Rockport, MA Inner Harbor

Rockport Inner Harbor

Walking along the Bearskin Neck area, if you look between any of the stores or houses, you'll be able to see Rockport Inner Harbor. That red barn in the distance of this image, is known as Motif #1 and it is the most photographed building in the US. It is called Lobsterman's Barn.

I have posted several images of this place by shooting at different angles through the alleyways between the houses. This is one of my favorite.

Indian Blanket Flowers

Indian Blanket Flowers

These Indian Blanket Flowers (Gaillardia pulchella) are wild all over Florida. You can see them growing alongside sidewalks and all along the highways. These were growing in a side garden amongst the rocks in Rockport, MA. I love the colors.

They grow about 3" in diameter and they produce many color variations and combinations in the red/pink/yellow range. Another common name for them is Showy Gaillardia.

Backlit Sunflower

Sunflower, Rockport, MA

The back lighting and its huge size is what attracted me to this Sunflower found in a side garden in the Bearskin Neck region of Rockport, MA. I love the way the sun was shining through the yellow petals making them almost translucent.

Sunflowers have long been my favorite flower. They remind me of the sun, which reminds me of summer and happiness. They have no fragrance, therefore, no allergies for me! Sunflowers also attract birds, which is my other favorite thing to photograph.

When I was living in New York, I placed several feeders in the front yard so the kids could watch the birds eat. I think the triplets were around 3 by the time they noticed them. They would spend hours looking out the picture window just behind the couch watching the birds. The birds rewarded us by "planting" Sunflowers all around the feeders. They disguised the feeders and beautified the yard. What a nice thank you for feeding them.

Purple Cosmos with Bee

Purple Cosmos with Bee

This Purple Cosmos is another flower found in a side garden in Rockport, MA. The bee was an added surprise when I saw it though my lens.

Cosmos are in the Aster family and are native to Mexico. They are popular garden flowers here in the states. They are  herbaceous perennial plants with many different species and colors. There are also many hybrids and cultivars. I particularly like this species and the color.

Red Staircase

Red Staircase

This photo was taken in Rockport, MA in the Bearneck Skin area. I like the red staircase and the dappled light against the rough cedar shake shingles.

In the background, you can see part of the Rockport Inner Harbor.

Click on the photo to get a better look.

Dahlia

Dahlia

This was taken at my son and daughter-in-law's house in their back garden. They have many different gardens on their property, each with its own theme. Visiting them and walking around the yard is like walking around botanical gardens. This one was one of my favorites.

There are 42 species of Dahlias, along with many hybrids. This particular species is called, Dahlia (Dahlia rosea) because of its red color. Some are round, some flat, they come in different sizes, shapes and colors. They are native to Mexico and have been used as a source of food. Their hollow stems were used to make water pipes, and they've been used as medicine, specifically to treat Epilepsy.

I especially like this particular variety because of its pom-pom shape.

View Out my Window

I've posted this one before on Facebook, but I wanted to post it on my blog as well so, some of you may have already seen this.

This shot was taken out of my living room window during blue hour. It was the day I bought my new camera, a Canon 6D. I just wanted to try it out and loved the results. It's true, it's not the camera that makes the image; it's the eye behind the lens; however, it doesn't hurt to have good tools to get the job done. I bought the camera because I felt that I had outgrown my old one. Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with Canon's 40D, but I wanted something newer that could handle noise levels better and to give me a larger photo to work with.

There are times I need or want the crop factor of the 40D for the extra range, especially when I'm shooting birds, so I'll still be using that camera as well. But for now, my go to camera with my new 28-300mm Tamron lens will be my main walk-around lens.

Goose Gourd

Goose Gourd Bouquet

During our road trip through Bolton, CT, my son and I spotted an off road farmer's stand on the other side of the street. It had several vases of floral arraignments visible from the road with a sign that said $6.00. We stopped and thought it would be nice to bring flowers home to Donna. My son, Joe, got out of the car and walked over to the stand to see what they had. He had bought flowers from this farmer before and knew they were honest and reasonable. Way in the back of the shelf, he spotted this bouquet.

He came back to the car empty handed and told me he saw a beautiful arraignment for $20.00 and he had to get more money. I gave him $10.00 and he had $10.00 in his pocket. He came back to the car with this heavy gourd in both hands. It was comical to watch when he tried to open the car door all the water poured out on his shirt. Of course, once I stopped laughing, I got out to help him.

