Musings from the Otherworld: LizzieBelle's Photo Blog

Sad days for fans of Kodak

2012-01-19T19:19:00.001-05:00

I'm sure you've heard by now that Kodak has filed for bankruptcy. This makes me sad, as I (and perhaps most of you) would not be into photography if not for Kodak. My first camera was a Brownie that my mom had picked up at a rummage sale.

I don't even remember what I took pictures of. Cats, probably. But it introduced me to the wonderful world of taking pictures, from which I have derived considerable pleasure since.

My next camera was the 110, the slim pocket camera that used film cartridges and flash cubes. Remember flash cubes?

(Mine was black, but I couldn't find a good image of the black model)

That camera went to camp with me, where my friend Margie and I took pictures of each other taking pictures of each other. We were ten.

I wonder if she still has the picture of me?

I had other cameras in my 'teens and twenties, some of them Kodak, some not. The next camera that changed my life was the EasyShare I bought so I could upload pictures of items I was selling on eBay.

When I had the bright idea to take it with me on my rambles about town, my photographic life took off. I got an account on Flickr to host pictures for blogging. The nearly instant feedback pushed the learning curve to great heights, and I learned so much just by tooling around the site looking at other peoples' pictures. For an inexpensive little camera, it took pretty good pictures. I even sold a couple that I took with it.

When I bought my current camera, I gave the Kodak to a co-worker who didn't have one to take pictures of her grandchildren. I hope it lives a long and happy life chronicling the lives of those kids.

I also hope Kodak, the company, survives this setback. I used to live in Rochester, the home of Kodak, and they used to be the largest employer in town. It would be really sad to see it disappear.

What are your Kodak memories?

Grandmothers' Garden in winter

2011-12-11T16:40:00.001-05:00

DSCN0483, originally uploaded by Lizzie~Belle.

The garden grows brown and crisp, but never bare.

Fun with an iPad

2011-11-29T18:27:00.001-05:00

My desk is a lot more interesting like this, originally uploaded by Lizzie~Belle.

I received an iPad last month (I actually won it in a drawing - people really do win these things!), and one of the most fun things to do with it is play with photographs. It has a camera, and there are some fun apps that do interesting things with your photos.

Picture Westfield

2011-10-18T14:52:00.001-04:00

vampire house, originally uploaded by Lizzie~Belle.

The Westfield Athenaeum Library wanted local photographers to participate in its Picture Westfield project to document the city for its archives, and I signed up.

I thought it would be really fun to capture some of the great houses around Westfield. There really are a lot of them.

It was fun to walk around town and really look at all the cool houses. It'll be interesting to see what other people took pictures of!

Colonial Harvest Day

2011-09-25T17:26:00.001-04:00

costumed, originally uploaded by Lizzie~Belle.

Lower Court Street in Westfield was taken over by Westfield on Weekends this morning, for their Colonial Harvest Day event. There were crafts, performances, demonstrations, and people in costume all up and down the street.

The event was postponed from yesterday due to the weather, and the day turned out to be sunny and nice. Everyone looked to be having a good time. It was nice to see this event back after a year off. Hopefully by next year, the construction downtown will be finished, and they can expand back onto the green!

Stanley Park in September

2011-09-18T09:29:00.001-04:00

crisp, originally uploaded by Lizzie~Belle.

Cooler days and crisp nights have brought out the autumnal beauty at Stanley Park in Westfield, MA.

nature still life

2011-08-30T17:20:00.001-04:00

nature still life #4, originally uploaded by Lizzie~Belle.

A new project that I came up with is Nature Still Life. I gather interesting objects as I walk, arrange them when I find a nice spot, photograph them, and leave them there as is. Art in the wild, as it were.

Portraits in black and white

2011-08-02T08:18:00.001-04:00

mommy's turn, originally uploaded by Lizzie~Belle.

Instead of just taking snapshots, I thought I'd try B&W portraits while at my family reunion over the weekend. I really like B&W; I need to do more of this!

