Author: barryhassphoto

It’s officially summer.

One evening last week, the rays of the setting sun made the fountain in front of our local library look like it was shooting off fireworks.

At the Addison Gallery of American Art in Andover.

Porchfest – the very name evokes images of country folk playing guitars, banjos, and fiddles in front of a farmhouse on a summer evening. Oh, but it’s so much more than that. As these events have grown in popularity, they have attracted all sorts of musicians. In addition, people with porch-less houses have joined in the fun. The confluence of these two trends can sometimes lead to scenes that the founders of the original Porchfest probably never envisioned, like this one.

The irises have opened in our yard. Seen from above, they are remarkably symmetric.

These cattails and their reflection remind me of a musical score.

Spring afternoon sun

Shining through a hemlock grove

Paints stripes on a stream.

When we visited Alaska, we were over-the-moon excited to see our first moose. After a few days we realized that they were pretty common up there, and the locals took little notice of them. When we visited Kauai, it was the same story with wild chickens. The brightly colored fowl were literally everywhere, but only the tourists seemed to notice. That made me realize that almost anywhere we live, we are surrounded by fauna that we have stopped seeing unless they become a nuisance. But a visitor from elsewhere might find them pretty remarkable. Here are a couple of my local favorites.

Happy birthday, my love.