Day 31 - The train doesn't stop here anymore...

In our town, we have a railway that used to be part of the Pennsylvania Railroad, which ran from Columbia, PA, through several small towns, and then into Frederick, MD. For decades it was a thriving business as dairy farmers sent their products to market and local residents rode the train into Frederick for the day or north to the "big cities."

Following a merge with New York Central in the late 60's, bankruptcy, flood damage, 20 years of disuse, and volunteer reconstruction, it now operates as a small (about 5 miles) weekend excursion railway and museum.

When they were just little guys, our grandsons used to really enjoy riding this vintage train.

Day 30 - Stop here

Sometimes the obvious makes for a semi-interesting shot - don't think I've ever seen anything but a red stop sign.

Day 29 - Rubber stomp

Not what you'd call s**t stomping boots (I've got another pair of those!) ;) but these little red numbers are good when it's cold and wet outside, like it is today.

Day 28 - Red Alert

In support of National Wear Red Day on Friday, Feb. 1, and the fight against heart disease in women, Karin has chosen "Red" as this week's theme. I thought these red hearts made an appropriate photo for the topic.

Day 27 - Mr & Mrs

The cardinals have been coming to nibble on the seed bells we hung and every time I try to get a picture, they fly off. I finally lucked out today when the Mr. & Mrs. opted for some acorns on the deck. Not as focused as I'd like but not too bad considering I took them quick through Lew's office window.)

Day 26 - Fire starter

It's another one of those cold and dreary "not sticking my nose out the door" kind of days for me, but fortunately Lew did, and now we have plenty of kindling and wood for weekend coziness inside.

Day 25 - Gem Drop

My eye was drawn to the bright colors of the stones and bits of glass in this kaleidoscope as the afternoon sunlight filtered into our living room.

Day 24 - Emptiness

I'm not wild about winter anyway, but when there's no sun to counterbalance the cold, everything just seems so... empty. So, when I saw this empty bird nest in its empty tree on the way home from the dentist, it just epitomized the dreary, empty coldness of the day for me. I hope the former residents have flown far, far south for the winter to somewhere nice and warm.

Day 23 - "...that all men are created equal..."

Soldier's National Monument, Gettysburg, PA
(Lincoln gave the Gettysburg Address very near this spot)

Gettysburg Address Monument
(unique in that it commemorates the speech, not the man)

The Gettysburg Address

Abraham Lincoln stood at this site and reminded us that the United States was "conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal." A century later, Martin Luther King, Jr. standing on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC, reminded us that the job was not finished and told us of his dream that this promise would become reality.

"...I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: 'We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal...' "

We've come far in the ensuing years, but we still have a long way to go. What better tribute to Mr. King's legacy than for us to continue his efforts and "resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain - that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom."

(The logistics of schlepping into DC for a really cool shot from the Lincoln Memorial steps were just too much to deal with and I wimped out. Traffic, parking nightmares, lugging around O², etc., etc., plus it was flippin' cold out there had us opt for Gettysburg instead. Not as much of an impact, but certainly a connection to the MLK theme, and besides... it was closer.) ;)

Day 22 - Night Visions

Built around 1758, Schifferstadt Architectural Museum is one of the oldest and most historic buildings in the City of Frederick, Maryland, and among the best examples of early Colonial German Architecture in the country. More info can be found here. (it takes a bit to load)

Culler Lake, Baker Park
(a thin layer of ice covered the entire lake)

Wanting to try my hand at some night time photos, I'm pretty pleased with the results. The top photo is with my digital P&S camera, the bottom is with the digital SLR camera.

Day 21 - Brrrrrr

"Many rhododendron species protect themselves by turning their leaves downward and rolling them parallel to the midvein when it is extremely cold. This protects them by decreasing the area exposed to the sun, which keeps the leaves from warming up and losing water." (Pamela S. Mercure, Univ. of CT)

Even the front yard rhododendron have hunkered down and snuggled together to stay warm in the bitter cold we're having. Taking a teeny-tiny clue from nature, I didn't even attempt to stick my nose out the door today... wellll, except for sticking it out the window to take the pictures!

Day 20 - On the half shell

In the world of twos, two halves equal one whole, whether it's eggs... or marriages. Happy Anniversary Karin and Mike! :)

Day 19 - Faded glory

What a difference 11 months makes! I took the top photo on 2/24/07 while we were stopped for a traffic light in front of an antique shop in Frederick. I took the bottom photo today.

Exposure to the sun and elements has clearly taken a toll on these traditional bright red oriental lanterns.

A new 365er

You may have noticed, over there on the right sidebar, a new name under "More Project 365 Bloggers"... Lew's Pics. That would be that guy I live with, the one who puts up with my photographic frolics, and takes some pretty awesome photos himself. Give his photo blog a visit when you get a chance - he's not so bad for an old bald guy! ;)