Free Photos By Claudia

Snow in Pictures when Snow Is Not Falling

2012-02-07T08:59:00.000-08:00

This is something we are not seeing enough of this year, Northeast Snowstorms! My son took this photo, and it was published in our local paper a few years ago. So this isn't actually a free-photo-by-claudia, but if you are interested in using the original, contact us, we gave permission to our local paper, and are happy to do the same for you if you tell us where the photo is posted and give credit to....I'll have to ask my son about that:-)

Christmas Norfolk Island Pine

2011-12-12T10:37:00.000-08:00

It's time to decorate my new Norfolk Island Pine for Christmas - we just purchased it yesterday. It's lush, green and full of life. How long it will stay that way depends upon a lot of factors, many of them I have shared if you click How to Buy and Decorate a Norfolk Island Pine for Christmas. It includes how to care for them. Last year, I purchased our first Norfolk Island Pine. It lasted through April, but cost us less than if we had purchased a Douglas Fir or other cut tree that would have lasted only weeks. I don't know what caused it's final "demise", and hope the new tree will last even longer. I'm off to decorate it shortly.

We wish you a Merry Christmas, and here is our decorated Norfolk Island Pine from last year.

Though simple, this is still a copyrighted picture, if you borrow it, please link back to this blog.

Geese in the Lawn - Good or Bad?

2011-06-21T13:08:00.000-07:00

I posted this picture of geese and almost-grown goslings on my Facebook page and some liked them, others have a real thing about geese. One even suggested that I get a dead Goose Decoy...have you ever heard of such a thing? I got a bit of a chuckle from that.

Personally, I like animals, including geese, and we do our best to keep them in their place, because I must admit they are a bit messy when they come up in the yard. This was just an odd day, maybe so I could get these pictures. In the rest of the photostream on Flickr you'll see them as little goslings. (copyrighted photo)

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Lambs Ear Plant - So Soft

2011-05-25T13:19:00.000-07:00

Today is a rare and spectacular weather day here in northern NJ. We have had clouds, fog and rain more than usual...still nothing like what many are experiencing in the midwest. It is hard to get out in the gardens unless you like working in mud and rain, which I do not. However, the next few days should be nice for finishing up the gardening because the soil will be easy to work.

Here is my soft Lamb's Ear plant....I can't keep my hands off of it.

Image taken by me, and usable as described at the bottom of this page..image

cannot be altered, and a link back to this post must be provided.

National Cherry Blossom Festival and Blossoms

2011-04-08T13:02:00.000-07:00

Today I am cheating a bit. I have been to the National Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington DC, but do not have a nice enough picture of just the cherry blossoms, so am borrowing one under Creative Commons License taken by toucanradio

If you would like to see the pictures that I DO have, then please visit my page, National Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington DC. If you went this year, I'd love to hear about it.

Spring is in the Air - or is it?

2011-03-21T13:35:00.000-07:00

On St. Patrick's Day, and surrounding days, we had spectacular weather after a very cold and snowy winter...lots of rain...potential flooding, and more. Things dried out enough that I went out with my camera to capture a few pictures of flowers coming up in the yard. Now remember, this is only 4 days ago. Here are 2 of those pictures:

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Okay, now we fast-forward to this morning after a slightly colder, but nice weekend, and wake up to the following:

It was disappointing to say the least to wake up to snow after such a nice taste of Spring, but good to know that it won't last. Happy first day of Spring!

Icicles at Sunrise

2011-02-16T14:02:00.000-08:00

I am not a morning person, and in my lifetime have probably missed sunrise about 98 percent of the time. But one morning this January I woke up and looked out our bedroom window at the icicles hanging from our roof. Slowly they began to glisten, so I got up and grabbed my little camera, and took this picture. It was a beautiful start to what turned out to be one of only a few beautiful days that we had in January. At this typing, we have had a turn for the better in the weather, and the snow is very slowly melting. We even look forward to a day in the 60's later this week...but that is unseasonably warm. We still have a good bit of winter to go, but Spring is just around the corner.

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Deer and Fawn Watch Over the Garden

2011-01-19T12:13:00.000-08:00

I should be showing you northeast blizzard pictures, but I can see enough of that outside my window right now. Maybe on hot summer days the idea will appeal to me more. It will be a couple months until spring, and another month until we will begin to see green again, and yet another until I can take a picture like this one, taken around the month of May of 2010 of our well garden, as I call it.

