February Sunset
Even within the short space of an hour, the Winter light in New England can intensify color dramatically.
point-and-shoot photography
Stained Glass Blue Jay
Jewel-like colors can be found in lively meadow lands as well as quiet cloisters.
(Window photographed at St. Joseph’s Abbey, Spencer, MA.)
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The Eyes Have It
The Sun was perfect for capturing “eye light” in animals and birds of different sizes. A close inspection of the squirrels’ eyes reveal barns and landscapes of the Audubon. The eyes of the titmouse and the northern cardinal are harder to decode, but they sparkle charmingly, anyway.
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A Prague Sun in New England
The “Prague Sun” is the most valuable object in the collection of the Loreto Liturgical Treasures in the Czech Republic. This breathtaking Sun shape is made of a high gilded silver from 1699 and weighs over 12 kg. It is decorated by 6222 diamonds.
On a recent walk by a familiar stream, I was dazzled not by gilded silver or diamonds, but by glistening ice in sunburst patterns around a stone.
(Prague Sun photograph courtesy of Creative Commons.)
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Wind Chill -27 F.
While crunching through my yard after the latest storm, I was surrounded by the juxtaposition and sequence of patterns created by the January light.
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Charming Chickadees
The sociable black-capped chickadee is the state bird of Massachusetts. It does not migrate, so its cheerful call can be heard in any season, anywhere from backyards to deep forests. It is a delightful companion all year round.
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Scrumptious Sunflower Seeds
On a chilly New England afternoon, the Northern Cardinal and the American Tree Sparrow shared a feast at the Wachusett Meadow Audubon in Massachusetts. Neither bird paid attention to me.
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A Whale of a Rock
One of New England’s greatest novelists, Herman Melville, wrote “Moby Dick”, a dramatic story about Captain Ahab’s obsession to destroy the Great White Whale. At my local Audubon, there is a huge glacial boulder which reminds me of this mythical whale.
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May Your Days Be Bright
Happy New Year!
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Grosbeak Greeting
This lively and dramatically colored pair of evening grosbeaks swooped in to the Wachusett Meadow Audubon in Princeton, MA recently. They enjoyed black sunflower seeds from the feeder and on the ground. The female’s tall feathers blended in beautifully with the seeds. The red squirrel seemed to be happy to share the bounty!
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Origami Solstice Sun and Moon
In this modular origami design, constructed from eight pieces of paper, the Sun transforms into the Moon and back to the Sun once more by pushing or pulling gently on the edges.
Happy Solstice!
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Foxfire
After spotting this elegant pair of foxes on a recent walk at the Wachusett Meadow Audubon in Princeton, MA, I was inspired to create an origami display that featured them. In Scandinavian folklore, foxes were believed to cause the northern lights, so “Foxfire” is the Finnish name for this unique atmospheric display. While Massachusetts is too far south for northern lights viewing, my mini-foxfire origami creation brightens up my holiday table.
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Peek-a-Boo
This cardinal at the Wachusett Meadow Audubon in Princeton, MA delights in the action “on the ground” as well as in the treetops.
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Savvy Squirrels Update
The squirrels continue to adapt to their environment.
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Ice World
Winter has transformed the Wildlife Pond at the Wachusett Meadow Audubon in Princeton, MA. The beaver lodge has a chunky white coating, while other areas of the pond sparkle with ice ranging from rough and jagged to windblown and smooth. The red and gold vegetation at the pond edges lends a delicate frame to this “ice world”.
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New England Thanksgiving
Pumpkins, Fall vegetation, colonial houses, and snowy landscapes dotted with the creatures that inhabit them all evoke a traditional New England Thanksgiving. Wishing you a wonderful holiday from Central Massachusetts.