Sirius Rising

2011-07-20T15:22:00.001-04:00

at the fire shrine, originally uploaded by Lizzie~Belle.

I'm back from my annual trip to Sirius Rising festival in Sherman, NY. There were plenty of wondrous and beautiful things to take pictures of!

flowering

2011-07-08T21:56:00.001-04:00

echinacea, originally uploaded by Lizzie~Belle.

Plenty of echinacea (purple coneflower) at Grandmothers' Garden in Westfield. It's such a cheerful flower.

cygnets

2011-06-24T15:54:00.001-04:00

DSCN7005, originally uploaded by Lizzie~Belle.

The swan pair at Heritage Park in East Longmeadow are the proud parents of four adorable little balls of fluff, also known as cygnets.

Summer is here

2011-06-22T14:51:00.001-04:00

vivid, originally uploaded by Lizzie~Belle.

Iris time

2011-05-24T18:31:00.001-04:00

beautiful blue, originally uploaded by Lizzie~Belle.

Irises are starting to bloom, filling the world with their beauty.

Sunday in the park

2011-05-02T11:28:00.001-04:00

framed, originally uploaded by Lizzie~Belle.

Spring is breaking out all over Stanley Park.

Grandmothers' Garden

2011-04-26T20:24:00.001-04:00

magnolia tree, originally uploaded by Lizzie~Belle.

A couple of warm days have brought out the blooms (and other things) at Grandmothers' Garden in Westfield.

soon there will be tulips

2011-04-22T15:59:00.001-04:00

soon there will be tulips, originally uploaded by Lizzie~Belle.

The flowers are so far behind where we were last year!

soon

2011-04-16T14:21:00.001-04:00

soon, originally uploaded by Lizzie~Belle.

Lilacs are budding, promising fragrant blooms in the near future. If it would only get warm...

perspectives

2011-04-04T14:52:00.001-04:00

woods, reflected, originally uploaded by Lizzie~Belle.

The above shot was taken from the bridge in the photo below.

teeny tiny

2011-03-29T18:18:00.001-04:00

teeny tiny, originally uploaded by Lizzie~Belle.

I found these teeny tiny little flowers down at Stanley Park this afternoon.

snowdrops

2011-03-17T19:42:00.001-04:00

snowdrops, originally uploaded by Lizzie~Belle.

Spring can't be far away - the snowdrops are blooming!

scrunched

2011-02-21T11:31:00.001-05:00

scrunched, originally uploaded by Lizzie~Belle.

Autumn leaves left in a pile, then plowed to the side after a snowstorm.

September and January

2011-02-08T15:53:00.001-05:00

autumn avenue, originally uploaded by Lizzie~Belle.

Two views of the same spot.

Stanley Park, Westfield, MA

emerge

2011-02-04T15:50:00.001-05:00

DSCN4036, originally uploaded by Lizzie~Belle.

The holly plant behind my office is buried in snow, but bits of it peek out from the massive snowbank.

winter vision

2011-01-31T16:09:00.001-05:00

winter vision, originally uploaded by Lizzie~Belle.

Yes, I'm tired of winter. But it sure is pretty.

sick of winter

2011-01-22T18:44:00.001-05:00

tall, originally uploaded by Lizzie~Belle.

I've reached the part of winter I call, "Enough already." Too much snow (and more forecast for next week), single digit and below zero temperatures, and dangerous wind chills.

So here is some spring and summer to cheer us.

More in my Floral Splendour set on Flickr.

Stay warm! Dream of spring.

a year on the river

2011-01-08T22:34:00.002-05:00

a year on the river, originally uploaded by Lizzie~Belle.

All through the seasons on the Little River in the wildlife sanctuary at Stanley Park.

the final 35

2010-12-30T21:50:00.001-05:00

the final 35, originally uploaded by Lizzie~Belle.

