Done! 12/31/14

I decided to have a little fun with light painting for my last shot. It was quite a task trying to shot a photo each day for the entire year, and I'm glad to have completed the challenge. I feel like I learned about about photography, and about myself, in the process.

A Quiet Day at the Pond 12/30/14

Daniel & I decided to take a walk around the ponds at the gun club. This is one of the smaller ponds on the property. Only two guys were fishing today, but not here.

Christmas Lifeboat 12/29/14

We took at drive out to Cape May Point before heading off to lunch. I couldn't resist grabbing a shot of the lifeboat near the light house.

The Dormer House at Christmas Time 12/28/14

On a last minute whim, we were able to book an overnight stay at our favorite bed & breakfast in Cape may, the Dormer House. This is what welcomed us in on a cold and dreary Sunday night. Many of the inns that are still open this time of the year decorate for Christmas. You can even take trolley tours to see them throughout town, but he rain stopped, so we chose to walk. The Dormer Houses' decorating tops them all in our book!

Delaware Canal State Park 12/27/14

Daniel and I decided to take advantage of the warm weather today, and take a bike ride. We rode along the tow path of the Delaware Canal around Point Pleasant, PA.

Work Day 12/26/14

The boys and I spend the day installing new hardwood flooring throughout the 2nd floor hallway and Sean's bedroom. These boys are hard workers, that's for sure.

They Made It 12/25/14

This year we decided to try something totally different for Christmas Day. We took the boys to see the annual reenactment of Washington and his troops crossing the Delaware River, just as they did on Christmas day in 1776. This is a shot of the first boat landing on the Nj side.

Christmas Eve 12/24/14

Today we had heavy rain all day, letting our imaginations run wild as to how much snow we might have had. Meanwhile our front porch bench waits for the next round of white stuff (whenever that might be).

Downtown Christmas 12/23/14

We made a trip up to my daughter's house this afternoon, and decided to drive through downtown Quakertown. Many of the old stores are still there, including Moyer's Shoes. They definitely look ready for the season!

Kiffles 12/22/14

It has become somewhat of a tradition to make our Christmas cookies right up to, and sometimes through, the Christmas holidays. Tonight my wife was making 3 different flavors of her Kiffles.

Quiet Time 12/21/14

For some reason, I could not get my folks out of my mind today. After driving around for quite some time, I decided to pay a visit to their burial site. I still find it hard to see their names on the stone, even though mom has been gone since 2007 and dad since 2010. I miss them terribly, but know they are with the Lord, and that I will see them again some day.

Landis Family Christmas Dinner 12/20/14

I know I may be just a little biased, but is this a great looking family or what? I feel very blessed to be a part of this family for almost 30 years.

Ice Punch Poinsettia 12/19/14

I almost forgot that Ray's Greenhouse would be a perfect place to get a shot of poinsettias. This is a new color called Ice Punch. Of course, after taking pictures of this one, I had to buy it for the love of my life! Merry Christmas Kim.

Mmmm Dessert 12/18/14

We took our youth group out to Shady Maple Smorgasborg today. It wouldn't be complete without dessert!

Rising Steam 12/17/14

With daylight in short supply, I was desperate tonight for a shot. The sun seemed to be setting a short line of the horizon ablaze in the distance. I pulled into a church parking lot on Allentown Road, and took this shot. The steam is from the Limerick nuclear power plant.

The Rising Sun Inn 12/16/14

Another spot that is a regular on the way home from work is the Rising Sun Inn. Located on Allentown Road, it greats you on the northerly end of a sweeping S-bend. They have it lit up like a Christmas tree this time of year. Many of these old inns still welcome patrons in our area.

Ready for Winter 12/15/14

I have seen this view many times as I drive around one of my favorite spots near home. Today, with the sun quickly setting, I finally decided to take the shot. This is a view from the intersection of Fell and Morwood Roads in Franconia. It was actually shot through the windshield of the Jeep.

Minersville Santa Train 12/14/15

Daniel and I had yet to catch Reading & Northern 425 double heading with CNJ Project 113's steam engine this year. On two previous attempts, the 113 ended up with mechanical issues. Today would be the last try for us this year, and we were not disappointed, as 425 and 113 teamed up to pull the Minersville Santa Trains. Photos cannot describe the sound of two steam engine whistles echoing through the mountains of Schuylkill County. This definitely is up there as one of our top 3 train chases ever. Steam and snow, you just can't beat it!

Snail Mail 12/13/14

There is still something special about getting Christmas cards in the mail.

Festive 12/12/14

I knew that one of these day, when I was unable to get out during daylight to shoot, I would keep the idea of shooting Christmas lights in my "back pocket". Well tonight was one of those nights. Daniel and I drove around for about 30-40 minutes, and even though we saw many houses that were decorated to the hilt, I can't help but be drawn to the traditional classic style of house like this on on Route 113 in Franconia Township.

Wintry House 12/11/14

Taking a brief walk today during lunch, I came across the birdhouse among the pine trees at the Souderton Community Park. If there are any residents left, they must be pretty cold. This is the 3rd snowfall we have had, and it's not even winter yet!

The Ending of a Landmark 12/10/14

The final parts of the old Longacre poultry plant are slowly coming down, making way for a new Bergey's truck dealership. This few is from Allentown Road. It always seems little sad to see something be torn down, especially when you can't remember it not being there, but time marches on.

Big Boy 12/9/14

Walking out of a customer's house today, I spotted this big fellow standing in a weedy area next to there driveway. I had to quickly grab my camera and change lenses before he bolted. As I lifted my camera, he started to trot off. My hunting instincts kicked in, and I gave a good doe grunt sound to stop him. He gave me a quick stare before running back into the woods.

Fire & Ice 12/8/14

Looking out the window this morning at 6:20 am, you could just sense that the sunrise this morning was going to have good potential. I wandered around home, but ended up at Franconia Park, on Allentown Road. This is the winter ice skating rink. The sunrise did not disappoint!

Full Stable 12/7/14

Wanting to photograph something different, today I stopped by Red Hill Ford to check out the new Roush Mustang's. They had a full range of units from the 6 cylinder RS models to the fully loaded supercharged ponies. Muscle cars are still a big hit.

The Tree is Up! 12/6/14

Tonight we finally got the Christmas tree up. I think this year you can see it from the street.

Snowmen (and women) 12/5/14

My wife likes snowmen, and this is her collection above our coat rack in the kitchen. It wouldn't feel like Christmas with at least the imagination of snow!

Standing Corn 12/4/14

Another gorgeous sunset from our back yard, over the standing corn that still remains in our neighbor's field.

O Christmas Tree 12/3/14

One of the things I love about the Christmas season is all of the little stands that pop up on our back roads selling trees and what not. I have passed this little stand since Thanksgiving, and with the rain clouds finally breaking up, I decided to get out a take some shots. The is at the intersection of Barndt and Deitz Mill Roads in Salford, PA.

A Long Day 12/2/14

Having had a few days off for Thanksgiving, I was greeted on my return to work with a day that did not end until 9:00 pm! There's more to this picture than meets the eye.

Foreign Power 12/1/14

Daniel decided to take a run up to Allentown to see what was going on train wise. We spotted this East Penn Railway unit in the far back of Allentown yard. After a mile or so hike down the Delaware/Lackawanna trail, this was the best we could get of this foreign power.