The View from Above

Every December I fly to Wisconsin to celebrate Christmas with my brother and his family.  Every year I try to get a window seat -- I love to view the landscape from above.  This year the flight times, the light, just didn't work.  But last year was wonderful.

I'm particularly fascinated viewing the midwest from above.  The Northwest Territory was divided in 160-acre plots, and that geometry still rules the countryside.

The Midwest farm grid, with snow.

The Hudson Highlands look quite different.  The highlands are the remains of a very very very old mountain chain and over time have been worn down to, comparatively, a nub.

The Hudson Highlands, with the Hudson River at the very top  (sort of a pink beige color)

Hudson Highlands, on the way to Newburgh NY.  The line is a road in the valley.

Beacon NY meets the Hudson River, looking south.

Not exactly a holiday image...

I exchanged photos with the lovely and talented Angelo Dounoucos, and sent him this image to show that it has been properly matted, framed and given a place of honor in front of my dressmaker dummy, who is decorated for the holidays.  

His image, taken at a flea market, has a feminine gothic weirdness that really appeals to me.  And it is beautifully printed.

His comment: "Now I am beginning to understand your plan---create an army of femme fatales to take over the world!"


Happy holidays everyone!

Venus, in all her glory

Photo of Venus

From NASA Images.

Outer Space

I just signed up for NASA's Daily Image to be sent to my email address, and I've been perusing outer space on www.nasaimages.org.   I'm in awe over the images -- we are the first earthers, the very first ones!  to see the planets, the galaxies, all that cool stuff.

Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars

Aren't they beautiful!

One of the first photos taken by NASA of the moon.

Jupiter, with several of its moons.

You can download any of the images from the site.  The resolution varies considerably, based partly on when the images were captured and the technology available at the time.  You can also like it on Facebook and get daily updates.  Some of the images are photos, some are artists' renditions, but they are all amazing.