Today was day 365. I've taken at least one picture every day for an entire year!

merry merry

2010-12-26T13:18:00.001-05:00

merry lamppost, originally uploaded by Lizzie~Belle.

I hope all who celebrated had a very lovely Christmas. We're expecting snow here today. Any minute now...

a little later each day

2010-12-22T09:04:00.001-05:00

a little later each day, originally uploaded by Lizzie~Belle.

The winter solstice was yesterday evening, so going forward (until the summer solstice) the days will get a little longer each day. This is welcome news in this time of dark and cold, and the reason why so many cultures have festivals of light and birth at this time of year.

State Normal Training School

2010-12-20T11:28:00.001-05:00

State Normal Training School, originally uploaded by Lizzie~Belle.

This old building on Washington Street in Westfield is what would eventually become Westfield State, before the college moved to its present location on Western Ave.
(Normal Schools were teacher training schools. See the Wikipedia article.)

spray of red

2010-12-12T08:56:00.001-05:00

spray of red, originally uploaded by Lizzie~Belle.

This tree looks decorated for the season, on the corner of Court and Pleasant Streets in Westfield.

the reeds have turned to gold

2010-12-06T14:05:00.001-05:00

the reeds have turned to gold, originally uploaded by Lizzie~Belle.

At the wildlife sanctuary at Stanley Park.

Month 11 - 330 days

2010-11-26T08:42:00.001-05:00

Month 11, originally uploaded by Lizzie~Belle.

Only 35 days to go!

One pic in this mosaic is from September, because I forgot to add it to the set. It's the one on the lower left, where the trees look incongruously green.

winter approaches

2010-11-22T09:17:00.001-05:00

offering, originally uploaded by Lizzie~Belle.

Most flora in these parts have dropped their leaves, spread their seeds, and entered hibernation for the winter.

But then, some seem confused about what season it is.

memorial

2010-11-11T16:12:00.001-05:00

memorial, originally uploaded by Lizzie~Belle.

Thank you all veterans, past and present, for keeping us free.

November roses

2010-11-07T19:07:00.001-05:00

DSCN2504, originally uploaded by Lizzie~Belle.

Autumn gold

2010-11-02T14:09:00.001-04:00

leafy, originally uploaded by Lizzie~Belle.

All taken in Pine Hill Cemetery, Westfield.

Happy Halloween

2010-10-31T16:31:00.001-04:00

Happy Halloween, originally uploaded by Lizzie~Belle.

I love the local custom of leaving a pumpkin on gravestones for Halloween. This one was in Pine Hill Cemetery in Westfield.

Month 10 - 300 days!

2010-10-27T20:29:00.001-04:00

Month 10 - 300 days!, originally uploaded by Lizzie~Belle.

I'm 8/12 of the way through my 365 photo project!

seasons of the elm

2010-10-23T21:38:00.001-04:00

seasons of the elm, originally uploaded by Lizzie~Belle.

I finally got a nice autumn shot of this tree in Pine Hill Cemetery to join the other three seasons.

Calendar

2010-10-19T20:07:00.003-04:00

For those who have asked, I now have a calendar available through Lulu. They make great gifts! ;)

spectacular

2010-10-17T20:50:00.001-04:00

spectacular, originally uploaded by Lizzie~Belle.

The roses this year at Stanley Park have been less than spectacular, but this one surely fits the bill.

autumn barn

2010-10-13T17:19:00.001-04:00

autumn barn, originally uploaded by Lizzie~Belle.

This old barn at Stanley Park is always photogenic, but especially so with autumn gold framing it.

tortoiseshell

2010-10-07T13:43:00.001-04:00

tortoiseshell, originally uploaded by Lizzie~Belle.

Finally, sunglasses weather! After days of grey and rain, the sun finally came out today. It's wonderful.

month nine

2010-09-28T18:21:00.001-04:00

month nine, originally uploaded by Lizzie~Belle.

I'm up to 270 days on my 365 project! Less than 100 days to go!

autumn is here

2010-09-26T12:11:00.001-04:00

statuesque, originally uploaded by Lizzie~Belle.

