A Local Springtime Wander, Manomet, Sandwich, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA

One of the wonders of the world has to be the rebirth of the earth that comes in spring in a seasonal climate area. The grass greens, the trees bud out in fireworks-like displays, the days lengthen and the sun shines down warmly. What can be better. The image above is on Bartlett Pond.



The above image is the view north above Manomet Beach and Cape Cod Bay on an outgoing tide.



Above image is the view south above Manomet Beach. The faint distant horizon line is the arm of the Cape Cod landmass winding east and north.



To the south of Plymouth on Cape Cod in the town of Sandwich, the trees are bursting into green along these old railroad tracks.



Some places are slower than others in getting with the program - just like humans - but soon, it will be shorts and short-sleeve weather for all in New England and we will again revel in the amazing cycle of nature's renewal.

Another Look, Sandwich, Massachusetts, USA

Another look at one of my favorite subjects in the Sandwich area.



There isn't much train traffic but, the building is still alarmingly close to the tracks. They did things differently back in the olden days.

Out and About, Sandwich, Massachusetts, USA

A warmish, sunny, winter day in the town of Sandwich on Cape Cod. I have always liked the visual of this narrow gray building beside the tracks.

Windmill, Cherry, Azalea, and Birch, Sandwich, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, USA

In the town of Sandwich, just across the canal on Cape Cod, this windmill is visible to passersby. Normally, I just drive by with barely a glance but today, it looked good enough with the nearby cherry tree blossoming to get me to stop.



The blades turn but, I think they are driven by electricity since there doesn't seem to be enough surface area to catch the wind.

It makes an interesting high-contrast black and white image also.



Elsewhere, the azaleas are following the cherry trees into full bloom.



They make a nice contrast with fallen birch logs.



If you look closely (and with imagination), this looks like the gentle curve of a human lower back. Okay, maybe that's a stretch.

Heritage Gardens, Sandwich, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, USA

A damp, drizzly day turned out to be a great time to visit the Heritage Gardens in Sandwich, Massachusetts on Cape Cod. The blooming rhododendrons were evenly lighted and spritzed with nature's well-placed water droplets.



































It's a beautiful world in which we live - if one chooses to look for it and see it.

Heritage Museums and Gardens, Sandwich, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, USA

Signs of spring at the Heritage Gardens in Sandwich include this lone azalea.



It's a slow start for the trees.



Heritage Gardens is a great place for kids (and grown-ups) to experience some of the beauty and pleasure of nature.



There are a number of diversions for the young folks along these walkways.......



.....including making mudpies! It was a very popular activity for a school group that was visiting.



There is a very fancy treehouse.



A carpet of blue flows down this hillside.



This labyrinth is covered with crushed oyster shells but it looks more like either a dusting of snow or cherry blossom petals.



The classic sign of spring - daffodils.

Spring is pretty magical in New England.

Sandwich Boardwalk, Sandwich, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, USA

This is the view heading out the Sandwich boardwalk toward the beach.  The tide is high, the wetland channels are flooded with the incoming tide. I applied some special processing to this image to create this quasi-real effect.



Visual compression from a distant viewpoint accentuates the ripples in the decking. The original boardwalk was built in 1875. It has been rebuilt many times over the years, the most recent version was completed in 1992 following near complete destruction by Hurricane Bob in 1991.

Bike Path, Cape Cod Canal, Bourne, Sagamore, Massachusetts, USA

I haven't been to the canal in many months.  It is a great location for walking or cycling. Although it was chilly and breezy, the late afternoon sun made for nice images.



The construction is done on the Sagamore Bridge so no more tarps, equipment, and associated noise. The bike trail is almost empty today.......



...except for this one lone cyclist approaching.

Sandwich, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, USA

I was in the town of Sandwich so stopped by the boardwalk for a brief hike out to the beach. The marsh grasses are taking on that fall look as the greens turn to russet. This is the view heading back from the beach.

The road to the boardwalk passes this railroad crossing, an interesting photographic location.

A splash of color in an otherwise green tree beside the tracks.

A view down the tracks. It looked a lot better when I visited last fall as my blog post link from then demonstrates. Fall foliage is all about timing - mine was not so good this year.

Fall, Sandwich, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, USA

These first six similar images illustrate the idea that changing one's point of view a small amount can make a big difference.  That might be profound - I think it applies in real life, too.

Sandwich was established in 1637 and was the first town on Cape Cod. It was named for a town in England - not for the food item with stuff between slices of bread.

I have enjoyed this location for many years.  It seems to combine a number of appealing photographic elements in one scene, for example: train tracks receding into the distance, a crossing signal, a slightly rundown oddly-shaped building, blue sky with gentle clouds, and colorful mature trees. 

A head-on view accentuates the oddly-shaped building.

A tilted horizon and low angle of view provides a dog's perspective.

A shallow depth of field - only the foreground track is sharply focused, the trees are slightly blurred.

 Subtle difference but, a broader depth of field, the trees are in focus.

Barely a mile away from the railroad tracks, the Sandwich Boardwalk traverses the tidal marshlands. With the deepening of fall, the marsh has turned a reddish brown, much different from its summer colors below........

In July, it's warm and humid and, at high tide, the kids jump from the highest point into the cooling water.