georgewelty photography

Signs of Spring

2012-02-01T15:43:00.000-05:00

As my honey, Shirley has pointed out the birds sound like spring. I heard them again this morning and yesterday I saw a finch that was turning into it's bright yellow instead of the dull winter color. I looked around and saw tulips and other plants breaking through the ground at the end of January. Where did winter go? I complain about the cold and snow at times like everyone else, but where is it this year. I worry how this will effect the insects and weeds this summer. The winter cold helps control them, but how will the ticks be this year. I guess we will soon find out. I like to plant potatoes, peas, onions and lettuce around March 17 and that isn't too far away. Watch it snow on St. Patrick's Day.

A Taste of Winter

2012-01-21T11:03:00.000-05:00

Well, we finally got a taste of winter in Elderburg and that all it was a taste. We got a coating of snow topped off with a layer of ice. The dog had fun in the white stuff while I took pictures. I took the images while walking around this morning and watched a county plow clearing the road. I had to get out and take pictures as we haven't seen much snow this winter and with each passing day we get closer to spring. The weatherman said it will be in the 50's on Monday, so the snow will be gone by the first of the week. One thing about the snow, you get to see if the wildlife visited. Last night the deer were up close to the house tasting the bushes.

Squirrel Tricks

2012-01-15T18:09:00.000-05:00

Sitting here this morning with my cup of tea watching the great outdoors with the cat. Sometimes the squirrels look like a cross between Rocky J Squirrel and Secret Squirrel. (quick who was his sidekick and who was his archenemy?) I see this squirrel go up a tree and say to myself, no, he didn't do that. So I watched him or her closely the next time up the tree. We have bird feeders that are squirrel proof until today. There is a feeder on the tree that birds get food by sitting on the perch. The squirrels are to heavy to make it work. So anyways the squirrel runs up underneath the feeder stops and bumps it with his heads and the food comes out, which you can see in the image. Then back down the tree to eat what they have gotten out of the feeder. One time he chased crows away from the food. We have a heated bird bath in front of the window and Sam, the cat sits there and watches the squirrels and birds get a drink. By the way, Secret Squirrel's sidekick was Morocco Mole and the archenemy was Yellow Pinkie.

Winter Finally Arrives

2012-01-03T17:50:00.000-05:00

Brr! It's cold out and the wind doesn't help. But hey, it's winter and has been for two weeks. The above normal temperatures took a dive today. We were sitting in the family room and looked outside and it was snowing. It turned the ground white, but not enough to cause a problem. Just looked pretty. I am sure the kids in school for the first day after Christmas were pulling for a half-a-day, but it was not to be. The weatherman says it will be back above normal this weekend, so we will have to wait a little longer for that first good snowfall in Eldersburg.

Holiday Odds and Ends

2011-12-30T09:58:00.001-05:00

There are a few items from the holiday that I want to share from the past week. I have always felt that the saying it's better to give than receive is very true. We were at Color Fest in Thurmont this year when the granddaughters saw a bunk bed for American Girls. They both have two dolls and would like beds for them. Well, the vendor was less than friendly and we walked away. I gave it some thought and decided to try my hand at making two bunk beds. On to the computer where I searched for plans to make a bunk bed for an 18 inch doll. I found it and off I went to make the beds. The plans said use a Kreg jig to connect the wood. I had never heard of the jig or remember ever seeing one, so it was off to Lowe's. Found it and brought the wood. The jig was easy to use and made the beds look professionally done. I painted them white and it was fun to watch them open the bags that held the beds on Christmas morning.I waited until the last minute to bake Christmas cookies. I was hoping the girls could help, but it didn't work out. I learned to make the cookies with my grandmother. Matter of fact, when I hear the song ``Silver Bells'' I think of an evening when I was young and made the cookies at aunt Madeline's apartment on East Main Street in Westminster. I remember looking out the window that was steamed from the baking and seeing Main Street lit up for Christmas. This was before the stores left for the shopping centers and many people were shopping. By the way the cookies taste great. One other item was, we got to eat fresh greens we picked this week. A couple year ago Shirley gave me an AeroGarden for Christmas. It is great to have a fresh picked salad in the middle of winter. Hope you had a great Christmas.

Enjoying the season

2011-12-22T13:32:00.000-05:00

Not sure why, but i am enjoying the Christmas season this year. It's not that I wasn't interested the past 40 years or so, but I couldn't get excited. I tried the music and decorating over the years, but this year it is different. Maybe it's getting older and the memories come back to mind. I have taken an interest in the music this year, particularity from the 40's and 50's. I have also watched a lot of holiday movies thanks to AMC and TCM. I watched one of my mother's favorite movies, ``White Christmas'' three times. I remember it was one of the first things we saw when we got our first color television. When I was shooting the holiday parade in Westminster I was thinking back to the annual treat in front of St. Johns School when it was on East Main Street, The lights hanging across the street, Santa's house at Locust Lane and the trains at Bobby's Hobby Lobby. I also thought back to making sugar cookies with my grandmother in her apartment along Main Street. The picture of the little kid was taken in her apartment. The little kid is me when I was about three and yes, they had color film back then. That was the first year we had a train garden under the tree. That's also me with my Tonka trucks. The other images are of my parent's tree with the train garden in the late 1970s. The next image is a shot of our tree last year. The following images are Christmas in Westminster over the years. The inside of the church is St Johns Catholic Church, then a band playing around a tree around 1980, Santa arrives at the Westminster Shopping Center also around 1980 and the lights over Main Street in the mid-1970s.

