The Marsh - July and August

It's been a hot, rainy summer, which cleans growth periodically.  I have been spared taking photos of that dusty, gray, droopy look.  The lily pads, algae and cat tails are beautiful!

July 10

July 10

It was difficult to work up the motivation to keep looking for different perspectives on the marsh this month.  I want to show the transitions from season to season and find different views of this lovely area.  Can you hear the "but" coming?  Bored comes to mind and challenged!  There are only 2 July dates.

July 25

July 25

July 25

I regained some momentum in August!  It helped to start out the month with photographs of Canada geese.  The colors are starting to mature into darker greens with some dead or dying foliage.  August storms threatened the skies.

Aug 5

Aug 23

Beautiful sunny days with puffy clouds are beach days and give great reflections in the marsh waters.  

Aug 16

You know summer is ending in New England when the purple strife blooms.  Purple strife is an invasive species to our area and can change the ecosystem considerably.  Most people like it!

Aug 23 Purple Strife

Aug 27 sunrise

Fall is my favorite season.  I think I said that about spring too!  I have been photographing this place for 9 months.  Most of my photographs feature reflections.  There are two times of the day when lakes, ponds and marshes are still enough for reflections: early morning and early evening.  Prime time to get out there with a tripod and shoot!  I just wish I would figure out how to anticipate a beautiful sunset already!!

Regata Storica in Venice!

The Venetian Regata (Italian spelling) Storica is truly a festive and colorful race held every year on the first Sunday in September.  What a wonderful surprise to find out we would join local Venetians and tourists in watching the parade and races.

                                     
We were lucky to get seats with a view to the right of the beginning of the races near San Marco Square (below) and a view to the left of the Ponte dell' Accademia (bridge above).

The Regata Storica is the main event in the annual "Voga alla Veneta" rowing calendar. Rowing has been practiced in the Venetian lagoon for thousands of years and today it is particularly well-known for the spectacular historical water pageant that precedes the race.  It commemorates the welcome given in 1489 to Caterina Cornaro, the wife of the King of Cyprus, who renounced her throne to live in Venice.  Scores of typically 16th century-style boats with gondoliers in period costume carry the Doge, the Doge's wife and all the highest ranking Venetian officials up the Grand Canal in a brightly colored parade. The golden winged lion of Venice appears on numerous flags displayed on boats and villas lining the Grand Canal.

The races follow the parade.  There are five races beginning with young rowers in twin-oared pupparini.

Next is the women's twin-oared mascarete race.

Then the six-oared caorline race followed by the international universities boat challenge.

And finally, the most popular race of the twin-oared gondolini! What an exciting afternoon!