Despite the forecast, the sun is shining, illuminating the turning leaves at Pine Hill Cemetery.

Month eight

2010-08-27T21:47:00.001-04:00

Month eight, originally uploaded by Lizzie~Belle.

I'm up to 240 days on my 365 photo project!

toadstools

2010-08-24T19:36:00.001-04:00

toadstools, originally uploaded by Lizzie~Belle.

I found these really cool mushrooms in Pine Hill Cemetery on my walk this evening.

Terriers Around Town

2010-08-05T14:13:00.001-04:00

DSCN0179~, originally uploaded by Lizzie~Belle.

If you drive around West Springfield, you might be surprised to see several large, colorful terriers lurking about.

All hand decorated by local artists, schools, and organizations, the variety and creativity is stunning.

This one is tiled.

Kids especially seem to love them.

Pay attention to the details: there are some real gems here!

You can see my whole set of pictures here.

There's a map to the pooches at the official website, here. A hint: #13, "Bill," is really hard to find. He's in the courtyard in the back of United Bank.

There's a few that I missed, so I'll have to go back. Be sure to go before the end of the month - they're auctioning them off!

Month seven

2010-07-28T20:49:00.001-04:00

Month seven, originally uploaded by Lizzie~Belle.

I'm up to 210 days on my 365 photo project!

wee butterfly

2010-07-26T19:07:00.001-04:00

wee butterfly, originally uploaded by Lizzie~Belle.

A split second after I snapped this pic, this tiny little butterfly took off. A little camera shy?

unfurling

2010-07-25T22:00:00.001-04:00

unfurling, originally uploaded by Lizzie~Belle.

I believe this is a datura flower. I love the little hooks on the ends of the petals, and how it unfurls in a spiral.

vacation

2010-07-19T18:36:00.001-04:00

dewy daisy, originally uploaded by Lizzie~Belle.

I got back yesterday from my annual week at Brushwood Folklore Center's Sirius Rising festival, where I found lots of pretty things to take pictures of.

eclipse

2010-07-01T14:09:00.001-04:00

eclipse, originally uploaded by Lizzie~Belle.

After posting all those echinacea pictures yesterday, I went out for a walk and took another that turns out to be my favorite of all.

echinacea

2010-06-30T10:08:00.001-04:00

beginning, originally uploaded by Lizzie~Belle.

Echinacea, or Purple Coneflower, looks neat in all its stages of flowering.

halfway there!

2010-06-29T11:49:00.001-04:00

halfway there!, originally uploaded by Lizzie~Belle.

I've reached the 6-month mark on my 365 photo project, taking at least one picture every day for 180 straight days!

tranquil

2010-06-28T14:17:00.001-04:00

tranquil, originally uploaded by Lizzie~Belle.

On this muggy, hot day, I thought an image from the cool woods along the river would be welcome. Taken in the wildlife sanctuary at Stanley Park, Westfield.

radiant

2010-06-23T21:20:00.001-04:00

radiant, originally uploaded by Lizzie~Belle.

The first tiger lily of the season!

textured

2010-06-22T15:51:00.001-04:00

textured, originally uploaded by Lizzie~Belle.

This railroad bridge is near Rocky's in downtown Westfield. A friend had given me the assignment to find "gritty, textured, urban" scenes to photograph, and this is one of the things I found.

shasta daisy

2010-06-17T14:21:00.001-04:00

shasta daisy, originally uploaded by Lizzie~Belle.

Late afternoon sun gilds a shasta daisy over at Grandmothers' Garden in Westfield.

ready for takeoff

2010-06-14T15:21:00.001-04:00

ready for takeoff, originally uploaded by Lizzie~Belle.

I found this ethereal-looking seed-head the other day, and it caught my fancy. I don't know what the flower looked like, but the seeds are really nifty!

roses after a rainstorm

2010-06-02T11:29:00.001-04:00

stormy, originally uploaded by Lizzie~Belle.

