Somesville, Maine, a quick drive by

Heading south on 102 towards Bass Harbor we had the fortune of driving through Somesville (link to this splendid town). It has to be one of the prettiest towns on the Mount Desert Island. The time, effort, and money spent on the homes and flowers are obvious at a glance.

Although I tried to capture a portion of the town with my camera I don't feel my photos really do it justice. If you've ever driving down main street then you understand.

Such a dreamy front porch. 

There's something about large ferns and wicker white that lend themselves to romance and true relaxation.

The Selectman's building is certainly the town jewel, photographed day in and day out

The flowers in the box are looking a little sad at the moment but after all it is the end of summer. Since we were there a week ago surely autumn hardy flowers have been planted. Better images of the bridge can be viewed online here or the link I posted up above. 

Looking at the photos online it's easy to see why this particular bridge is photographed so often throughout all four seasons.

The best part about this shot? The little hand written note on the sign ... 

'Pay here 

 Thank you!'

It shows there are still people who believe in the honesty of a complete stranger.

Applecrest Farm

There's nothing like spring blooms and blue skies to bring renewed inspiration for photography

It's been quite a while since I've been to Applecrest Farm in Hampton Falls so I had no idea they served ice cream. I'll have to go back very soon and get myself a cone! I'm all about a cardboard tasting plain cone. lol! A cup just won't do. 

Lovely, lovely blooms. 

Warm days bring about their delicate demise all to soon. Today there are very few trees still fully in flower. Most of the apple trees were almost flowerless during this shoot last week.

Baltimore Orioles are back. The gurgle in their song is a dead giveaway. Hummers have returned too, though I've only seen one. And the Grey Tree Frogs are coming back to life in the evenings. Funny little frogs they are!

I can't help but look at these apple trees and think of Fall. And who doesn't love Fall? Apples hanging heavy on tree limbs, cider, donuts, cool nights, warm days ... it's what comes after that makes me shudder. Winter left an indelible mark on us all here in the Northeast.

Sweet Bee . . . .

can you see him?

Always pristine. This house sits adjacent to the farm. White on white, I just think it's so pretty!

Hard to believe the warm days of summer are just around the corner. Finally the days we've been dreaming of for so long have arrived. And not a moment to soon! 

As I finish up this post it's time for my husband and I to head out and enjoy this gorgeous, sunny, warm Wednesday before the rain arrives tonight. I'm thinking lunch at the Beach Pea in Kittery. What are you up to today?

Flowers, Phin and Spring!

Although still life photography is not really my forte it doesn't stop me from pursuing pretty images.

I love the Ranunculus. Their colors are so varied and beautiful! Trimming the stems every few days and changing out the water help to keep them fresh and crisp. The sweet tag with a birds nest came in a gift-tag variety pack from Homegoods. 

The yellow and white Bee hand towel came from a small, old time store in Little Compton, RI called Wilburs. Here's a little video about the town and Wilburs, if your interested. How I love the Farm Coast region of Rhode Island * sigh *

A few pretty Peonies just past their prime. Seems they come and go in June like a popsicle on a hot afternoon. Rain can take them within a matter of hours.

.  .  .  .  . 

As I get older every day seems to be a journey. Someone important to me recently relayed the thoughts below. They strike a chord with my soul.

I think they're words all of us should try to live by. All we can do is our best.

And then there's Phin. I just happened to come across this photo last night and thought it would be a good image to add to my blog. All the white you see around the edges? That's Lily's head, neck, and leg. Her fluffy white fur appears like clouds.

FINALLY spring is here! No peepers quite yet but this morning for the first time I heard a Nighthawk. The Robins and Cardinals are singing before the sun comes up. And the blackbirds have returned in prolific numbers, only to clean out my feeders in one big swarm. Warm days cannot be far off.

Has spring returned to your house? For me it always feels like I'm coming back to life again.

Garden by the Sea

Located near Rye Harbor is this adorable little pocket garden. I photographed it once before but how could I resist giving it a second chance! 

Ever since my husband bought me a Nikon D5100 for my birthday this past month I've been revisiting some of my favorite old haunts. Funny but when I bought the Fuji s100 fs a few years ago I did the same thing ... reshooting many seasonal shots I'd taken with my smaller camera. I don't know about other people but there are some places I am drawn to for photography over and over again.

Isn't that garden gate the sweetest thing? 

And who can resist a white picket fence? New England and white picket fences go hand in hand. Throw in an ocean view and you've got a recipe for summer perfection!

Every year I pine for a white picket fence of my own. Where it would go, who knows. Surely there has to be a place in my garden ... somewhere! I'll find a spot!

The greatest gift of the garden

is the restoration of the five senses

Hanna Rion

One of my goals this summer has been to drive down to Rockport, Ma. and shoot the gorgeous gardens in town, especially the hydrangeas. It hasn't happened yet. This Thursday may be my last chance before the flowers take a turn for the worse. It's a little heart breaking to see but some of the trees in the marshes are already turning red. Not to mention the school busses will be running next week.