I know I am getting older because it seemed like it snowed every year at Christmas, but I know that's not true as I remember a thunderstorm one year, which I think was 1966. When it did snow over the holidays we sled from Union Mills behind my cousin Kenny Dull's house with other kids like Dick Study and Dean Leppo into our front yard. I can't wait to watch the granddaughters on Christmas morning as they still believe in the man in the red suit. For the second year in a row, they have gotten a kick out of the Elf on the Shelf. I hope they have fond memories of their own in 50 years.

Victory in Europe

2011-12-14T15:58:00.000-05:00

Marie and Arthur at Fort Meade in 1941.

Arthur somewhere in Germany.

Arthur posing with a German tank in Germany.

Arthur with another solider in Germany. He wrote that they could see Germans from the top floor of the building in the background.

A bombed church in Germany.

A group of French boys in Portsall, France.

A chapel in Germany.

booklet of the history of the 29th Division in World War II.

                                  A map of the movements of the 29th Division during the war.

This post is a little different. Usually I share some images I have taken, but this time I dip into history. I know it was 70 years since Pearl Harbor this past week, but I was watching Victory in Europe on the Military Channel the other night and it got me to thinking. One thing was how times have changed. Now days there is the Internet and Skye while back in World War II there was the US Mail. The other thing was that it reminded me of a project I have been working on. Shirley's uncle Arthur and also her godfather passed away this past summer. He served in the Army during WWII and spoke about some of his service in our last visit. He left a few boxes of pictures when he died and I volunteered to scan them in and put them on a DVD so everyone in the family had them. Shirley's uncle served in the 29th Division during the war. He and his wife Marie kept many pictures and keepsakes. I remembered seeing some images and letters from scanning. The 29th Division landed at D-Day and fought some hard battles in Europe.
He was a member of 29th Div., 110th Field Artillery Battalion from April, 1941 until he was shipped to England October, 1942. He was then transferred to the 224th Field Artillery of the 29th Division. He participated in the D-Day invasion of Normandy, Northern France and the Rhineland, Germany. He was awarded the Bronze Star Medal, Oak Leaf Cluster, American Defense Service Medal, European African Middle Eastern Service Medal with Bronze Arrowhead. He was awarded an honorable discharge July, 1945.
He was married to the former Marie Fogle of Thurmont for 57 years. They married after he returned from the war and lived in Thurmont.
Here are some parts of letters from the time of VE day in May 1945.
A letter from Art to Marie Fogle on May 7, 1945:
My Dear Darling,
Well I suppose there will be a great time over there tomorrow seeing it is VE Day. When did you hear of it first, Marie? I know it was coming but tonight I heard it was to be tomorrow. It is a great feeling to know its over at last. I wish the Japs would give up too. I thank God that he left me live to see it. I hope he blesses us and makes all our dreams come true.
Another letter the next day:
                                                                                                   Somewhere in Germany
                                                                                                    May 8, 1945
My Dear Darling,
Well today was the great day all over the world. We had to work today, but we have tomorrow off. There were a lot of things to think about today. You could not help think of your buddies and all those who gave their lifes to win the peace. I hope the world doesn't forget them and all they gave for their country. I hope too they don't forget the boys who are left and all they have gone trough.
You know darling its seems funny to not to put the blackouts up. I guess England is really lighted up tonight. I sure wish I could get home soon, but it looks like it will be a good while yet, until I see you. I guess we can wait a little while longer seeing as we waited this long.
Further in the letter he wrote:
You know sweetheart, I didn't feel excited today at all. It was almost like another day to me. We have been looking forward so long to this day that when it came we were almost tired of looking for it. It is a great day though but that great day will be when I can hold you in my arms again. My God let it be soon.
I can't wait to see more of the images and letters as I continue to scan them into the computer. I love history so this project is a labor of love.

Looking for Lunch

2011-12-05T11:22:00.000-05:00

I was on the phone with my honey last Thursday, when I looked out the front window. I said ``I've got to go. There's a big bird out front.'' I didn't mean the yellow one from TV. I dashed into the kitchen for my camera. The hawk came closer to the house. He or she seemed to be posing for the camera before flying off. It didn't take long to find out the bird's interest. On Friday, I went outside and a chipmunk was peeking out from underneath a barrel we use as a flower pot in the summer. In the past the hawks have hung out in the woods behind the house, like the one in the last image I shot over the weekend.