The best part of a rainstorm is afterward, when everything sparkles.

month five

2010-05-31T14:50:00.001-04:00

month five, originally uploaded by Lizzie~Belle.

I'm up to 150 days on my 365 photo project!

Westfield in black and white

2010-05-29T13:50:00.001-04:00

middle, originally uploaded by Lizzie~Belle.

More from Grandmothers' Garden

2010-05-22T17:40:00.001-04:00

garden, originally uploaded by Lizzie~Belle.

The flower beds are coming to life, bursting forth with flowers of all kinds.

first rose post of the year

2010-05-20T20:46:00.001-04:00

red velvet, originally uploaded by Lizzie~Belle.

The roses are starting to bloom down at Stanley Park!

There are tons of buds, so there are plenty more to come!

Arnold Arboretum

2010-05-03T14:23:00.002-04:00

Arnold Arboretum, originally uploaded by Lizzie~Belle.

As I was in the Boston area over the weekend, I took advantage of the proximity and headed over to the Arnold Arboretum in Jamaica Plain to catch the lilacs and other lovelies in bloom there.

I used to live in Roslindale and West Roxbury, which border Jamaica Plain, and spent a lot of time at the Arboretum. It's a wonderful place, and they've made a lot of improvements and changes since I've been there last.

One thing I noticed was the placards attached to some of the trees, giving you a number you can call for a 'cell phone tour'.

The variety and sheer numbers of lilacs is staggering, and the scent is intoxicating.

There were a lot of other flowering trees & shrubs as well, like this redbud.

This tree was Korean, and its buds were very odd looking.

Its flowers were beautiful though, almost like orchids.

There is a vine garden, featuring these gorgeous wisteria.

Just above this is the bonsai garden, with some trees dating to the 1700's!

It's an amazing place, and large enough to spend a whole day exploring. Several days, even! Check out the official website here.

month four

2010-05-01T09:47:00.001-04:00

month four, originally uploaded by Lizzie~Belle.

I've made it to 120 days on my 365 photo project. The past month has been the most colorful yet!

tulip season

2010-04-25T10:59:00.001-04:00

festive, originally uploaded by Lizzie~Belle.

More warm, sunny weather has brought out the tulips around town. Gorgeous colors and great variety make them a favorite in springtime.

ferns

2010-04-19T14:15:00.001-04:00

debutante, originally uploaded by Lizzie~Belle.

I love ferns of all kinds, but I especially love the fiddleheads as they sprout in the spring.

Heritage Park, East Longmeadow

2010-04-15T15:39:00.001-04:00

duality, originally uploaded by Lizzie~Belle.

I work just up the street from Heritage Park, so it's a nice refuge on lunch hours from the daily grind. Spring has definitely sprung there!

Grandmothers' Garden

2010-04-11T19:29:00.001-04:00

generate, originally uploaded by Lizzie~Belle.

Grandmothers' Garden in Westfield is coming back to life, full of flowers and greenery.

forsythia

2010-04-02T23:00:00.001-04:00

wicked, originally uploaded by Lizzie~Belle.

After a couple of days of sunshine, the forsythia has burst into bloom. I found these at an office park in East Longmeadow.

3rd 30 days

2010-03-30T17:11:00.001-04:00

3rd 30 days, originally uploaded by Lizzie~Belle.

I'm up to 90 days now on my 365 photo project, and I haven't missed a day! I've had to get creative on cold, rainy, or dreary days, and I've further stretched my repertoire. It's still fun!

Earth Hour 2010

2010-03-29T10:31:00.001-04:00

flames, originally uploaded by Lizzie~Belle.

Saturday night was Earth Hour, when millions of people around the globe turned off their lights for an hour at 8:30 p.m. local time to draw attention to climate change, and what we can do to be less wasteful. I think it's wonderful, and I wish it would happen more than once a year. Of course, the point is to remind us that we should always be aware of our impact on the environment, and how much less energy we could be using.

