January Doldrums

With the holidays passed, all that can be said now is, "Welcome to January."
Bleak midwinter? January doldrums?
All is quiet here - a state I once dreaded but now savor.
Quiet, with an underlying pulse; life in the slow lane.





A lone quahogger forages the shore line of Sengekontacket.


Flocks of grackles dominate the January bird scene.

Four-wheeling with Adam

My son called and said, "Want to take a ride on the beach?" Being Sunday, a day that I set aside to do whatever I want, or nothing, and after having put in a fulfilling morning at Sunday school and the old folks home, and ready to throw in the towel for the day,  I said, "Sure, pick me up." I was even smart enough to grab my camera - the long lens, just in case - maybe we'll see a snowy owl - the tripod, and a couple of other go-to lenses. 



Footsteps of hand-holding lovers punctuate the sand.


It seemed we could see forever. We even saw Nantucket, a rare sight, only visible during super low tides and certain light, exactly like today's tide and long sideways light.





My chauffeur and tour guide


Adam saw it first, off to the left, perched next to the pond. It was patient enough to allow me to set up the tripod and get closer than I thought I might. I loved seeing its eyes fixed on me.


Okay, close enough. Buh-bye.

Ice Moon

The landing on The Boulevard. Old stomping grounds from long ago. January thaw. Low tide at Anthiers with an abundance of clams to be had - "three or four to a hole." Too dark for the kind of moon shot I was after, should have been there the day before but this one works, in another way.






The moors and marshes of Anthiers with the barrier beach and a lone shellfisherman in the distance



January's ice moon

First Snow 2017 and a Drive Up-island

A drive up-island with Becky yesterday afternoon yielded these gems (enhanced, of course, by the company of my dear friend as well as a spontaneous visit around the woodstove at Fran's house).


January woods


All that remains of the original Herring Creek Farm barn and out-buildings


Edgartown's Great Plains


Last year's sunflowers - tired and bent, but full of life; bearing seeds for next year's crop.


Menemsha shack, destined to be inherited by bittersweet vines


It's still Christmas until at least Epiphany, maybe longer in this outpost


Sunset reflection


Reds and blues stand out amidst the gray and white, with the red-white-and-blue flying nearby


Menemsha mermaid


Across the creek on Lobsterville's shore

November Supermoon, 2016

I just barely made it to today's Supermoon event down at the lighthouse (touted as historic, and the largest-appearing moon since 1948 - who could resist?); almost missing the main reason I recently spent a small fortune on my new monster lens. That's what I get for trying to cram too many things into one afternoon (note to self: realistically, you can only do one thing at a time, dummy).

It all turned out for the best, however. If I had had time to arrive earlier and assemble with the crowd down beneath the lighthouse, I would have missed the largeness of the moon; my 600mm lens being way too long to fit the lighthouse and the moon into one frame, necessitating my having to back off on the zoom, and what I would have ended up with (and did, when I finally found my way over to the lighthouse after getting my emergency and impromptu shot from the causeway) would not have been much different than many of my other moon/lighthouse shots in the past. Distance and landscape and context were my friends in this case.

This is not exactly what I expected, or had planned on, but it will suffice as a learning experience.

Now, what time does this thing set?

Test Driving a New Lens

A Veteran's Day off afforded me some time to get a few odds and ends done around the house and also coordinated with the arrival of my new Sigma 150-600mm lens, which was put to the test on this gorgeous - and mild - November afternoon. The goal is to be ready for the Super Moon on Monday night. My initial reaction to the new lens? Wow! I think I'm ready.

Sun and Surf at Moshup Beach

The Edgartown contingent packed up and headed to Moshup Beach today for a little family fun in the sun, with an awareness that summer is short and winter is long, and that summer is more than half over now. And a fun time it was. The great thing about Gay Head is it's as far away from home as we can get without taking the ferry, and it truly is another world up there. The southwesterly wind is fresh off the water, and the sun even feels closer on the western-most end of the Island. Then add the clay cliffs, the boulders - glacial detritus deposited here eons ago - and the rolling waves, and you've got all the ingredients for an exotic Sunday afternoon. Okay, I'll confess: I was also eager to have another go with my new waterproof camera.






It still feels totally counter-intuitive to walk into the surf with a camera, I must say.


My family's umbrella to the right, Gay Head Lighthouse to the left.


Boogie, baby!








Found art.


He's a wanderer.








Nature's art.