I made the garden after they drilled our well, making a ring of stones from one end of a huge stone the drillers had to bury in the yard, on around the part of the well that comes above ground, and then planted Hosta and Daylillies to hide the well pipe and cap. That was many years ago. A neighbor gave me the old stone statues of deer and fawn when she was moving. They have sat on that huge stone for a number of years now, keeping watch as the seasons change.

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Cute Baby Raccoon Pictures

2011-01-12T13:11:00.000-08:00

One early summer day in 2010 I stepped out the door onto our deck and heard scurrying and the chatter of baby raccoons. Every year there are new ones, and being an animal lover, I run in and get a slice of bread and feed them and grab my camera. When I came outside again, they were all huddled together as if waiting for me, there is a 4th somewhere up or down the tree that was "camera shy". I only do this once a year so they don't keep coming back, but I like to imagine that the mother Raccoon (I'll show her later) remembers and brings her latest young ones to show me because she knows that...at least once...I'll feed her. The previous year, I went out to get something from an outdoor freezer we have, and felt something on the back of my legs...only to turn and find 3 baby raccoons sniffing at the back of my legs..I was so startled I ran in to tell my husband, and came out to find them IN the freezer and not at all frightened enough to run off, so I had to shoo them away:-) We do have a lot of trouble with bears in the summer around us as you can see in some of my other pictures, so do not leave much food out.

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Variegated Hosta - Need to See Green

2011-01-07T13:19:00.000-08:00

"The weather outside is frightful, the fireside delightful", and I just want to see green! No, not money, but the green of the trees, the grass, my gardens. I used to love snow, I still think it's a beautiful thing, but for the first time found myself having a hard time letting summer and fall go. So I was looking through some of my summer photographs and came upon this one...my Variegated Hosta from the Spring of 2010 before it flowered and the leaves became large.

Hope you had a wonderful holiday season...sorry for my long absence. I'm back:-)

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Maine Vacation Photo Tour - #5

2010-09-12T22:09:00.000-07:00

We have been away for a week on vacation in Maine, and I've been adding a photo to each of my blogs from our trip.

We had a wonderful time, there is so much beauty all around in Maine, and I'm sure more photos will find there way on this blog, but for now, I'm doing a quick post on each blog since they have been neglected for more than a week.

I was fascinated by the old weather-beaten dead wood around the coastlines of Maine. Bleached by the sun, wind, sand, or perhaps the salt in the air.

For the previous photo, please visit this link on Baby Boomer Penny Pincher, and for the next photo, visit this link at Dream On, America!

Spider Web Between the Wind Chimes

2010-09-02T10:38:00.000-07:00

My son tells me that the Orb Spider makes this type of web, maybe, in fact the spider is in hiding as I take this picture of yet another beautiful creation between our wind chimes. It hasn't been terribly windy lately, so the webs last for some time...but as soon as the wind blows and the web is destroyed, the industrious spider has a new one all ready within a short period of time.

These are natural things of beauty to me...and my last spider entry for a bit.

Charlotte's Web in My Kitchen

2010-09-01T10:22:00.000-07:00

This is what I found one morning when I came into the kitchen to make my morning coffee. I had this ornament sitting on the kitchen windowsill over the sink, and found a little spider had made a web. If you have seen Charlotte's Web or read the book, you will completely understand why the story was the first thought that popped into my mind when I saw this. I didn't have the heart to get rid of the spider, at least for a while.

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Should I Try to Fill In the Gap?

2010-08-22T21:01:00.000-07:00

I don't think so....having a lazy August, but also have more pictures to add...will be back to do so very soon!!

Until then, enjoy the last lazy hazy days of August.

Cupid in the Garden and Fountain

2010-08-01T07:31:00.000-07:00

Here is another photo taken at the New Jersey Botanical Gardens in Ringwood, New Jersey. It is one of 4 "cupids" that are in four corners around a pool of water with a fountain in the center. I'm including a picture of that below...which, since I am a few days behind on pictures, will count as two days of pictures:-)

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Blue Heron on Our Lake

2010-07-30T07:19:00.000-07:00

Last week when out on the deck looking down at an area of our lake that is becoming quite congested with algae, I noticed our resident Blue Heron. With each move I made he/she threatened to fly off, so took a few very quick pictures, no time for setting the camera, just snap, and got this and a few other pictures. We love watching the herons fly over the lake, their necks folded back, large wing span and pulling their legs along behind.

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Black Eyed Susans

2010-07-29T06:44:00.000-07:00

I can't look at "Black Eyed Susans" without thinking of my sister, who as a young girl called them "Brown Eyed Betsies"...seems a more suitable name, after all the "dot" in the middle is brown:-)

They are blooming everywhere now, and reminding me that I need to get some to add to my garden in my quest to fill every area with something that will come up every year. I garden, but because I am not one who likes to be out there tending to the garden all the time, love plants that just seem to care for themselves...a little water, and they're happy.

