Author: Bridgette Mathews

Took advantage of the “warm” night last night to stop at the Kent Circle Christmas Tree on my way home.  Hard to capture, but it was adorned by the 4 day old moon and Venus to its left.   

Mt. Cranmore in North Conway, NH peaking through the misty morning.  

We’ve been heading up to the North Conway, NH area with the kids for many years and each year it wouldn’t be a family trip if we didn’t stop to see if there was Strawberry Jam in the Shartner Farms “drive-up” window at the end of West Side Road.   Some years we’d go 2 or 3 times because the box would be empty….not that we HAD to have the jam, but it was more the thrill of the chase for the kids (ok…I even stop when the kids aren’t around lol!).   Even this weekend when we were up there with all the “adult” kids in tow we had to stop and check and see if there was jam in the box.   It’s all done on the “honor” system and you put your money in the slot and take your jar of jam.    So next time you are up there and want some strawberry goodness in a jar… or just a little adventure…stop by!

Hanging up in North Conway for the weekend and it’s been flurrying just enough to coat the trees and make everything sparkle!  If only we could go through the winter this way…wishful thinking!

My Dad isn’t on Facebook but he is a FOB (…or an SOB if you knew him like we do!) so I figured what better way to get him back for bustin’ em over the years, than to wish him the Happiest of Birthdays GMG style!!    Happy 75th Birthday DAD!   ❤

Aside from our beautiful lighthouses here at home, Nubble Lighthouse in York, Maine is one of the most scenic and most visited lighthouses in New England.   It’s another one of my favorites to photograph and this Saturday November 26^th they will be lighting it for Christmas as they do each year.    It will stay lit through Christmas.   Check them out on facebook!

After work last night I was driving by the Fitz Hugh Lane House and noticed the lights were all on inside.   It’s a seldom sight in the evening so I just had to stop and grab a few pics.  

One from the top of the hill looking over at City Hall.

A shelf of clouds and water framing the Twin lights.

It’s been fun chasing the super moon but it’s tiring work!   This morning I got to sleep in until 4:30am and headed over the Plum Cove Beach to see what the view was over there.   It was fun to grab the moon setting behind the turbines across the way!   It’s interesting how the atmosphere distorts the moon as it gets closer to the horizon.

A few more of my moon chasing shots….

Got up at 3:00 this morning hoping to get the big moon setting… only to be met with a sky full of clouds.   Since we were up, hubs and I headed over to GHB for sunrise and a breakfast at Sugar Mags.  It’s looking good for some clear skies later on so get out and check out the moon which is scheduled to rise around 4:15.  Happy Sunday!

Sunrise yesterday was looking to be very blah…the clouds were behind us and there wasn’t much color on the horizon.   My friend Helen and I decided to hang out a few more minutes to see if the clouds would make it overhead in time for the sun to rise Just about when the sun hit the horizon the clouds were in good position and the skies burst into a flash of color and just as quickly it was gone.   Glad we waited!

No matter what your method of picking our next President may be, get out and exercise your right to VOTE today!!

Now that the sun is rising earlier and the weather is getting colder it’s getting harder to think about getting up for sunrise!  

Fitz “Hugh” Henry Lane is always keeping watch over our beautiful city!  

Here’s a spot where all dog lovers should make a point to visit!   I was introduced to this spot during a photography workshop and just fell in love with it.   Dog Mountain is set on 150 acres on a mountain top location in St. Johnsbury, Vermont. The grounds are always open to people and their dogs. This unspoiled haven is covered with hiking trails and dog ponds. Dogs are not just welcome here, they are cherished!

When you visit the Dog Chapel you are totally enveloped with messages of love.  It is a very moving experience – sad, certainly, but also uplifting – to see how much everyone cherishes his or her dog. Grieving for a lost dog is one aspect of the Dog Chapel, but equally important is celebrating the joy of living and the bond between dogs and their owners.  The creator Stephen Huneck wanted people and dogs to have the most fun they possibly could. To this end, he has put in hiking trails, ponds for dogs to swim in, and an agility course for them to play on. In the winter folks come and snowshoe with their dogs, enjoying the pristine surroundings and the spectacular views!   Put it on your bucket list to visit if you are ever in St. Johnsbury, VT!

The best time for night photography and star trails is when there is a new moon and there isn’t any ambient light.   We are in a new moon right now so I took advantage of the dark skies to get some night exposures over at Farnham’s in Essex.  Although there was plenty of ambient light from cars passing by, it was still a nice crisp clear night to shoot stars!

Last night I headed down to Sand to City Style in Magnolia and joined in on their “Zip Code” painting class.   Lisa Rogers the owner of Sand to City Style in Magnolia was great and took us step by step through the process and answered any and all questions about chalk painting.   She’s got some great classes coming up, Nov 16th is a “Bring your own Piece” night and Nov 19th is “Paint your own Family Name Sign” which would be a great wedding gift!   She also has some adorable Christmas Buntings to paint.   This is going to be great for those “over the winter” projects!   Lisa does fundraisers for local schools so give her a call!   Check her out on facebook!

Family Name Class 11/19

Christmas Bunting

Bunting

Lone gull looking for breakfast at Good Harbor.

Salem is always an interesting walk around…although I would suggest you wait until after the “Halloween festivities” have ended. One of the most interesting spots is The Burying point . It is the oldest burial ground in the city of Salem and the final resting place for many from a dark chapter in Salem’s history. It’s the home to at least one accused witch, Mary Corey, a sinister player in the Salem Witch Trials. Also buried here is Justice John Hathorne, an ancestor of Nathaniel Hawthorne and one of the judges in the Witchcraft Court.  As we walked through the cemetery it was interesting to see the notes and flowers left by the families of the deceased even hundreds of years later!