Gray Goose, New Filter

I upgraded Photoshop to CS6 from CS4 because there was a deadline for doing so by the end of December. The newer version has some improvements; whether they are worth the price remains to be discovered. I'm still learning the features.

I found a filter that I didn't have in CS4: the oil paint filter. It adds a brush stroke texture to imitate (what else) an oil painting. I tried it out on this photo of a goose and I liked it in the large version that I was viewing. However, I thought the effect might be hard to discern after I shrunk the image for posting here so I added a poster edge on a duplicate layer and then slid the transparency down to where it wasn't overly "edged."

What do you think?

A Sunset Behind Trees

We saw this sunset from the car and I pulled off into a subdivision but was not able to get a clear view because of the trees.

Evening Sky at Waterlick

Clouds Just Before Sunset

We have a view of the northern end of the Massanutten Mountain Range. Not every day provides a spectacular sky, but once in a while... Wow! What a privilege it is to see this!

The View from Panorama Overlook

Near Berkeley Springs, WV

If you drive west from Berkeley Springs on Route 9 you'll come to a restaurant on the left facing this great view on the right. There are two interpretive signs there. This one tells the story of the "Engagement at Great Cacapon" in January 1862, when Confederate soldiers under General Thomas (Stonewall) Jackson destroyed parts of the B&O Railroad while Federal troops struggled to protect it.

See: Jackson's Romney Campaign

Frank at a Gateway

Snapshot of My Spouse and a White Fence

Snow on a Farm

Winter in the Shenandoah Valley

Near Middletown, VA

The Joy of Geese

Our lake has a layer of ice but some channels are open. The geese alternate between walking on the ice and swimming in the water. They don't seem to mind the cold; they actually splash around and even turn somersaults in the water!

Here's one that looks like he's conducting an orchestra! I could hear the horn section honking away!

I enjoy seeing them raise their wings — they look so happy!

Walking on Water

Canada Geese Stroll on Icy Pond

Fluffy Squirrel

Leaping Bird

Today is National Bird Day!

I was lucky to catch a picture of this tufted titmouse as he hopped from a pole to a feeder.

Titmouse: Baeolophus bicolor

The Tower on Signal Knob

Antenna Tower on A Snowy Day

I've posted a number of photos of Signal Knob and often the communications tower and utility cut are visible. Since my new camera has a pretty good telephoto lens I focused on the tower and brought it closer than I'd ever seen it. So that's a building in front of it! I had seen something there but had guessed that it might be a wall, but now I see it's a low-slung building.

A hiker once told me there's a road up there for the tower maintenance vehicle but it's usually gated.

Related posts:

• Civil War Marker mentions Signal Knob
• Communications Towers on Great North Mountain

A Blur of Geese

Canada Geese Taking Off at Dusk

Feed the Chickadees!

I read that when the temperature falls below 10º F, the survival rate of chickadees almost doubled when they had access to feeders.

Link: How Chickadees Weather Winter

A View from Double Church Road

Near Stephens City, VA

Sometimes I like to try a different road just to see different views and find out where the road goes exactly.

I'd checked out Double Church Road on the map a couple of months ago and I knew it would take us from Martins Supermarket to a road that went to Front Royal, so when we left Martins the other day I went straight on Double Church Road instead of turning left on Fairfax Pike to go home.

The sun was low in the sky and soon I was looking for a spot to pull off and take a picture of a snow scene at sunset. And there it was! A church is often a good place to stop along the road. No one seems to mind and many churches here are on hills and offer pleasant views.

I think this is one of the churches that the road is named for. A second church is nearby.

The view to the west offers a typical Shenandoah valley scene, just right for my sunset picture.

Downy Woodpecker

Female

Male

These cute birds love to visit our suet feeders. The male has a red mark on his head.

Snow, Lake, Signal Knob

Taken Near Waterlick in the  Shenandoah Valley

Signal Knob is on the northern end of the Massanutten Mountains. Here you can clearly see a utility line cut as a white slash on the mountain.

Blog Post #3650

Best wishes from our house to yours 

for a peaceful and comfortable 2013.

Snowy Morning Shadows

Looking Back at 2012

As 2012 draws to a close, I reflect and wonder what I should be doing to add meaning to my life. I really don't know! However, as I review this blog I see that it's been a busy year, and I am aware that many pictures and events did not get posted because I ran out of time or stamina. Often my eyes got tired from looking at the screen, although that is happening less since I got a laptop with "Retina" Display.

Here are a few highlights month-by-month:

January: Winter on the Shenandoah and at Carillon Pond, historic Harrisonburg, and a look back at autumn in Gypsy Hill Park.

February: Winter scenes in Winchester and other Shenandoah towns, Bryce ski resort. 

March: Baby farm animals! Also an award program for Professor Charles Poland plus some scans from 1984.

April: In April we were busy moving and I posted photos of the house we were trying to sell. (We wound up renting it out.) We only had time for one of the Garden Week tours, but I did take pictures of a library program for children and belatedly posted some Gettysburg photos from last year.

May: Posts on Civil War medicine and Richmond, pictures of the Burwell Morgan Mill.

June: A few reenactment photos and a tour of Camp Rapidan (Hoover's Camp in Shenandoah National Park).

July: Daylily Festival, a local parade, train ride in Romney.

August: Bird Haven in Basye, a county fair (farm animals!), family memories.

September: We drove to New Jersey to meet with Marie and tour Millville, and earlier, enjoyed a visit from Kate's family. (Click Older Posts to see more of the month's pictures.)

October: We flew to the Pacific Northwest to visit Sue's family. Also we visited Shenandoah River State Park, and made an effort to look at autumn colors.

November: Living history near Cedar Creek, some family pics, more autumn color, the Shenandoah River, and pictures taken from a plane.

December: Snow scenes, our family Christmas, birds, and Dayton, VA.

Reviewing the year in pictures has made me feel better. I see productivity and fun!

Best wishes to all for an enjoyable and productive 2013!

Walking Dogs, Snowy Driveway

One of the first things we do in the morning is walk the dogs. Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays the canines from their appointed rounds.

Sometimes we see our neighbor walking her dog Molly. Flash gets anxious and starts vocalizing when he sees Molly. It sounds like he is begging Molly to come see him. She pays no attention.

Wings on the Water

We love to watch the Canada Geese as they take off and land on the lake. It's not easy getting a good picture of that action though. My digital camera mechanism does not move as fast as geese do. Even a split-second delay between the time I press the shutter and the time it actually clicks is too long - the goose has flown away.