It was nice to have an hour with no distractions: no TV, no computer, no gadgets humming and beeping. There's something primal and romantic about candlelight, and it was relaxing to sit in the soft light and write with a pen and paper instead of a keyboard and glowing monitor.

daffodils!

2010-03-27T08:41:00.001-04:00

attention, originally uploaded by Lizzie~Belle.

I found a patch of daffodils blooming down at Stanley Park the other day, as the sun was setting. On this chilly March day, they are a welcome reminder that warmer days are coming.

more spring

2010-03-22T16:04:00.001-04:00

pussy willows, originally uploaded by Lizzie~Belle.

Sunday turned out to be a much nicer day than forecast, so I spent much of it outside, looking for more spring. It's not too hard to find!

signs of spring

2010-03-21T09:18:00.001-04:00

burst, originally uploaded by Lizzie~Belle.

Yesterday was the Vernal Equinox, heralding spring in the Northern Hemisphere. It was a perfect day for it, too! All around, signs of life returning from winter's sleep are showing.

premiere

2010-03-14T15:43:00.001-04:00

premiere, originally uploaded by Lizzie~Belle.

This is the first crocus I've found this year. It's at Grandmothers' Garden in Westfield. Spring will soon be here!

emerging

2010-03-04T16:12:00.001-05:00

emerging, originally uploaded by Lizzie~Belle.

More signs of impending spring!

month 2

2010-02-28T20:40:00.001-05:00

month 2, originally uploaded by Lizzie~Belle.

This is a mosaic of the second thirty days of my 365 project. I have managed to take at least one picture every day for 60 days now!

Some days, because of the weather, I've found myself scrounging my office or apartment for camera fodder. But I think it's stretched me, and I've found some different subjects from my usual fare.

It has also made me think more about what makes a good photo, and reminded me that good subjects are everywhere.

St. Thomas Cemetery, West Springfield

2010-02-22T09:26:00.001-05:00

comfort, originally uploaded by Lizzie~Belle.

Despite having driven by this cemetery hundreds of times, I've never stopped there before. Yesterday, I remedied this situation by wandering around, looking at all the interesting statuary there.

busting out

2010-02-13T15:09:00.001-05:00

busting out, originally uploaded by Lizzie~Belle.

Evidence that spring is coming, and winter will not last forever, no matter how it feels in the middle of February.

The first 30 days

2010-01-31T16:10:00.001-05:00

The first 30 days, originally uploaded by Lizzie~Belle.

I've been at my 365 photo project for a month now. Here are the first thirty days' worth.

spectacular

2010-01-22T18:59:00.001-05:00

spectacular, originally uploaded by Lizzie~Belle.

The sun goes down later and later every day. Right now, it goes down a few minutes before 5:00; just perfect for catching wonderful sunsets as the workday ends.

drip, drip

2010-01-20T13:39:00.001-05:00

drip, drip, originally uploaded by Lizzie~Belle.

Yesterday was a grey, damp sort of day. I caught these waterdrops at Grandmothers' Garden in Westfield, coming home from the polls.

sunrise season

2010-01-07T09:34:00.001-05:00

Wednesday morning sunrise, originally uploaded by Lizzie~Belle.

The sunrises the past couple of days have been quite lovely. Above is from yesterday, and below from this morning.

I'm trying out the different settings on my camera. The first pic was in "dawn/dusk" mode, and the second in "sunset" mode. Next time, I think I might just use the automatic mode, and see what happens.

365 project

2010-01-05T08:52:00.003-05:00

Since I just got a new camera, and it's a new year, I've decided to do a 365 photo project. What this means is that I'm going to try to take at least one photo a day for a year.

I'm not going to post them all here, since this I started this blog for different reasons, but I'm putting them all into a set on Flickr here. You can follow along by subscribing to the feed on the set page.

Since I can't do anything the way everyone else does, I started it on December 31st.

