Fire alarm box

These alarm boxes are on many of our street corners.  They were installed decades ago, before the telephone was a common household item.  If there is a fire, one can run to one of these boxes, pull the handle down and an alarm will go off in the main fire station which will then dispatch fire engines from the nearest fire station to the alarm box.  Each box has a unique serial number so that the fire department knows which box sent the alarm.  This one has seen many days of sun, wind, rain and snow.  It turns out that Gamewell are still in business; still making these alarm boxes after more than 100 years!

F Number	5.4
Lens ID	-45mm F3.5-5.6
Focal Length	31.0 mm (35 mm equivalent: 62.0 mm)
Exposure Time	1/25
Exposure Program	Program AE
ISO	100
Exposure Compensation	0
Flash	Off, Did not fire

New gate

One of my favourite walks, around the upper pond in Vale Cemetery.  I don't know exactly when it happened, but these fluorescent yellow gates were installed at the path (can't really call it a road!) that leads around the upper pond.  It could be due to the damage from the hurricanes - many trees are still down, although most of the path is walkable now.  Or it could be from the way the north slope is slumping down the hill.  Trees that were once vertical are now leaning over the path at crazy angles as the hillside slides down toward the path.

James at Weekend Reflections collects photographs containing a reflection from round the world. About a hundred photo bloggers post a photo containing a reflection; beautiful work. Click the link and go 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	1/13
Exposure Program	Program AE
ISO	800
Exposure Compensation	0
Flash	Off, Did not fire

Late season broccoli

We have some broccoli that we've been growing in a pot in the back yard.  We've had a little snow, which doesn't seem to bother it at all.  Soon, it'll be really done for the season, but for now I'm enjoying this green!

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	1/125
Exposure Program	Manual
ISO	100
Exposure Compensation	0
Flash	Off, Did not fire

Skywatch Friday

I wasn't thinking when I posted yesterday's photo.  I should have saved that for today.  Now I have sky photos two days in a row.  Oops.  At least today the sun is more out than in, although this is more due to the fact that the sun is currently below the clouds (it's morning) than there being fewer clouds.  We live close to Vale Cemetery, and on the grounds there are some very large trees.  Crows like to gather in those trees, and I was fortunate enough to catch one on its way to the morning meeting.

A group of photobloggers post a photo of their skies each Friday - it's called Skywatch Friday. Click the link to see photos from round the world.

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	1/500
Exposure Program	Manual
ISO	100
Exposure Compensation	0
Flash	Off, Did not fire

Partly cloudy

It's not just a weather forecast - it's a whole season!  Well, it can sure seem that way sometimes.  The image quality isn't great - I shot through my bedroom window (which can use some cleaning).  This was the last blue I saw - the 'partly cloudy' became 'fully overcast'.

F Number	5.6
Lens ID	-45mm F3.5-5.6
Focal Length	45.0 mm (35 mm equivalent: 90.0 mm)
Exposure Time	1/800
Exposure Program	Manual
ISO	100
Exposure Compensation	0
Flash	Off, Did not fire

Historical pillow

Savannah is like most cats - she can sleep anywhere.  Inexplicably, she's chosen to use a history of Theodore Roosevelt as her pillow.  An irresistible photo for me.

By the bye, the audio book was pretty good.  A bit too much hero worship from time to time, but TR was the sort of man who tended to inspire that reaction.

F Number	5.5
Lens ID	LUMIX G VARIO 14-45mm F3.5-5.6
Focal Length	34.0 mm (35 mm equivalent: 68.0 mm)
Exposure Time	1/30
Exposure Program	Program AE
ISO	800
Exposure Compensation	0
Flash	On, Red-eye reduction

Green eyed monster

My oldest did a bit of trimming and decided to bring the more fragrant boughs in.  I think he's planning to make a wreath.  Lancelot the cat decided he very much likes the idea and pretty much wouldn't leave these alone.  I like the way the flash makes his eyes seem the same colour as the boughs.

