Daily Photos

< January 2026

January 1, 2026
Unhappy New Year: the library has dropped Freegal, a music service that makes every day of my life better. It`s not terrible out there, but I`m staying inside again. The city was supposed to pick up leaves in my neighborhood twice in recent weeks, but they never did. A nature photo taken through the living room window. My Web site gets more visitors at the end of December when I publish my Top Shots of the year.

January 2, 2026
I`m wandering though artist studios at Front Street. There are photos waiting to be taken all around here. Wire sculptures by Lori Park are on display at the Dana L. Wiley Gallery. Why leave a wall blank when you can be creative with it? Oh, that`s so kind. Thank yu!

January 3, 2026
Even at my advanced age, I still explore new things. This was the first time I photographed a skating event. I walked into the skating rink and never took my coat off. I took pictures from a platform high above the rink. But I had to awkwardly climb a ladder to get up there.

January 4, 2026
Today I had the opportunity to do something I really like. I took pictures of one of the world`s best color guards. Onyx is rehearsing for the upcoming season. I`ll see Onyx perform at the world championships in April. But it`s great to see their show as it`s being developed.

January 5, 2026
The Christmas tree was still up, so we used it. I knew she`d come dressed perfectly for this location (see December 28, 2025). She was giving off princess vibes here. Disclosure: this was taken in the women`s restroom. Lady Agnew of Lochnaw by John Singer Sargent.

January 6, 2026
Farewell 70-200mm lens purchased in 2022. Hello new 70-200mm lens purchased today. The lens is pretty big and comes with its own strap. It`s so big, I also had to buy a larger camera bag. This time, I was smart enough to buy a filter on the same day that I bought the lens (see March 13 and 14, 2025).

January 7, 2026
Not yet ready to take the new lens outside. My parking garage seems to have some new residents. It`s vacant, but brightly illuminated. In case it isn`t obvious: here`s a skein of geese in the night sky flying above a tree. See? I still have a LONG way to go on East of Eden.

January 8, 2026
A new radio station is being constructed just for me. There`s been a lot of progress since October 17, 2025. I`m going to spend many hours within this little cage. Imagine a grand piano and string quartet playing in here. Shaun Yu is keeping an eye on the project.

January 9, 2026
First photo with my new lens. It was worth every penny. The new lens performed nicely on a dreary morning. I heard them coming from a long way off. Interesting, but something`s missing. Ah, it needed a little wind to create wavy reflections.

January 10, 2026
In my photography workshop this morning, a student said she wanted to take better pictures of squirrels. After the workshop, I went outside and got cold and wet. People tell me with a straight face that they like winter. One of my class participants doing his duty. Basically the same wavy reflection as January 9 above.

January 11, 2026
I was surprised to see a frog at the park today. I wasn`t surprised to see dead flowers at the park. No berries, no bugs. What are you eating? The photographer wears a coat while the model shivers. Marvin, do you read me? Come in, Marvin!

January 12, 2026
UnSTable at the Schuster Center. An accident -- and lawsuit -- waiting to happen. I tried to take a better one, but the sun disappeared. How did birds build nests before plastic was invented? I used to park here, but got out before it collapsed.

January 13, 2026
Color guard season starts soon. A lot of robins flew away before I got the shot I wanted. The sidewalk was . . . very dirty. Totally different robin than earlier. This isn`t a babbling brook. It`s a rejoicing river.

January 14, 2026
No time for lunch today, and only a hurried dinner. I`m busy preparing for a presentation tomorrow. Classical music is like a flower (see November 18, 2025). January 14: time to send out Christmas cards. I won`t watch the movie until I`ve finished the novel.

January 15, 2026
The presentation has moved off my kitchen table to a library meeting room (see January 14 above). Wait a minute -- I`m on the air until 6pm. This helps me keep from losing my memory. Keeping track of the characters in East of Eden is hard when one has two names (see December 31, 2025). I`m seeing double. Time for bed.

