12.29 - Snowstorm

12.29.12 Snowstorm • © Margaret Helthaler

12.28 - Northern View of Rondout Reservoir

12.28.12 Northern View 1 • © Margaret Helthaler

12.28.12 Northern View 2 • © Margaret Helthaler

I usually walk along the northwest end of the Rondout Reservoir on route 55A, so while I did not have time for a walk this morning, I did take the opportunity to stop along route 55 while running errands to capture the wintery view from the southwest end...

12.26 - Christmas Tree Farm

12.26.12 Xmas Tree Farm • © Margaret Helthaler

12.26.12 Xmas Tree Farm • © Margaret Helthaler

I took a brief hiatus from my morning meanderings during the rush of the Christmas holiday, but I am now ready to get back in the game. In spite of this morning's frigid temps (a mere 23 degrees) my friend and I decided to take a route we'd been meaning to visit for a few months: Yeagerville Road - specifically the stretch of road that runs through a Christmas tree farm offering an expansive view of the rolling Southern Catskills and Shawangunk Ridge. The panorama was worth the steep incline. :)

12.14 - Frosty Branches

12.14.12 Frosty Branches • © Margaret Helthaler

The sun was just beginning to touch the south side of Thunder Hill Road as I opted to walk in a western direction this morning - revealing a bedazzling array of crystal coated branches in the early morning light.

12.13 - Passages

12.13.12 Passages • © Margaret Helthaler

I learned of an old friend's passing this morning - which gives this frost covered path bathed in wintery light a special significance. His 47 years with us were too brief... Each day truly is a gift.

12.7 - Oh Christmas Tree...

12.7.12 Oh Christmas Tree... • © Margaret Helthaler

A lone little pine sapling makes a stand among the roadside weeds...

12.6 - COLD!

12.6.12 COLD! • © Margaret Helthaler

The damp air made the 20 degree temps feel especially frigid this morning...

12.5 - December Light

12.3.12 December Light • © Margaret Helthaler

12.5.12 December Light • Margaret Helthaler

I have been off track with my morning meanderings these last few weeks as a result of work, travel and a bad case of tendonitis in my wrist. I've also felt  uninspired by the gray December landscape... But the golden kiss of early  winter light is always appealing - so I am grateful for sunny mornings...

11.27 - Snow Covered Branches

11.27.12 Snow Covered Branches • © Margaret Helthaler

A light snow fell throughout the day - painting the landscape a lovely shade of winter-white.

11.26 - Post Thanksgiving Evening

11.26.12 Post Thanksgiving Evening • © Margaret Helthaler

I'm trying to get back into my routine after enjoying a truly relaxing Thanksgiving holiday. I didn't make it out for a walk this morning, so I decided to bring my camera along when I ran out to pick my daughter up from track practice. I wasn't disappointed. I stopped along Big Hollow to capture this nearly full moon rising brightly in the early evening sky.

11.19 - Long Shadows

11.19.12 Long Shadows • © Margaret Helthaler

I opted for an afternoon walk when I saw the temp was only 21 degrees this morning. I wasn't disappointed. The bright sun inched the temp up to the mid forties and cast lovely long shadows on the road before me.

11.16 - Frost Filled Field

11.16.12 Frost Filled Field • © Margaret Helthaler

Not so long ago I captured this field when it was filled with vibrant buttercups...

11.14 - Cold Morning Sun

11.14.12 Cold Morning Sun • © Margaret Helthaler

The rain has gone, but I fear the cold is here to stay...

11.13 - Changeover

11.13.12 Changeover • © Margaret Helthaler

I awoke to heavy rain and plummeting temperatures. The thermometer read 41 degrees when I sat down to breakfast and within an hour's time it had dropped to 33. I ventured only as far our front porch to capture the rain changing from sleet to gigantic snowflakes against the backdrop of our driveway.

