Yes, yes. You're right. Post 'em anyway. OK! First and last are from Hanoi, middle four from Morocco. Great people in both countries. So welcoming. So kind. Doing their best for themselves, their kids, their communities. Just heartwarming.

This was going to be a gallery of travel b&w images. So far, so good.

But, if there's one 'lesson' I've learned recently it's that viewers don't appreciate disjointed collections of images...they like to see cohesive portfolios based on a common theme. 

In fact, I recently submitted to an informal online contest. More of a 'submit what you like and I [the blog owner] will post what I feel worthy' situation, as I understood it. The rules were simple: B&W, up to 3 images. Got it.

Come to find out after that the site owner felt that actually submitting three images was indicative of a desperation to 'win' [whatever that meant in this case]. Huh? In fact, those who submitted only one image were deemed somehow more worthy.

Anyway, upon reflection and after recent experiences, I decided the images I'd chosen for this post didn't really tell a story. So, here's one image. Taken in Bangkok. Love travel photography. More later.

Nothing worse than feeling house-bound when you live is such a beautiful area. I guess the term is 'cabin fever', and with recent temperatures we sure are feeling it here. This is a new house to us, so husbanding it through minus F temps has been a learning process...When to use the wood stove, for instance, and the effect that has on pipes at the far end of the house, etc.

We did put in extra cord wood just before the cold snap [thanks to local woodman Ted!], and that has provided peace of mind. We also called up the propane company last Thursday to ensure we were still a customer [ha!].

The kind gal there offered to send the truck that day, a week early by her reckoning. The driver reported we would never have made it another week. So crisis averted, lesson learned, and happily we drift into a week of warmer weather. Whew.

'Smoke on the water' indeed. The water temp is in the 40'sF, air temp not so much. Zero at best, -8F this morning. Yee haa!

We've all been there. The peaceful, serene feeling after all the airport hassle. Looking out over a landscape you can't make out...hours from anything being required of you short of a drink preference. Nice.
From the date stamp I guess this is on the way to Ireland in 2005. Second or third trip. And the vignetting tells you it was taken with a pocket camera...all I had for digital for so many years, regrettably.  

First one from Farmington, ME and then two from Boston. Wonderful time of year...if a bit chilly!

Another shot from the other day's snowstorm. Wonderful colors and detail...more than I expected when shooting...as described in the previous post. Love the digital workflow.

Gosh I loved shooting around Gov't Center in Boston. Just a block or so off the Common, but such a different world.

Don't really know what to say about this happy accident. A couple of hours after yesterday's shot I saw the snow had started. My wife arrived back home with the boy and her sister from a day of shopping. After greeting them and helping with the resettlement I realized I'd waited too long and missed a great photo opportunity...the storm was too far along, the flakes no longer random and fluffy. Ah well. With encouragement I jumped in the trusty AWD SUV anyway. In a few minutes I was back at the lake, and looking through the viewfinder I saw only white. In fact the snow was so thick that autofocus simply couldn't cope. This frame is one of the last of the few I took...the subject closer to me to minimize the massive number of flakes. Even a blind squirrel finds a nut now and again I've heard. Guess it's true.