Images of Fall

2011-11-27T13:02:00.000-05:00

I shared images of leaves in the last entry, but I took more than pictures of leaves and trees during autumn. There is something about seeing a hot air balloon that I have to get an image. If you ever get a chance to go up in a balloon all I can say, is do it. The ride is incredible. We know I love to shoot sunsets in Carroll. Sunsets are not what comes to mind when thinking about taking pictures in Eldersburg. Next up is winter and the snow that makes images that look like picture postcards.

Colors of Fall

2011-11-20T18:56:00.000-05:00

Most of the leaves have fallen, so it's a good time to share some images from this fall. We are waiting on the Bradford pear trees to shed their leaves, but they are past their photo stage. The trees didn't seem to turn together this year, so there wasn't many fall scenes to photograph. So I aimed my camera at groups of leaves and used the light to give detail to some leaves. Once the final leaves have fallen, I will head out with a rake instead of a camera to get the final leaves out of the yard.

Irish Festival

2011-11-13T11:16:00.000-05:00

We made the visit to the Maryland Irish Festival for the second straight year. The festival is held at the Maryland State Fair grounds, which offers plenty of room for the event. The festival is celebrating 36 years this year.There are many photo opportunities and I enjoy the bands with the changing light. Speaking of bands, the music was great and is worth the price of admission just to listen to the tunes. While we were Saturday we got to see and hear NUA, Crossing Celtic, Finbar Furey with Brian Gaffney and Brendan's Voyage and the Screaming Orphans. It's amazing to watch the crowd as they dance, clap and how many of them know the words to the songs and sing along. The Screaming Orphans bring a lot of high energy to the stage. You see it often, there is something for everyone and that is very true at the festival, as there is a moon bounce, arts, Irish Wolfhounds and Greyhounds, history, learn at many of the workshops, and crafts for sell. You don't have to be Irish to enjoy the event, so if you are looking for something to do to today head to the festival. The food is great, so you wouldn't have to cook today. If you don't make it today look ahead to November next year.

Morgan Run

2011-11-02T21:05:00.000-04:00

One of the places we like to visit and is just minutes from the house, is Morgan Run. We go to the lot used by fishermen to park. I like to take photographs and the granddaughters like to work on their skipping stones skills. I was there in the summer and returned again about a week ago. During the summer I shot with the water stopped, while in the last visit I used a lower shutter speed to get flowing water. I like the lower shutter speed, but you have to remember to pack a tripod and a graduated neutral density filter helps. The filter cuts down on the amount of light going to the camera, which is nice on a sunny day. I hope to go back soon before the last of the leaves falls.

Friday Morning

2011-10-21T19:51:00.000-04:00

Finally the rain stopped and we headed out for a few errands. On the way I told Shirley I wanted to go Sykesville for a possible photograph. I saw this possible shot about a month ago while babysitting the granddaughters along River Road. As happens, the image wasn't what I thought it would be. So many times the image in my head doesn't match reality. But all wasn't lost as I came home with some nice images of the leaves and a heron looking for a meal. On the way to do the errands, we saw Sykesville had their equipment parked in front of the fire hall for a nice image.

Visit to a Cemetery

2011-10-20T13:06:00.000-04:00

During the summer, Shirley was interested in finding where a few relatives were buried in Silver Run We found two, but had problems founding one more. So we went to the library and looked up St. Mary's Cemetery. We found the area and went back. There it was. But I didn't view the first visit as a I lost as I like to read the tombstones and look at the art work on the older ones. The last names reminded me of my time in elementary school at Charles Carroll.

Terror Football

2011-10-16T21:06:00.000-04:00

One thing that was always fun was shooting McDaniel College football. You felt that when you drove into the stadium you were taking part in a special event. Being able to park overlooking the field was great. It always made it easy to find your vehicle after the game. People tailgate through out the game. I always enjoyed shooting the football game. I saw a lot of Green Terror football on the road and at home. But I haven't shot there in over two years. I was on the Hill Saturday for another assignment and took time to shoot some of the game. It was nice to see coach Keating and the team in action. I'll have to make another trip before two years go by again. There's nothing like the sights and sounds of a game on the Hill.

Late Afternoon

2011-10-14T09:12:00.000-04:00

We attended a fall party last weekend in the Hampstead area. The event was in the late afternoon, so it was the perfect time of day for photographs. Some people call it the magic time of day. Just before the sun sets and also in the morning just as it rises, there is great light for taking photographs. There were horses, the geese went by as the light of day disappeared and one of the planes from World War II flew by. It was fun watching the moon rise over the trees and we were rewarded with a jet flying past it. Remember to keep your camera handy at that time of day.

Fall Fog

2011-10-07T20:11:00.000-04:00

I have stated in the past that I like to shoot in the fall. One of the reasons presented it self this week at Liberty Reservoir. A cold night will create fog on the water in the morning due to the temperature difference between the air and water. I shoot sunrise at Liberty this week with a hint of color as the trees are starting to turn. But the main focus was the fog. The ducks and geese were swimming through the wisps of fog as they rose off the water. It is so quiet and pretty, sometimes I have to remind myself to take pictures.

