Nature

Photographing the Light

/ still a dreamer

How many times have you seen something and said “Darn! I wish I had a camera!”

It’s pretty common, I think, and I really do try and remember to bring my camera along at least some of the time. But I notice there are often magical moments to capture right around my own home or neighborhood … when I’m paying attention, that is. I don’t think it matters what kind of artist we are for us to be aware of the magic of light.

As I walked down my upstairs hallway the other morning, I noticed that the spider plant atop one of my bookcases looked outright sparkly. The morning sunlight was filtering through the mini-blinds and creating this wonderful pattern on only the plant. This time it was easy to run and get the camera.

Because this play of light was so striking, I became aware as I walked about the house of the other spots where that same sunlight/mini-blind phenomena was occurring. There were several spots, but the other one that was noteworthy to me was this image at left, along the stairs, where the silhouette of the rusted tin horse seemed a special little vignette all its own.

I always feel that all of these small captured moments are grist for the mill in my creative endeavors – maybe an inspiration for an illustration or even a writing passage. Have you been aware lately of any small magical moments of the interplay of light around you?

Fabulous Farmstand Food

/ still a dreamer

For those of us living in or near agricultural counties, New Jersey is a cornucopia of gorgeous fresh produce, pouring in during a long growing season. It’s absolute heaven.

And it’s a shame that so many people think of New Jersey – the Garden State – as a series of networked, ugly highways thorned by uglier power plants and factories. While a small portion of eastern New Jersey may look like that, so many more parts of the state are lush, green and abundant. In Hunterdon County, small farms and farmers’ markets abound, all offering an assortment of delicious fresh produce from early spring through November.

The other day I went berry and peach picking with a friend and her 3 kids at Phillips Farms in Holland Township.

The blackberries were outstanding, but I had really gone for some white peaches and Jersey tomatoes. I suppose many states lay claim to having the best tomatoes, but I’m still sticking with New Jersey.

Same for Jersey corn! Phillips Farm also had a great assortment of flowers – sunflowers plus many other kinds in bouquets, and some plants and herbs at $5 apiece.

Now if you can imagine, we have all this for months on end. Inside there was corn picked just that morning, gorgeous string beans, zucchini, kale, radishes, onions, cucumbers and more.

This same friend had come back from a trip to Colorado – a somewhat isolated city, (as they called it – a suburb to New Jerseyans), where the food was … well … pretty poor, as she described it. And then I realized how enormously fortunate we are to be sitting right next to our food sources for so much of the year. I sure am grateful!

In the area? Visit one of the many fabulous local farms/farmstands or farmers’ markets in New Jersey – they’re all over the state. And if in western Hunterdon, visit Phillips Farms on Church Road in Holland Township!

Eagle Cam Update

/ still a dreamer

Just a quick note – if you haven’t checked the Duke Farms Eagle Cam lately, and are interested, take a look. The two chicks are growing in leaps and bounds are are now half the size of momma! One of the disconcerting things about watching the eaglets is that they sleep in the most bizarre positions, and more than once, I thought one of them must have died. But no – they’re alive and well and just sprawled all over the nest. For a little background, you can read an earlier post of mine from the end of March.

This is a unique opportunity to watch nature … hope you find 2 minutes to look in on the little family. They’ve come a far way from March 10, when this photo was taken.

And … Happy Earth Day!

Warm Spring Sunset

/ still a dreamer / 2 Comments

It’s far too warm for early April. And I am the last one to be excited about 83 degrees this early in the year. I look forward to it getting cooler, and tomorrow’s being back to a more seasonal 60. But the one thing this warm spell has given us is a spectacular sunset. Or two. This was yesterday evening’s. The sky was just glowing with creamy colors and, framed by the trees just beginning to bud, was quite lovely.

Many buggy little beings are out and about as well, the ladybugs that appear in just one upstairs window frame; the stinkbugs that march along the floor, coming from who knows where. I’m less excited to see early wasps looking to make homes around the porches. I’d like it to at least be June before they visit. But with temps expected to drop to near freezing Friday night, there’s no telling what will happen to them.

I know I’m not alone in hoping we really do have a spring, and not just the occasional slide we’ve seen from winter to summer. While I watch to see what will happen, I look forward to more spectacular skies, and …

… the huge annual county library book sale this weekend, where all manner of things go for $2/hard-bound and $1/paperback on Saturday and half that on Sunday. Woo Hoo!

Watch Live Web Cam of Eagles’ Nest

/ still a dreamer / 1 Comment

This is the second year I’ve been watching the live streaming web cam of a Bald Eagle pair at Duke Farms. Although eagles are very sensitive to humans in their habitat, the camera installed on a nearby part of the tree has been accepted by this nesting pair, and allows for viewing and monitoring by researchers. They have shared this with the public as a way of our observing an aspect of nature we would otherwise never see. Take a look at the nest in Duke Farms.

On the endangered species list, the Bald Eagle is slowly making a comeback in New Jersey. In 1973, there was only one nesting pair. Today there are approximately 80 nesting pairs, many in South Jersey in Cumberland and Salem Counties, but now eagles can be found nearly statewide. They are highly sensitive to environmental toxins, habitat loss and disturbance by humans, and in part, their comeback is attributed to increased protection of the land areas and waterways they call home.

In this particular nest, two eggs were confirmed and thought to have been laid around February 20. As of March 15, two eggs could be seen. (See photo above.) But now the young have hatched! When watching the eagle cam, you may find not much is always happening … sometimes mom is just sitting on the babies — or, as I just saw now, mom is feeding the two little snowy eaglets. Too cute! Other times the 2 adults are moving about, one flying in and out of the nest. Whatever is happening, it’s a unique opportunity to check in with this magnificent bird and see how the family is coming along.

Photo courtesy of Duke Farms