Trip to New Hampshire and Maine 29-Nov-09

On Sunday the 29 we went to southern-most Maine by way of Salisbury, MA and coastal NH. First we stopped at Salisbury Beach to visit the almost-closed-up arcade. The hard slanting light of late November gives beach arcades an almost desolate feeling, like waking up Sunday morning from a party, a.k.a. Summer:


We passed a beautiful old farmhouse with barns near Rye, New Hampahire; however, the only problem is that tragically the farmhouse burned. At this point I don't know the history of the place but it looks quite old:

As usual, click on the images to see the larger sized source image.
Here's a look past the main house at the barns which are undamaged:

I always bring a camera when I go out and prepare to document New England history because, you never know, the next time you pass by, the place you could have photographed may be gone!
Update from flickr member loisj2008 on history of the house - see comment below.
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Now on up the coast to Kittery, Maine, or more specifically to Fort McClary at Kittery Point:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_McClary
Inside the powder house:

May have spotted a ghost!

Under the blockhouse:

Inside the blockhouse and another ghost!

After the fort we took in the sunset at Nubble Light on Cape Neddick, York Maine where they apparently illuminated the Christmas decorations for the first time this season.

The photographers were lying in wait:

And now the illumination in twilight (see Christmas tree inside house):

Down to the Beach After A Storm

Today we'll walk down to Plum Island beach right after this weekend's nor'easter departed. Winds were gusting at least to 50 mph. Click on photos to see larger version in source (usually flickr.com)

This is in the Federal wildlife reservation on the southern end of Plum Island (near Newburyport Masschusetts). The website:
http://www.fws.gov/northeast/parkerriver/
Photograph data: Canon EOS 5D, Exposure: 0.003 sec (1/320)
Aperture: f/12.9, Focal Length: 26mm on a Canon 17-40mm f/4L.

On the beach a savage wind was driving the sand down Plum Island beach:



Ouch! This is no time to be changing lenses on your dSLR unless you want a sensor full of sand. Therefore, either bring a point-and-shoot or two dSLRs already wearing the lenses you want to cover the range. For example, my full-frame Canon 5D usually has the 17-40mm to cover the wide end and my crop-frame Canon 40D usually has the 24-105mm (=38-168mm in 35mm equivalent) or an even longer telephoto. Therefore, no lens swapping!
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More beach pix after another storm, taken 03-Dec-09, including a surf rainbow:



More surf pictures (04-Dec-09):

Bottle-green water

After the most recent (03-Dec-09) storm

Happy Thanksgiving and a look at a really old farmhouse (Newbury, MA)

The other day (23-Nov) I visited the Spencer-Peirce-Little Farm in Newbury Massachusetts: (click on images to see source image in flickr.com)

The farm is operated by Historic New England which indicates that it was founded ca 1690. However, the Wikipedia article mentions evidence that the stone portion, being the oldest stone structure in New England, may have been built before 1677. Looks kind of haunted to me!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historic_New_England/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spencer-Peirce-Little_Farm/
Photograph: Nikon Coolpix P50, 28mm equiv, 2/3 stop underexposed, processed in Google Picasa III

Here's a look at the front:

Photograph: Nikon Coolpix P50, 45mm equiv, 2/3 stop underexposed, processed in Google Picasa III

And a window:

Photograph: Nikon Coolpix P50, 61mm equiv, 2/3 stop underexposed, processed in Google Picasa III

A b&w study of the back of the house:

The alle of trees entrance to the farm:

and a detail of windows at the entryway to the house: