* Peaks Island Land Preserve Trail on Peaks Island, Maine

Since the month of March I have been dealing with some health problems, partly explaining my hiatus.  I came down with a nasty case of tonsillitis and strep that progressed rapidly and with no mercy.  I couldn't talk for a few days and had to have an abscess drained.  FYI, not fun!  After I healed from that, the doctor said I needed to have surgery to remove my tonsils and adenoids.  Again, FYI, not fun.  Unlike the abscess, which was just me in the doc's chair with some topical numbing agent that seemed to not be numbing at all, for the tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy I would go under anesthesia.  The surgery is quick and these days they don't even use sutures, instead cauterizing the areas.  Maybe I was slightly naive about the recovery period, but I guess I didn't think it would be such a process.  I'm finally eating soft solid foods and I'm weening myself off the prescription pain medication, but still dealing with a sore throat, ear pain, and low energy.  I can talk now, but just not for long periods of time.  My family and my boyfriend Ed have been great, supporting me through the surgery and the recovery.  Now don't get me wrong, this really wasn't major surgery (and it makes me not want ANY surgery every again), but, sheesh, recovering from surgery in your mouth is rough.  In a few more weeks I should be back to normal though... and loving the simple task of chugging water like it's my job.

A couple days ago, I finally felt like leaving the house for some fresh air and an island walk.  My energy left me pretty fast and I didn't make it that far, but I was able to check out a Peaks Island Land Preserve trail with Ed.  Finally.  Sad that I had never walked it before in my years of living here on Peaks.  I even felt good enough to grab my camera and play with my new 85mm lens.  No masterpieces, but a few fun ones I thought worthy of posting.

Hope everyone is healthy themselves and enjoying the warming spring temps.  I can't wait to be back to normal, and climbing and yoga-ing!

* Singles: Daytime Moon

One of my first shots of the 2013 New Year.  Love those daytime moon sightings.  Photographed on Peaks Island, Maine just outside my house.

* Singles: Night Moon

Tonight's darkness made me want to post a moon photo.  From the archive... The moon on a cloudy night on Peaks Island, Maine.  Can't wait til the next full moon.

* The Shed gets a Christmas tree

I have made the effort to squeeze a little Christmas tree into The Shed the past couple years.  The Shed for those of you who don't know is my humble 285 square foot living space that I call home on Peaks Island.  I rent from two fabulous landlords, Skip and Andy, and we're just steps from the water. 

This year I decided to put my tree outside on my deck (which is also a killer new addition to my place this summer) and don it with white lights.  While I love the smell of a tree and the festive mood it puts me in for the holiday season, decorating it with childhood ornaments, and yelling at the cats to not drink the tree water or eat the pine needles, my outdoor choice was a good one. Three perks.... more available precious space inside The Shed, less maintenance / cat managing for me, and more tree admiring for folks getting off the boat.  You'll have to look hard though, it's quite small.

My fellow climber friend Jen and I excitedly went together to Skillins in Falmouth to get our trees this year.  However, we had the most anti-climactic, non-festive tree acquiring experience.  We were in and out with both trees in probably a record-breaking time of 6 minutes and 37 seconds.  So fast we didn't know what hit us until we got in her turck, had a laugh, and vowed to cut our own trees next year at her uncle's tree farm, provided the trees are ready.  We did each get a couple Skillins bucks though.

I should have known when I hauled the tree with one hand up Welch Street getting off the boat, that it was a small one.  I laughed when I stood her upright on my new large deck at how tiny she looked.  Clearly I'm still not used to so much space.  I plopped her in my large pot that housed my tomatoes this summer, but as I suspected the soil was not enough to hold her up and within a few days and a puff of wind, she was sideways and the plug for the lights pulled out of the outlet timer as a result of the fall. 

I proceeded to do what I knew I should have done from the start.  I dug out out my actual tree stand, loaded it with rocks, and installed a matrix of twine from tree to deck railing to ensure she'll last through the season.  I think mission accomplished... so far so good.