January 16, 2026
Someone saw me going out the door with my camera and he said, `Stay warm.` I couldn`t follow his advice. I bet it`s warmer up there than on the sidewalk. Nobody else was dumb enough to go to the river today. Flood control measures. Someone else might be able to find beauty in winter.

January 17, 2026
Someone needs to wash my car. I`ll give you the keys. Winter teaches us lessons about mortality. There`s a lot of downtime if you`re a bird. I guess they had lots of extra wood in the 1800s. The blue dress was being whipped by the cold wind.

January 18, 2026
I spent the cold weekend indoors as much as possible. All finished. Can you smell the cleanser? I only buy a paper when I`m in it (see March 13, 2005). It took me a long time to take down all my decorations. I have 21 years of photos backed up on archival DVDs.

January 19, 2026
Another day of cleansers -- some quite deadly. Over 30 years ago, I put down shelf paper in the kitchen. Today I added more, using the same scissors and roll. And I used my camera to get a look under the disposal. As I cleaned all weekend, I listened to public radio. Nobody is required to pay, but it`s worth your support. I cleaned the oven, then tested to make sure it worked.

January 20, 2026
The temperature is low, and my respect for them is high. When online information is contradictory, people choose what to believe. I believe it`ll be 45 degrees next week. Somebody`s leftover celebration. Every actor needs a quality headshot. Jo`s manuscript, if `Little Women` happened today.

January 21, 2026
Dancing in front of his reflection in the shop window. I suggest a moratorium on food trucks during January. I deneau how to pronounce this. Do you? Who climbs up there with a can of spray paint? A new police station is being built in downtown Dayton.

January 22, 2026
Rodney Veal, Megan Flynn and Teresa VanDenend Sorge rehearse for a dance performance. It will take place at the Dana L. Wiley Gallery on Sunday February 1 at 1pm. They created a dance performance in response to artwork by Lori Park. I was privileged to watch the dance come together. These dancers have worked together before and there`s a lot of trust between them.

January 23, 2026
Never volunteer for anything in January. The theatre next door was full of tiny patrons of the arts. By adjusting my camera, I can turn dull into interesting. Kids love dinosaurs. See ya later, radio station. You`re on your own!

January 24, 2026
Color guard season started without me today. The calm before the storm. Planning ahead. I got this out of storage today and now I feel warmer. This is where I want to park if lots of snow is coming.

January 25, 2026
Good morning, Dayton! Fancy car or cheap car, we`re all equal now. 5:10pm. I had to pause for my fingers` sake at 5:40pm. I stopped at 6:00pm, but this car isn`t going anywhere.

January 26, 2026
I found a YouTube video that told me how to fix the disposal (see January 19 above and June 5, 2022). I recorded my voice on a computer in my living room . . . . . . and then uploaded my voice to the radio station. No City of Dayton snowplows have come by yet, but we do have this lady with a broom doing her civic duty. I made zero progress on the car, but the sun helped.

January 27, 2026
A cautionary tale for the rest of us. The snowhawk is a popular look right now. Man versus nature, and nature is winning. Come set a spell. Finally I`m ready to venture out onto the frozen tundra.

January 28, 2026
Your daily snow removal photo. No more living room radio (see January 26 above). I don`t quite know what an Optimod is, but when it stopped working our radio station was in big trouble. My soul during winter. Welcome.

January 29, 2026
It`s warmer if I take pictures from the parking garage. WINTER = NOTHING Watch your head! Blueblood. Where the sidewalk ends. I`d turn back if I were you.

January 30, 2026
I`m happy to see the snow melt . . . . . . but not if it comes leaking through my window. Conductor Peter Stafford Wilson, then and now. The frame had accumulated dust and bugs since 2003. Macaroni`s ready: bring on da cheese!

January 31, 2026
I`m not going out into the cold to hear Shostakovich. Water damage on my dresser (see December 30 above). Shoveling this path was my biggest accomplishment today, so you get a picture of it. They`re talking about putting in a roundabout here. I`m ready to escape the confinement of winter.

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