Cottage Renovations

[OT from cottage renovations]

the snow moved on and the following day wasn't quite as warm as predicted, which meant that the snow was taking its own time about melting off.  clumps of it remained in the tops of the trees, trapped in the interstices out at the edges and presenting a completely misleading appearance of abundant spring blossoms. 

surely if one waits long enough that will happen, but not just yet. 

(click through this thumbnail for higher resolution image)

Chestnut Road

not in bloom

[OT from cottage renovations]

most hyacinths put up a stalk lined with blossoms from top to bottom.  some, however, are content with just one or two and are no less appealing for their forbearance. 

(click through this thumbnail for higher resolution image)

Chestnut Road

hyacinth

[OT from cottage renovations]

last night the evening's spring warmth was briefly disrupted by a front coming through, all thunder and lightning on its leading edge with wind and rain behind it.  by the morning it was long gone but everywhere around the transitions seemed to have picked up their pace a bit. 

(click through these thumbnails for higher resolution images)

Grove Avenue

the branches are starting to green out but a couple of elements in this image catch the eye: one is how the high limbs can still cast distinct shadows onto the gravel; the other is the distant white carpet of fallen magnolia blossoms down at the crossing of Oak Street. 

Chestnut Road

this forsythia is finishing up with its brilliant yellow flowers and getting on with its green leaves: not at all showy, but much longer lasting. 

forsythia

[OT from cottage renovations]

the day's respite from cold and rain lasted for only a few hours.  the reversion to cold and wet was abrupt. 

(click through these thumbnails for higher resolution images)

Chestnut Road and Acorn Lane

these images were taken only a few seconds apart.  immediately thereafter Meg and I scampered back under rapidly darkening skies, though not quickly enough to avoid being pelted by the first of the drops as the front moved back in. 

[OT from cottage renovations]

there wasn't much in the way of light today, but that didn't mean there wasn't anything to see. 

(click through these thumbnails for higher resolution images)

Chestnut Road

the diversity of the Grove's flora never ceases to amaze. 

Artificia sinofabricans

this is a new (to me) variant of A. sinofabricans, in the form of a vine, with maple leaves, bearing miniature pumpkins (see, inter alia, entry of 16 October 2006).  at least its colours can be expected to remain bright when the ice and snow come; I suspect the birds and squirrels might leave its attractive fruit alone.  it will be worth stopping by again to check on it. 

Acer

most of the maple trees have finished shedding their leaves but a few are still holding on. 

trees reflected in Weber Grill

detail sometimes turns up on the oddest places.  the black enamel of this charcoal grill reflects grey skies and leafless trees. 

[OT from cottage renovations]

(click through these thumbnails for higher resolution images)

the Circle

this tree came down between houses, without damaging either one. 

     

7^th Avenue

it fell along this walkway. 

Brown Street

     
tree and wires are down; the latter can't be strung again until that leaning pole is fixed

somebody got word from the power company that service might be restored in another day and a half.  rain is down to an occasional spatter and the gusts are now peaking at 40 mph rather than 50, a welcome trend that we're hoping will continue.  it we can keep the rest of our trees we will count ourselves as fortunate indeed. 

with power still operating in part of the Grove, it was odd last night to look out the front windows to see the contrast of electric light from across the Circle against kerosene light within. 

this entry comes to you by laptop and somebody's open access point, somewhere. 

[OT from cottage renovations]

this morning the snow returned, making for slippery footing where it fell on remaining ice but also working its magic on the viewscape. 

(click through these thumbnails for higher resolution images)

Center Street

road closed

I'm hoping nobody is in a hurry to get to the Town maintenance shed.  it's still there, behind this bamboo thicket which snow and ice have caused to favour the horizontal. 

Woodward Park

sycamore

Chestnut Avenue

dogwood branches seem to be particularly well suited to catching and holding onto snow; it's stacked up even out to the tips.  you might need to click through to the larger image to see the falling snowflakes. 

Cornus florida

Chestnut Road

oaks in the background loom out of the snowy sky over the cold stone of Castle M^cClelland. 

(this image available for online purchase)

Grove Avenue

when one of our cottages gets a makeover in the name of modernisation, more tends to be lost than gained.  one is trapped within these outwalls and though I have little regard for slab walls and modern fenestration, if one has to look at the result today's conditions are probably the most suitable.  the triangular window glass must be tinted, for it seems to be reflecting back a great deal more blue and they sky had to offer, bringing the one touch of colour to this scene. 

[OT from cottage renovations]

yesterday's light dusting persisted through the night and during the day a bit more snow showed up, though mixed at times with sleet and freezing rain.  by the end of the day the accumulation was about an inch. 

(click through these thumbnails for higher resolution images)

Grove Avenue

a hush seemed to have fallen upon the avenue, and with extraneous noise subdued the scene took on a solemn grace beyond that which can be conveyed by this image. 

Chustnut Road at Center Street

snow on the ground and grey skies above always seem to conspire to drain the colour out of the seasonal landscape, giving a boost to the splash of pastel blue visible from this cottage porch roof. 

[OT from cottage renovations]

yesterday's warm light was followed by last night's and today's rain which by early afternoon had pretty much blown through, taking with it many of the remaining leaves.  a plugged culvert beneath Chestnut Road at Center Sreet created these opportunities to play with tree reflections against a steel grey sky. 

(click through these thumbnails for higher resolution images)

Chestnut Road

[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)

the Circle

hibiscus

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. 

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. 

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

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. 

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. 

Chestnut Road

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