Finally, the photos meant for last week's post!

post #412

       After returning home, from Colorado, I finally had two computers to work with in order to access the photos I planned to share.  Hello to all my patient viewers and to anyone else who visits my blog.  I certainly hope that the new laptop is soon as trusty and familiar as the old one I am having to let go. I also hope there have been good moments for everyone this month.  I pray in my way that there is more kindness in the new year, more thinking outside the box for problems that don't seem to have an obvious solution, and more true humor. As much as ever, I love to laugh.
     

A photo I did as an experiment, to find out what would be in focus, etc.. I was thrilled I'd thought to do it:

 Nutcracker exhibit, items from the Louisville Ballet on display at the Louisville airport:

 the beginning of a ski tradition:

 bird buddies:

helper elf: 

from an annual writers group lunch/feast to celebrate another year of meeting almost every month:
 

Luckily, sometimes there are humorous gifts that are just right:

and ones that are just beautiful:

Sandy's decorations last year:

from this year, photo by Eric:

Well, that's it for now. Next year, I will do some others -- I should have time by then to figure out how to make some things easier to pull off.... Every year, like in politics, we can hope for better times coming.

This time of year, over the years, first try

post #411
     This post will be my attempt to highlight moments that, for me, are part of the wonder of this season. Of course there are also long stretches of night darkness in the USA during this time.  But there are, as well, school vacations, family time, and, as in every season, the beauty from the natural world. 
      I also want to give a shout out to those affected by the current hard times we hear about, including the workers caught in the political battle of wills concerning the useless, way too expensive wall. This is costing many thousands of people their salaries and security, so I want to acknowledge that such events happen to real people. There can be real consequences, anywhere, in many variations, when our so-called leaders give in to acting out hissy-fits. 
       I do hope visitors to today's blog post will enjoy sharing with me some of the December moments that have spoken to me during the past five years. 

 Friends -- I am using a new laptop, and there seems to be a different way to access the album I prepared with the [wonderful for today] photos.  And Apple Help is not recognizing my serial number.  Which perhaps I have not registered?? Rather than cry about this, I am just keeping you posted (or not posted, as the case may be) for now.  I will try to figure this out at a later hour, with hopes of breaking through the bad digital dream by then.  My apologies!

Wednesday 12/26/2018
OOOPS, I have tried to find a way into my photo album set for this week's post, but it's not happening.  I will be back home very soon, which will give me more tools to work with to figure out the situation.  SOOOO, for now, I just have to say thanks for trying to reach my post!! And please don't give up on me.  So many thanks, and best wishes to everyone -- Ann

from the dark of winter, beauty in the ordinary

post #410
       I want to start out with a photo of where the owl sat on this branch (in the middle of the photo) when we had the "visit" I wrote about last week. I remain hopeful that I might  experience another such visit another time.

This is the hill I had walked down on the way to the owl.  The curve at the top is always a bit tricky -- no way to see what is coming from the opposite direction!

       I seem to be unable to resist taking photos even of the ordinary work of home repair!  Despite the cold, wet weather, some faulty cement outside has now been replaced, and a cement mixer even came to the house!  I was somehow thrilled by the experience of looking over the balcony around the second floor (this is not a big house) directly into the mixed cement! 

All is ready.  (Photo by T.)

This is probably pretty ordinary, but I was fascinated even so. I have always been intrigued by the pouring of cement from trucks that carry on circulating while they drive along.

          Well, it is close to Christmas and a good time to share some treasures.  I so enjoyed the beautiful dolls my friend Melva and a friend of hers make. She incorporated several of them into her family tree this year!  I loved seeing them yesterday.  Maybe she will even be able to use a photo of mine for a note card at some later date! But in any case, once again, I can't help taking a photo. For me it's simply a way -- or a habit --  of seeing more closely. 

         I need to finish this post now, but if I find the one photo I am missing tonight, I will add it soon. I wish everyone a safe holiday season, and beauty when you see it or make it.

more winter photos, guest photographer

post #409
              Rebecca was up early two days ago, took the dogs for a walk before work, and went to some familiar places -- which welcomed them with winter wonders that would soon melt away. Thanks, R, for how open you are to this place on earth that you love. I am very moved by these four photos you took.

    [.... I've decided on a new term:  PIP, i.e. post in progress. . . . ] The first two additions to this post this evening show the prep the day before Morehead University's annual Arts and Crafts Festival  -- with over 100 juried vendors. It felt like it was held earlier than usual since the first Saturday in December this year came on the 1st.

my 10 x 10 space -- thank goodness this is held in the old gym and not outside, because we had a fair amount of rain during the Friday setup time and the Saturday event day. It's always fun to visit with various people who stop by the "booth".  Thanks as ever for your support!!

