Wildflower – 7/20/17

Late afternoon on the 48th anniversary of the first manned lunar landing, peace and tranquility abound along the local Rail Trail in Forked River, N.J.

 “Tranquility Base here… the Eagle has landed!”

As usual, click on the image for a closer look, find some spider webs, and ponder that this was taken with an i-phone! Thanks for viewing. Comments are always welcome. M 🙂

 

To The Beach – Before the First Chill of Autumn

Last week, already nearly a week into autum, we had our last visit to the beach just before days of rains and near 50 mph winds raked the area.  A brief ride across the bay here brought us to Island Beach State Park, the New Jersey barrier island with its boardwalk to the ocean. 

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Except for the banner, these are captured from my i-phone.

As usual, click on the image for a closer look, and thanks for viewing. Comments are always welcome. M 🙂

Martha’s Vineyard, (Two) – Magnificent Summer Cottages in Oak Bluffs

 

These colorful unique cottages date back to the late nineteenth century within a community of picket fences, pocket parks, and even an outdoor tabernacle. They are found in an intriguing area of shaded narrow streets and pathways ideal for walking.

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In addition to pondering the value of being a house painter in Oak Bluffs, one would be a bit envious of those who choose to rent here; close to shops, restaurants, waterfront parks and the harbor.

Read more on Wikipedia, here.

As usual, click on the image for a closer look, and thanks for viewing. Comments are always welcome. M 🙂

 

Lucy, the Inhabitable Elephant – Margate City, NJ

DSC_0548DSC_0567DSC_0549DSC_0578DSC_0580DSC_0550Recently, we climbed up the leg of this 65′ (20m) landmark to its surprisingly roomy interior, built in 1881 as a real estate promotion on the beach.  “Lucy” is located a few miles SW of Atlantic City, as seen from the “howdah” on top.  Refurbished some years ago, it is both remarkable, and ….silly – but worth the visit. 

 Cick on any image for a closer look.

Comments are always encouraged  and thanks for viewing. M 🙂

A Great Cosmic Clock – Perseid Meteor Shower

 

The Perseid meteor shower occurs around August 12th every year.          EVERY YEAR.

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Above, a so so “capture” from the NJ Pinelands of a Perseid meteor last year  (8/13/15 – 18mm ISO 4000, 15″, f/4, enlarged)

 This morning, while watching for and seeing a few impressive Perseid meteors, I tried thinking of the first time I ever saw a meteor. My memory brought me back to a family vacation in Barnegat Light, New Jersey – a rental property near the beach with a flat roof accessible by outside stairs.  Years later, while scanning old B&W pictures, I failed to establish an accurate date for that particulal week, but at 4:30 AM this morning, out there in the night,  I recalled as a young boy being “scared” at the frequent fast moving streaks in the dark sky during that vacation. Dad was introducing my brother and me to ‘meteors.’ 

I pondered that memory and  the timely annual recurrence of meteor showers… and  realized (as an aside,) that I finally had an accurate date frame for that early Jersey Shore vacation! All in all pretty insignificant, but…how neat!

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Above, Dad on the roof –  town of Barnegat Light, NJ.

Below, my older brother and me on the beach, with Barnegat Lighthouse beyond.

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As usual, comments and inquiries are welcomed. Thanks for viewing. M 🙂

Before Summer Goes…. A Look-Back at the Beginning

Island Beach State Park, New Jersey – June 22, 2015

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6:57 AM: Walking barefoot along the edge of the Atlantic Ocean.

Morning, in an area accessed by the “Fisherman’s Walk.” 

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A few feet away and seconds later, this polished gem looks like a stylized hovercraft from “Star Wars.”

“Fisherman’s Walk” offers an exceptional experience,  traversing a quarter mile (~400 m) of native fauna and wind-swept dunes between Barnegat Bay and the Atlantic Ocean.

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6:59 AM: The sand holds near infinite treasures.

And the early morning anglers compete with the Osprey and other sea birds to feed themselves, their waiting offspring and maybe even “bragging rights.”

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For an overview of Tices Shoal, the gateway to this beautiful area, see “Summer at the Jersey Shore,” posted July, 2014 at this link. 

ALSO, (if I may strongly suggest,) for a far better daily view into the wonders of the “Tide Line,” please check out Maggie Beck’s enthralling site, Tide Line Still Life. 

As Usual, Thanks for Viewing, click on images for a larger view, and comments are always welcome. M 🙂