Own the Day Photography

Home
United States
South Strafford, VT
Own the Day Photography

Spread like hot peanut butter: Compassion, Tolerance, and a Healthy Planet. I hope these vibes shine through in my work. And Laugh. It's good for the soul.

05/24/2026

Hat’s off to South Wake Conservationists!

Beginning in May 2025, my friends and I began developing the Inwood Wildlife Garden, with a primary focus on planting native plants, shrubs, and trees. We’re basing the definition of “wildlife garden” along the guidelines under the National Wildlife Federation’s “Garden For Life” program, which requires the garden to have food, water, cover, and a place for wildlife to raise their young. It’s all about trying to maximize the biodiversity, and our intention is to get it officially certified in the near future.

During the winter season, we expanded the foundation by having a pond dug, but we also knew we wanted birdhouses on the premises before nesting season began. In early February this year, I reached out to South Wake Conservationists (SWC) to simply inquire about the possibility of buying some birdhouses from them (I’ve seen the beautifully constructed houses they’ve installed at Yates Mill and Crowder Parks).

However, they are a curious bunch, and they were interested to know more about what we were doing. So after just a bit of sharing our vision, they offered to not only donate three birdhouses (2 bluebird houses and a nuthatch house), but to come out and install them! Several SWC volunteers, along with my wife and kids, also planted several pawpaw and American persimmon trees that SWC also supplied. And to boot, the future is looking bright for potential collaborations!

So, this series of pics is dedicated to the SWC for jumping in to support our efforts to boost the local biodiversity! And one of the bluebird houses is already on its SECOND brood of 5 eggs each! Thank you Sara, Debra, Jeff, David, Jeremy, Monty, and the rest of the SWC volunteers!

03/25/2026

My youngest daughter and I had a wonderful 2-week excursion in VT to visit my brother and his family. On one particular day, the two of us were trying our darnedest to get some distance with a sled, but when you sink down 18 inches in the snow, it makes trailblazing quite a challenge even on a steep hill.

As we finished up, we were trudging along a fence row, and I caught a glimpse of a small but long white mammal actively maneuvering around the brush. As I stood there staring in awe but a bit perturbed I didn’t have my camera with me, my daughter asked why I wouldn’t just use my iPhone. I struggle remembering I can do that, but it was too late. It disappeared inside a hollow fencing plank. So, we finished our journey to the house.

But I immediately retrieved my camera and tiptoed the best I could in knee-deep snow and then laid on my belly in what was like extra extra plush memory foam. I got comfortable and pointed my lens towards the openings of the planks, and then maybe after a five minute wait, this is what I see.

I’m no professional in any taxon, but little long-bodied critters are definitely not anywhere close to my stronger niche. I figured it had to be either a weasel, ferret, or a mink.

Well, one of them was kinda right. It’s in the weasel family, and one of its common names is Short-tailed Weasel, but I think it’s more popularly known as an American Ermine (Mustela richardsonii). It’s also generally called a stoat. In the warmer months, they have a mostly brown coat, but in the winter, well, you see it here!

Their primary diet consists of small rodents, so they’re generally nice to have around the house. But they’ll also occasionally take a bird here and there. They are capable of also taking on animals much larger than themselves, such as rabbits.

Anyway, I was happy to learn a new tidbit!
****************************************************

12/25/2025

For Christmas, I offer you the Winter Rose.

Thank you Dr. William L. Ackerman for developing cold-hardy Camellias that we may enjoy in the heart of winter. It was about 20F when these images were taken at the edge of the mill yard at Historic Yates Mill County Park.

And as always, inspire others by leaving it cleaner than you found it. Mother Nature and all organisms big and small within thank you.
Don’t forget to stay curious! 🤔
**********************************************

12/15/2025

So, what’s your vision of the good ole USA? Gonna hashtag mine out here in no particular order, except for the first, and no consistent parts of speech:) :

12/05/2025

Spruce tips!

While venturing in Alaska during late spring this year, we found ourselves immersed in a culture that eagerly awaits that particular time of year… the sprouting of fresh spruce tips. Our guide hammered home the importance of these tiny prickly little bright green shoots to the community, just before our brief hike through the forest.

The locals use these harvested tips for a multitude of ingestible purposes, including : teas, smoothies, infused water, beer, cocktails, syrups, ice cream, sorbets, “spruce” sugar for all kinds of sweet treats, jellies, salads, sautés, stuffings, pastas, rubs, pestos, mayonnaise, and even “spruce” salt. Depending on what stage it’s harvested, the variance in flavor may be described as *“herbal, fruity, citrus, or resinous”. And it’s not just for home use either, as it’s included in commercial recipes, such as “spruce beer” at the breweries.

There’s a wonderful article if you’d like to delve deeper titled “Tip Off The Old Spruce”, by Amy O’Neill Houck (), published in EDIBLE ALASKA. URL:

*https://ediblealaska.ediblecommunities.com/food-thought/food-thought-tip-old-spruce/

So, cheers! 🍻
*****************************************

11/30/2025

Rain will be moving in today. So, to honor that, here’s some droplet decor on the sheet webbing of a grass spider, with a touch of evergreenery:).

And as always, inspire others by leaving it cleaner than you found it. Mother Nature and all organisms big and small within thank you.
Don’t forget to stay curious!

11/05/2025

A FIERY Skipper (Hylephila phyleus) is here to symbolize a good day:).
And as always, inspire others by leaving it cleaner than you found it. Mother Nature and all organisms big and small within,including this adorable flying fur ball, thank you.
Don’t forget to stay curious! 🤔
**********************************************

09/24/2025

Hey Autumn… How you do’n?

Butterfly W**d (Asclepias tuberosa)

And as always, inspire others by leaving it cleaner than you found it. Mother Nature and all organisms big and small within, including the orb weavers and their artwork, thank you.
Don’t forget to stay curious! 🤔
**********************************************

09/04/2025

Well, one crystal ball tells a totally different story. You dew you! 😁
************************************************

Address

South Strafford, VT

Website

http://www.ownthedayphotography.com/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Own the Day Photography posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Own the Day Photography:

Name:

Email:

Message:

Shortcuts

Want your business to be the top-listed Photography Service in South Strafford?