Crocus!

The weather has been warm for the past few days and the snow is about gone from the front (sunny) side of the house.  And in the time it took to melt, the crocus' have not only broken through the earth, but sprouted flowers!

It's a beautiful thing to see.

F Number	5.6
Lens ID	LUMIX G VARIO 14-45mm F3.5-5.6
Focal Length	45.0 mm (35 mm equivalent: 90.0 mm)
Exposure Time	1/30
Exposure Program	Program AE
ISO	100
Exposure Compensation	0
Flash	Off, Did not fire

Lock 8 dam gate

This is taken standing under the lock 8 dam on the Mohawk River.    During the summer, the spot I'm standing on would be under at least 15 feet of water, but in the winter time, the water is lower and solid!

This large chain is connected to a large axle that is connected to a very large motor that lifts the dam gates right off the river bed.  Every autumn the gates go up to let the ice pass, and every spring they come back down to impound the river and form a pool deep enough for barges to navigate.

Honestly, I didn't have anything else green to post for St Patrick's Day!

F Number	11.0
Lens ID	LUMIX G VARIO 14-45mm F3.5-5.6
Focal Length	45.0 mm (35 mm equivalent: 90.0 mm)
Exposure Time	1/50
Exposure Program	Manual
ISO	200
Exposure Compensation	0
Flash	Off, Did not fire

Zebra mussels

This might seem a strange time to post about zebra mussels - after all, the ice is still coming off the river.  But during the summer, these guys are under water, and I can't take their photo.

These things are pests, an invasive species from Russia.  They multiply at a prodigious rate and clog up water intakes and grates.  They're also really, really sharp - don't try to walk barefoot on them!

Anyway, this is at Lock 8 on the Canal.  The impound gates are lifted up for the winter, so the river is about 10 feet lower than it is in the summer, when the gates are down, holding the river back.  Since the water is so low, these mussels are exposed.  The face on the left is directly facing upstream - I'm a little surprised it isn't as covered as the face on the right, which is parallel to the river.  THAT is completely covered - I couldn't find a place to put a fingertip without touching zebra mussels.  Amazing animals.

F Number	11.0
Lens ID	LUMIX G VARIO 14-45mm F3.5-5.6
Focal Length	45.0 mm (35 mm equivalent: 90.0 mm)
Exposure Time	1/50
Exposure Program	Manual
ISO	200
Exposure Compensation	0
Flash	Off, Did not fire

Spring birds

Not easy to see in this snow squall, but the spring birds have made an appearance!  There is a robin (higher up) and a female cardinal near the bottom.  They've come to eat the berries off of these ornamental cherry trees.  Or maybe they're ornamental crab apples, I can never tell.  Anyway, they were a little annoyed at finding them encased in ice.  It rained the night before and put a glaze of ice on everything.  They really had to work for these berries, but they have very strong beaks!

F Number	5.6
Lens ID	LUMIX G VARIO 14-45mm F3.5-5.6
Focal Length	45.0 mm (35 mm equivalent: 90.0 mm)
Exposure Time	1/320
Exposure Program	Manual
ISO	200
Exposure Compensation	0
Flash	Off, Did not fire

Mowhawk River

Someone wanted to go see the river (OK, it was me).  Thankfully, the ice is breaking up without jamming under the bridges.  These blocks of ice used to be on the top of the river, which is currently running high, but down  several feet from earlier.  The temperature was in the mid-40s F.  That's shorts weather if you're 8!

This was taken at Riverside Park, in the Stockade.

F Number	11.0
Lens ID	LUMIX G VARIO 14-45mm F3.5-5.6
Focal Length	45.0 mm (35 mm equivalent: 90.0 mm)
Exposure Time	1/100
Exposure Program	Manual
ISO	200
Exposure Compensation	0
Flash	Off, Did not fire

The Egg

We went to the Gem and Mineral show at the NY State Museum in Albany a few weeks ago, and I got this unusual look at the back of The Egg.  Formally known as the Center for the Performing Arts, this unusual building is part of the Empire State Plaza.  For obvious reasons, everyone simply calls it The Egg.

The crane in the background is working on the state Capitol building; the one with the pointed roof.  Actually, that crane is hauling up pieces of a larger crane which will be used to repair the original crane that was working on the Capitol!

This isn't a proper Skywatch entry this week - I don't really have a decent sky photo - but do stop and take a look at some of the photos from round the world....

F Number	11.0
Lens ID	LUMIX G VARIO 14-45mm F3.5-5.6
Focal Length	45.0 mm (35 mm equivalent: 90.0 mm)
Exposure Time	1/640
Exposure Program	Program AE
ISO	200
Exposure Compensation	0
Flash	Off, Did not fire

Rock beats ice

I saw this and was reminded of the children's game 'Rock, Paper, Scissors'.  That ice squeezed and squeezed the stone, but the stone won this round!

F Number	11.0
Lens ID	LUMIX G VARIO 14-45mm F3.5-5.6
Focal Length	14.0 mm (35 mm equivalent: 28.0 mm)
Exposure Time	1/160
Exposure Program	Manual
ISO	200
Exposure Compensation	0
Flash	Off, Did not fire