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Very Tropical Looking For New Jersey

2010-07-28T21:53:00.000-07:00

I was impressed by this beautiful tropical display at the New Jersey Botanical Gardens...but this year has been so very hot, I shouldn't be surprised that these plants are doing so well while others are struggling due to our long hot spells.

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Replica of Goddess Diana in Ringwood, NJ

2010-07-27T21:43:00.000-07:00

I took this picture at the New Jersey Botanical Gardens...also called Skylands, or Ringwood Botanical Gardens...and historic Ringwood Manor is on the grounds. There are many statues, I was able to get some of them at a recent visit and will share them with you as I "catch up" with my "daily" photos:-)

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Rocky Coastlines of Maine Photo

2010-07-26T13:01:00.000-07:00

We are hoping to head north to Maine this year, where we stay and how long depends upon how much money we have stashed away by then. No matter how challenging finances are, we do our best to make a vacation happen. Job changes have made that a little more difficult than usual, but we think we can do it this year...and are thankful to have any jobs. Maine is our favorite place to go, second only to Colorado, and a good bit closer.

I wish I could recall where this one was taken...the lesson learned in this picture is don't stand so that your shadow is showing in the photo, if possible.

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Blurry Furry Bear Photos

2010-07-25T12:18:00.000-07:00

Okay, here they are as promised, the Three Bears in all their blurry furriness. Again, these are enlarged from very small pictures..so quality isn't great...but they still are kinda cute, aren't they? Thanks for enduring my series of bear pictures, we're a little obsessed with them because they come so frequently now, will try to move on to other things.

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Here's Mama Bear, As Promised

2010-07-24T12:13:00.000-07:00

In the post before this, you see the 3 bears...and here's Mama who was in the front of the line. I did a little editing to enlarge this, so it's a bit fuzzy...she was the furthest from the camera at the time the picture was taken. What's that? You'd like to see close-ups of the cubs? Okay, I'll see what I can do:-)

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It's the Three Bears

2010-07-23T21:10:00.000-07:00

Through our yard they marched...following mama bear...she'll be pictured shortly in the next post which will appear above this one. The weather is hot, so we see bears at odd times of the day trying to make their way to the water - the lake in back of our home.

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Swallowtail Butterfly on my Hosta

2010-07-22T21:01:00.000-07:00

One day when my Hosta was in bloom, I watched a tiger striped swallowtail butterfly as it went from blossom to blossom, then suddenly realized that I should get my camera. What an elusive little creature, well aware of my presence it would fly off, then come back when I hid. I was able to take a few pictures, most were too blurry, but this one didn't turn out too badly, so is my daily offering for you today.

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Passing Through Independence Pass in Colorado

2010-07-21T21:17:00.000-07:00

I was completely surprised to find that this picture was taken in September of 1996, it doesn't feel like almost 4 years since our last drive out to Colorado. When we arrived in the State one of the first things we did was drive through Independence Pass. It was quite something after so many hours of driving the flat expanses of the midwest to do the climb (by car) required to travel through Independence Pass, but so very worth it. Here is just one beautiful picture, maybe another day I'll have more.

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Tigger the Cat and Cancer Survivor

2010-07-20T09:19:00.000-07:00

Today's picture is one that I took at the end of the year in 2008. Tigger is my Mom's cat, she has three, not many compared to the 8-9 owned by my sister. Tigger was down to a skeleton of a cat just months earlier and had a tumor removed from her intestinal system. As you can see from this picture, she recovered nicely and filled out again...and then some. She is still doing well. Tigger has and extra toe on both of her front feet...a friend once told me that these cats were favorites on ships because they were able to balance better than cats without the extra toe, and were great at keeping ships free of mice. Mom has two other cats, you can see all of them and more about cats...plus people tweeting about them on twitter if you visit Cats and Kitten Pictures, Tweets on Twitter and Other Kitty Fun.

Update 3/2/11 - It's with a good bit of sadness that I share that Tigger is no longer with my Mom...her cancer returned after a few years more of life, and after waiting as long as was merciful, my dear Mom, with the help of a friend, took her to be "put to sleep". They shared loving moments with each other...she gave my Mom a cats sign of affection, rubbing her with his head, and she gave much love back, then Tigger passed peacefully. It's so hard to say goodbye to pets we love.

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Bear Cubs in the Trash - Again!!

