IN THE FIELD: Frosty Windows

 

Spring may be right around the corner…at least according to the calendar. But just the other morning when I went outside to warm up the Jeep, Mother Nature said winter is still here. 

Luckily for me the sun had just risen above the horizon and I was able to capture this display of ice diamonds on the passenger window.  

 

 

IN THE FIELD: SNOW SQUALL

 

The weather forecast for this past February 13th called for a brisk sunny day. No snow was forecasted and there were no storms of any kind showing on the radar. It was mid afternoon when I happened to glance out the window and it was snowing sideways! This snow squall materialized out of nowhere and caught everyone by surprise. Traffic on the nearby highway had slowed to a crawl. The storm lasted about 20 minutes or so and then the sun reappeared from behind the clouds.

Ya know…this image may be something to refer back to this summer when the outside temperature is 90 degrees and it’s oppressively humid!

 

 

 

IN THE FIELD: Front Lawn Decor

 

There seems to be no boundaries when it comes to exhibiting objects on front lawns.

Some of the more common items seen around these parts are the retro pink flamingos, windmills, lighthouses, wishing wells, and gazing balls. And then there are the ceramic frogs and toadstools, and various critters from the forest. Small cement human figures holding lanterns, and concrete deer stuck in a pose that lasts an eternity make occasional appearances. Oh, and lest we forget the garden gnomes. I mean, what’s a garden without a few dozen garden gnomes?

And what’s with the two sections of fence at the end of driveways that seem to have no meaning. Are these supposed to tell others where the corner of the lawn may or may not be? Or was the homeowner intending on fencing the whole property and just quit right there? We may never know.

I wondered for about a minute whether geography plays a part in what one may see on front lawns. Apparently it doesn’t. This supersized Texas Longhorn skull is not exhibited on an expansive ranch out west where it would more likely be seen. Nope, it’s back East. This lawn ornament resides in front of a home in a residential area of a small town. Across the street from the home is an apartment complex and a block down the street is a grocery store. 

A curiosity…certainly. Quirky….absolutely!

 

 

IN THE FIELD: Rural Road Sightings

 

A couple of weeks ago I took a drive to the city with my best friend. We decided to run the back roads rather than the major highways. Back roads are way less stressful than running on the amateur race tracks. Besides, by driving the back roads, if you see something of interest and want to stop and check it out, it’s way easier to pull over and explore. Try doing that when other vehicles are zooming past at 50 to 70 miles per hour.

We were only about 15 minutes from our destination, still on back roads when we crested the last hill and lo and behold was the sight you see pictured. This brought out roars of laughter and various uttered reasons for putting the bicycles in the tree. My friend had the funniest one. 

“Well them there bikes are for sale and I just got tired of the gosh darn things constantly falling over in the front yard. So I just hung ‘em up in the tree.”

It just goes to show…you never know what you’ll see out there driving the back roads.

IN THE FIELD: CAR SHOWS

 

Car shows are what I like to call “a gathering of mobile works of art”.

You can find all kinds of shapes, styles and models represented from stock as the manufacturer originally made the vehicle, to full out customs. Some cars and trucks are loaded with chrome adornments and some vehicles are customized with almost none. Paint schemes are always a treat to see since imagination is the only limit as to what colors of the rainbow are used to color the car or truck.

One thing you may want to consider when visiting a car show is to plan on spending way way way more time there than you would think you will need. The owners of the cars and trucks love to talk about the vehicle they brought to the show. The amount of automotive history you can learn in an afternoon is amazing. 

In addition to the car owners, fellow spectators are also a fun bunch to hang out with. Hearing their stories of previous shows and their interest in cars and trucks can keep you occupied for quite awhile. And sometimes you may be lucky enough to meet folks who are building a special vehicle of their own. Just don’t forget to check out the rest of the vehicles! 

When I come across a vehicle I would like to photograph, I always chat with the owner for a spell before I ask if I can get a few shots of their pride and joy. So far I’ve never had anyone say no. It’s great that the owners are so accommodating. 

The most recent car show I visited was at the Oley Valley Fair which took place a few weeks ago. See previous post. Cars were on display from the 1920’s to present day, so there was something there for all to enjoy.

 

IN THE FIELD: OLEY VALLEY COMMUNITY FAIR

A few weeks ago I paid a visit to the Oley Valley Community Fair. This fair has been a community tradition for 72 years.

First a bit of history…

The Oley valley is a fertile farming area in southeastern Pennsylvania where all sorts of livestock is raised and crops are grown. The valley encompasses several townships. In fact the history of the Oley Valley goes way back to the first German settlers of the early 1700’s. The township of Oley was formed in 1740 and in 1983 the entire township was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Daniel Boone was born in the valley. His family had a small farm where he lived until his early teens.

There are some neat old homes in fine condition in the town of Oley and many historic farmsteads in the valley.

Now back to the fair. I visited on the second day of the fair just as the gates where opening. Good thing I did because several exhibiters I was chatting with, mentioned that in a few hours mobs of people would descend on the fairgrounds.