Despite all this, I have found it is still nice to have my Christmas tree outside and once some snow falls (pretty please!) she'll look even more festive!  (P.S. A winter shed-o-que / sled-o-que will be in order once we get a dumping of the white stuff!)  

So Islanders, get those binoculars out and look for the other tree down front the next time you get off the boat!  I'll try to get a larger one next year!  'Tis the season!

 

 

* Peaks to Portland Swim

I awoke last Saturday morning excited to shoot Emily and John's wedding at the Inn on Peaks Island, drew my curtains open and this was the scene I witnessed.  A blue bird sky, black bodies topped with pink caps scurrying about, and a low chitter chatter of voices.  I had not realized that today was the day of the annual Peaks to Portland Swim.  I only snapped a few shots from my deck, eager to continue getting "in the zone" for photographing the wedding (like many photogs, I have my compulsive system and checklist per se for prepping mentally and physically for the big day!).  So more than capturing the apparent action, I tried to show the patterns of color and movement that my eye tended to see more of from my perch.  Congratulations to all the swimmers who partake in such a fun event!  Quite a feat!

A scene setter shot... what I saw when I opened my curtains!  I laughed out loud.  I knew these little sounds had made their way into my morning dreams.

The moving pink little caps kept grabbing my eye.

The strong sun created defined shadows of the spectators and lit up the fleet of primary colored kayaks ("handlers" and cheerleaders for each swimmer).

 

Casco Bay was speckled with colors as far as the eye could see.  I loved how the layers were created in the scene with swimmers at the starting line, the prior heat swimming, the furthest out heat beginning to disperse creating more space between each swimmer, the arc of faithful kayaks, nuggets of House Island's day marker and Fort Gorges flanking the scene, and the finish line of Portland's East End off in the distance.

 

My eye saw the more distinct layers and lines as I zoomed in with my lens for a tighter crop.  I liked the one lone kayak, bright red with a pink flag, in the middle (must have been an official, because another frame I have shows the person looking at the starting line with binoculars).  I could feel the anticipation by this final heat wading up to the start line.  Anxious nerves, excitement, adrenaline, all the training for this moment.

 

I think I see the patterns more or maybe just differently in black and white.  I see more of the water movement and how it becomes more of a part, a texture in the scene, connecting the other objects and shapes that are the kayaks and swimmers in their various states.

 

For a closing shot, I thought this was fitting.  This swimmer jumped in the water off the float quite late.   I think I even heard some spectators shout this point of his lateness to him in a playful manner (almost certain it was a male swimmer).  I love that he still jumped into the race, yet makes me wonder where he was when his heat started.  He was definitely eager to catch up to the pack.  I especially enjoyed his two escorts... he is the only swimmer who can say he had both a kayak and an inflatable lobster by his side, cheering him on to the finish line!

* Cuyahoga Valley National Park in northeast Ohio

I really only saw a glimpse of Cuyahoga Valley National Park when visiting a friend recently in Ohio. It was a quick drive through the park area near Akron, but covered some ground. The fresh snowfall made for a festive wintry feeling, which has been lacking this season in both Ohio and Maine. I'm sure there are some good summertime hikes through this park.

Visiting as many state and national parks in this country is sort of on my bucket list. Like doing the Appalachian Trail -- I bought a map of the AT when I did some exploring in Shenandoah National Park in the Front Royal, VA area this past September and have it hanging in my kitchen as inspiration to do it. Climbing Mt. Katahdin in Baxter State Park, Millinocket, Maine this summer really planted the seed as it is the northern terminus for the AT. Part of Sugarloaf Mountain, where I work, is on the trail, too, and continues north near my place in Stratton, Maine. I know a few folks who have hiked the entire trail, and I commend them for such a feat! I'm also a bit envious, because I have a feeling I'll only continue to hike the trail in random chunks!

(I will be posting photos from Katahdin and Shenandoah, too!)