After checking on the progress of the painted trillium and lady’s slippers at Dean Brook (not quite ready yet), I headed over to Gate 22 in New Salem. I knew it was overcast but hoped that by the time I visited Hop Brook and hiked the rest of the way to the water the sky would have become a little more interesting. That did not happen so I decided I’d try a long exposure to be converted to black and white. Although the spring colors in the distance were attractive, the light was not favorable. So here is Mount Russ in monochrome.
On the way in I stopped at a cascade/waterfall that is found down in a small valley along the road. It is one of the many Hop Brooks to be found in New England. These spring greens work a little better in the forest than the others did in the open flat light.
It was a good hike this morning and now, once I give Murphy his afternoon kibble, it is off to the wood pile to ready for winter’s inevitable, though months away, onslaught.
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Stephen Gingold Nature Photography Blog 
Wonderful scenics Steve and that first one works great in B&W! Terrific job with these.
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Thanks Phil.
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No matter the the advantage or disadvantage you can put out a really fine photograph. That is the mark of a top quality photographer. Both of these are beautiful.
About that beagle. Does he scare away the woodcucks from the woods or the woodpile? Just kidding. Murphy is sure to be good company while you work on getting logs ready for winter. I had the flue of my fireplace sealed of with a heavt metal plate. It had become too much work for me. And the cost of a chord of wood was pushing near $200. I was getting post oak wood from about 40 miles away. Now I will need to get a Dearborn heater that can burn natural gas. Had a floor furnace but that went kaput in late winter. Actually we had almost no really cold days which was a good and a bad thing.
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Thanks Yvonne.
He tries to scare everything off…especially people. Murphy is always on a leash or run. We would not let a beagle loose in our neighborhood…too many speeding cars for any dog and we are too protective to allow a beagle to disappear into the woods for days. Living on a farm as you do would be very different.
Several years back we decided oil heat would be a good thing and had a furnace put in. Within a year oil skyrocketed and we stopped using the furnace and went back to wood. We will now stay with wood, possibly adding solar, and use as little oil as possible for expense savings as well as some other issues involving fossil fuels. I wouldn’t imagine you get too many really cold days in Texas, Yvonne?
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Actually Steve, I don’t live on a farm. It just seems that way. I have 9/10 of an acre. There are many native trees, shrubs, wildfowers, and such to cover the ground. I am landlocked meaning that this property does not border a street and I use a deeded lane- deeded years ago when my husband bought the property. All of the propeerty is fenced.
I am the same as you. I don’t even let my dogs have an unsupervised run. I am oustide when they can run the property. In the back is a small yard fenced with chain link. I let the labs and the australian cattle dog have free reign in there.Bu they never stay out very long unless I am in the immediate area. I am vey afraid to allow my dogs the freedom to bark as they please.
And no,we simply do not have winter anymore. Very strange and it worries me.Texas has severe droughtt in many counties, as well. My county is in pretty good shape for now. But that can change fast.
Good for you if you have the means to install solar panels/. I wish that I could do that. It just makes sense to help the environment plus it helps the homeowner. You are young enough that you can reap the benefits after the solar unit pays for itself. 🙂
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I’m with Phil and Yvonne. These are terrific photographs. I love the contrast. Your description of your walk makes me yearn for that sort of landscape. Very evocative.
Good luck with the wood pile! 🙂
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Thanks very much, Lottie. The Quabbin surrounds offer about 50 different hikes…all old rods that were taken along with the land to create the reservoir.
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Wonderful images–not bad at all for a morning out and about. I like them both–the monochrome is excellently toned, but I really like the color version of the cascade. It’s a winner.
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Thanks, Greg. I’m hoping these walks will improve my conditioning for next year.
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Others have said it all Steve and naturally I am cheering on the Painted Trilliums, which for me are your ‘signature’ images. With so little space in HK I get truly envious of the yards you have in America. Solar must be a good idea. Are there still grants and subsidies available?
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Thanks, Andrew. Yes, there are some, I guess. Mary Beth spoke to someone who had just had solar installed and got the credit. We’ll see. It’s a large investment and with retirement on the horizon also a big drain on the retirement funds.
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Gorgeous, the cascade-waterfall is a feast for the eye and the senses.. x
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Thank you very much, penpusherpen.
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I’m very much in favour of the monochrome photo which works perfectly well in this sort of light. It is a nice tranquil scene with a calm atmosphere.
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Thanks, Sandra.
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