Eating in Gettysburg

2011-09-28T10:56:00.001-04:00

We were in the Gettysburg area Saturday afternoon for a niece’s birthday party and decided to visit the Outlets and Dobbin House. After taking in a few stores at the Outlet, our stomach’s voted for dinner. Being in Gettysburg, there was only one choice. Shirley and I love Dobbin House and see it as a treat to take someone with us. In this case it was family. There was a wait of 20 to 30 minutes that stretched to just short of an hour,, it is one of the few places that is worth the wait. Of course, I had my camera and took some images during the wait as day turned to night. While there is the Alexander Dobbin dining rooms, we like the Springhouse Tavern. We find the tavern romantic and enjoy dining by candlelight. The grandchildren are happy as Madison gets a fruit platter and Emma gets a cheeseburger, plain, only cheese. Shirley and I got our usual meal of onion soup and open faced ham sandwich with spinach, cheese and mushrooms. Becca decided to try the onion soup and enjoyed it. Sean had the soup of the day which was a gumbo and he said it was good. Of course, I haven’t had anything there that wasn’t good. If you are ever in Gettysburg, we suggest you stop by Dobbin House for a dining experience.

Focusing on deer

2011-09-19T20:59:00.000-04:00

At times, its hard to remember to take pictures when the deer are out back. They are fun to watch in the morning and evenings, especially when the fawns come along. Whe the fawns are young, mom leaves them at the egde of the woods, but as they age they tag along and play. Mom also teaches them to eat in the garden. Watching them eat the beans and tomatoes makes it easy to see the crop damage that farmers talk about. One of the images is a deer with a mouth full of beans. I know the hunters have taken to the woods for bow season and other hunters are thinking about rifle season at the end of November, but I shoot the deer with my Nikon. The deer pictured here, where all shot in the Eldersburg area. Seven of the images were captured out the kitchen window. If you look at the seventh image, you see white tails on both sides of the doe. She has two fawns that are nursing.

September Song

2011-09-09T08:38:00.000-04:00

I was disappointed when I heard September Song would not be held this year. The shows are always first rate. The production always said fall was here to me. I always looked forward to shooting dress rehearsal. I got to shoot about 10 out of the 38 shows they held. Sports and other duties kept me from shooting the assignment every year. I always felt like Santa missed my house when I didn't get to shoot it. By the way, I love to shoot plays. It keeps you on your toes with the characters moving and the changing light. I should add that I like musicals, so it was fun to shoot while singing along. So I was happy to hear they were holding a revue this year. I didn't get to cover it, but I know they are working to return next year. The past few years they have performed at Century. The revue is Saturday night at Carroll Arts Center in Westminster. I quickly grabbed some images from some of the shows I have shot. They are Showboat, 1976; Man of Lamancha, 1986; Camelot, 1987; Hello Dolly, 1988; Sound of Music, 1989; Annie, 1998; Hello Dolly, 2003; Anything Goes, 2007 and Annie Get Your Gun, 2008.

End of Summer

2011-09-03T14:34:00.000-04:00

Labor Day weekend always marked the end of summer when I was growing up, so I thought I would share some images from the warm months of the year. The pools would close and we would start school on Tuesday(okay, that was 40 years ago). The sunsets seem to be perfect for the end of the season, as the sun setting ends the day and Labor Day ends the summer. I love the squirrel, he looks like he is ready to fight. He was looking for peanuts that Shirley threw out for the birds. Some of the images of the sun and clouds remind me of Sunday church bulletins. The color foam on the windshield is from a car wash, where the granddaughters love the foam. I will keep my eyes open for more images before summer turns to fall, but already my mind is searching for scenes of autumn. There is one spot on River Road I plan to capture when the leaves start to turn. All of the images were taken in Carroll.

Wings and Things

2011-08-29T16:40:00.000-04:00

I love to take pictures of nature and that includes bees and butterflies. I have made mention before about not seeing as many of them as in the past. That really rings true this summer. It has taken this long to gather some shots of butterflies to share. We have a lot of flowers and a butterfly bush but it has been slim pickings this summer. Last summer, our jasmine plants (we have two that we set outside for the summer) were magnets for butterflies. We have only seen one or two on the plants this year. The hummingbirds are shy this year also. I was able to capture images of this one last week. Of course I have kept up with the birds this summer.

Sights from the Ocean

2011-08-23T09:28:00.000-04:00

I have been showing you images from Ocean City, it looks like we were everywhere, but the beach. We did make it and here are some images from the beach and around Ocean City and Assateague Island. The first couple images are from the island. The rules are relaxed there and you get to see folks fishing next to those enjoying the sun and water. I love to capture reflections on water and the canals offer a good chance as the condos block some of the wind. I have seen the Coast Guard practicing water rescues and you can't miss the lifeguards in Ocean City. On this visit, we watched the lifeguards in action as they pulled a person in trouble from the surf. You never know who you will see on the Boardwalk, as Natty Boh walked around shaking hands. One thing you see as you cross the dunes to the beach are the colorful umbrellas. Keep in mind to protect your camera. Sea water and sand are two of the biggest enemies of camera euipment.

