Nine-Years Ago (25-February-2010) — California

Photography Workshop “Yosemite in Winter: A Season of Contrast” with Michael Mariant. Day 1: Yosemite National Park.

I was the last person to occupy this cabin in Curry Village while attending the Nikonians ANPAT 8 (Annual Nikonians Photo Adventure Trip) in October of 2008 — Led by Michael Mariant. On that day, just after lunch we heard a loud noise. It first sounded like thunder or a very loud freight train, but the noise  continued and kept getting louder. The sky was clear when we were at lunch so I knew it couldn’t be a freak winter thunderstorm. Michael in the cabin next to me yelled “rock slide, run”.  The next thing we knew, Yosemite Valley was enveloped in a cloud of rock dust. Eighteen months later, the cabin still exists but stands empty in a closed area of Curry Village.

Curry Village Cabin #228. Nikonians 2010 Yosemite Winter Workshop Day 1. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 50 mm f/1.4G lens (ISO 100, f/2.8, 1/100 sec). (David J Mathre)
Curry Village Cabin #228.  Yosemite Winter Workshop Day 1. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 50 mm f/1.4G lens (ISO 100, f/2.8, 1/100 sec).
Curry Village 2008 Glacier Point Rockfall Notice. Nikonians 2010 Yosemite Winter Workshop Day 1. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 50 mm f/1.4G lens (ISO 200, f/2.8, 1/400 sec). (David J Mathre)
Curry Village 2008 Glacier Point Rockfall Notice.  Yosemite Winter Workshop Day 1. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 50 mm f/1.4G lens (ISO 200, f/2.8, 1/400 sec).

Eleven-Years Ago (25-February-2008) — Colorado

Road Scholar “Photography in the Southwest” Workshop Day 1. Kelly Place & Canyon of the Ancients National Monument.

The first full day of an Road Scholar/Elderhostel photography workshop at Kelly Place — a Bed & Breakfast near Cortez, Colorado. This is a great location in McElmo Canyon, quiet and remote. It borders Canyon of the Ancients National Monument. I was attending the workshop with my Father and Brother. I went out on my own in the morning to take some pictures of Sleeping Ute mountain. After lunch walked around the site to look at some of the historical buildings and then went for a short hike into Canyon of the Ancients National Monument which is right next to Kelly’s Place. After it got dark, I set up a camera to take some star trail images.

Sleeping Ute Mountain and moon panorama on an early winter morning at Kelley's Place near Cortez, Colorado. Image taken with a Nikon D3 camera and 14-24 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 200, 20 mm, f/16, 1/1.7 sec). (David J Mathre)
Sleeping Ute Mountain and moon panorama on an early winter morning at Kelley’s Place near Cortez, Colorado. Image taken with a Nikon D3 camera and 14-24 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 200, 20 mm, f/16, 1/1.7 sec). (David J Mathre)
Window looking out at Sleeping Ute Mountain and wood ladder to the Kiva at Kelley's Place near Cortez, Colorado. Image taken with a Nikon D3 camera and 14-24 mm f/2.8 lens and interior fill flash (ISO 200, 16 mm, f/11, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)
Window looking out at Sleeping Ute Mountain and wood ladder to the Kiva at Kelley’s Place near Cortez, Colorado. Image taken with a Nikon D3 camera and 14-24 mm f/2.8 lens and interior fill flash (ISO 200, 16 mm, f/11, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)
Wood ladder to the underground Kiva at Kelley's Place near Cortez, Colorado. Image taken with a Nikon D3 camera and 14-24 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 200, 24 mm, f/11, 1/400 sec). (David J Mathre)
Wood ladder to the underground Kiva at Kelley’s Place near Cortez, Colorado. Image taken with a Nikon D3 camera and 14-24 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 200, 24 mm, f/11, 1/400 sec). (David J Mathre)
Sleeping Ute Mountain and red back-hoe on an early winter morning at Kelley's Place near Cortez, Colorado. Image taken with a Nikon D3 camera and 14-24 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 200, 22 mm, f/16, 1/10 sec). (David J Mathre)
Sleeping Ute Mountain and red back-hoe on an early winter morning at Kelley’s Place near Cortez, Colorado. Image taken with a Nikon D3 camera and 14-24 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 200, 22 mm, f/16, 1/10 sec). (David J Mathre)
Weeds with morning dew on at Kelley's Place near Cortez, Colorado. Image taken with a Nikon D3 camera and 70-200 mm f/2.8 VR lens (ISO 200, 130 mm, f/2.8, 1/200 sec). (David J Mathre)
Weeds with morning dew on at Kelley’s Place near Cortez, Colorado. Image taken with a Nikon D3 camera and 70-200 mm f/2.8 VR lens (ISO 200, 130 mm, f/2.8, 1/200 sec). (David J Mathre)
Old tree on a hill at Kelley's Place near Cortez, Colorado. Image taken with a Nikon D3 camera and 70-200 mm f/2.8 VR lens (ISO 200, 70 mm, f/16, 1/125 sec). (David J Mathre)
Old tree on a hill at Kelley’s Place near Cortez, Colorado. Image taken with a Nikon D3 camera and 70-200 mm f/2.8 VR lens (ISO 200, 70 mm, f/16, 1/125 sec). (David J Mathre)
Juniper berries at Kelley's Place near Cortez, Colorado. Image taken with a Nikon D3 camera and 70-200 mm f/2.8 VR lens (ISO 200, 70 mm, f/11, 1/800 sec). (David J Mathre)
Juniper berries at Kelley’s Place near Cortez, Colorado. Image taken with a Nikon D3 camera and 70-200 mm f/2.8 VR lens (ISO 200, 70 mm, f/11, 1/800 sec). (David J Mathre)



