christine anne photography: Harrisville, and My Own Little Ritual

Tuesday, October 11. Lake Bonaparte, upstate New York. Foothills of the Adirondacks. Last day at the Lake.

Part I -- Harrisville

After lunch, Mom and I drove through Harrisville on our way home from errands. The scene below is what you see right before you hit the "business district" (really--that's what the sign says!). This is the Oswegatchie River. Beautiful!

So, below is the bustling business district of Harrisville--all four buildings. Well, there's also a bakery and a library on the other side of the street.

In case you missed it, below is a more detailed look. :)

From where I took the above image, I turned 180 degrees and jogged across Route 3 (which leads you to Lake Placid if you drive another hour or so). Standing on the sidewalk along the bridge, I viewed the below--it is the same place where we had a picnic lunch last summer.

Now that more and more trees were turning, the colors were brilliant as they shone out between all the evergreens along the river.

And below is my absolute favorite shot of the day.

Back at the Lake house, I noticed a single tree along Hermitage Road across from the house. First, though, below is a "before" shot. I had inadvertently captured the tree on October 7 while shooting my tea mug (don't ask). You can't see the tree well, since it's green. It's that tall, skinny tree in the upper third of the image, right in the middle, outlined against the sky.

Here it is three days later, October 10, captured in another scene:

And finally, seeing it framed in the trees, I featured this pretty tree in an image taken on October 11, below. It's amazing what three autumn days can do to a tree!

For the first time during that week, clouds scudded in with the promise of rain. I thought for sure the sunset would be beautiful--clouds are a great reflector of color and add interest to a sunset image. However, it was not to be. Still, this quiet, nondescript sunset was pretty and calming to my spirit.

A little to the north of "sunset central," the colors peeked through a bit more dramatically. I took a shot there, then headed back up to the house. I would've stayed and taken more as the colors changed into night, but everyone was waiting for me--our pizza had been delivered for dinner!

Part II -- My Own Little Ritual

Wednesday, October 12. Lake Bonaparte, upstate New York. Foothills of the Adirondacks. Last morning at the Lake.

The car was packed with almost everything, my dad and brother were finishing up the last of the winterizing chores for the cottage, and I had a few minutes to spare. It was time for my own little ritual.

I plodded on down toward the docks, the overcast skies matching my melancholy mood. Once again, a glassy Lake Bonaparte greeted me, quietly wishing me farewell until next year.

The colors across the bay were now brilliant and deep.

This is my ritual on the last morning at the Lake. Right before getting in the car for the long drive home, I say goodbye. It is my own personal ritual, though others in my family may also do it. I need one last view--a lingering and remembering, a savoring and treasuring. I want to get the picture clearly in my mind. Then it's time to leave.