After sunset in OC

2011-08-18T17:24:00.000-04:00

When you think of Ocean City, two items usually come to mind. The beach and the Boardwalk. After the sun goes down people are attracted to the Boardwalk like months to a light. For me that means a chance to take pictures. I like to walk next to the beach so I can shoot back at the shops and the lights. The Boardwalk looks different at night with the colorful lights. The sunset pictures were shot on the bay side right as the sun dropped from view. I hope to capture more sunsets the next time we visit OC. The big t-shirt seller has the word ``Bro'' on it. Also, I saw clackers for sale on the Boardwalk and have included a shot of them. I last saw them when I was a senior in high school and that was a while ago.

A Trip North

2011-08-11T09:14:00.000-04:00

We went to Silver Run looking for the graves of a few of Shirley's relatives. We found half of what she was looking for. It was an easy decision to travel on to Gettysburg, one of my favorite designations. First stop was the outlets and after a few purchase it was on to the battlefield. It's tourist season, so there were a few people around, which made it hard to shoot. I got a few images that I looked, but than my stomach said what about me. The next stop was easy also, Dobbin House. We both like traven for the setting and the food. I like the challenge of taking images by candlelight. We agree that we did to visit again, soon.

Picturing Summer

2011-08-04T08:52:00.000-04:00

I have more Ocean City images to share, but I decided to share some images of one of my favorite subjects, Carroll County. All of the images, but one were taken in Carroll. The one that wasn't taken here is the flag on a stone building, which was captured in Thurmont. Yes, the sunsets were taken in Carroll. You don't thing of sunsets in Carroll. When you take the time to look and enjoy, they are beautiful. The deer was standing in our garden enjoying a snack of the tomato plants. The church steeple is Freedom United Methodist Church. I have seen the steeple many times, but this once the sun rays were braking through the clouds. I have said it before and here it is again, carry your camera with you. The squirrel on the fence was captured walking to get the paper in the morning and the horse was shot at a birthday party. Most of the flowers were shot in the morning after an overnight rain.

Down the Lazy Creek

2011-07-28T19:58:00.000-04:00

I got to feel young today as we headed to my mom's house. We took the granddaughters to go swimming in the Big Pipe Creek. My mother lives next to the creek and I spend my youth along the water way. We had told my mother we would be visiting at her 75th birthday party last weekend. I grew-up splashing, swimming, fishing and ice skating on the creek. I guess you could say I was a member of the PCSC, The Pipe Creek Swim Club, ha ha. We picked up chicken on the way for a picnic, but not any chicken. Chicken from Bullock's, which we think is the best in the area. The first image is the view from an inner tube floating down the creek, boy was that a flashback. The girls caught crayfish, watched water bugs and checked out the shells in the water, but they got a kick out of floating down the creek in inner tubes. I know the creek has changed over the years, but the memories live on.

Visiting the Horses

2011-07-26T19:36:00.000-04:00

On the way to Ocean City, the granddaughters said they wanted to see the horses. They had heard Shirley and I talk about our visits to Assateague Island and they wanted to see the horses. It was the fourth visit in the past nine months for Shirley and me. It was the most horses we had seen on any of the visits. The girls loved it. They also got to see the beach on the island, which got the excited about getting to Ocean City.

A Step Back in Time

2011-07-21T21:16:00.000-04:00

I remember my first visit to Ocean City in the 1950s. We stayed at the Sunset View Motel, which I believe was on the bay side at 49th Street. The motel is gone, from the memories remain. One of the memories was Trimpers on the Boardwalk. The granddaughters went to Ocean City last year, but for the beach. This year they visited the Boardwalk for the first time and it brought back memories. Shirley and I enjoyed watching their faces as they saw the bright lights of the Boardwalk, but really got a kick out of their reaction to the mirrors at Trimpers. I remember looking at the mirrors with Uncle Floyd, my grandmother and parents. The girls laughed harder with each mirror. They also enjoyed looking at the different animals on the antique carousel. They are used to just seeing horses, so they had fun looking for the different animals, like a cat, dog, and chicken to name a few. The Haunted House also attracted them, but they weren't sure what to think. One did make the trip through on Saturday evening. Hopefully in over 50 years they will remember Ocean City and the first time they looked in the funny mirrors.

