Life in the Bristolwood

the atmospheric conditions lend themselves to a GREAT day for photography.  Today was one such day, albeit cold and windy! And so, this afternoon, I went off on a photo shoot to see if I could find some cool stuff. 

I did find some nice things, but I am only going to show a few.  (for now!)

The skies this morning were tinged on baby pink.  I was unsure if the shepards and sailors should be concerned or not, but I think the color was an indication of changeable skies.  The weather is changing, but for the better?  We are supposed to be above freezing this coming week.  Strange. Very strange weather.

My little outing today took me down to Woodville.  I was hoping to see some waterfowl, but all I spotted were Canada Geese and gulls.  I did see some ducks a little northward, but wasn’t wanting to traipse into someone’s yard to get a closer look!  Ah well.  While near the boat launch,  I noticed a beautiful arrangement of golden grasses and bright red berries.  Nature’s attempt at a beautiful still life. 

Even in their “dead” state, these “weeds” provide such pretty color against the stark white background offered by newly-fallen snow.

I drove up onto the high road.  This is where the town built a scenic lookout.  I was fiddling around some with the camera when I noticed a big old crow sitting on the top of a conifer,  looking all the world like a black “angel” atop a Christmas tree.  I wouldn’t have paid this rogue any mind, except for the fact that he squawked and complained the entire time I sat there.  Perhaps I was blocking his view?

Mighty haughty chap, that crow!  Perhaps he thinks he owns the road!

Well, I showed you the morning sky.  Now, how about the Bristolwood sunset? It was very, very pretty!

I was like a Mexican jumping bean…I would sit down and review the photo on the camera, when suddenly the sky appeared to have included even more colors in its pallette!  I would hop back up, insert the SD card, then run outside.  I did this a few (ahem) times!

Wait a minute!  The skunk referred to is a toy, not a real skunk.  It is made with a squeaker in the head and one in its tail, and no stuffing.  When picked up, the little toy looks like a skinned animal. And Murphy really likes “skunky”.

Today, Murphy and I went out to enjoy a bit of fresh air.  Murphy had a ball, fetching the skunk and then tossing it about and shaking it with wild abandon!

I don’t know who had more fun….Murphy or me.  It was so nice to just be able to play outside for a few minutes!

We took a short jaunt to Penn Yan this afternoon.  I had not been shopping at the little Mennonite store there in awhile, so I wanted to visit.

Today was such a gray and dismal sort of day, but I found some photo ops on the way back home.  Most of the photos are of the skies, as the sun tried so hard to make an appearance….

It was a nice day to get out for a bit, but with the temperature so much chillier than yesterday, it sure was nice to return home to a cozy and warm fire in the woodstove!

from parking lots!

Funny enough, these photos were indeed taken from three different parking lots. So, I guess they satisfy the poet from within!

Today, we took our neighbors to the airport up in Rochester.  We had a big green blob of rain ahead of us on the radar, so I was very thankful for my (really intelligent!) choice of footwear today!  I bought a pair of fanciful wellies at Tractor Supply a few weeks ago.  I wanted them for when I tap the trees this spring. After nearly ruining my favorite pair of boots last year, I wanted something that could be easily cleaned and rinsed off.  I love these boots!

The temperature rose up into the 50′s today.  It felt like a spring day more than winter!  Much of the snow we got is now melted and running down into streams and rivers!  Tonight, we are under two weather warnings. One for severe thunderstorms,  and the second for high winds.  I had opened my window to allow some fresh air in, but had to quickly close it when wind-driven rain began blowing in!

Here are some more shots….

Hmmm….seems to be a front moving in on this next one?

All right!  I now have a candle burning. The wind sounds like it is picking up a reat deal outside!  Computer is charged, candle lit,  Murphy snuggling up nearby. Kids safe.  Battens hatched down. 

I think we’re good!

Well, I can give you a hint….

On Monday, we drove to Jamestown to pick up my parents. We then drove on to Erie, Pennslvania, where my father had an appointment at St. Vincent’s Hospital.  The appointment was to get his heart shocked!  Yikes!! Dad had expressed some anxiety when Mark and I spoke to him the week before, so we offered to take him and Mom to the hospital.  This was a relief for him, as he was concerned about Mom driving home in the dark if he had to stay overnight.  As it worked out, the procedure was done at about 12:30, and we walked out the door at about 3:00 with Dad.  It was an absolutely great day and we arrived back home around 9:00.  A long, but fun day!

Tuesday was spent in Rochester.  Running around and errands. Will errands ever end?  I think not.

Wednesday, Mark had a dental appointment.  I stayed home and then when he got back home, decided we needed to go to the grocery store as some bitter weather was headed our way! Actaully, more than bitter cold was coming….they predicted snow and some “dangerous” conditions.

