no. 30 in the afternoon rain

[OT from cottage renovations]

Amtrak no. 30, the Capitol Limited, operates daily from Washington to Chicago.  it's an overnight train, and by the time it passes the Grove it has only 20 miles to go.  while out with camera in this afternoon's rain I heard him blowing for the Metropolitan Grove Road crossing and managed to get to our historic bridge just before he did. 
(by convention, trains are referred to as he though often locomotives are she).

(click through these thumbnails for higher resolution images)

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our little station is visible in the lower image.  though considered suitable for local commuter trains and the County bus line (it's an intermodal passenger facility, don'cha know?) it is beneath the dignity of streamliners to call upon places such as the Grove.  two longs, a short and a long for Aitcheson Crossing is all the recognition to which we are entitled. 

afternoon rain

[OT from cottage renovations]

the rains came and went, giving the earth a badly needed soaking from which all the plants will benefit.  trading water for light I pulled on wellies and went out into the afternoon rain, which was unevenly tapering off.  I am acutely aware that this is quite a few more images than I generally post at once, or even per day or week.  I attribute this lapse of judgement to the novelty of ambient water. 

(click through these thumbnails for higher resolution images)

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the Circle

hibiscus

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Hickory Road, behind Post Office

I really must apologise, this has been going on for a while now.  but the section of iron and wood fence behind the Post Office hasn't quite released me from its grip. 

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Railroad Street

somewhere along the way they started using Cor-ten steel for guard rails instead of galvanized.  in colour and texture it makes for a interesting backdrop for this flowering honeysuckle vine. 

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Chestnut Road

the rain and winds blew over the trellis for this vine, doing nothing to diminish the dazzling effect of these Passion flower (Maypop) blossoms. 

Passiflora incarnata

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I headed back to the cottage to download images from the camera, process and upload to LJ for this post.  before I could get on with annotation the light came out, in the face of which I could neither stay inside nor believe that the day's images were done. 

Chestnut Road

what, have they started growing olives with embedded pimentos?

not yet, at least not of which I am aware.  these are just ripening berries. 

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Hickory Road, behind Post Office

start with a blossom. 
add and subtract rain, leaving drops. 
then, add light.  I still can't get over what it does. 

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Chestnut Road

with the sky starting to clear these pine branches are still holding on to a last few of the fallen drops.