I never expected anything like this! There was a little note attached to this bouquet saying that when the flowers go bad, the gourd is edible. It is called a Goose Gourd; the photo shows why. Needless to say, his wife, Donna, loved this little surprise.

Farming in Broad Brook, CT

Farming in Broad Brook, CT

After posting last night's shot of this tractor, my son let me know that this was not actually Bolton, CT. Since he was the one driving, and I was doing the shooting, I hadn't been paying attention to where we actually were. We were in Broad Brook, CT on East St. My apologies for any confusion and for my error.

As you can see by the dust this farmer is kicking up, he was going at a pretty good clip. I'm not sure what he's doing, but maybe one of my readers can tell me.

Farming in Bolton CT

Hard at Work

While on vacation, my son, Joe, and I also took a road trip around Bolton, CT. I saw this farmer working and panned just a little to be able to catch this shot. He was driving pretty fast. It was getting a little late in the day, and I guess he just wanted to get done.

I must admit, I know absolutely nothing about farming; even though I come from a long line of farmers from my grandparents generation and back. The only farm machine I know is the tractor, so as far as what this guy is doing, I have no idea. I do know, however that they work very hard and their day starts really early.

I'll be posting more farming photos in later posts. Maybe one of you readers can enlighten me.

Sunset in a Rockport Cove

The End of a Perfect Day

One of the last stops in Rockport, was at this little cove. We were on the way out of the town center, when we came upon this place. Had it not been for a few teens practicing their yoga on this beach, we may have never have spotted it. There was also a couple snorkelers just coming out of the water. I'm assuming they must've been a couple of the girls' boyfriends.

It was definitely the end of a perfect day. I love how the the sun was starting to set through the trees.

Pigoen Cove, Rockport, MA

Pigeon Cove

From a distance and from street view, these buildings appear to be built right into the rocks. Of course, at a closer spot, it is apparent that they are not. Either way, I liked the lighting; it seemed the late day sun added just enough of a warm glow to make this view stand out.

Rockport (MA) Inner Harbor Wide Shot

Wide Shot of Rockport Inner Harbor

My son and daughter-in-law are so good to me. I go to visit to CT once a year, and they always seem to plan something nice to do while I'm there. This year was no exception. Donna asked me if I'd ever been to Rockport and I told her no. She said, "Well this year, that's where were are planning to go. We'll do a day trip. It's beautiful and I'm sure you'll enjoy it". As you can see from the photos I've been posting and I'm not done editing them; I really enjoyed it.

Thank you, Joe and Donna. You are too good to me and I appreciate it.

Rockport, MA

Rockport Inner Harbor

All along Rockport Inner Harbor in the Bearneck Skin area, are many private residences, lodging places, stores, etc. Everyone of them have beautiful side gardens.

I particularly liked this one. Bearneck Skin is the main "tourist area". There are so many things to see and buy. It makes for a shopper's paradise.

If you've never been there, and you get to the Rockport area in Rockport, MA, check it out!

Rockport, MA Breakwater

Sandy Bay Breakwater in Rockport, MA

"ROCKPORT HARBOR   Rockport Harbor is located in Sandy Bay on the northeast side of Cape Ann, about 32 miles northeast of Boston. The town of Rockport is popular with tourists, and the harbor is used extensively by recreational boaters, fishing craft, and charter boats for excursions and sport fishing.

The earliest work in the harbor dates back to 1839, when two breakwaters were constructed, one on each side of the harbor entrance. In 1905, the Corps rebuilt the two breakwaters to a height of 18.5 feet. The northern breakwater at Bearskin Neck is 900 feet long, and the southern breakwater at Norwoods Head is 200 feet long. The Corps also removed principal rocks in the harbor.

The most recent work in Rockport Harbor was completed in July 1987 as a small project under Section 107 of the Corps’ Continuing Authorities Program. This work included the construction of:

• A 10-foot-deep channel, 80 feet wide, extending 1,100 feet from deep water outside the breakwaters to the town wharf in the center of the harbor.
• Two eight-foot-deep outer anchorage areas on either side of the 10-foot-deep channel. The north anchorage, about 3.5 acres in area, extends from the Bearskin Neck Breakwater to the town wharf. The south anchorage, about 2.7 acres in area, extends from the Norwoods Head Breakwater to the town wharf.
• Two eight-foot-deep inner anchorage basins on either side of the town wharf. The north anchorage is 1.7 acres in area, and the south anchorage is 1.2 acres in area.

