[OT from cottage renovations]

the past couple of days have provided a wonderful taste of what the spring will bring, but despite the relative optimism of the current ten day forecast there is still a ways to go before winter is finished with us.

with that in mind it's not completely clear whether the following images from 31 January are a look ( Read more... )

[OT from cottage renovations]

it is said of this month that it comes in like a lion and leaves like a lamb, a process that was encapsulated into a single week.

(click through these thumbnails for higher resolution images)

the Circle

we started off with temperatures in the 20°f range and two days of snow, as caught on the porch cam:

( Read more... )

[OT from cottage renovations]

one of the best things about Thanksgiving is the leftovers, not all of which need be culinary in nature.

for the past several years I have observed a Thanksgiving jointly with friends here in the Grove ( Read more... )

[OT from cottage renovations]

the light at its fullest can saturate out all the contrast from any unshaded subject.

(click through this thumbnail for higher resolution image)

the Circle

clear afternoon sunlight comes pouring down on these azaleas, washing out sunside detail but leaving layers of shadow to delineate blossoms on the other. 

( Read more... )

[OT from cottage renovations]

so much of spring has come out all at once.

(click through these thumbnails for higher resolution images)

the Circle

another common -- and commonly-overlooked -- wildflower that comes out around now is Star-of-Bethlehem a/k/a Sleepydick ( Read more... )

[OT from cottage renovations]

yet another out-of-sequence image.  at least the delta t is getting smaller.

(click through this thumbnail for higher resolution image)

the Circle

these fuzzy spheroids have showed up on the stem of one the oak seedlings in the Circle.  they must be some sort of parasite but I'm at a loss to identify them. 

( Read more... )

[OT from cottage renovations]

by the end of the day the rain finally stopped and the light that remained was enough for walking around to assess conditions.

(click through these thumbnails for higher resolution images)

the Circle

raindrops were still spattered onto this leaf of Lily-of-the-Valley. 

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[OT from cottage renovations]

the last of the light shines onto and through this tiny violet; even in the image thumbnail it appears larger than its actual size.

(click through this thumbnail for higher resolution image)

the Circle

( Read more... )

[OT from cottage renovations]

this spring has been very uneven: alternately warm enough to bring things out a bit earlier than usual and then cool enough for them to hang on longer than usual.  as a result we've had some uncommon overlaps of what's in bloom.

(click through this thumbnail for higher resolution image)

the Circle

this daffodil ( Read more... )

[OT from cottage renovations]

up out of the ground but not yet in bloom, this patch is showing some excellent potential.  we'll be back to see how they come along, you can count on that.

(click through this thumbnail for higher resolution image)

the Circle

( Read more... )