 135 mm
The photo I posted today was of two squirrels that were running around in our yard. These were two of five squirrels that were chasing after each other, knocking each other off trees, trying to hide from each other, and fighting each other. Most squirrels mate twice a year, once during the summertime and once towards the end of wintertime or early springtime. When one female is ready to mate, males will either chase after her or they will complete for the right to mate with her. What I was seeing was the competition to mate with her. There was one female squirrel on another tree watching the activity. Boys will be boys. It is very interesting to see nature at work.
A photo that I almost posted was at the other end of the spectrum. It was a photo of a statue of St. Anne reading to Mary. This statue was in front of St. Denis’ sister church that was in town. St. Anne’s church was torn down due to safety concerns a few years ago. “St. Anne is the patron saint of unmarried women, housewives, women in labor, grandmothers, childless people, equestrians, lacemakers, miners, the poor, and seamstresses. The most well-known patronage of St. Anne is that of grandmothers. Certainly, as the mother of the Virgin Mary and the grandmother of Jesus Christ, St. Anne was a woman of great virtue and love.
St. Anne is often shown seated with a book on her lap. The child Mary stands against her, eager to listen. This depiction of St. Anne is a small explanation of what we know of this holy woman. God entrusted to St. Anne the task of raising Our Lady in a holy and virtuous home, and from a very young age Mary looked to St. Anne to learn about God and how He works in the lives of those who love and serve Him.” — Catholic Saint Metals, (https://catholicsaintmedals.com/saints/st-anne/)
Monday, 05/24/2021: Posted photo — Buttercups.
Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 100, f/7.1, 1/400 s, 69 mm
Buttercup is a type of herbaceous plant that belongs to the Ranunculaceae family. There are nearly 2000 species of buttercups that mostly inhabit northern hemisphere. Buttercups are usually found in cold and temperate regions. They prefer moist habitats and live in the fields, meadows, near the roads, in the woodlands, swamps and bogs. Buttercups are widely distributed and abundant in the wild. Some species of buttercups are rare and endangered due to habitat destruction and introduction of new, invasive plant species. Reflexive properties of buttercup flowers are applied in children’s game aimed to determine fondness for the butter. If yellow reflection appears on the skin after placing buttercup under the chin – then child likes to eat butter. Signs of intoxication appear immediately after ingestion of the plant. They include bloody diarrhea, excessive salivation, colic and blistering of the intestines. They have acrid taste, so even animals cannot eat them fresh. (https://www.softschools.com/facts/plants/buttercup_facts)
These buttercups are in the lawn near were I park my car at work. I took this photo on my way home from work before tonight’s hike. I took this photo just in case I did not take any photos during my hike. On my hike, I just hiked with the group of hikers I met last week. Great to go hiking with a group of hikers that socialize and not a social group that hikes.
Tuesday, 05/25/2021: Posted photo — Rhododendron.
Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 100, f/7.1, 1/200 s, 92 mm.
Short and sweet. We have a red rhododendron that blooms after our azaleas. They are such wonderful plants that attract bumble bees and other insects.
Wednesday, 05/26/2021: Posted photo — Pants.
Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 400, f/7.1, 1/60 s, 35 mm.
Pants for Groot perhaps? Groot is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Stan Lee, Larry Lieber and Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in Tales to Astonish #13. He is a man made out of wood.
Thursday, 05/27/2021: Posted photo — Rabbit.
Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 3200, f/5.6, 1/50 s, 135 mm.
Imagine our two-year-old grandniece’s excitement every time this rabbit came out from under our deck. “There it is!!” She was so excited that she would run toward the rabbit and then it would hide. She would then sit down next to our son and wait and get excited repeatedly.
Needed a quick photo today since I was traveling north to go hiking. Took this one in the morning before the rains came in.
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Saturday, 05/29/2021: Post photo — Hiking.
Settings: FUGIFILM FinePix XP70, ISO 100, f/6.2, 1/240 s, 5 mm.
My son and his friend hiking in NH. This is from Wildcat D looking towards Mount Washington.
Hiking down the trail. Mount Washington in the distance
Five 4000-foot mountains, two official 4000 footers, wet river crossing to start the hike, 1600 feet of vertical gain in less than one-half mile, and hiking with your son and one of his friends. It was a great day. I feel in the river to start the hike. Not a great way to start, but I recovered quickly. Lucky, I brought a second pair of socks to change into. The first pair did not get very wet since I had on a good pair of hiking boots. I have my warm cloths on since the temperature was not to get above freezing in the mountains, so the wetness did not affect my hike.
“The picture that you took with your camera is the imagination you want to create with reality.” — Scott Lorenzo
Thank you for all the new views and likes from last week. It helps keep me going. Enjoy my blog post!
Please answer the question posed in one of my days. I would like an opinion on how you like this blog and how I can improve it. Leave a comment below or on my Facebook page.
Enjoy this week’s rambling mind of a mechanical engineer and photographer.
Sunday, 05/16/2021: Posted photo — Stained Glass.
Settings: Samsung SM-G930V (Galaxy S7), ISO 50, f/1.7, 1/415 s, 4 mm
From the Stained Glass Association of America: “Stained glass possesses an aura of mystery and romance. It is the interplay between light and color that sparks the imagination. It is one of the most unchanged crafts, still taking, as it did centuries ago, time and patience, and an appreciation for color and line design.”
The term stained glass refers to colored glass as a material and to works created from it. Throughout its thousand-year history, the term has been applied almost exclusively to the windows of churches and other significant religious buildings. Although traditionally made in flat panels and used as windows, the creations of modern stained glass artists also include three-dimensional structures and sculpture.
