Grey winters day

I was feeling inspired by the snowstorm we had yesterday so I thought I'd go for a drive and take a few pictures. All images were taken in Seabrook, NH or Salisbury, MA. 

It appears we are in for a big storm in the next couple days! Not sure if I'm happy about that or not. 

Hope you enjoy : )

SPRING IS COMING!!!

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!

Beach stroll

Last Friday I enjoyed a beautiful late morning walk with a friend along the beach. Although I wasn't going to bring my camera along for the walk, my friend Karen encouraged me to grab it. I know how anxious she is to see a few of the shots I took, so Karen, here you go!

There's nothing like salty air, the rush of the waves, and a good friend to make everything else seem a million miles away.

One of my favorite things to photograph at the shore ... dogs. They always exude such joy. This very happy Golden Retriever had found a shell to call his own and was not going to give it up no matter what.

Brodie, above, was so darn sweet I wanted to bring him home! His mom and I were talking and it turns out her son and my daughter go to the same high school. It really is a small world here along the seacoast.

This little lady is a service dog who puts in time on a regular basis at a local retirement home. Jeff, her owner, spoke in such a loving way about his dog.  You could visibly see the bond between the two of them. 

While walking around Rye Harbor we came across this saying engraved into a large rock

Also in Rye Harbor ... a male merganser enjoying the warm sun. In all the time I've photographed mergansers I don't think I've ever seen one sitting on the beach.

Although I posted this in part for Karen I hope some of my regular readers enjoy it as well. It's been far to long since I've posted. Thank you for stopping by!

Fog, it's a beautiful thing

I swear I could photograph the beach every single day of the year.

Sun, rain, fog, snow, and come what may it's forever changing.

Sweet little pond I drive past everyday on my way to work. It sits just across the street from the beach. Check out the little Eastern Pheobe perched on the old Cattails down in front. First one I've seen this year and it made me smile : )

Love this bird house. Love it.

Beach view ~ Gulls in the mist

It wasn't until I was about done working on this photo that I realized I had captured a tender moment on the rocks.

I should be working at the beach for a couple more weeks so it will give me more time to photograph dogs, people, waves, sunshine, gulls, and plenty of ocean side beauty.

I hope you enjoy these images.

Beach blues

I've been working (interior painting) at a house on the beach for the past 2 weeks. I'm telling you, there is almost nothing better. Every day the view is dreamy. The water and sky never stop changing, meshing, and amazing me. Even the bad days are a work of art to behold.

Low tide, high tide, seaweed, deep blue waters, turquoise waters, white gulls diving back and forth, black rocks jutting out for the seals to bask upon. Yes, yesterday I actually saw Harbor seals sunning themselves! It's always an adventure at the beach.

One thing I love about the beach is people watching. This couple was so cute. They stood there for quite a while, snuggling. Most people are walking dogs though. It always makes me wish I could bring Lily to work with me, but that definitely isn't an option at this house.

a long gone-by beach rose berry/the most gorgeous turquoise waters with gulls, and dark seaweed lying just below the surface

Looking out towards the Isles of Shoals with a billion diamonds/an almost petrified dead rose berry

I've noticed these rocks seem to be a favorite place for gulls to hang out, probably because there are plenty of crabs and other shell fish hanging about. Star Island looms large in the background

And though this really has nothing to do with the beach ... the other day I came home to Turkey Vultures circling our house and the surrounding vicinity. Turns out there was something dead in the field behind our yard.

Lily does NOT like TV's and let's them know in no uncertain terms. When they get this low she chases them and barks like a mad woman. The bird looks terrified doesn't it? I mean just look at those eyes! Ha ha! More than likely it's wondering where the Pug is ; )

Gulls in the field

It's funny but when I was a kid I don't recall seeing Gulls, or as we always called them (and most people still do), 'Seagulls', anywhere but at the beach or the dump. Back then the landscape was so much more pristine without all the fast food joints. How I loath the the trash they spawn.

I'm not here to trash fast food restaurants, but that's usually what brings the mass amount of gulls inland. Another draw are cornfields.