Larger size images from the slideshow can be viewed and purchased here.

Sunday (24-February-2019) — New Jersey

Backyard Wintertime Nature in New Jersey.

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Blue Jay at the Empty Bird Feeder on a Rainy Day. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens. (David J Mathre)
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Blue Jay at the Empty Bird Feeder on a Rainy Day. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens. (David J Mathre)

Eleven-Years Ago (24-February-2008) — Colorado

Road Scholar “Photography in the Southwest” Workshop Day 0. Mesa Verde National Park.

I wasn’t sure that I would be able to make the trip from Boulder to southwestern Colorado because of a winter storm that passed through during the previous days. The roads were clear, and there were not many vehicles on the road. I made it to Mesa Verde National Park in time to meet my father and brother before attending an Road Scholar/Elderhostel photography workshop. It was still snowing when I arrived at the National Park.

Winter panorama in Colorado from Mesa Verde National Park. Image taken with a Nikon D3 camera and 14-24 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 200, 14 mm, f/11, 1/1250 sec). (David J Mathre)
Winter panorama in Colorado from Mesa Verde National Park. Image taken with a Nikon D3 camera and 14-24 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 200, 14 mm, f/11, 1/1250 sec). (David J Mathre)
Spruce Tree House cliff dwelling in the winter. Mesa Verde National Park. Image taken with a Nikon D300 camera and 18-300 mm VR lens (ISO 360, 50 mm, f/8. 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)
Spruce Tree House cliff dwelling in the winter. Mesa Verde National Park. Image taken with a Nikon D300 camera and 18-300 mm VR lens (ISO 360, 50 mm, f/8. 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)
Mesa Verde National Park winter panorama. Composite of 10 images taken with a Nikon D3 camera and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 80 mm, f/4.5, 1/200 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and the composite generated using AutoPano Giga Pro. (David J Mathre)
Mesa Verde National Park winter panorama. Composite of 10 images taken with a Nikon D3 camera and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 80 mm, f/4.5, 1/200 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and the composite generated using AutoPano Giga Pro. (David J Mathre)
Square Tower House cliff dwelling. Mesa Verde National Park. Image taken with a Nikon D3 camera and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 80 mm, f/4.5. 1/200 sec). (David J Mathre)
Square Tower House cliff dwelling. Mesa Verde National Park. Image taken with a Nikon D3 camera and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 80 mm, f/4.5. 1/200 sec). (David J Mathre)
Cliff Palace in the winter. Mesa Verde National Park. Image taken with a Nikon D3 camera and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 270 mm, f/5.3, 1/80 sec). (David J Mathre)
Cliff Palace in the winter. Mesa Verde National Park. Image taken with a Nikon D3 camera and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 270 mm, f/5.3, 1/80 sec). (David J Mathre)

Saturday (23-February-2019) — New Jersey

Backyard Wintertime Nature in New Jersey. Maple Syrup Week 3.

Before going over to help with the maple syrup boil-down, I noticed a cat sitting under my patio bird feeder. While there a squirrel walked right behind it, and when the cat noticed — the squirrel got chased. It is not the same cat that I saw while starting the fire to cook down the maple sap.



Individual images in the slide show can be viewed here.