Thursday, we were back in Rochester.  We are still trying to decide what to do with the Ford Explorer.  Mark has looked at every conceivable option, but feels we need just a little more time.  We stopped at Wendy’s on our way home to pick up a couple things and the rain was just pouring down by the buketsfull!  If that had been snow, we would have struggled badly to make it home!

Today, our bad weather finally arrived. With a vengeance.  The winds blew and howled like crazy all day.  It is quiet now…almost deafeningly so!  We became accustomed to the loudness all day, so now, our ears are straining to hear the noise that is no longer there!  I am glad we didn’t need to go out today. There are spots on the driveway where the snow is about eight inches deep, and others are nearly bare.  The wind certainly rearranged things!  Carly and I talked a little today and she said the roads were atrocious.   Since most road applications do little good in weather this cold, we opted to enjoy home today!

So much has happened since my last post here…we have covered lots of ground. We did lots of running around here and there, mainly because of Christmas shopping and visiting!  So, I won’t bother to comment on what has been, but what we are doing presently.

One project that I do want to comment on is the new ramp that Ben nearly single-handedly built behind the house!  With Mark’s help and instruction, Ben not only built a wooden ramp which is longer than the old temporary one, but he also mixed and poured twenty-two bags of cement to form a beautiful sidewalk at the end of the ramp!

I honestly think a better job could not have been done.  Ben is very shy about me sharing about this project, but to see him mix one eighty pound bag of mix after another, then pour it and begin again was incredible!  I think most men would have been slowing down after ten bags, but Ben just kept right on going!

Our weather has been very strange this winter. While the Old Farmer’s Almanac predicted a colder and snowier winter than usual, we have had precious little snow and the temperatures have been mild.  We are supposed to be getting some snow over the next few days and I will welcome it!  The warmer temperatures we have had, along with the rain, have made me feel so chilly!  Better freezing temperatures with snow than warmer temperatures with rain and drizzle!  The dampness seems to get into one’s bones!

We are missing riding the snowmobiles this year.  Last year, we were able to have had several outings by this time, but with no snow, it has been impossible.  There was some snow up on Tug Hill, but Mark read accounts where the warm temps made nasty riding conditions with puddles. Yuck!

I have been in cleaning mode the past couple of weeks, wanting to thin out stuff we don’t want/need.  It is crazy how stuff piles up on us while we aren’t paying attention!  Michelle has been feeling the need to discard old junk as well.  We need to make a trip to one of the Salvation Army Stores soon!  I think this is the closest I come to making a New Year’s resolution.  I have just become restless looking at all the stuff that has been building up over the years.  We even have things from Mark’s dad who passed away seven years ago this month!

How about you?  Have you made any resolutions?  Do you usually stick with them, or do they fall be the wayside?

(raquetball),  I went to downtown Rochester to take a few photos. I used my little point and shoot and am disappointed by the image quality.  Mark dropped me off so I could walk along the streets of Rochester for a bit.  I am glad for the little camera, though, as I saw some pretty scary individuals….probably most were homeless and a little demented.  I think I would feel more intimidated by these folks if I were carrying a big camera and walking down the street in the middle of the city!

I took these photos near the Corn Hill section of the city.  Corn Hill is located parallel to the Genesee River.  That is the water that is to the right in the photos.

After taking a few shots looking downtown,  I walked back to the truck when I became aware of an awful noise….Swirling all around above the river were hundreds, no, thousands of crows.

It was so cold walking along the streets!  We have become such big sissies with all the unusual warm temperatures we have had most of the fall!

To the interesting cemetery that I found while on a little ride.  I was having some trouble resizing and saving the photos, then i had more trouble trying to upload them to the blog!  So, now that things are working well again, I wanted to show these photos of this very old cemetery.

As you look at the pictures, you can see that many of the headstones are leaning and falling down…and apart!

This particular stone I found to be very interesting!

Yes, in the midst of many others who left this life so soon, this woman lived 93 years! 

The next photo is very curious to me.  There is a section of headstones that are all set in this cement “foundation”! 

and, sadly, there sits a pile of broken bits and pieces off the headstones in a heap.

I suppose many of these “pioneers” lived so long ago, they and their memories are long forgotten.  This little cemetery situated near cornfields was such an interesting place to visit.  Truth was, I was no longing to linger.  It just seemed between the dreary weather and the isolated “feeling”,  I was ready to shoot and run!

This morning,  Michelle called out for me to look outside.

I looked out the bedroom window (on the west side of the house) and everything appeared an orange-pink color.  I just stood there, staring, for a few moments before grabbing my camera and racing to the door.

As I walked out the door, looking eastward, I felt nearly breathless!  The sky was simply outstanding for a time.  As soon as the clouds cleared off a little and the sun poked through, the beautiful light show was history….Here is a series of six photos taken at the most spectacular time!

I consider this series to be some of the most awesome photos I have ever taken!  And, they were taken right here, from home! To me, they speak of God’s Glorious Majesty!

I took some countryside photos….(this day was unbelieveable….warm….very beautiful!)