Moon over the Ocean

2011-07-18T19:34:00.000-04:00

We were in Ocean City over the weekend and headed out to the Boardwalk Friday and Saturday evenings with the granddaughters and there it was. It was the full moon. I had forgot about the full moon, until I saw it Friday evening parking the car. I was able to shoot the moon while walking toward the Boardwalk and then spent time trying to get a shot with the Ferris wheel. I got some shots, but nothing I liked. Having fun watching the Boardwalk with the little ones, I forgot all about the moon again Saturday evening. I was standing on the Boardwalk watching people when I saw the large reddish-orange circle on the horizon. I started shooting and got a shot looking through the set-up for the Dew Tour which will be in Ocean City this weekend. I headed for the pier again, but this time for the fishing pier. I was able to get some nice shots of the moon, but I still liked the one I took Friday night of two figures on the beach with the moon shining on the ocean.

Stained Glass Art

2011-07-11T17:03:00.000-04:00

I love to shoot churches, in particular old churches. I got a chance to photograph one in Thurmont this week. Shirley's uncle and also her godfather passed away and the funeral was held at his church, Weller United Methodist Church. A beautiful building and lovely stained glass windows. The double stained glass window seems to glow in the corner where there is an image of Jesus. A painting of the Last Supper that her uncle painted also hangs in the church. One of my favorite churches is Baust Church on Old Taneytown Road. I will share some images of it in the future. If you have been following me on Patch, you know I have been shooting churches for westminster.patch.com. If you haven't been following, you can see the images at http://westminster.patch.com/articles/photo-gallery-focusing-on-westminster-churches-part-i

There Are Signs Everywhere

2011-07-03T16:14:00.000-04:00

I am one of the people that likes to read signs. Okay, I love to read and usually have a book with me. The Sony e-reader Shirley gave me over a year ago gets a lot of use. Anyways back to signs. I read them while driving and have been known to go around the block to be able to read a sign or even take a picture to read later. I like the sayings on the sign at Southern Automatic Transmission Service on MD 32 in Eldersburg. I always read them when we are driving by. The sign that brings a smile to my face has been across the road at Pizza Hut. I know what they mean, come dressed in baseball or Hawaiian clothes, you get a discount on the bill. But when reading fast driving down the road, it is easy to think that the regular customers are naked. We have eaten there a lot (when you have granddaughters, you find all the pizza places) and everyone has had clothes on. Just looking at the pictures of the sign brings a chuckle.

Images of Spring

2011-06-18T10:16:00.000-04:00

In the ``Wizard of Oz'', Dorothy clicked her heels together and said there is no place like home. She was on to something as all of these images were taken in our yard expect the one of the stream and woods which is on Linton Road. Summer arrives in Eldersburg and Maryland on Tuesday, so I thought I would share some more images of spring. The photograph of the frog doesn't do justice to the little fellow. He blended into the banister on the porch and looked white. I almost didn't see him and called for Shirley to see the frog of a different color. I love nature and the images show that with the flowers and birds. We were able to watch some birds take their first flight from the nest. When the lilac bloomed I thought nothing smells better than that and then the magnolia tree blooms and I think nothing smells better and then the jasmine. Well, you get the picture. There are a couple things I haven't seen much of this spring and that is butterflies and bees. I hope the butterflies appear as they are fun to watch as they go from flower to flower.

Prayers answered

2011-06-11T21:27:00.000-04:00

A lot of prayers in the Welty family were answered last Sunday. I was waiting for the Liberty senior class to march into McDaniel College gym for graduation when I received a text message from my sister. It read ``John is stateside. He is home from Afghanistan!'' Our nephew had returned. I called Shirley and asked if she had seen the message. I was so happy for his lovely bride and son along with my brother and sister-in-law. They have had some very long days since he was shipped overseas. It's funny, that while he has a wife and son, I always tend to remember him as a little kid with a big smile. That's while I included a photo from his youth. Now he's a man with a big smile. I have had his picture on the bed stand since he's been away. Now we can't wait to see him and welcome him home.

Feeling my Age

2011-06-05T10:00:00.000-04:00

The past week was a reminder of getting older or maybe it was a movie or book I wandered into. It started at the Memorial Day parade in Westminster. I was shooting for westminster.patch.com and before the event started I was wondering how many of the parades have I attended. I figured it was around 53 or 54, which wasn't too bad for an event that was marking it's 144th celebration. Anyways I am shooting pictures when I hear a voice go ``George, how are you.'' It was Sgt. Maj. Melvin Hoffman, a Westminster High School classmate. Our class is planning our 40th reunion this summer. Then it hit me, Melvin was the keynote speaker for the exercises in the cemetery. That's for the older veterans in the county, wait a minute we are older. We are now the people we listened to after the parade. This was heavy on my mind as I drove to Sykesville for another Memorial Day event. During the week, Becca, Shirley and me were busy moving mulch and mowing the yard. We have three birdhouses full of birds. We got to watching one of the houses, as the little ones were making a lot of noise. We took a break and was able to watch them take flight for the first time, as they left the nest. Becca had mentioned how sad to watch them leave home and the parents were off looking for food. Food for their babies that wouldn't be there when they returned. Getting older and leaving home. Next was the annual fire muster Saturday for the Westminster Patch site again. I am watching the parade and when I start to realize I had shoot a few of the equipment in action and in the case of the two from Westminster, I sat on as a little kid. My grandmother lived next to the fire house and my Uncle Floyd Gamber was a fireman. The fire house seemed to be Uncle Floyd's second home and I have a few memories of our time together when I was little. He would take me down to the fire house and let me sit and ring the bell on the Amercian LaFrance trucks and there they were in the parade. Then the Pleasant Valley's engine went by and now I was really feeling older. Besides seeing the engine in action, I saw it go by the house on Murkle Road many times answering calls in the Pleasant Valley area. At the muster, I found out Mike Stewart, who owns the engine with his family as grandchildren. Put that together with seeing units from Manchester, Reese, Sykesville, Pleasant Valley and Westminster and I was feeling my age. If they were antiques, what does that make me. I also shot Century, Liberty and South Carroll graduations this week and got to see the students start a new chapter in their lives.