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	1/8
Exposure Program	Manual
ISO	800
Exposure Compensation	0
Flash	On, Red-eye reduction

Reach for the sky

I liked the way the moon way nestled into the tree limbs and thought I'd crop it to make the moon look nicer.  Of course once I started to manipulate it I just made a mess of things.  In the end, I settled on the original image.  One of these days I'm going to actually sit down and learn how to use the Gimp.

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	400
Exposure Compensation	0
Flash	Off, Did not fire

Stairway to... funny?

The Schenectady Greenmarket has moved indoors to Proctors (and now carries the Winter Market moniker).  Walking in through the arcade, I saw this clever bit of advertising.  I don't know much about the show itself, but the play on words was too good to pass up.

F Number	3.5
Lens ID	-45mm F3.5-5.6
Focal Length	14.0 mm (35 mm equivalent: 28.0 mm)
Exposure Time	1/5
Exposure Program	Program AE
ISO	400
Exposure Compensation	0
Flash	Off, Did not fire

Foggy morn

Ever since I was a boy I loved foggy days.  Mysterious and wonderful and rare.  The weather is so warm that we've been given another morning with the mist clinging to everything.  Although it seems as though I took this in black and white, I didn't - this is how it really looks!

F Number	9.0
Lens ID	-45mm F3.5-5.6
Focal Length	45.0 mm (35 mm equivalent: 90.0 mm)
Exposure Time	1/640
Exposure Program	Manual
ISO	200
Exposure Compensation	0
Flash	Off, Did not fire

Yes, more leaves

It's been a strange autumn.  Typically, the leaves are all down by now.  The maples have mostly shed all of their leaves, but some species still have only just started the process.  We are past the peak of colour, but it was a subtle peak this year.  These maple leaves are paler than last year, and very few turned brown. Today, the temperature is supposed to be in the low 60s (F).  Incredible!

F Number	5.6
Lens ID	-45mm F3.5-5.6
Focal Length	40.0 mm (35 mm equivalent: 80.0 mm)
Exposure Time	1/125
Exposure Program	Manual
ISO	200
Exposure Compensation	0
Flash	Off, Did not fire

This is Aislynn.  She's a leopard gecko, and she is resting in her 'cave'.  There was just enough flash bouncing off of things to light her up.  I don't often crop images, and my clumsiness shows, but it's definitely better even with too much extra stuff at the top.

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	On, Red-eye reduction

Wet leaves in a wet parking lot.  It probably sounds odd, but my childhood memories of autumn centre around leaves.  The dry leaves that blow and rustle and settle in drifts against the curb.  The wet leaves that stick to the ground like magnets.  And the aroma - some call it a smell, but that scent has happy connotations for me.  I'm like a little boy again when I see these leaves.

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	Manual
ISO	400
Exposure Compensation	0
Flash	Off, Did not fire

Monthly theme day - Fences

On the first of the month, the City Daily Photo blogging community chooses a theme for us to post a photo of.  This month, the theme is fences.  Click here to view thumbnails for all participants
 
I must admit that I didn't look up the theme until a few days ago, and then I scrambled to take photos of fences like a madman.  They were all horrible.  Industrial.  Commercial.  Common.  And then I saw Ciel de Quimper's post and knew that these would not do.  So I started looking through the archives.  And remembered this.

This horse was at the Love Apple Orchard's petting area.  He was interested in me because I was feeding him clover.  At the time I took this, I was hoping the fence would be less... prominent.  Because afer all, isn't the horse more attractive than the fence?  I think so too, but in this case, the fence isn't there to stop the horse from roaming about.  It's there to stop the goats from annoying the horses.  With this fence, this industrial, chain link fence, the horse can walk a few feet and be untouchable.  If he wants, he can be away from annoying goats.  And annoying people.  I felt privileged that he chose to spend a few minutes with me.

F Number	7.1
Lens ID	-45mm F3.5-5.6
Focal Length	30.0 mm (35 mm equivalent: 60.0 mm)
Exposure Time	1/320
Exposure Program	Program AE
ISO	400
Exposure Compensation	0
Flash	Off, Did not fire