Back in the States

So.  Research (plus a small desire to see family and friends around the holidays) brought us back to the states.  My wife needed to do some raiding of the US archives for her masters degree in Northern Ireland...It doesn't sound too legit, but it is.  really.

Friends and family...and constant travelling...sure occupy much time.  Especially when everyone wants to see you all the time...I would have thought that three months is an okay amount of time to be away, apparently parents feel otherwise.  So I've been busy.  Very.  I still got my daily photo...It's just been a long time since I last posted.  So here is all that has happened since the last post.

A trip to Central Park in New York City

I got back to Ephrata just in time to see one of the older buildings in the town being brought to its knees.

Saw a father and son doing some late night fishing at Middle Creek.

Saw the close to empty Speedwell Forge reflecting some beautiful setting sun light

Set up some Lionel trains around the Christmas tree with my brother.

Christmas!

Day after Christmas! (last day I feel like I can get away with Christmas-related photos)

In the key of T(ea)...My brother and I have spent much time jamming, passing the string, key, vocal, and now washboard duties back and forth.  Yea.  He got me a washboard for my birthday.  Best present ever.

  

My 70-200 F4 L series lens arrived today.  My Christmas/birthday present to myself.  I only had a minute to try it out, but a quick handheld shot of the moon produced this, so I am more than happy with it.  Expect a review sooner or later.

Belfast's First Snow

It's December...has been for a few days.  I really would have expected some good snow by now, but I guess I don't yet have a good grasp on Belfast/Northern Ireland weather.  Well, late last night, and into the early hours of this morning, Belfast was treated to its first snow.  Not a lot, but enough.  Enough for me to grab my camera around one in the morning and get my first snow shot of this 365 photo-a-day blog.  And then, after waking up, grabbed it again and shot the beautiful, now snow covered, mountain that we have as a neighbor.

The 1:00am shot is a tad more abstract, sporting bokeh snowflakes illuminated by a street lamp and one green "spot" (for lack of better term...maybe piece?) of bokeh from a nearby green motion detecting light.

And here is the nearby snow covered mountain that I woke up to.  I must sled down that.  I must.  Also, I must get a better telephoto lens.  I'm shooting with a really old, less than great quality 70-300mm.  I'm looking into the 70-200 f4L series Canon lens.  Not the version with image stabilization.  Any thoughts?  Should I just save up and get the stabilized model?