11.12 - Sunny Reflections

11.12.12 Sunny Reflections • © Margaret Helthaler

We are enjoying a warm spell and sunshine after enduring frigid temperatures and changeable gray skies.

11.8 - Nary a Drop of Snow

11.8.12 Nary A Drop Of Snow • © Margaret Helthaler

The nor'easter didn't quite make it to the Southern Catskills.

11.7 - Waiting For The Nor'easter

11.7.12 Waiting For The Nor'easter • © Margaret Helthaler

The air was cold and quiet this morning - with the scent of another storm on its way...

11.6 - Frosty Morning Sun

11.6.12 Frosty Morning Sun • © Margaret Helthaler

It was a frigid 21 degrees when I awoke this morning and the temp had only crept to 25 when we went for our walk. The grass was thick with a heavy frost and the welcomed sun shone brightly but did little to warm our bones.

11.5 - Chilly Monday Morning

11.5.12 Chilly Monday Morning

It's nice to be getting back to my routine, but I'm still looking for the sun. Super Storm Sandy effectively stripped the last of the fall leaves from the trees, so the distant mountains present sharp shades of blue against lumbering gray clouds on this chilly Monday morning.

11.3 - Sam's Point

11.3.12 Sam's Point • © Margaret Helthaler

After weathering Super Storm Sandy and spending a better part of a week without electric or internet, we felt the need to get out for a hike. The wind was bitingly cold at Sam's Point as we watch swaths of snow squalls move across the valley below. Our cheeks were numb, but our spirits were high and we were pleased to see this beautiful stretch of land made it through the storm relatively unscathed.

10.27 - House On A Hill

10.27.12 House On A Hill • © Margaret Helthaler

This house will eventually be part of a museum display at our local library. It was donated to the library a few years ago by an elderly patron and was moved from its original site on Main Street to perch on the hill behind the library. I find its location picturesque in an eerie kind of way, so when my son was searching for an abandoned house to serve as the setting for his high school film project (he wrote a screen play for a psychological thriller over the summer), I thought this house just might be the answer. We visited the site this morning and my son concurs - now we just have to get the legalities out of the way...

10.26 - Apple Trees

10.26.12 Apple Trees • © Margaret Helthaler

Another wet and foggy morning...

10.25 - Fall Colors

10.25.12 Fall Colors • © Margaret Helthaler

The autumn yellows appear to glow in the overcast misty morning light...

10.23 - Scenes From a Gloomy October Morning

10.23.12 Horse • © Margaret Helthaler

10.23.12 Leaves • © Margaret Helthaler

It's funny how things work out. Yesterday was a gorgeous day, but I had to run errands and wasn't able to get out for a walk. This morning was gloomy and the rain began well before we returned to our cars. I was feeling uninspired by the overcast light and chilled from the damp. I only managed to get one shot of the horse before she decided she was camera shy and I almost missed the splash of color these leaves presented on the side of the road. All in all, the morning didn't feel successful in the picture taking department, but when I reviewed this images I decided I love them! You just never know...

10.20 - Old Barn on Glade Hill

10.20.12 Old Barn on Glade Hill • © Margaret Helthaler

I'm cheating a bit here... This image was actually shot on 10/18, but it was pouring yesterday morning and today I have to run errands. Besides, I thought this old barn was worth sharing...

10.18 - Little Red Sap House

10.18.12 Little Red Sap House • © Margaret Helthaler

Little red sap house on Sugar Loaf Road...

10.17 - Killing Frost

10.17.12 Killing Frost • © Margaret Helthaler

And there came a killing frost...

10.16 - Dramatic Morning Light on the Rondout

10.16.12 Dramatic Morning Light on the Rondout • © Margaret Helthaler

The scuttering clouds changed the light every second of this quintessential October morning.

10.12 - Peak of Color

10.12.12 Peak of Color • © Margaret Helthaler

I was anticipating a beautiful sunny day and was disappointed by a little black rain cloud that was determined to spit on us during our walk - but the leaves are approaching their peak and there is no denying their beauty - even on a less than perfect day...

