four shots that i took the other day. enjoi...
btw, happy new year's eve (stay safe)

another storm came through the night and dropped close to a foot of snow...the temperature now is a balmy 36°f and the snow is melting away. hopefully there won't be flooding...

"merry christmas diptych"

"one way"

icicles diptych

26" of snow has fallen in the last 24 hours with a promise of another 10"-12" more. winter storm warning is in affect until 4:00pm tonight but my guess is that it will continue on for a few more hours afterwards.

btw...happy anniversary to my parents. i don't know who has the cake, so i can't pass it on...

"bus #27 diptych"

"sun and moon"

"wrapping diptych (with some bokeh)"

"the cigarette store"
or also known as
"how to keep your bad habit alive"

"trees in a field"

"birds on a wire"
or also known as
"freaking out the cat"

"tree lot"

the joy of finding that perfect tree for christmas. it never fails...wandering around from tree lot to tree lot, looking at prices and needles. back in the day, we as a family would get dressed in our warm clothes and head on down to the local lot with the other families. the scout master would be next to the oil barrel fire while drinking his "hot chocolate" or whatever it was with the scouts running here or there, trying to sell an overpriced, dead, brown-needled, green-painted tree to those that dared step foot in their presence.

once finding the tree that mom and dad could agree on (due to many things, especially price) found its way on the roof of our truck, roped down and tied in place, we would go home and have the pleasure of watching dad measure the tree and make adjustments to the trunk. the placement of the tree would begin, then the growling and hushed tones of disagreement and rising tempers back and forth from parent to parent. after the tree was in the "proper" place, the lights had to be strung, another joyous occasion, only to raise blood pressures due to us kids with the promise and excitement of christmas decorating.

every year was the promise of an artificial tree and one year it came. i couldn't stand it. i hated, no, loathed artificial trees. i promised myself that i would never have one.

once married, my wife and i began with our own "tradition". we found our first tree on her parent's property. other's we found on lots peppered around town and on my parent's property. the joy of wandering lot to lot gave way to that of wandering from tree to tree at the local tree farm where "you cut, you buy". our tree last year cost on the other side of $60. but it was always the same thing with us as well...pick it out and rope it down, get it home, measure, cut and place. once in place, i had the task of lighting it. once lit, it was leaning to one side. proceed to lay on the floor, adjustments made..."too much, not enough, this way, that way, hold it here, wait, go back." every year, the growling and hushed tones between my lovely bride and i.

this year, an artificial tree has sprung up in the corner of the livingroom...

"open reflection"

"wisteria"

"fall"
yesh, another hdr (can't you tell yet?)