Postcards from the Woods

Last day of fall

The last day of fall in New York brought below freezing temps and a snow day here. So much for watching my extended edition of The Return of the King while wrapping presents. Good day for a quick photo from the warmth of the doorway, though!

PhotoFriday was a bust for me last week. Tacky?!!! Not a clue...

The secret life of my cat, Shadow

Photo Friday: ghostly

The secret life of my cat has been recently exposed. Apparently, he's some kind of magic reindeer cat, with semi-invisible antlers. I've always wondered where he goes during the cold winter nights in December. He always seems to be gone missing more often than not. Now I know. Pictures don't lie. The kids want to know if this means that Santa will look more favorably on them since we've got an actual Reindeer Cat living with us. I just tell them that he's really Santa's secret spy and they'd better be extra good this year.

Light and shadow

"If God created shadows, it was to better emphasize the light."

- Pope John XXIII

Amazing skies today...storm clouds moving in and out all day long. I stopped the Christmas shopping expedition long enough to grab this shot. The sky opened up right across the street from a church. The church's steeple in front of this cloud break would have been a particularly dramatic picture, alas, the wind was going the wrong way. To avoid the powerlines in the lower frame, I took it from atop my minivan, much to the surprise of shoppers in the parking lot of the CVS. At the very least, they looked up to see what I was shooting! Always a good thing!

Photo Friday: Abandoned

Abandoned shack at Silver Ledge Farm, at the crossroads, Dutchess County, NY

p.s. That's a black crow flying...not dirt on the lens!

A bit of winter...up close

Frost on the Deck Screw

Pine

Dusty Miller

Guard of the Last Icicle Pansies

Took these outside the front door today while I was home sick. Just a dusting really, but the nice light and fluffy kind. Teenagers got off the bus just as I was taking these, still in my robe at 2:30pm! Last month, the 18 year-old up the street snuck up on me on his bike while I was shooting our beautiful golden maple from under the tree...on my back. It was an interesting angle! I think I'm getting a bit of a reputation as the secluded and eccentric woman who lives on the corner. So be it.