PIGEON COVE   Pigeon Cove in Rockport is located in Sandy Bay, about 1.5 miles north of Rockport Harbor. It is home to a vibrant commercial fishing industry. Corps’ work in Pigeon Cove consists of:

• A 10-foot-deep channel, 75 feet wide, extending 550 feet from deep water outside the existing breakwater, across the southern part of the inner cove, to the public pier; and
• A 3.4-acre anchorage area, eight feet deep, throughout the rest of Pigeon Cove’s inner section.

Completed in July 1987, Pigeon Cove is a small project, constructed under Section 107 of the Corps’ Continuing Authorities Program." - info directly copied from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers http://www.nae.usace.army.mil/Missions/CivilWorks/Navigation/Massachusetts/RockportHarbor.aspx

This shot was taken from in the car through the window, while the car was on the highway going through South Boston. I was amazed that it came out as well as it did.

Does anyone know the name of this church? I tried for hours looking it up on Google, but couldn't find a match. Any help will be appreciated.

Hint of Fall Color in New England

Bolton, CT

While I was on vacation in Connecticut, I realized I planned the date about 10 days too early to see the amazing foliage in New England. The weather was very good; only 1 rainy day in the 10 days I was there.

My son, Joey, and I took a day trip to Bolton. We were born and raised in CT, but we came upon this little pond in a park we'd never heard of. What a surprise! The leaves were just beginning to turn and it made for just a hint of color. There was a lot of vegetation on the pond, so we had to look for a fairly clear area when we spotted this tiny island in the pond. There were just a few reds and yellows to add a bit of color to this photo.

Let me know how you like this photo in the comments below.

Tallahassee Capitol Complex

I do apologize again! The hotel I'm at has horrible Wifi and it seems it's down more than up. I guess you get what you pay for; their Wifi is free. So I'm unable to post every night--only when I have service. Until I get back home, I'll post more than one photo whenever I can.

This top photo is of the Senate building at the Tallahassee Capitol Complex. It sits to the left of the old Capitol Building.

For those of you not from Florida, Tallahassee is the capitol of our state. This is the first time I've been here, so I'm doing the tourist thing, trying to get some sightseeing and shooting on my days off. My last day off, I went to the Tallahassee Museum. You can see a couple photos from that adventure in my last post. I'll probably be posting pix from both places in the next few posts.

This second shot is of the Florida Vietnam Veterans' Memorial and it is on the grounds of the Tallahassee Capitol Complex in front of the Old Capitol Building.

Inscribed on its walls are the names of the veterans from Florida who gave their life to keep us free and of those missing in action. The walls support a 40-foot American Flag.

The Anastasi

The Anastasi at the end of a long day diving for sponge. This is just one of many sponge boats docked at the Sponge Docks in Tarpon Springs, Florida.

The Sponge Docks in Tarpon Springs is a must see if you ever visit this area. The sponge industry is responsible for building a Greek community like no other around. Here, one can see a free movie showing the history of the sponge docks and how it has developed this small Greek village.

As you walk up and down Dodecanese Avenue along the Sponge Docks, you'll see many boats like this laden with sponge. There are many of the best Greek restaurants and bakeries along the Sponge Docks with some of the best authentic Greek food around. You'll also find about 100 little boutiques where souvenirs can be purchased, and beautiful hand made doilies, scarfs, jewelry and soaps are being sold. There are also a few antique stores. The aquarium has a live shark tank that divers feed a couple times daily along with a petting tank. Everything is priced reasonably.

It's a great way to spend a day for very little money and have fun as well.

Vinoy Basin From the Dali

Another view from the glass at the Salvatore Dali Museum. The metal framing throughout the windows is perfect for finding a picture within a picture.

In the background you can see the Renaissance Vinoy Hotel and the Vinoy Condomiums along with the Vinoy marina.

The downtown waterfront in St Petersburg, FL is one of the most beautiful waterfronts I've ever seen--and I've lived on the Eastern Coast all my life. There is no space wasted and no space not beautifully landscaped with it's manicured lawns and beautiful flowers all year 'round.