Cloudy With A Chance Of Snowballs

After The Storm
Ashfield, Massachusetts

"Where does the white go when the snow melts?"
~Author Unknown

Please click picture to enlarge.

Iced Water

Shelburne Falls
Massachusetts

Try as it may, Winter cannot hold back all of the
Deerfield River as it roars towards Spring.

Spring Dreaming

Bridge Of Flowers
Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts

As more snow falls, adding to
the two plus feet we received in the past
couple of days I am stepping backwards to Spring
of last year and dreaming of this coming April,
when the Bridge of Flowers will wake from its deep
Winter's sleep and begin to bloom again.

For more wonderful reflections, please visit
James Weekend Reflections - Newtown Area Photo.

Saint Francis Tells The Story

The birds are not happy that Saint Francis is
holding almost two feet of snow instead of birdseed.
To see him during a previous storm, please click here.

Just For Ewe

Ethel And Maude
These two seem to be chatting...I couldn't hear about what.

Moe, Larry And Curly
This trio was very interested in the crazy lady with a camera.

Wallace

One of my favorite subjects to photograph, as you may have concluded, are farm animals, and living in a rural area, photo opportunities present themselves fairly often. There is an abundance of cows and horses but my very favorite...sheep are not as plentiful. So you can imagine my excitement, the other day, when I came across a huge flock of willing participants.

The jackets that they are wearing are not for warmth but designed to protect their fleece.

These photos were taken in Shelburne, Massachusetts.
I have no idea if the sheep really have names, I just named them!

Please click on picture to enlarge.

For more great faces, check 'Face of the Week'
at Spacial Peepol.

Boys Will Be Boys

A conversation overheard in the barnyard...
"Hey, Mom! Can I play with my best friend, Bill?"
"If you stay out of the mud and off of the hill."
"Okay, Mom! You know that we will."

SO MAYBE I EXAGGERATED JUST A LITTLE!

The Gingerbread House

Maple Street
Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts

The elaborate gingerbread detailing on this Gothic Revival house lends a true meaning to 'Home Sweet Home', and I admire it everytime I drive by.

Dating back to 1868, the home has been painstakingly restored over the past 26 years. It has been featured on several TV shows including 'New England Dream House.'

Please click on picture to enlarge.

Moo Times Two

Are these Mad cows?
Nope, they're just in a bad MOOd!

A Touch Of Gray

On The Flats
Hadley, Massachusetts

Most of the snow has been replaced by that dreary color
'twixt winter and spring, the wind's icy bite turned
cheeks red and the clouds hung heavy overhead.
It was a gray day in the valley.

Reflections Of Summer

Icy Harbor
Woods Hole, Massachusetts

Somewhere frozen in the brine
Sweet memories of the summertime,
When sun was warm and days carefree
Our little boat upon the sea.

But now we're held in winter's hand
That keeps us safe upon the land,
Then ice will melt and days grow long
And again we'll sing our summer song!
~SRD

For more wonderful reflections, please visit
James Weekend Reflections - Newtown Area Photo.

A Little More Winter

The Farm On Bug Hill
Ashfield, Massachusetts

A storm in February came at last
And chilled us with its icy blast,
Wind, and cloud, and changing sky
As through the barnyard snow did fly,
Oh, let it have its winter fling
It won't be long before it's spring!
~SRD

Rules Of The Harbor

Buoys Only...

No Gulls Allowed!

Pictures taken at Woods Hole, Massachusetts.

Mug Shots

I came across a small herd of cattle in the little town
of Heath, Massachusetts. I'm not sure of the breed.
The trio pictured here were quite interested
in what I was doing and almost posed for the camera.

Cow With Bling
Don't you love his chain and gold tipped horn?

They had the most striking eyes with long lashes,
and the snow and cold weather didn't seem to bother them.

Going Nowhere

Dinghies
Woods Hole, Massachusetts

Winter sheds a salty tear and...
drifts slowly towards spring.

This Spud's For You

What picture? I pondered for Valentine's Day
Then my answer came from Frito-Lay*

When, as a snack bag, I did tip
Came tumbling out a heart shaped chip

I carried it carefully through the house
To show this treasure to my spouse

"Honey, look it's a Valentine's chip."
He smiled and asked, "Do we have some dip?"
~SRD

*For my blog friends in far away places, Frito-Lay is a company
that produces potato chips and other snacks.

This is the actual chip, the background has been enhanced,
and just in case you're wondering...I ate it!

Oh Deer!

Run!
Charlemont, Massachusetts

While running some errands, I spotted several deer
in the meadow; approaching on foot as quietly
as I could, it didn't take long for them to sense
an intruder and they were off. They had covered
some distance by the time I got this picture,
but if you look closely, you will see the
well known white tail.

Please click on picture to enlarge.

The Lookout

A flock of Sparrows swooped and twittered
about as I left the hardware store.
This little guy sat amid the vines
in the eaves and kept a close eye on me.

To Be Or Not To Be

Grandstand
Charlemont Fairgrounds

The fate of the old grandstand is unknown,
a small percentage of people would like to see it restored,
a larger group seems to think it should be done away with.
It's sad that little by little, pieces of history
disappear from the landscape.

Handyman Special

Needed...a lot of work...a lot of love...
and a large bank account!

Photographed in Hawley, Massachusetts

Ice Jam

Deerfield River
Charlemont, Massachusetts

"No winter lasts forever,
no spring skips its turn."
~Hal Borland

A Question Answered

In The Woods
Hawley, Massachusetts

For years folk have debated
woodland 'habits' of the bears,
Do they go discretely?
or don't they even care?

The other day while hiking
through the winter's snow,
I came across the answer
and now for sure, you'll know!
~SRD

This is photo has not be altered in any way.

Lone Horse

As we eyed each other in the cold, snowy pasture,
I had an overwhelming urge to give him my scarf and mittens.

Seeing Double

Silo X Two
Shelburne, Massachusetts

Used as grain storage for cattle,
these silos stand tall against the sky.

Please excuse my slowness in commenting,
my son is visiting for a few days.

Appliance Heaven

When old appliances die, do they dream
of being recycled into sports cars?

Highland Cattle

Highland Cattle are an ancient Scottish breed
and are known to be very hardy.

The breed was developed from two sets of stock,
one orignally black and the other reddish.

They both graze and browse and eat plants that
many other cattle avoid.
Although groups of cattle are generally called herds,
a group of highlands is known as a fold.

Photographed in Cummington, Massachusetts.

General information taken from the Internet.

Winter Barnyard

Bear Swamp Farm
Ashfield, Massachusetts

"Ironically, rural America has become viewed
by a growing number of Americans as having a
higher quality of life, not because of what it has,
but rather because of what it does not have!"
~Don A. Dillman

This is the same farm that is pictured in my header.

Horse Sense

Together
Peru, Massachusetts

“Horses make a landscape look beautiful.”
~Alice Walker

Icy Journey

Swift River
Cummington, Massachusetts

The river told the frozen stream,
"Melt and come with me,
and I'll take you on a journey
from the woodlands to the sea."

The stream told the river,
"Oh, that sounds like so much fun,
but I can't flow any faster,
if there isn't any sun."

The river splashed and gurgled,
"Don't worry 'bout a thing,
we'll just run slow in winter,
and get there by the spring!"
~SRD

Please click picture to enlarge.