The purpose of this project is to not only get in the habit of taking pictures every day, but to expand my horizons a bit by taking pictures of things I might not normally consider. The pic above is of the holiday decorations in my office that I had taken down earlier.

Happy New Year

2010-01-01T09:21:00.001-05:00

Here's to a healthy, happy, and prosperous 2010 for us all!

new camera

2009-12-29T17:21:00.003-05:00

I got a new camera today, thanks to gifts of Amazon gift certificates and money. I still couldn't afford a DSLR, or even the fancy point-and-shoot that I wanted, but this little beauty has a lot of features and was a really good price. It's a Nikon Coolpix L20. Isn't it purty?

It takes great pictures too, right out of the camera. I'm going to have a lot of fun exploring what it can do!

symmetry

2009-12-27T21:00:00.001-05:00

symmetry, originally uploaded by Lizzie~Belle.

Today was absolutely gorgeous out! The perfect ending to the long holiday weekend.

holly jolly

2009-12-24T10:31:00.001-05:00

holly jolly, originally uploaded by Lizzie~Belle.

Merry Christmas to all of you who celebrate!

magnificent

2009-12-23T15:09:00.001-05:00

magnificent, originally uploaded by Lizzie~Belle.

Yesterday's sunset was a particularly nice one.

SnowFire

2009-12-22T11:10:00.001-05:00

bonfire, originally uploaded by Lizzie~Belle.

Westfield's Dickens Days held its annual SnowFire festival last night to celebrate the winter solstice. There was a good turnout despite the frigid weather, and the bonfire was nice and toasty warm.

It was a nice way to celebrate the return of the light, under the moon and stars.

Solstice

2009-12-21T11:37:00.001-05:00

splatter, originally uploaded by Lizzie~Belle.

Today is the Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year. From now until the Summer Solstice next June, the days grow longer and the light returns.

We got gypped over the weekend when the huge snowstorm barreling up the east coast bypassed us, leaving just a dusting here in Westfield. I felt a little left out yesterday morning, watching the news report record snowfalls in D.C. and the surrounding area. I was hoping to get some nice photos of the Snowpocalypse; I had to settle for ordinary snow pictures. I do like these bright red berries against the white ground though, at Grandmothers' Garden.

birches

2009-12-15T20:52:00.001-05:00

five, originally uploaded by Lizzie~Belle.

I found a nice stand of birches in Heritage Park this afternoon. They stand out nicely against the grey and brown of the winter woods.

last rose post of the year, I promise

2009-12-14T16:07:00.001-05:00

rosy, originally uploaded by Lizzie~Belle.

I walked down to Stanley Park yesterday in what turned out to be freezing rain, and found frozen roses still clinging onto the bushes there. This is definitely the latest in the year I have ever photographed roses in the wild!

great white north

2009-12-09T17:59:00.001-05:00

great white north, originally uploaded by Lizzie~Belle.

We had our first big snowstorm today here in western Massachusetts. Several inches of snow, followed by little ice pellets, and then rain. Fun, fun. But pretty.

swans

2009-12-04T16:56:00.001-05:00

I pose for you nao, originally uploaded by Lizzie~Belle.

Though not quite as nice as yesterday, today was still pretty nice for December, so I headed down to Heritage Park in East Longmeadow at lunchtime today. The swan was more than willing to pose for me.

Unfortunately, the sun was right behind him, but it made his feathers glow, so a bit of glare on the water isn't too much to put up with.

I also took a video of him with my iPod Nano, in which he comes right out of the water and follows me, making me giggle.

on comments

2009-12-01T20:16:00.002-05:00

I've been getting a lot of spam comments recently, so I have reluctantly changed the settings to have all comments moderated. I apologize to all of the actual human beings who comment for creating the extra step, and I hope you understand. Perhaps the spammers will get bored with me and go away, and I can go back to unmoderated commenting.

I now return you to your regularly scheduled programming. *g*