To every season turn, turn, turn ... but does it have to turn so soon?

 Like the gulls, all we can do is enjoy every last moment of beauty August has to offer!

Spring romance

The rain, oh the rain! It's been like a deluge here in New England over the past several days, but finally the sun in shining and we're jumping right into summer with a heatwave beginning this Thursday. 

Thank you to everyone who commented on my previous post. Quite frankly I'm shocked that anyone reads my blog at all anymore, especially since I only publish once or twice every 6 months or so. But I really do thank you. 

This first image was taken in Little Compton, RI and every time I see it the view makes me sigh ... such a beautiful area. I'd move there in a heartbeat if it were feasible. 

Newburyport, Mass

How is your spring? Have you been out shooting much? 

If only our cameras could capture all the beauty the season holds. All the little nuances of budding flowers, lilac scented breezes, thick green grass, and even the return of the ever challenging dandilion. Once again the sun shines through the leaves and the Catbird cries as I type at my computer and sip a vanilla latte from Starbucks. These are the days we longed for in mid February. Finally they are here in all their glory. Relish every moment.

As we bid adieu to May, sweet June is knocking on Mother Natures door. Oh what a sweet month it is indeed.

Spring

Spring. The older I get the more I appreciate its arrival

The sunshine, the warmth, the flowers ~ blue skies between green leaves ~ a Catbird squeaks and calls outside the open window .... ahhh ... I love it all

And I love Newburyport, where all of these photos were taken

The perfect pink tulip

Petals fall like pink snow covering everything in their path

Ever so slowly we segue into a golden summer

Queen Annes Lace

As you'll notice all of these images are quite different. I was playing with different lights and varied edits. Personally I find photographing Queen Annes Lace to be one of the most fun flowers there is! I love all the white and how it works against the background colors.

See the plentiful bokeh in the photo above? It's all created from shooting first thing in the morning when the sun is shining on the sparkling dew of a hundred other QAL flowers in the background. First I set my camera on Macro or Super Macro, then squat down and focus on the flower. I continue to move around a bit until the sparkle begins to show itself. Click, click, click. Then I hope for something beautiful!

A little Queen Annes cup of dew!

Mixing a little pink and white is always nice. 

Lately I notice many of the QAL are turning brown. A sure sign August is waning. However, the fresh white flowers are still plentiful. 

It seems my summers are never quite as exciting as I think they'll be, including this one. I start out with grand plans but somehow the days just seem to slip through my fingers. Does that happen to you?

No matter how many times I photographed Queen Annes Lace this summer it would be one to few.

Flowers in the field

There's a wonderful farm stand just down the street from me that always grows the most luscious flowers. This is the second year in a row I've photograph them first thing in the morning, because as you know there is nothing like that early light!

Verbena Bonariensis

It's such a nice feeling to go out shooting on a dewy, warm summers morning. Concentrating on how to shoot the flowers, where the light is best, what's in the background. So much comes into play but it feels good to lose myself for a while. 

And then I come home just hoping to find something good on my memory card. Sometimes I get the feeling I really captured a nice view. Other times it's just 'eh'. I liked this set of images. They convey the colors I prefer. Why can't summer last a little longer in New England?

Cosmos

 Have you ever grown them? I would like to but always feel they need high places to stretch their leggy blossoms. Space I can't really offer them. So many beautiful flowers but only so much room in the garden *sigh*

Dianthus

Have you ever dreamed of having a garden just for cut flowers? 

Summer is slipping by oh so quickly! Before I know it the school busses will be driving through the neighborhood in preparation for their new routes. The birds have grown quieter and the crickets sing a bit louder. There's a hush, a smell, a rattle of the Cicada, or heat bugs as we've always called them. The dog days of summer are upon us. 

It's the time of year my girls used to go to camp, but no more. They are both to old now. Life certainly seems to have it's cycles. All we can do is roll with it. I'll be enjoying every last drop of summer sunshine!

Antiques

A few images from our recent trip down to Ipswich and Essex, Mass. If there's one thing my husband and I enjoy it's going out for lunch! I prefer it over going out to dinner any day. Sometimes finding the right place isn't easy but with a little help from the Yelp app we ended up at Woodmans. Being in Essex you just have to eat seafood!

However, finding a place to park can sometimes be a bit of a challenge on a busy summers day when you don't know the area so we did a little back and forth driving and turning around. Which leads us to this wonderful Antique store! 

How I wish I could say I'd gone inside for a look around, but I didn't. We were hungry and food beats antiques on a hot summers day. But one thing it doesn't beat is a few quick shots!

It seems I have photographed Queen Annes Lace more this year than in previous years. My husband keeps telling me it's just a weed, and yes it is, but I still love the laciness of it. 

In contrast to our beautiful day in Massachusetts, today we are having rain here in New Hampshire. It's the last day of my husbands vacation which over all was very good. Seems like a great day to watch the Olympics or go shopping! 

How is your summer so far?