contrails

As the sun sets on the last day of 2020, I’d like to think this jet is dragging the old year away with it into the pale blue yonder. The worst year ever in so many ways. We’ll never forget you, 2020, but we never want to see your like again.

Canon 90D with Sigma 150-600mm f5-f6.3 DG OS HSM zoom lens at 600mm. ISO 800 1/640 at f6.3 Full frame and processed in Lightroom.

Moon at first quarter

Shot taken on 20 December while waiting for the sky to darken for shots of the Jupiter Saturn conjunction.

Canon 90D with Sigma 150-600 f5-6.3 DG OS HSM C lens at 600mm, all mounted of a Benro GH2 gimbal. Back-button focus and two-second delay. ISO 1000 1/1250 at f6.3. Processed and cropped in Lightroom.

Sunset over the Val di Chiana

These two shots of the sunset over the Val di Chiana – Val di Chio in the foreground – we taken while I was waiting for the sky to get dark enough for the Jupiter Saturn conjunction on 20 December. Another demonstration of the magic of the Sigma 150-600mm zoom. Love that lens!

Canon 90D with Sigma 150-600 f5-6.3 DG OS HSM C zoom lens at 150mm for the upper shot, 267mm for the lower one. Upper shot ISO800 1/1600 at f6.3; lower shot ISO1600 1.3200 at f6.3. Both shots full frame, processed in Lightroom.

cacchi

Cacchi, aka persimmon, are weird fruits. They don’t ripen until December when the tree has lost all its leaves and the skins damage easily. And the taste? — definitely acquired! It’s dry and pasty until they are very ripe. However, the tree gives great shade in the summer and the blackbirds love the fruit.

All shots taken on my iPhone SE.

Rose

The life of a beautiful and fragrant November rose blossom starting with a bud bursting into a flower on 19 November and continuing until 16 days later, when strong winds blew most of the petals away. All shot taken on my iPhone.

winter is coming

Winter is coming! It was 3ºC out there yesterday afternoon when I took this shot on my iPhone of the view across the valley from our terrace. Brr!