Solitary Sunsets

 

It was a busy day at the office. Recording vocals, printing out pdf files, making sure everything I needed to do got done. That means staring at the computer, and getting restless.

There are farm roads around here that are paved, but soon become dirt roads that go nowhere. It allows one to take great wide open shots where the land meets the sky. 

Especially around sunset.

walking around here does remind me quite a bit of the high rolling plains, and low mountains in North Central Montana. Although much greener.

Nearby Bridges

Driving around Franklin County. It was near sunset, and a November chill was in the air. I decided to check out a covered bridge. 

Similar to the beginning of the year, I took a short trek to photograph one of my favorite things in New England.

Conway is a very small town, without much going on. A general store, a local tavern, and not much else. People to seem to like it that way, and it sure is pretty.

Shadows and Rainbows

The seasons are changing fast. A steely grey sky and colder temps, coupled with rains and strong winds have taken down much of the leaves.

But on the tails of one of those rainstorms came a rainbow.

I got out and tried to take a few more pictures as it faded.

Mid November like I remember.

 

November Light

For the past two years, I have taken walks around this area during sunset.

Farmlands now harvested and plowed over for the winter.

A small cluster of homes gathered on either side - a highway, the river, and a small mountain range to the east. 

Only a few roads around are through street, and people commonly walk, jog or bike around during the afternoon and early evening. I casually stroll about, usually taking pictures, relaxing, and musing upon how I ended up in such a good place, 

Grace

 

I took a drive around the Northeast corner of Franklin County, and captured a nice Fall shot of Moores Pond in Warwick. I was thinking of hiking up Mount Grace to take a pictures from the summit, but got lazy. It was getting cold, and a few showers were creeping into the area. But it sure is a pretty area. Not much development at all, and a nice drive if you are heading through Northfield on the way there and back. 

Song For My Father

 

15 years ago, I started singing at rest homes across New England. From Christmas Carols in the Winter, to Irish shows in the Spring, and everything else you could possibly think of at any time of year, just to entertain people as much as possible.

I would play enough shows to buy Christmas presents, then when it became a year round thing. I used it to help pay for the newer car I needed for the increased mileage I would drive to play. 

Seeing some of the seniors in such advanced state of decline was difficult at times, as it reminded me of where my parents were heading in life. I wasn't ready to face that quite yet, and playing these shows ended up preparing me to a certain extent. I became pretty emotional at times, and still do now and then. So much has happened in the past 15 years, but it gets easier each time I show up and do my routine. I usually know what people like, and I can present it in a way that allows them to interact if they choose to. 

When they sing along, it makes it all worthwhile.

I returned to the rest home my father stayed at when he was alive, and that was a bittersweet experience. In the end, it was a place I sang at before he became a resident, and I was resigned to the fact that I would play there after he was gone. Meanwhile. I was able to make the people still there almost as happy as my dad was when I used to sing for him. It made me very happy too, as you can see.

Looking Out My Back Door

Went for another afternoon stroll and watched the sunset behind the hills, and light up the trees and mountains on the other side.

Now at the end of foliage season, but a few nice patches show up here and there,

Halloween came and went pretty quickly this year. Not a lot of reveling going on, but I did manage to play 3 rest home gigs, a band gig and an open mic, so it was a busy week in all.