A walk around ANNAPOLIS - I love where I live.

Just a lovely day and a wonderful walk around Annapolis, Maryland - soaking up the beauty of this amazing "small town".  Summer strolling at it's absolute best.

Annapolis Yacht Club

The Yacht Club gardens!!  Or flower boxes.  Flowering trees are Crape Myrtle or "Pride of India", the bright lime green is sweet potato vine.  

A few of the lovely old buildings down at the City Dock, with abundant flowering containers everywhere

OB's, or O'Briens - at the bottom of Main Street

Another beautiful flowering Crape Myrtle, old cast iron clock, on State Circle.

In the grounds of the Maryland State House - a cute cottage, on State Circle

Down a side-street - I love the painted wall, it almost looks real

A few of the many magnificent old historic row houses down the side-streets of Historic Annapolis

Welcoming entrance walkway ablaze with color

Walk this way

A very patriotic lobster adorns a doorway

Great color everywhere you look

 I love the little personal touches everywhere, out on the cobbled sidewalk

It's all in the detail

Tea - anyone…..??

Sidewalk dining outside Federal House

An Annapolis institution - Middleton Tavern, down at the City Dock

WEATHER MOODS - looking out from my office

We get some amazing storms rolling through Annapolis, and I get the best view.  My office faces NNW and sometimes I watch the purple sky approach spectacularly, and then the next minute a downpour passes over. At other times those clouds move over the city scape of Annapolis and we just watch then roll on by, staying dry.  For now, the summer storms are over as we approach an early winter in the late Fall.  Still, the view is spectacular.  I took these photos just a few weeks ago.

The draw bridge over Spa Creek, with the fall colors of St. Mary's as a stunning backdrop, the Annapolis Yacht Club across the water in front of the dome of the Maryland State House and the Marriott Hotel on the right - and those purple clouds.

The fuel dock - at the Annapolis City Marina - this is a great red building that makes any photograph look beautiful.

Through the masts and flags of sailboats, the United States Naval Academy - under a purple sky.

WINTER WONDERLAND IN MY BACK YARD

It's the most wonderful time of the year………

I couldn't help taking these roses out to photograph in the snow

Click on this link to watch my favorite from Freddy Mercury -
A Winter's Tale
It gives me chills every time I listen………….

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjWQZBmJf6M

The back patio table

My son's Jeep parked in the drive

A candle centerpiece from the dining room table, leftover from Christmas - the roses, bittersweet berries and nandina all dried perfectly

My veg garden in all it's dormancy glory - I cannot believe out of this will come bounty - SOON…… please

Holly with berries and heavy with snow

Those lovely roses

Our precious little Sadie, loving the snow

Beautiful red male Cardinal

It's snowing - again and again this year...

Another little seating area out back

Robins flocking and feasting on berries

A WINTERY DRIVE INTO THE MARYLAND COUNTRYSIDE

Not even a half hour south of Annapolis, you hit rolling hills, country lanes, horse paddocks, small ponds, thick forests and beautiful fresh country air.  With a crisp chill in the air, the trees are stark, there is a layer of ice on the ponds and red or old wood barns dot the fields.  In spring, this will turn a brilliant green and turn into lushness that is difficult to imagine now.  In the meantime, I will enjoy the stark beauty of a Maryland winter. 

The long and winding country road

We picked up some old wooden french doors from a friend who has a wood shop out in the country

Rolling hills

An interesting clump of black bamboo which seemed so out of place, but certainly made a statement.  There were piles of cut stalks nearby, so they must use them for something.  

Ice everywhere

The reeds frozen into the pond

Half the pond is frozen in the foreground, slow melt

A lovely dirt country road with moss and ferns on either side.

I cannot get enough of old wood outbuildings and red barns.