2010-07-19T11:56:00.000-07:00

An all to common event this year is the presence of bears on our property, and I get so excited when taking their pictures, that they never look perfect...always a little blurry. Mom had decided to wander off up to our driveway and left 2 of her 3 little ones at the side of our house...you can see they are suddenly realizing Mom is gone. I'm on the deck taking this one while hoping Aspen the wonder Yorkie doesn't come out, bark and scare them away...she's chased a bear once already and lived to tell, so she's a little cocky right now. We're keeping a closer eye on her now as we have had so many visits from bears this year I've lost count.

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Hot Air Balloon Festivals In New Jersey

2010-07-18T11:27:00.000-07:00

Next weekend the Quick Chek Festival of Balloons will take place in New Jersey, followed shortly after by the Warren County NJ Farmer's Fair and Balloon Festival.

The picture today was taken a few years back at the Quick Chek festival, I can't recall whether I or my husband took the picture, but who can resist that smile!

If you are in New Jersey or nearby, I typed up a page with information about both festivals, you'll find it if you click right here . It's a fun way to spend a day out with the family, weather and other "minor" details permitting.

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The Last Double Orange Daylilies

2010-07-17T21:09:00.000-07:00

Over the past few years, I have been disappointed by the number of Daylily blooms on the plants in my garden, and last year decided to thin them out a bit. This year I had more blooms than ever...over a dozen stalks, so much better than the 2 or 3 I've had the past 3 years.

I am not sure whether my thinning the plants contributed to this, or whether it is because of the earlier spring that we had...but no matter, I've enjoyed each bloom as it's come out...one by one on each stalk each day, and these are the last of the lot...until next year.

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Very Old Gravestones and Above Ground Graves

2010-07-16T21:00:00.000-07:00

In the Spring we were Geocaching in Lancaster County, PA, and our GPS lead us to this graveyard. We would have never found this interesting place had it not been for geocaching.

This is another with more than one picture from a single picture because I wanted a close-up of the above-ground graves. We never saw a graveyard in all of Lancaster that wasn't on the property of a church.

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Gnarly Old Tree...So Ugly It's Beautiful

2010-07-15T13:48:00.000-07:00

Today's picture was taken last weekend during that drive I told you about in an earlier photo. I saw the tree quickly as we drove by and asked if we could PLEASE turn around so I could get a picture of it. I put a small section of it on another blog, Weeds and Seed Swap to see whether anyone could guess what the picture was, and am sending them over here to see the answer. Look at the amazing mushrooms (at least I think that's what they are called) growing out of the side...I think most of them were dried, now a permanent part of the tree.

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A Flower for Mother's Day

2010-07-14T21:22:00.000-07:00

Mother's Day has come and gone, but I can still enjoy the bouquet of flowers that my husband brought home from his favorite florist close to where he works. The flowers were beautiful!

I don't think this is the natural color of this flower, do believe that it was put into water that had color added so that the flower drank up the color into the petals...the stem and leaves all had similar color in them...but I could be wrong. No matter where the color came from, it's vibrant and I'm glad that I can still look at my flowers through photos.

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Hilltop Clouds at Dusk

2010-07-13T14:16:00.000-07:00

The sun sets on the front side of our house, I am out back on the deck looking across the lake in the opposite direction, and the sun is shining beautifully on the clouds above the hilltop across the lake. My husband tells me that it's rare to see billowing white clouds here...he's from out west...those wide-open spaces where you can see for miles. I've been there many times with him, so know just what he's talking about. Still, this is right here from our NJ property, and I'd say it's not half bad, wouldn't you?

Below is the same photo, but I did a little color adjust when I edited it, I am not sure which I like best.

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Lambs In Lancaster County, Pennsylvania

2010-07-12T14:21:00.000-07:00

My husband and I travel each spring to Lancaster County, PA to celebrate our anniversary. This year marked 31 years, and I don't remember how many trips to Lancaster. We never tire of the peaceful drives around beautiful farmlands. A few years ago I took this picture of young lambs when we stopped to take a walk along one of the roadways. Springtime means animals giving birth to young, and these young lambs were a delight to watch.

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Deer On the Roadside

2010-07-11T21:06:00.000-07:00

This weekend my husband and I enjoyed driving rural roads and going to see Toy Story 3 followed by dinner out at a Mexican Restaurant that served great authentic Mexican food, an enjoyable way to spend his birthday.

Driving rural roads and enjoying trees, nature and wildlife are among our favorite things to do as a baby boomer couple with grown children.

Here is a beautiful deer we saw along a Northern New Jersey roadway in a very wooded area of the State.

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