Viewing nature

2011-05-29T19:39:00.000-04:00

This post is heavy on nature and no sunrises. We visited Assateague Island during our stay in Ocean City, which to me is one of the highlights of the trip. I said we, as Shirley and I was joined by my sister Jane and a friend of hers. On our visit to the island we took two of the three nature hikes which were great to take pictures. I have fished by the island before, but last fall was the first time I had been on the north end of the island. I had been to Chincoteague, VA on the south end. One of the things I like to photograph are the horses. You can't visit the island without thinking of ``Misty of Chincoteague.'' I also like the new visitor center. There aren't many fish in the aquarium, but they are fun to shoot. There are rocking chairs inside and out to take a break during your visit. We went to the island twice during the visit and can't wait to return in the fall.

One last look at Ocean City

2011-05-25T09:00:00.001-04:00

Hopefully after viewing the images from the beach, who can feel the sand between your toes. The summer season kicks off this weekend at Ocean City. We visited the beach in October and May and had a great time. Long as you don't want to go swimming, Ocean City is a great destination. We were lucky as SpringFest opened while we were there. Ocean City hosts many events during the season including FallFest in September. This is the last of the sunrises from the beach, along with some shots from Rehoboth Beach in Delaware. There is a candy store, Snyder's that we like to visit for treats for the grandchildren. They also have candy from our childhood that is fun to look at. As a closing there is the moon rising over Ocean City. The next post will be a look at nature.

More from the Beach

2011-05-22T10:06:00.000-04:00

After a break with images from Carroll, it's back to the beach. Of course there are more sunrises, but there is also more nature. Some of the images were taken on a rainy day. In a week the beach season starts with Memorial Day weekend. Hopefully the images will get you in the mood to visit Ocean City this summer. I enjoying shooting the fence along the dunes and I can't pass a lighthouse without wanting to take a picture. This lighthouse is over the state line in Delaware. It is the Fenwick Island lighthouse. I have two more posts that deal with the shore, which I will post this week.

Rainbow

2011-05-17T19:14:00.000-04:00

Coming down in buckets or raining cats and dogs, no matter what you call it, it was pouring Tuesday evening. I stood on the porch for a while taking pictures. For some reason, I like to photograph rain dropping off the flag. I was on the porch, when all of a sudden the sun broke though. I ran into and told Shirley, I was going to walk up and get the mail. I took my cameras along because I figured there was a rainbow to be seen from Bartholow Road. I was right, but I got a surprise because it was over a cherry tree in bloom. But then Mother Nature had a surprise for me, as the clouds opened up again and I got soaked getting back to the house, but the mail stayed dry.

Spring brings color to Carroll

2011-05-16T08:29:00.001-04:00

I have written before that I like all four seasons, but spring and autumn stand out. This is a break from Ocean City, which we will return to in the next post. The last two weeks has kept me busy in the yard, vacation and taking pictures. The landscape is green in Carroll and flowers are pitching in with color. Trees have filled out with their leaves. Boy, has the grass been growing. I went to mow the yard and checked the flywheel for a mouse nest. There was a nest and more. I went to grab for the nest, when A snake poked his head out at me. I jumped back about five feet. On the good side, while there was a nest, but there were no mice. The garden I planted in March is starting to provide for us. I have been eating spring onions, we have had spinach in omelets and fresh broccoli should make it way to the table this week. Now to get the tomatoes, beans and squash in the ground. To tell you the truth, I should have had them in the ground last week. It's funny that I have been showing you sunrises in Ocean City, but have captured great sun sets here in Carroll. The three late day images were shot while on sports assignments for Patch. I love shooting the flowers and birds. The birds have been busy building nests and one sparrow had a hard time trying to get items into his nest. They were too big for the hole.

