Flock of Tourists

I don't know if these geese are here for the winter or are just passing through. Someone should tell them that it gets cold here in January and February, probably cold enough to turn this lake into ice.

Holiday Weekend

I bet the teachers enjoy time off as much as the kids.

Skywatch Friday: Cloud Reflection

This is the sky reflected in Middletown Lake.


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Have A Warm Thanksgiving

We have plenty of trees on our property in Middletown Valley. We paid to have two large trees cut down earlier this year and we chain sawed a few limbs on our own. All of that adds up to lots of free firewood stacked and ready for the cold weather that blew in this week.

This is our fireplace a few nights ago:



Happy Thanksgiving Day!

Down Some More

Three weeks ago gasoline prices were down to $2.39 at this station. Today: $1.87. Woohoo! Another thing to be thankful for on Thanksgiving.

Laying Fall To Rest

Fall On The Ground

Most of the leaves are no longer on the trees but many leaves are on the ground.

Main Street Late Fall

It always surprises me how different things look after the leaves have fallen.

Fall Impressionist Ripple

The fall color is nearly gone in Middletown but I have a few more fall photographs to share.

Skywatch Friday: Storm At Sunset

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Brick Arch

The Church Squirrel

You've heard of the church mouse. This must be the church squirrel. He was hanging out on the sidewalk in front of the United Church of Christ a few weeks ago.

Let's Have A Picnic

Go Knights

There is plenty of school pride in Middletown.

Yellow Leaf Carpet

Fall is the season that keeps on giving.

City Hall

Skywatch Friday: Fall Moon

The camera sees colors the eye doesn't see.



These photos were taken a few nights ago.



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The Bluebird Lady

It is amazing what you can learn about a place when you get out of the car and walk around. During one of my recent photo-taking strolls in Middletown Park I saw this sign. I had no idea there was an organization dedicated to the Eastern Bluebird and I knew nothing about Betty Nichols.


This week I visited the website noted on the sign and learned that Middletown resident Betty Nichols was a member of this organization who established and maintained the trail of 10 nesting boxes in the park fifteen years ago. She died in 2003 and this year the Maryland Bluebird Society proposed that Frederick County honor her and her efforts by naming the trail for her.

The Frederick News Post and the Middletown Gazette ran stories about this a few weeks before the proposal was considered by the County. I assume from this sign the proposal passed.

My Japanese Red Maple

We probably have a hundred trees on our property in Middletown Valley. This Japanese Red Maple is my favorite. Until two years ago, we only had one of these but my wife has since planted nearly a dozen of them. The new ones are still babies but one day they might be as big and beautiful as this one.

Veteran's Day

This photo of the Middletown War Memorial is from the very first series of pictures I took for this website back in May. I posted a similar shot on Memorial Day, a day set aside to honor those who gave all for our country.

Today is Veterans' Day, a day to honor all U.S. military veterans, both living and dead. It seems like a good day to post this photo again.

Too Dark Too Early

I am not happy about the switch back to Eastern Standard Time. This was taken at 6pm yesterday and as you can see it was already dark.


I took this shot with Skywatch Friday in mind but decided that the little spec of a moon wasn't very sky-worthy. I have a better moon shot coming on Friday.

Sunset Reflection

These windows are on the side of the church on Rt. 17 just south of Main St.

Fall Series 4

Skywatch Friday: A Little Ray Of Sunshine

Timing is everything. I was standing in the parking lot at the Safeway Grocery Store when I saw this across the street.




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Fall Series 3

Along a driveway on Picnic Woods Rd., north of Middletown.


A few leaves on and below the surface of the lake in Middletown Park.

Fall Series 2

I mentioned on Monday that fall is winding down here. I should clarify that a bit. Fall appeared to be at its peak this past weekend. There were brilliant yellows and oranges spiced with some reds, and trees that remained green as recently as the previous week finally showed off their true colors.

This photograph was taken more than two weeks ago.



Here is the view looking east at South Mountain along Rt. 17 at the northern end of Middletown Valley. This was taken four days ago.

Election Day - Finally

Today is the day we've been waiting for ... the day when the campaign ads finally end! Forget the surveys, forget the media, remember to vote!

Fall Series 1

Fall is winding down in Middletown, but I'll try to make it last a little longer by posting a few photographs I took a week or two ago.

Down

Gasoline prices keep going down and no one is complaining.

This was taken yesterday:



This is the same gas station on July 6th:



I wonder if the prices will go back up after the Presidential elections on Tuesday.

Theme Day: Books

These are some of the books left over from the recent Friends of the Library Book Sale. The photo is taken from the outside of Memorial Hall, where the sale was held, and the reflections are trees and part of a retail center across the street.


A bonus shot - this was taken during the sale.



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