with a wood stove in our kitchen

post #122

     
      In honor of chilly and icy weather, I decided to share photos of a wonderful member of our household staff -- the wood cook stove that was in the house when we bought the place forty years ago.  I have been known to take the stove for granted, but it's usually of great interest when someone visits our home for the first time.  We have it connected via a stove pipe to its chimney in the winter.  In the summer, however, we take out the stove pipe and push the stove up against the wall behind it as a way to provide additional space for summer comings and goings.  We don't rely on it for cooking, but we can boil water on it, cook potatoes or cornbread in the oven, or keep a pot of soup warm all afternoon -- if it is cold enough outside to make it worthwhile to build a fire.
      In the following photos, our kitchen area is close behind me.
      

the stove in use today, water boiling and a pan of water providing steam into the dry heated air

firebox on the left, oven in the middle, and, formerly, a water tank on the right, which, unfortunately, rusted out even before our time and doesn't seem easily replaceable

oven door  --  the gauge isn't actually all that accurate

The wood goes on this side, so my husband cuts it to fit the size of the opening.

To see what is behind the white door on the left, see the next photo.

wood burning in the top, ashes falling to the bottom, drawer comes out for periodic emptying

close-up from the last photo

wood in, lid still open

Here's a fire from last week, wood burning hot.  Often a slower fire can last the night.

yes, indeed

My husband, Frank, took this next photo Saturday morning, at one of the waterfalls.  Thanks!

       

    Photos two years ago of this same waterfall are on my blog here.  John Flavell took them, and today I want to thank him again for sharing the photos and for enjoying using our wood stove so very much.  I can also share that yesterday John won first place at the Kentucky News Photographers Association for the Best News Picture Story/Essay -- on the aftermath and recovery of West Liberty following the March 2nd tornado.  Bravo, John!! Click here to see these winning photos. 

    Next week, something completely different....

ice, birds and a belly button

post #121
      Today has second swearing-ins for Obama and Biden and a second birthday for Will.  For me, there's a second try for belly button photos and an unexpected first -- a merlin sitting on a branch outside the bedroom window, keeping all birds away from the bird feeder which the bigger bird could keep his or her eye on.  
      So here are some new photos that bears sharing.  First the followup from last week's trunks, the promised redo of the belly button in the beech:

along the path, which we often take!  How could I have missed seeing the belly button until now??!!

belly button, detail

     Some bird visitors earlier this week:

eastern bluebirds passing through, enjoying our berries

This looks like a house finch to me -- colorful companion visitor with the bluebirds!

       The New Year's weekend ice storm wasn't terrible.  We didn't lose electricity and therefore we could enjoy its beauty.

stopping by the side of the ridge road

detail while stopped to make the above photo

very close to home -- photo made from our deck

 
    Yesterday's bird visitor:

I only noticed this bird because I caught the yellow legs in the corner of my eye, as I walked by the window, and then took a closer look.  The eyes here are pointed directly at the [no birds in sight] bird feeder.

 

This seems to be a falcon, more specifically a taiga merlin!  Does anyone have an alternative identification?  We have never seen one before.  I was honored by its patience as I went downstairs to get my camera, returned, tried different views, etc. The wind was blowing quite vigorously, so I didn't know if I could get a sharp enough photo.  So, to self, I say bravo!

            Next week I plan to share photos of our wood burning cook stove, in honor of the very cold week that may be coming up.   For now, I end with a photo from our woods I made just because I love the shape and design.

a beautiful burl, saying to me What goes around comes around.

another grouping, this time it's tree trunks!

post #120
       I was part of a discussion this week about trees.  This morning I realized I do have a quiet photographic fascination with them.  It may even go back to a special beloved tree from childhood, located fairly near the house in Connecticut where I grew up with two younger sisters.  Climbing to the top of that evergreen guaranteed a quiet place and a hidden place.  It also provided that satisfying feeling of fear combined with accomplishment.   
      We played under the tree's lower branches as well, endlessly.  That shelter could be any kind of place we imagined it to be. 
      Today I am sharing seven recent random photos of tree trunks.  I can't help myself.   Then there are two more images, both taken this rainy afternoon though I first coveted them last week. This whole post actually becomes a story about keeping on keeping looking.

northern flicker, posturing on a black walnut

red-bellied woodpecker, dining (not on the same day)

a curiosity

I guess I should have showed this beech trunk initially....

wired in the woods -- but once this was the edge of a field?

vine visitors

old, rotten, covered with fungus

      I have walked by the beech tree in the photo below at least a hundred times, but until last week I never noticed it has a belly button!!!  I love it.  When I get a better photo of this trunk, I will replace this version of its photo, but I am eager to share my discovery anyway for now.  It is what I mean by keeping on keeping looking.  You just never know what is nearby that needs another look!

       On a personal note, yesterday I saw the movie LINCOLN, and I liked it even more than I expected to.  Lots to think about.  I trust each of you has also had a recent interesting event that piques your curiosity. 
      Thanks for your visit to my blog!

revisiting: a thank you to a neighbor and friend

post #119
      For the kind of witness photography I do, it sure helps to have tolerant, kind and curious neighbors.  Since I usually don't know myself what will catch my eye, I am grateful to be accepted at my neighbors homes and farms at unexpected times as well as by invitation.  For example, the heirloom tomatoes, below, from their garden, were newly picked when I stopped by.  Then those same tomatoes or last year's are canned.  The zucchinis in the garden were the last of the season.  Then the cat walked by.  Behind me, then, the view.
     Today I have singled out my friend Sandy, shown here in the stripping tobacco photo which is part of my "neighbors working" series.  (I am reminded that I have yet to ask her what it feels like to share a name with a superstorm!)
     There are a dozen photos here and I could show more, but the idea today is to share how multiple occasions allow for a more complex photo story that crosses a single genre of image.  Tolerance and kindness are indeed part of the picture.

formerly the honored December activity, stripping tobacco

her cat on patrol

the view toward our woods from Sandy's house

sister, cousins, nieces, nephews, grandchildren, daughter-in-laws, sisters-in-law, at Halloween

the year of the very tall corn in Sandy's garden

zinnias -- which I took for the Appalachia, Bluebird, Creek book that is in draft mode

end of summer zucchinis in Sandy's garden

My neighbors are curious -- to know what I will see next.   

Sandy introduces a chick and a child!

These heirloom tomatoes, on the porch, recently gathered, are one of my photo note cards.

 

garden goodies, canned and ready in the kitchen

      
       This last photo is a favorite of mine, Sandy's home, open to all.  I am grateful, Sandy, for your terrific sense of humor, for your help, for your interest in my work, for teaching me things and for being the caring, thoughtful person that you are.  These words are your surprise for checking out this blog once again -- all the way to the end!  I hope I now get to make more photos in the future....