Christmas Lights, Candlelight, and Moonlight

Taking up Becky’s January Square Challenge of LIGHT. 

Not my house, but it is so inviting and the candles are flickering along the sidewalk.

And yes, that is the moon up at the top of the photo.

The temperature dropped to 32 and the lights shine in the darkness, making winter beautiful.

Becky says (via Cee’s Photography post of a lighthouse at Twilight)

I’m proposing our January squares are filled with words ending in light that means one or more of the following; sunlight, floodlights, firelight, skylights, candlelight, sidelights, starlight, footlights, moonlight, streetlights, torchlight, taillights, gaslight, headlights, or, as I have today, twilight – whether that be the astronomical, nautical or civil twilight. And feel free to find your own _____light, there are more than 50 words which end in light!

Whizzing By a Yard Full of Lights Near Galion Ohio

Just south of  Galion Ohio.  We were on our way back from Thanksgiving at the Farm.

I was the passenger with my camera at the ready.  James was able to tell me when we were getting close.

Although Laura slowed down, she couldn’t stop.

Not really possible to get a good night photo while driving by this front yard filled with colorful

Christmas lights.

Want to see a better photo of the display? here is a good one in this article in the Galion Inquirer

Nowhere to stop or drive around a block. It was a two lane highway/road.  I pressed the shutter as fast as I could.

You get the idea and can appreciate all the effort this family went to decorating.  WOW. Turns out they have been doing this for twenty years. After reading the article I see they welcome people to drive in through the lighted arches and turn around in front of their garage.  We didn’t realize it at the time we whizzed by.  Maybe there will be another opportunity.

It was something to see, even if the lights went by in a flash. Like an unresolved three D image.

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Maura Texted a Night Pic

Granddaughter Maura (just turned ten) texted me a night photo of a Christmas house. For the blog!

Last night, after Steve and I grabbed a bite, we drove through a neighborhood in search of a few more photos to add to Maura’s.

It’s dark so early now as we approach that shortest day of light.

Here’s the house in Columbus Ohio that Maura sent.

Thanks for the good idea, Maura. What a lot of colorful decorations!

Below are a few Pittsburgh houses, mostly taken from the car except for the snowy animals. I had to get out.

Just a few little things

Just a few little things. Making the season bright. Getting in the Spirit and counteracting the early darkness with festive lights and decorations.

How about the Santa on the lighted canopy over the front steps? Thank goodness I had a red light at the Edgetown intersection.

Lights in the Darkness

Left Pittsburgh Saturday morning and drove into wet snow in Ohio. Michael, Jack and Maura had fun in the city but were excited to be back home, too.

Tonight after supper, Erika drove the kids and me around several neighborhoods to see the lights. They looked cheerful.

Here are a couple of lights to counteract the darkness of winter. The one house had cars lined up to see the homeowner’s efforts.

It’s beginning to look a lot like…

Christmas.

Decking the halls. Preparing for the Christmas season. I haven’t done any decorating, yet. On the recent trip to New York, the effort was in full swing. A couple of Pittsburgh shots, too.

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My Favorite Christmas House

Yes, the longest day of the year is coming soon. Craving the light.

This is the third year I’ve photographed this house.

I love how they go all out.

One year I sent it as my Christmas Card cause it looked like a Gingerbread Candy House all lit up.

This year I took the photo with my iPhone, just two shots.

I think they’ve changed to LED lights.  It must take a tremendous amount of time to install all these lights.

Will I remember to drive by in July and see if they leave them up all year round, such a lot of time to decorate? Probably not.

At the end of the post, if you scroll down, you can see the string of lights Steve added to the front of our house. When I drove home from Ohio Wednesday night, I saw the colorful   beacon along the driveway and it touched me that he put  up a string of lights and plugged them in. Reminiscent of Charlie Brown’s sweet little tree.  He must have found them in the garage.

You can see why I am so attracted to the over the top display highlighting the architectural details of the Morningside home.  So cheerful in the dark night.

 

XmasHouse2015Here is the 2015 view taken Thursday night.

 

 

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The 201o version above.

 

IMG_4266Lone string of lights on bare branch tree to stave off the darkness at my house.  Less is more?