 

There were several buildings/exhibit halls filled with baked goods, home canned goods, quilts, crafts, photography, examples of veggies, fruit crops, and all sorts of plants and flowers, all grown or made by adults as well as children. Local business were represented in yet another building. Outside in the fairgrounds, tractors and farm equipment were on display as were other forms of recreational equipment such as boats and all terrain vehicles. Open air buildings and tents housed exhibits of sheep, goats, pigs, cows, and rabbits to be observed and even petted if you wished. Ribbons and some cash prizes were awarded for the best of the best. 

There was a bandstand where one could sit and listen to various musical groups while resting one’s feet. Food is another big thing at this fair. I seriously doubt you could go hungry. The amusement rides and the tractor pulls were a big draw along with the antique and classic car show. I missed the really big tractor pulls which were held the day before, but it was still fun to watch the smaller ones. And by the way, what is a community fair with out a pumpkin growing contest? Well I have to admit I have never seen in person so many huge pumpkins. The winner was a huge 799 pounder. 

It was a great day for meandering around the fairgrounds and I am looking forward to visiting again next year. Maybe I’ll even try some of the famous French fries…it was a little early in the morning this time around.

 

IN THE FIELD: A MONTH APART ll

So far this year this country has seen the whole gamut of weather. Good and bad. Some areas have had a relatively normal spring and summer. 

Other areas not so much. There have been forest fires, tornados, rain, flooding, hurricanes, and in much higher elevations some snow.

Where I live we have seen more good than bad. Although, we did at times have an over abundance of rain and when the rains finally cleared out, we received a fair amount of sunshine. So most farmers crops grew like weeds.

Back in late spring and early summer I had taken a few photos of a nearby farm. I posted them a few entries ago. The first photo showed the fields ready for planting and the second photo showed that corn and soybean crops had been planted and were growing nicely. The photos in this post were taken in mid August and then again in mid September. In the second photo the corn, which is about seven feet tall, is ready to be harvested and the soybeans which are the green plants in the foreground will be ready to harvest any day now. 

I wonder what comes next…fallow fields or maybe winter wheat. And then snow. Time will tell.

 

 

 

IN THE FIELD: Uh Oh

 

Summer storms. 

A few days ago a strong line of storms were predicted to blow through the area. As the day progressed, huge cloud formations began to build. And sure enough, my phone and iPad started going nuts with audible weather alerts and messages of impending doom. I.E. Heavy rain, lightning, flash flooding, possible hail, and strong winds which could lead to mesocyclone winds and even tornados. 

I looked out the front windows and judging by how the trees were now bending over from the increasing winds, and the skies were really darkening, a nasty storm was brewing. And it wasn’t far away. Then a quick peek out the back window revealed what was really in store. I literally said out loud…“uh oh”.  

Not knowing how much time I had before the skies let loose, I quickly grabbed the camera and went outback to get a few shots of the stormy clouds. It was really windy so I figured by going out back I would be sheltered from the wind and all the debris that was flying around. Well at least somewhat sheltered.

It was quite easy to see the rotation of the clouds…right above me. I mean the clouds were really spinning. That’s probably why the last alert I heard and read before going outside was a tornado warning.

I was only outside long enough to get a few shots. As much as I enjoy inclement weather, that was long enough. The experience was pretty exciting and rather scary at the same time!

White Balance: cloudy

ISO: 640

Shutter: 1/50

 

 

 

 

 

INSPIRATION AND ASSIGNMENTS: LOOKY WHAT I SEE

 

Most of the subject matter I photograph falls into the “nature” category. Flowers, trees, scenics and everything in between are typical subjects. There are times when architecture even comes into play.

While out shooting these “typical” subjects, I am always on the lookout for something fun, different, or the unusual.

Images that don’t have a specific category on my computer yet, and could be classified as unusual, or different or fun, are stored in a folder I have named “Abstracts”.

Here is a photo that has just been added to my abstracts folder. I would bet that most folks have seen this a time or two.

 

 

 

 

IN THE FIELD: A MONTH APART

 

In this part of southeastern Pennsylvania there are small towns and communities surrounded by farms. Interspersed among these farms are more farms. Corn, soybeans and wheat are the primary crops grown here. Most farms also raise various grasses which are grown for hay. Dairy farms are also prevalent. Whole milk and some wonderful cheeses are produced and sold in small co-ops. Organic veggies along with grass fed beef and pork can also be found in these small stores. And the eggs, oh the eggs…yummm!

On the way to and from work I often see folks out working the fields. And yes, they are up before sunrise. Watching the transition from fallow fields of late fall and winter, to lush crops of early spring and summer, for me, is a sight to see. Man and nature working together to the best of their abilities.

The farm in these photos is quite close to where I live. Literally about seven minutes away. I will be visiting from time to time to document the changes through the seasons.

These two photos were taken about one month apart this year. The first was taken on May 1 and the second on June 5.