This cornfield sits right next to Pete's Sugar Shack. Which by the way he was boiling syrup tonight as I drove by. There were quite a few cars there too! He picked a great spot next to a very busy road.

Anyway, in the spring the gulls come into the fields to eat the left over corn from last Fall. Huge flocks of gulls. This poor guy above was limping pretty badly but he looks healthy and could still fly.

It's a big line up. They all land at the same time in the same general area, and all take off at the same time.

I actually shot these images 2 years ago, about a month after I bought my camera. I'm hoping to get back this Spring when it finally warms up, and photograph the gulls once again.

Here we go!!!

Pretty cool, huh?

And these shots don't show even close to how many gulls there actually were.

* I don't know why but for some reason Blogger emailed out an old post of mine to subscribers this morning. The post was from December, titled 'At Rest'. I don't think that's ever happened before. Sorry!

Lily's day!

What do you do on a warm, 60 degree, February afternoon when the sun is shining and there's not a cloud in the sky? Why go to the beach, of course! After all, that's where all the cool dogs are hanging out!

When we arrive Lily is so excited she can barely contain herself. LOL! She really loved the yellow lab, but not enough to follow him into the water. Unless it's an exceptionally warm day Lily will have nothing to do with going into the ocean. Maybe a dip of the toes but that's it.

Honestly, I'm not sure I'd be chasing a dog with those teeth!

I want to have this much fun with my friends!

I love this dog more than you could ever know. We adopted Lily as a puppy, in 2004, from a local rescue group after she had been shipped north from Virginia, a common practice in New England. A couple years ago I was so excited to finally have her breed tested with a blood sample using the Wisdom Panel *Professional test. Several weeks later my vet called and left a message saying I was never going to believe the results.

Lily's 2 main breeds are:
Rottweiler and American Eskimo

Her 2 secondary breeds are:
Afghan and German Shepard

I know, it's crazy! But as my vet said, it just goes to show, what you see on the outside of a mixed breed dog isn't necessarily what's on the inside. I can definitely see the American Eskimo in her personality (the girl can dance! and she's a big time barker), and the Afghan in her coat. She's very protective and devoted to me but I think most of those breeds have the same traits. Many people think she's part Wheaten but that breed didn't show up in the testing. Either way, no matter what, I love her like one of my own kids.

After a LOT of running it was time to go back to the car, get a drink, and head home. What a day!

check out that kong flying through the air

In a couple weeks or so I'm going to working in one of the homes on this very beach. I cannot wait! The interior painting job is extensive so I'll be there a while. Glorious I tell you, glorious.

Lighthouses on the coast

Did you think I wasn't coming back? I wasn't so sure either. Lately every time I post on my blog I wonder, "will this by my last time?". December has taken a toll on me and it seems when ever I sit down at the computer to look at my photos I just go blank. Sorting them, deciding which ones to use for a post, editing, trying to find the words ... nothing seems right. Hopefully the new year will give me some renewed energy because right now I'm sorely lacking.

Though I normally photograph something almost every day, lately my camera usually sits on the counter, all by it's lonesome. My new job is still causing me some insomnia so I imagine that's not helping the situation.

Anyway, enough about all that. Last week, on my way to go Christmas shopping, I decided to take a detour and head to New Castle Commons in hopes of lifting my spirits. The view was so lovely but it was so cold at the same time. I stayed inside my car for all of the shots below.

No, this home isn't located at New Castle Commons but it was so quaint I had to pull over and take a shot or two. If it's this adorable on the outside don't you wonder what it looks like on the inside? I do!

Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse

It was a good thing I took these shots when I did because the snow had all but melted in the next couple hours.

Immature Ring-billed Gulls just chillin', literally

Whaleback Lighthouse

Like the most of the east coast we received a pretty decent snow storm last night into today. It was supposed to be a blizzard with 10"-18" but with all the blowing and drifting I don't know if we even had 7". For those of us expecting 'the big one' it was a rather weak storm. It's probably just as well seeing as how my daughter has to drive in it.

Do you have plans for New Years Eve?