Love on the Beach

2011-05-12T09:48:00.000-04:00

Most of the time we were in Ocean City it was windy, which made the the temperatures cool on the beach. One day we headed out to enjoy the sunshine. Shirley was sitting in a chair reading, when I decided to take a walk along the shoreline, as it was low tide. I got about 100 yards away from her when I came upon two horseshoe crabs. Usually when I have seen them on the beach, they are dead. But these were very much alive. I ran back and got Shirley to show her my find. We watched them for about 30 minutes and chatted with another couple who stopped to watch. When we got back to the condo, Shirley looked up horseshoe crabs and said they were mating. I told her they have been around for years and she said said they were living fossils. The crabs have been here for over 450 million years. It is believed the crabs look for sand or mud like what they were hatched in. That means relatives of the crabs we saw had been coming to the area for a while. Unfortunately a day later while standing on the balcony, I saw a couple pick-up two crabs and throw them back in the ocean. I am sure they thought they were in trouble. Fishing for the crabs is starting to become restricted on the East Coast. They are used for bait for eels. Many of the eggs are eaten by birds. After that encounter I kept my eyes open for the crabs and was able to photograph a few more at the shoreline. Remember nature is fun to watch and photograph, but think before you touch.

Ocean City goes to the Dogs

2011-05-09T09:42:00.001-04:00

There always seems to be something going on in Ocean City. The weekend we were there offered many events including Maryland International Kite Expo and the 11th Annual Board Walkin' for Pets. We got to view both on a stroll along the beach. If you are new to my blog (it now appears on eldersburg.patch.com) my camera goes where I go. The dogs were cute including the small one that barked at two stuffed dogs in front of a store. The kites filled the sky along Sixth Street. Something we always look for on the beach is the sand sculptures. This time, we got to see Randy Hoffman in action. Many people stop by to see his creations every day. Okay, I told you that you would see a lot of sunrise images and here are some more. These cover two days at the beach, along with a few in the evening as the sun peeked through the clouds.Two things that always get my attention are fences and birds, which you see in this post. It's great to capture images at the beach, but remember to protect your camera and lens from the saltwater and sand.

Spring at the Ocean

2011-05-06T21:00:00.000-04:00

We spent the last week at Ocean City and it was great to get away. What that means is you are going to see a lot of sunrises over the next week. After viewing the images, you will not be able to say if you seen one sunrise, you have seen them all. They were all different and fun to watch the first light of the day. It was also fun to keep an eye open for ducks and dolphins. We enjoyed walking on the beach, visiting Rehoboth Beach, the horses at Assateague Island, watching horseshoe crabs and many other sights to see at the ocean. So enjoy.

A Great Stop

2011-05-02T18:42:00.000-04:00

One of the things we needed to do our next trip to Ocean City was to visit the Seaside Country Store. This trip we made sure we visited early into the trip and boy was it worth it. When we were down last fall we saw the store on a journey to Rehoboth. But the store was closed at that time. The store is along Coastal Highway in Fenwick Island in Delaware. There are two floors to browse through. There is candy, jelly, cat and dog items, Coca-Cola merchandise, cheese, home furnishings, dolls, Christmas, Halloween and a whole lot more. There is something for everyone do matter how old you are. This time of year the store is open daily 10-5 from march to November. They spend the winter restocking the store before opening in the spring. The landmark has great displays and it is easy to lose time just checking out everything. It was a wonderful experience and I know we will return very soon.

More Spring

2011-04-28T09:23:00.000-04:00

I love to shoot the Spring season, as nature comes alive with color. The birds are building nests and checking out all the birdhouses in the yard. The color changes daily as new flowers bloom. You have to grab the camera and take a picture when you see it, because of the rain and wind, it may be cloudy tomorrow. A few of these images were captured early in the morning after a rain. The geese were marched down the road at the boat dock at Liberty Reservoir. The granddaughters loved seeking the babies out for the walk with their parents.

Sunrise

2011-04-26T14:27:00.000-04:00

One of the things I love to photograph is Easter Sunrise Service at Liberty Reservoir. I got up early Sunday morning and started to get ready when I heard rain drops on the sky light, but I could see the first light of day out of the window. Off to the lake I went and when I got there vehicles were leaving the boat dock. I knew what that meant, the service was moved indoors. Shooting a sunrise service indoors would be like the same as a service at 10 or 11 a.m. There wasn't much rain falling at that point, since I decided to shoot sunrise with the fishermen going out to wet a line. The light was great on the water and it was so peaceful. It was a great way to start Easter.

Last Week

2011-04-18T13:52:00.000-04:00

The past week saw the temperature go up and down and speaking of down, boy did the rain fall at times. Especially Saturday evening as a front went through. The weather kept me from covering sports, so I was itchy to take pictures. So out into the front yard I went and shot the the Bradford Pears and flowers. I saw the moon rising while shooting the blooms on the Bradford Pears and aimed my camera that way. The granddaughters have wanted snowballs, so Sunday after dinner when headed to their favorite snowball stands. While they got their tasty treats, I shot the cross on a church with the sun going down. A visitor from last year returned this week. A chipmunk makes his way into the bird feeder, but try as he may, the squirrel can't get to the food. Most of the birds let the chipmunk alone. Not a bad week with my Nikon.