10.11 - Autumn Sky Reflections

10.11.12 Autumn Sky Reflections • © Margaret Helthaler

The sun did little to chase away the damp chill in the air, but the light cast great reflections of the blustery October clouds in the quiet waters of the Rondout Reservoir.

10.9 - Dried Daisies Along the Rondout

10.9.12 Dried Daisies Along the Rondout • © Margaret Helthaler

It was a quiet overcast morning. While I captured many images, including a bald eagle amongst the fall foliage, I found these simple dried daisy heads too alluring to ignore.

10.7 - View from Battery Park

10.7.12 View from Battery Park • © Margaret Helthaler

We spent the day in NYC with plans to visit the 9/11 Memorial in the evening. Our first stop was Battery Park - where I happened upon this evocative scene of a large schooner motoring past the Statue of Liberty in the distance...

10.4 - Misty Autumn Morning

10.4.12 Misty Autumn Morning • © Margaret Helthaler

Another damp and foggy morning…

10.3 - Fog on the Rondout

10.3.12 Fog on the Rondout • © Margaret Helthaler

The Rondout Hydro Electric plant and the hills beyond are shrouded in fog on this damp October morning.

10.2 - Purple Mums

10.2.12 Purple Mums • © Margaret Helthaler

Purple is my new favorite color and I hope my neighbors will forgive my trespass - as the sight of these bright purple mums pulled me into their yard when I returned from my walk on this gloomy October morning.

10.1 - Fallen Leaves

10.1.12 Fallen Leaves • © Margaret Helthaler

There is no denying fall's arrival as the leaves begin to pile up in our yard. My schedule has made it difficult for me to get out for my morning walks over the last several days and this morning I was just plain feeling lazy. But I knew the fresh air would do me good, so I spent a few minutes sweeping the leaves from our back deck before starting my work day. It is an effort in futility, but at least it generated some deep breathing of the cool moist air - a good tonic for a clear head and a fresh outlook.

9.25 - Smoke On The Water

9.25.12 Smoke On The Water • © Margaret Helthaler

Or in this case, rising mist on a chilly September morning. :)

9.24 - Mailboxes by Old Barn

9.24.12 Mailboxes by Old Barn • © Margaret Helthaler

I never tire of photographing these old barns along Big Hollow Road. I fear this one will not be with us for much longer...

9.21 - Little Pink Flowers...

9.21.12 Little Pink Flowers... • © Margaret Helthaler

Enjoying the colors and textures of the changing season...

9.20 - Barns in the Morning Light

9.20.12 Barns in the Morning Light • © Margaret Helthaler

The light was clear and sharp on this chilly September morning.

9.19 - After The Storm

9.19.12 Trees Standing In Water • © Margaret Helthaler

 

9.19.12 Sun Kissed Grass by Turbid Water • © Margaret Helthaler

The air has been swept clean by yesterday's heavy winds and rains. The autumnal light is clear and bright.

9.17 - Goldenrod

9.17.12 Goldenrod • © Margaret Helthaler

There is no denying the change in the air…

9.14 - Dry Hay by Fence Post

9.14.12 Dry Hay by Fence Post • © Margaret Helthaler

The way the morning light catches this fence post and patch of dry grass always attracts my eye when I walk along Big Hollow road.

9.13 - Receiving Vault at Grahamsville Rural Cemetery

9.13.12 Receiving Vault at Grahamsville Rural Cemetery • © Margaret Helthaler

We decided to take a walk through the cemetery this morning. I paid my respects to my grandmother and great-grandparents and enjoyed the serene beauty and sense of history that pervades the quiet back section of the grounds.

9.12 - Apple in the Morning Light

9.12.12 Apple In The Morning Light • © Margaret Helthaler

Another bright, cool morning…