Sky Watch - Last sunset of summer

The whole sky lit up on September 22. Above is a view to the southeast, the plane is northeast and the last view is west.

Sepia Scenes - Old country chapel

Light and shadows - Sunny scarecrow

Our World - Frederick Fair

The Great Frederick Fair grounds are in the eastern side of the city. The fair exhibits are around a race track (rail in foreground) - food and exhibits to the left, large animals to the right, and the carnival rides and games across the track. The fair is a nine day event, with juried exhibits of agricultural, arts and crafts. (There are hundreds of photos entered). We spent the afternoon sampling a little of all the exhibits, but not taking any rides.

Food vendors continued to the right around the end of the race track. Lots of fried stuff, good barbeque (pork, beef and chicken), international selections and sweet stuff. (We had pork BBQ and fresh potato chips). 

This baby goat was born at the fair (he did get his head free from the fence). When we were there two cows and a sow were in labor. 

Sheep looking for hs friends

Scare crow greeter

4-H Club garden exhibit

PhotoHunt - Yellow gerber daisies

These yellow gerber daisies along a walk have done well this year and add a bright touch of color for people as they come down the hill toward our house.

Sky Watch - Chicken Little was right

The sky is falling, at least on Wednesday night, when 3 inches of rain fell. By morning the rain had stopped, but the creek flooded the low ground. By late morning the sky was brighter and the sun broke through the clouds. The rest of the day was cloudy but dry. (But the weather man is saying more rain Friday and Saturday,)

Sepia scenes - Old red barn

Light and shadows - A touch of red

Our World - Feline diabetes

In August we noticed that our cat Buster was drinking a lot more water than usual. His back legs were also splaying outward as he walked, like his back legs were on something slippery. So a trip to the vet was scheduled. The vet took one look and said he wanted to check his glucose levels. Turns out it was high. Feline diabetes seems to affect the nerves in the hips, making for the unusual walk. So now he gets a twice daily dose of insulin - the same kind people with diabetes use, just a much smaller dose. And he is on a special feline diet. Buster seems to be feeling better and the vet said the problem with the back legs usually gets better in time.

PhotoHunt - Wooden Indian

Seen outside a toyshop in Frederick last November.

Sky Watch - Floating on air

Last Saturday, Marianne yelled "Get your camera quick!". At first I did not see the hot air balloon that she spotted across the fields behind our house.  I retrieved my camera and 200mm zoom lens and went outside. The balloon was drifting lowly to the east, then dropped below the trees on the far hil, rose again and drifted on. And then this airplan fly overhead. (These last three have been cropped.)

Sepia Scenes - Hawk in birdbath

Light and shadows - By Carroll Creek

Our World Tuesday - Sunny again

After a couple of weeks of rain, the sun returned late last week.

PhotoHunt - Greasy funnel cake

Batter drizzeled from a funnel into hot grease, fried, then sprinkled with powdered sugar. A popular treat at the Frederick Fair last year (Marianne and I shared this one.)



Sky Watch - Where's the sun?

We have not seen much of the sun recently. Our sky looked like this last Saturday and on Tuesday the clouds were atop Catoctin Mountain.  Tropical storm Lee continues to drop rain here, causing flooding in many areas where Irene caused major problems. The weather folks are predicting "partly sunny" for Monday.

Sepia Scenes - Summer harvest

Light and shadows - Late afternoon

Marianne, Christy, and Bryson get a little late afternoon sun.

Our World Tuesday - Butterflies and flowers

I stopped by one Catoctin Mountain Orchard last week for some peaches and apples. They also sell cut-your-own flowers. The flower garden usually attracts butterflies, bees and other insects. 

PhotoHunt - Wrong place for a fence

Except in this case the heavy duty fence is protecting the one open lane from a potential rock slide. In April part of Catoctin Mountain collapsed, blocking the road. The highway folks stablized the mountain and will wait to be sure the fix is permanent before reopening both lanes. The stop light controls access to the one open lane.

Sky Watch - Clouds August 19

Two shots one mid-afternoon, before the rain and the second later after the rain.