Long Hollow Bison Farm. January 20, 2013
Posted by littlebangtheory in Art and Nature, Dinner with TCR.Tags: American bison, bison, bison in snow, carnivores, Hadley, Long Hollow Bison Farm, MA
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Down in Hadley there’s a place I like to check out once in a while, a farm where American Bison are raised. They’re impressive beasts:
They’re big. In fact, the old bulls are HUGE.
And they take the job of protecting their calves seriously – don’t expect to sneak up on them unnoticed:
They’re majestic in the snow, and look totally at home in the winter weather.
These animals area raised for meat, and if you’re an omnivore, it would be hard to get better meat than this – grass-fed, roaming big fields, protected from predators (other than us.) I know some people object to the practice of people eating animals, but since it’s more common than not with people world-wide who can afford it, I have to conclude that there’s something of nature in it.
I’ve been trying to get a more blizzard-y photo of them, but they’re an hour’s drive away, and while that’s close for us “hill-town people,” it’s still a dicey drive in a heavy snow.
Time will tell if I succeed.
Maple Sugar. November 27, 2012
Posted by littlebangtheory in Art and Nature.Tags: MA, snow, sugar maple, Windsor, winter landscapes
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A light dusting of snow shrouds an old sugar maple up in Windsor, MA:
Pardon the “spottiness” of the sky, it’s snow passing in front of my lens.
A Homecoming! August 5, 2012
Posted by littlebangtheory in Love and Death.Tags: Bridge of Flowers, Charlemont, Chessie, Hail to the Sunrise park, MA, Mer, Shelburne Falls
2 comments
My recent Dash’n’Snatch run to Boston was to retrieve my elder daughter Mer and my new grandauger Franchesca, who are moving to Boston from California.
I’m thrilled to have Meredith back where I can visit regularly and perhaps even help out once in a while!
Here they are, visiting the Bridge of Flowers while staying with me for a few days:
…and again at the Hail to the Sunrise Park in Charlemont:
This was my first time meeting Chessie, and she’s a real sweetie! 🙂
After a few days here, it was off to her Mom’s house, where Chessie was greeted by the Neighborhood Welcome Waggin’, Cooper:
I suspect Pagan Sphinx will have plenty of photos from their visit, as Mer is likely to spend somewhat more time with her Mom – there’s a lot more to do there, places of interest within walking distance and a friendly dog to play with rather than our skeptical Mr. Cat, who pitched a hissy whenever Franchesca suggested that they PLAY!!!!!!
Hey, he’s a cat, she’s a dog, and never the twain shall meet.
Anyway, Welcome Home, Meredith and Chessie! 🙂
Barn By Starlight. December 12, 2011
Posted by littlebangtheory in Art and Nature.Tags: barn, MA, photography, Shelburne, stars
11 comments
Up in Shelburne, a tumbledown barn hunkers beneath a starry sky:
I took this while waiting for a tardy moonrise which I’ll post next. But in the interim, I looked steeply up to the heavens and thought I saw a B&W image. It’s not quite what I hoped for, but I guess it’s worth sharing none-the-less.
The Bissell Covered Bridge. September 26, 2010
Posted by littlebangtheory in Art and Nature.Tags: Bissell Covered Bridge, Charlemont, MA, Mill Brook, tilt-shift photography
4 comments
Took a quick ride yesterday morning to the Bissell Covered Bridge, a local landmark. After a long delay characterized by political wrangling pitting fiscally conservative (and, frankly, pragmatic) folks against those who wanted to see a complete historic restoration, the Bissell is now nicely refurbished; in fact, it’s just about entirely rebuilt:
At 92 feet in length it’s not big by New England standards, but then, neither is Mill Brook, which it spans:
The old, broken dam above the bridge is currently spilling very little water:
…though in the Spring it’s quite impressive.
Inside, this structure is amazing – complicated roof trusses create repetitive patterns:
…while the clean lines of the “long truss” design allow for window-like openings with views of the fall foliage:
The three-inch thick oak planking on the bridge deck is rock-solid and silent to drive over, unlike many older structures; time will tell how it holds up.
My favorite view here is looking downstream, where a beautiful little gneiss gorge carves its way steeply down through a forest of oaks and black birches:
All of these shots were courtesy of Elliot, my 24mm TS-E II lens, with very little tilt (I was able to shoot at relatively high f-stops and didn’t need it,) but lots of shift to control perspectives.
This spot provides photographic subjects in all seasons; you can expect to see more of it here at LBT. 😉
Harvest Moon! September 22, 2010
Posted by littlebangtheory in Art and Nature.Tags: autumnal equinox, harvest moon, MA, Shelburne Falls
5 comments
Last night’s moonrise over Mount Massamet at Shelburne Falls:
It was a day short of full, but I shot it anyway because of the likelihood that tonight will be cloudy.
Enjoy!
Another Black and White. January 21, 2010
Posted by littlebangtheory in Art and Nature.Tags: barn, black and white, Hadley, MA, tractor
7 comments
A barn in Hadley, with the requisite collection of dead trucks and resting tractors:
Doubtless better full-sized, as most things are.
Florida, Massachusetts. January 10, 2010
Posted by littlebangtheory in Art and Nature.Tags: atmospheric, Florida, MA, rime ice
11 comments
Perhaps my favorite town, not just for its name, so unlike it’s presence, but because it lives up in the clouds.
It ain’t easy, living up there in the hills. Passing clouds freeze on any exposed surface, coating the landscapd in atmospheric ice:
It’s a wonderland, but it’s also a harsh place to live.
Florida, as I saw it on a recent day.
A cabin in the woods:
A Florida skyline bathed in a patch of sunshine:
…and my favorite shot, a Gizmo-eyed view in close, which is basically why I got the thing:
Good shot, Mr. Gizmo.
Little Bang Theory 