We went down to Boston this past weekend and had a good time (as always) with Chrissy's family. Went to a shooting range with Chrissy's brother in law's best friend, had some yummy Italian food downtown, and kept it low key. Wandering around Quincy one morning I noticed a peculiar tree. Kinda looked like Tamarack, but they don't have needles this time of year. I took a sprig of it home to identify and the best I could come up with was Atlas Cedar (Cedrus atlantica). The book I've got says they are non-native ornamentals, which would explain why I've never seen one before. There were a couple of them growing in a small patch between the sidewalk and an office building. Maybe about 25' tall... Any other guesses?




The other day, I waxed my skis for the first time ever. I've had these skis for 6 years, and since they're "waxless" I always assumed I didn't need to wax them. Well, a coworker of mine showed me how it's done and man what a difference! I've never been able to push myself along a flat with just my poles before, but now I can fly. Wish I'd done that years ago! The snow was total crap, but it was still pretty fun. Here's a couple pictures:

Poplar Sunburst lichen (Xanthoria hasseana) and Star Rosette lichen (Physcia stellaris).


Down by the riverside.


I learned from a coworker who worked on the dam for this reservoir that they lower the water level 40 feet in the winter. I could have been skiing way out on the lake and been over no water at all. Ah well, next year...


In the summer, the water is right up to the banks and this stretch is slow-moving and deep. Always see lots of fish here when I'm canoeing. Right now, it's less than a foot deep and eroding the streambed.


Is that a glimmer of sunshine on the water??

I leave tomorrow for a 2.5-day drive down to Tennessee. However, I'm leaving early and stopping by my brother's place in Kentucky. My older brother happens to be in town as well. Should be a good time. Then it's 2 weeks or so of work and a long drive home (towards the end of March). Maybe it'll be spring when I get back.

Likin' Lichens.

Right about the time things started getting cold and the bugs were getting hard to find, I started getting really interested in all the different plants and critters to be found in the yard. Unfortunately, the snow hit soon after. In the mean time, I've been gathering a small library of field guides so I'll have lots to look at and identify when spring/summer rolls around. One group of organisms that I've found surprisingly interesting (and conveniently as identifiable in winter as summer) are lichens.
I'm learning to recognize some of the more common ones. It seems like the prettiest ones are the rarest though. Here's an attempt of some photos of them with Chrissy's camera (which is no good at macro shots).

I think this is Lipstick Powderhorn (Cladonia macilenta). It is growing on an old fence post.


Though this is out of focus, I'm surprised this photo turned out at all. I took this through a 10x hand lens. The yellow lichen on the left is Poplar Sunburst (Xanithoria hasseana). The whitish one on the right is Star Rosette Lichen (Physcia stellaris). They are both growing on a dead grey birch branch.

Camels Hump in winter.

Got the itch to hike a big hill, and went up Camel's Hump (Vermont's 3rd highest peak) on Friday. Gorgeous clear day for a hike. I was the first one up from the east side in probably a week, so I was breaking trail the whole way up. The first half was packed firm enough to skip snowshoes, but I had to strap them on the rest of the way up. I haven't done much winter hiking to bigger hills, so I was surprised to see just how much snow there was the higher I got. However, once I got up near the bald and windswept summit, there was hardly any. I was able to snap a few photos when I was still in the trees, but by the time I was above treeline, it was so windy and cold that Chrissy's old camera froze up on me. Take my word for it though, the views were gorgeous.
Also was surprised to see some birds pretty high up too. Some sort of woodpecker. Mostly black and white, maybe a Black-backed woodpecker (Picoides arcticus)?
Here's some photos:

Into the fir zone...


Looking back at the beginning of the firs...


Lots of snow up here, about 6" of fresh.


Clearing near the summit.


Side trail to the summit, last picture before the camera froze.

By the way, I finally ordered myself a new camera. Latest generation of the waterproof Pentax's I've had for the past 5 years or so. This will be my 3rd one. Can't wait, I miss carrying a camera everywhere I go.

Winter Fun.

I've been doing a good bit of XC skiing lately as a substitute for riding the trainer (which I've also been doing a bit). Actually, it got warm enough the other day to ride outside (and trash my drivetrain with salt and road grit).
Anywho, yesterday, Chrissy and I took a walk down to where I usually XC ski, at the Waterbury Reservoir. Obviously, it's frozen now. I'm not brave (stupid?) enough to actually ski out on the lake, but there's a peninsula that goes a ways out into it that's fun to go to. That's what we did...

Yours truly.


Chrissy...


My ski tracks from the previous day. Skating yo.


Out onto the lake.








These pictures were taken with Chrissy's old camera, which eats through batteries. I really need to get another one...

Well, we finally got reliable internet at the house. I haven't had good internet since I left Mississippi, so it's been a long time coming. Anywho, here are some pictures from summer and fall. There are some others from our Washington trip I have to track down, but these are some from around Vermont. Unfortunately, these will be the last photos I'll have for a while since my camera got stolen...


Apples from the back yard...

...turned into delicious apple sauce.

Chrissy and friends atop Camel's Hump. And some dogs. Yes, the daschund made it.

Canoe on the Waterbury Reservoir.



Tamarack (yellow) around Zack Woods.

Aspen in fall.

Back yard pond with fall foliage.

Front yard fall foliage.

Early fall ride in the woods.

Chrissy and I at Moss Glen Falls.

Jack-o-lanterns. Chrissy's on the left, mine on the right.

Chrissy on the bridge I built over the little creek in the yard.

Teal in an old cellar hole.

Teal the morning we found Moss Glen Falls.

Atop Mt. Hunger.

Benchmark on Mt. Hunger.

Some of the yard... love it!

Milkweed letting the seeds go.

More to come...

Almost winter...

Sorry it's been such a long time since I've posted anything on here. Lots has happened since the last post, but I haven't had reliable internet at home to share it with. Pretty sure most of you who read this (the family) know everything that's been going on anyway. I'll try to add some new stuff once I get a good internet connection (which is proving hard to find). Until then, here's Teal and Sheila atop Camel's Hump - Vermont's 3rd highest peak, and highest undeveloped peak (the top 2 have ski resorts).

Spring at last

Almost summer actually. I've been busy lately and my internet sucks, so sorry for not posting much lately. Looking forward to seeing the family soon.


View on a road ride...


Ah, Vermont...


After a night hike.


The 'cross bike enjoying a scenic rest stop.


Chrissy strumming the guitar.


Green River Reservoir.


The Salsa's new incarnation.


Stormy weather on Cape Cod.