Red oaks

red oaks, originally uploaded by jahansell.

Not the definitive Twin Oaks in Fall photo - yet. Maybe I'll catch the right light tomorrow!

Come visit my new blog!

Swingstatejournal.blogspot.com. I hope you enjoy it!

Rainbow over mudge

rainbow over mudge, originally uploaded by jahansell.

I think I want to tinker with this a bit more in photoshop to make it more dramatic - this is straight out of the camera, and doesn't come close to capturing how intense that rainbow was!

Cows with sky

Today we had about 20 minutes of amazing weather. It was dull and cloudy and chilly all day, with spots of rain - no good photo ops. Just as I was arriving home at 5:30, the sun came out, so I raced out to take pictures (I'm trying to get just the right fall shot of the Twin Oaks but keep missing the good light - darn those family and job responsibilities!) Just as I got started, it began to rain, then hail - hard. The sun was still shining from the west, and I saw the most extraordinary double rainbow over Mudge Pond (photo tk tomorrow.) I got up to Twin Oaks field just in time to see the sun set below the horizon (drat, missed it again) and the rainbow begin to break up. An older couple was up on the hill in their pickup truck, enjoying the view. They said it had been a complete double rainbow all the way over the fields, which were brilliantly lit.

Driving home up Low Road, I caught this scene. It's actually a combination of two shots of the same thing: one exposed for the sky, one for the land. Does it work?

LIght from above

fall hills 2, originally uploaded by jahansell.

It's not a great photograph, but I love how a ray of sun is shooting through the clouds to illuminate this one part of the hillside.

Yellow tree on the green

yellow tree, originally uploaded by jahansell.

I've tried to stay away from those cliche fall color shots - but as you can see from this week, I've failed. The color this year seems more amazing than ever and it's going to be over soon - there are now more leaves on the ground than on the trees. But it's been gorgeous while it lasted and we have a few more days at least, unless a big wind whips up!

Broken butterfly

broken butterfly, originally uploaded by jahansell.

What happens to a butterfly that is this shredded? Does it fail to migrate? Does it life a shorter lifespan? Or does it just carry on til winter comes?

Flaming leaves

flaming, originally uploaded by jahansell.

Literally! No, actually the leaves didn't catch fire - Karl Saliter is too good for that. He brought his hilarious circus act to the Sharon Historical Society yesterday to the delight of all.

Seasonal display

gourds, originally uploaded by jahansell.

Almost the first post I ever made on this blog was of my neighbor Meg's flowerbox next to her mailbox. In early spring it's always pansies or johnny-jump-ups, and she changes it every season. I happened to be walking by yesterday when she was unloading these gourds from a wheelbarrow - she explained that they grew wild in her compost heap - she had hundreds of them! Now that's a green thumb!
My garden, on the other hand, yielded, and I kid you not: about four fingernail-sized carrots; one cucumber the size and shape of a tangerine; one pot's worth of sauce tomatoes; enough green beans to eat three a day from July through August; a mini-handful of edamame and... I think that's it! My leeks were about a quarter-inch thick, the other onions and scallions just disappeared, the one pumpkin that formed fell off the vine before ripening, the beefsteak style tomatoes... I have no idea what happened to them! The lettuce bolted and then was eaten by deer. Overall it was a pretty poor season - I just didn't have time (or enough sun) to pull it off.

Reflected reds

reflected reds, originally uploaded by jahansell.

I'd promised myself I wouldn't take any pictures of fall trees (other than the Twin Oaks) because it's been done. But I did pull over on Route 41 (causing some angry words from the drivers behind me) to shoot a few of this scene, just as the sun was setting, a few nights ago.

Time for a Change!

The Daily Photo blogs were not meant to be partisan. However this is the only means I have to reach a wide audience quickly. I am travelling to Ohio for the six days leading up to the election (ETA: October 31 - Nov 5), to volunteer for the Obama campaign in one of the most important swing states, where every vote counts and one person can make the difference in the whole election. I need help with travel expenses. If you'd like to help, please use the Chipin Widget on the right side of my blog. If you disagree with my political views, feel free to express yourself here and anywhere. However I ask you to be civil and responsible - I'll listen to anything you have to say if it is thoughtful and fact-based. (Anyone who comments that Obama "hates America" or "pals around with terrorists" will have their comment removed.)

PS: I've read with interest all of the Anonymous comments, then deleted them. If you can tell me who you are I'd love to have a real conversation with you. Interesting how coordinated the anti-Obama campaign must be to find my obscure little post within an hour and then start papering me with propaganda. Nothing I read has changed my conviction that Obama would be the better president. No more anonymous comments will be allowed.

(Further edited to add: To be fair, I'm not allowing positive anonymous comments either!

Twin oaks fall

twin oaks fall, originally uploaded by jahansell.

I decided I need to complete a full Twin Oaks series - I've done summer and winter, and now I want to have fall and spring as well. This scene is a little too close to summer for me - the browns in the leaves are subtle. I'll wait another couple of weeks and try again.