Cape Cod Canal, Sagamore, Bourne, Massachusetts, USA

When I first arrived after the cold frontal passage, the sky was mostly clear but, the wind was howling.



The clouds developed quickly.



I wasn't the only one out enjoying this crisp day in early winter.



There were hundreds, maybe thousands of ducks hanging out along the edge of the water - and no boats transiting the canal while I was there.



The ducks seemed to be practicing various precision formations.



Perhaps they have a secret marching band that requires such arrangements.



I stopped at the beach on the way home, the strong onshore wind gave this gull a nice upslope condition to soar along the dune face effortlessly. It may be winter but, it's still spectacularly beautiful around here.

Some Favorites, Black & White, Calendar Year 2020

 

I make many photos over the course of a year. I thought it would be fun to look back and pick out a few from among my favorites. No particular rhyme nor reason - I just like them.

July. Boston, Massachusetts.  I like the musculature along the rower's spine, the glow of the bow and the ripples in the water perpendicular to the distorted ripples from the boat, the splash of the oar.

December. Boston, Massachusetts. I like the general overall harshness and the length of the shadows of the walkers, the low sun streaming through the trees, the glow of the light post and the lines and angles of the walkways. 



February. St. Petersburg, Florida. I like the solitary woman standing on the court, the fading daylight and the multiple lights turned on to overcome the darkness, the suggestion of a sport whose time has come and gone, the leading lines of the benches and light poles that reach into the distance.



July. Scituate, Massachusetts. I like the storm clouds over the trees, the lone sail boat returning to safe harbor as the lone paddleboarder heads out, the rain spattered water surface pummeled by the storm.



August. Plymouth, Massachusetts.  I like that so much is happening and not happening in such a simple scene: the picnicking family, the empty benches, the tall ship "Mayflower" at her home berth, the multitude of boats at anchor, the stormy clouds and the enveloping shade of the tree branch.

August. Sagamore, Massachusetts.  I like the few starkly white clouds, the line of moving, pedaling bicycles stretching off into the distance, the sliver of canal water parallel to the pathway, the silhouette of the lead cyclist with her wisps of hair visible.

September. Berkshires, Massachusetts. I like the two almost parallel trees at the right which converge somewhere above with the almost parallel legs of the human, the jacket that suggests a chill in the air, the web of shadows on the ground.



December. Sagamore, Massachusetts.  I like that the snow shapes are virtually indistinguishable from the cloud shapes, the multitude of birds floating on the canal water surface, the sun distorted and broadened into the cloud-sized shape.

I like that freezing all these moments in time to ponder is part of the magic of the photographic art.

Flurries and Sunshine, White Horse Beach, Manomet, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA

It was another of those spectacular cold and windy days at the beach in winter when the sky was alternately spitting snow flurries swirled on the wind and bursts of sunshine.

Not many folks out and about.

That's Manomet Point in the distance. Winter days make me appreciate the summer warmth even more - and it'll be here soon - soon being relative.

Cold and Windy, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Yes, it was cold. About 20 degrees F with the wind chill. I only lasted about 9,000 steps out and about in it for a couple hours. (But a great result of the outing was this image - one of my favorites ever!) It's not that I wasn't prepared........



......clearly I was.......

.....as were these folks on the bridge in the Public Garden.



And this outfit in Downtown Crossing looked effective.



The Paramount Theatre in Downtown Crossing/Theatre District is still dark due to the pandemic but, they light it up anyway. I like that optimism.



Old world architecture on the Boston Opera House.



Imagine winters here in the 1600's - no thank you - I am too much a wimp.

Cold and empty office buildings - but great lines and angles and light and reflections.



A well-placed advertisement says it all. 

Apology to my Loyal Readers

I have wondered why I didn't receive any comments to my blog posts during the last few years. 

It turns out that I do receive comments - I have hundreds and hundreds of them languishing in internet purgatory!  Apparently, a few years back I either failed to turn something on or failed to turn something off in the blog template formatting and as a result, I have not been aware that comments had been received.

So, I did not intend to appear to be rude or dismissive by not publishing or acknowledging your kind comments.  My apology to you. Hopefully, from this point forward, the problem is fixed.  

I appreciate each and every comment you send to me. (Except the spam).

Joe

Low Tide, Plymouth Harbor, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA

Red and green - seasonal colors - tied up at the Plymouth Wharf downtown.

A very low tide. It is not uncommon for 10 feet of difference between low and high tide in Plymouth. (Canada's Bay of Fundy has a 40-50 feet variation).

And a very low sun at the nearby Town Hall.

Clouds and Cold, White Horse Beach, Manomet, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA

It was a good day for clouds in the cold breeze on White Horse Beach.

Winter solitude is available even in a normal year without the pandemic. There was only me......

......and this couple out walking. 

Out and About, Downtown, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA

In downtown Plymouth, the temporary unidirectional lane has now reverted to its normal two-lane use, the yellow centerline repainted, the extra room for restaurant tables eliminated for the winter - no one wants to sit out at table in the cold. The spired building at center is, in fact, the Spire Center for Performing Arts, its stage dark due to the pandemic disruption over the past year and continuing.



A view from the high point in town, Burial Hill, established in the 1600's, some of the original settlers find their final repose here.



It may be midday but, the sun is low on the horizon shining through the trees on Burial Hill.

It is a nice path for part of a walk through and above town.



This gazebo covers the walkway into the Brewster Gardens park just down the street from Plymouth Rock. It's popular for weddings in the warmer weather.



Around the corner from the Gardens, many of the vessels have been removed from their docks at Safe Harbor and are up on stands for the winter.



This ever popular restaurant in downtown, open for business, is located in what had been an historic firehouse.

A beautiful spot - Plymouth, Massachusetts.  I am glad to call it home. 

15,000 Steps, Downtown, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

This day was one of those unseasonably warm mid-December days we don't often see. I took advantage with a 15,000 step walk through parts of downtown. It amazes me how much area I can cover sometimes - just keep putting one foot in front of the other - no big plan usually, just see where the whim takes me on any given day.

This skate park is located beneath the Zakim Bridge and was bustling with activity.











A surprising number of young folks were wearing face masks - not everyone but, quite a few of them.

Even joggers were wearing masks.



So too, this T. Rex at the Museum of Science had on a mask!



But, no masks on Acorn Street - doesn't make for good portraits.



I am surprised that the ducks at the "Make Way for Duckings" artwork had not been fitted with whimsical masks.



This very talented busker regaled folks in the Public Garden with Christmas carols.



Winding back through the Boston Common, folks were hanging out in the fading daylight. A few days after I was here, this gently sloping hillside in the Boston Common became a popular slope for snow fun as the area experienced it's first major snowstorm of the winter season.



The Downtown Crossing area is decked out for the holiday season.

As always, it was a great day to wander about the world class city of Boston. It never ceases to amaze me at the range of humanity one encounters in a big city - from sane to crazy and everything in between.

On this day, I walked from Post Office Square up Congress Street past Faneuil Hall, then the Greenway, then the Zakim Bridge, then past the Science Museum, along the Charles River and Storrow Drive, along Charles Street through part of Beacon Hill, to the Public Garden, the Common, Downtown Crossing, and finishing up back where I started about 15,000 steps later at Post Office Square.