From Classroom website: “Stained glass windows play games with the light in many modern churches. The tradition of making those windows goes back a long way. As early as the fourth century, colored glass was used to ornament church windows, though it was not until the 12th century that making stained glass became an art form like sculpture or painting. Yet stained glass was not just a decoration. It was a way of communicating scenes and episodes from the Bible to everybody — including those unable to read.
Ultimately, the most important reason that stained glass windows remain a staple in churches even now is a matter of the Bible, not beauty. Stained glass was not merely attractive, it created an ethereal experience with a material object, glass, making the earthly into the divine. More important, stained glass was useful for a practical reason. In the medieval period, many church-goers were illiterate. The intricate scenes depicted in stained glass were not just decorations; they were ways of delivering religious messages to all viewers, even those who could not read the Bible for themselves. Stained glass embedded religious beliefs into the very walls.”
Stained glass window
The stained glass in this photo is in the foyer of St. Denis Church. I liked the light coming through the window. There was also a vase with pussy willows in front of the window. In Chinese tradition, the white blossoms of the pussy willow resemble silk represents the coming of prosperity.
Monday, 05/17/2021: Posted photo — Cloud.
Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 100, f/7.1, 1/800 s, 18 mm
I hiked with a different group today. This was the first time I hiked with this group. I am looking for a group of hikers that socialize and not a social group that hikes. After one hike, this group meets my needs. They still socialize but they keep up a good pace and are stronger hikers that the group that I joined a couple of weeks ago. This group hikes earlier in the evening, which is better for me.
What do you see in this cloud formation
Today it was warmer that it has been in the past and there was rain around the summit. This is a cloud that was forming near the summit of the mountain. I had to keep my eye on its growth since it was developing into a thunderhead, or cumulonimbus cloud. I enjoy watching a thunderhead grow. Once the anvil forms, it is time to get off the summit. This cloud did not fully develop and was still interesting to watch grow.
Tuesday, 05/18/2021: Posted photo — Seeds.
Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 2000, f/5.6, 1/200 s, 135 mm.
Dandelion seeds
A dandelion seed is a tiny seed that rides on the wind. “A dandelion seed is the plant’s mature fruit, known as a cypsela to botanists, and its parachute-like structure is known as a pappus. The pappus develops as the calyx of each floret dries and matures, so it serves two important roles for the plant.” (West Coast Seeds) The seeds can be carried away as far as 5 miles from their original location. Other methods of travel include rain runoff and sticking to clothing and animal fur.
It is so interesting to see how many things a dandelion is used for. To me, they are just a weed that is in my lawn. This year they seem to be more abundant than in past years.
I liked photographing the cotton like puff of a dandelion seeds because I can practice macro photography and/or practice the use of different aperture settings on my camera.
Wednesday, 05/19/2021: Posted photo — I Have My Eyes on You.
Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 3200, f/7.1, 1/160 s, 135 mm.
Once again, I was greeted by wildlife on my way into work today. This time it was a deer. There were four at the edge of the woods. Shortly after this, there were six running down the driveway. Over the years at work, I have seen deer, moose, turkey, black bear, red foxes, great blue herrings, ducks, and snapping turtles on the campus of where I work. I have not seen the snapping turtle for a few years, so I am somewhat concerned if it is still alive. There were two that I would see laying eggs next to the driveway that I would photograph every year. I know they were the same turtles since they have distinctive markings on their shell.
Doe keeping an eye on me
I like the quietness of my place of employment.
Thursday, 05/20/2021: Posted photo — Pink Azalea.
Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 200, f/5.6, 1/80 s, 135 mm.
Last Saturday I posted a photo of some red azalea plants. As a reminder, I stated that azaleas are flowering shrubs in the genus Rhododendron. I noted that we also have pink azalea plants that bloom after the red ones. This week the pink azaleas are blooming.
Pink azalea bush
For this photo, I used a script that I wrote in Paint Shop Pro to duplicate the Dave Hill look as closely as possible. Do not know how to explain this technique clearly. Just search the internet for the Dave Hill look and see for yourself.
Friday, 05/21/2021: Post photo — Bluets.
Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 100, f/7.1, 1/60 s, 62 mm.
This small, delicate perennial is found growing in compact tufts, 8 in. high. The plants may cover broad expanses. Tiny flowers are pale blue with yellow centers, tubular, four-lobed, solitary, and terminal. Spatula-shaped leaves occur in basal rosettes. Stem leaves are small, and the stems are unbranched.
This lovely, delicate, flowering plant is often found in striking patches of light blue. The Star Violet (H. pusilla), to 4” (10 cm) high, has a tiny purple flower and occurs in fields and open woods from South Dakota east to Maryland and south to Florida and Texas. A tall southern species, 6–16” (15–40 cm) high, Large Houstonia (H. purpurea), has 3–5, ribbed, opposite, ovate leaves, and white or pink flowers. It occurs from Nebraska northeast to Maine and south to Florida and Texas. These and certain other Houstonia species have sometimes been placed in the genus Hedyotis.”
Bluets
These bluets are in our yard. Well, they were there until I mowed the lawn this evening. They are such a delicate flower to look at.
Question: Do you think that I copy too much information off the internet and not put my own thoughts into some of the items in this blog or do you like the history and educational information that I post?
Saturday, 05/22/2021: Post photo — Pop Art.
Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 3200, f/4, 1/8 s, 28 mm.
50 years ago, you give a teenager a paint brush and ask him to paint what he wanted in a room, this is what happens. Here are some interesting artwork that still hang on basement/cellar walls at my mother’s house. We when over there today to do some cleanup. These photos are to keep as memories of this artwork before the walls come down.
Pop art
I am very tired, so I am not writing much for today. Here are a couple more pieces of art.