Fiber artist Jennifer Reis, my friend and former booth-mate, is diagonally across the aisle. She had to work all day so didn't get started on the setting up until later Friday afternoon. Of course, she did a great job, photo to follow:. She shared her booth this year with Dustin, who has taken up broom making!

show in progress, on Saturday

       To wrap up for now, I am sharing two spring photos.  As beautiful as the snow can be, it comes with long dark nights and uncertain road conditions.  I like to be reminded that spring will be here before we know it. I realize it's not yet even officially winter, but I'm very aware that folks in North Carolina and my friend Sue and family in southwest Virginia are having a hard stormy time this weekend, and I wish them well. We seem to be just a bit too far north to have gotten any of it.

My version of fake news: snow photos from LAST YEAR (the truth)

post #408
        Big news week, big community events, big rains. And a big surprise today. After a walk up and back along Sideway Road, I found what I think is a Barred Owl waiting for me on a tree limb, at the bottom of my driveway. I had stopped to look around, before going up the driveway, and I saw the owl, almost by accident. He or she just looked at me, then looked to one side and then the other. (I figured that was a very owl-ly thing to do.) I was holding two soda cans in my right hand, ones I had found along the way.  We looked at each other long enough for me to think I could maybe get my cell phone out of my pocket and take a photo, using only my left hand. However, realistically, that was not to be. I can't even write my name with my left hand. 
       I hope I have another chance to be with that owl. I felt so honored and amazed. 

       So now a few snow photos, as promised, though it's weird since today was 60 degrees and no rain. (Now that I think of it, maybe the owl was confused by the sudden change of weather and was out doing some reconnaissance.  Whoooo knows....)

Actually, this is just like what my driveway looked like a week ago! For a single 24 hours.

This is my favorite photo in this set. There's a lot going on despite its natural monochrome colors.

This winter, I won't have this car -- it died last week. Long story. Funny in parts. So I'm including this photo in tribute to the 184,000 miles of good service every winter, and the shared adventures.

Meanwhile, at the older house, there is also snow. I think this photo has been used once already on this blog, but I love it. This house is still in the family, and this view is special.  It's in the same time frame as the others; it was taken by my son-in-law, Jeremey.

The community events will have to wait a week to share because I am recovering from the work of getting ready for yesterday's Arts and Crafts Festival at Morehead State Univ. -- and in the evening, a special concert by Morehead's own Cave Run Symphony Orchestra.  It was fantastic. There was a chorus of 130! All from the community. Bravo to everyone.

Here's thoughts to those in Alaska regrouping after an earthquake - and to the children still separated from their families at our southern borders which is against any humanitarian impulse that is supposed to define the values of our nation. The snow falls everywhere, on us all, where it's cold enough, and it creates both beauty and extra work. I like to think it's a blanket that can nourish the soil and our souls, despite the inconvenience it causes.  Here's a snowball to everyone. The truth is that we haven't had such a snow yet in this season.

Time for Christmas trees and arts and crafts shows!

post #407
        It's a bit busy these days around here.  My car died and I had to buy a new one just to get home from where I was. There was an unexpected vacancy in the Laurel Gorge Cultural Heritage Center's Arts and Crafts Fair, yesterday, and I had to make some hasty preparation to be ready for it. The Morehead State University Arts and Crafts Festival, held every year on the first Saturday of December, with over 100 vendors, will be going on next Saturday, Dec. 1. This means more preparation, both in the items needed to set up my 10 x 10 space, and then to have the right things ready to sell. I do enjoy seeing people I know in this area.  There was Thanksgiving, of course, but since my son-in-law loves, loves, loves to cook, he did most of that, and the two families joining them brought food as well. Quite the feast! The four young kids/friends had a great time, too.  
       They also were all together yesterday, at another friend's Christmas tree farm, and so, guess what, today the tree was put in place and decorated! I will start with a few photos of that event, from this afternoon:

sweet symmetry not done on purpose

       I did take a few photos at Laurel Gorge. The Center provides a history of the area in addition to wildlife information and nature trails, which are lovely to use. We were kind of packed in the two museum areas, but it all worked out.

These dulcimers are made from a variety of woods, and are works of art. I can't believe that I didn't know before that the age of the wood contributes to the quality of the sound -- old is better! Some of the wood Matt Maggard uses is over 100 years old, and comes with a story that goes back that far. Gayle Maggard plays them, and, I believe, has a group that plays together.  I didn't have time to find out everything I wanted to know -- or to take the best possible photos.  I hope these few photos at least give a flavor of their work and enthusiasm.

the underneath of one of the dulcimers

Here, in my gallery/workspace, is some of the work in progress for Saturday's Fair. If I ever end up with no more envelopes, no more paper to cut and fold, no more copies of the photos I use, no more sleeves for the photos, all at the same time, I would be tempted to quit and call it even. But somehow I don't see ever coming out even like that..... In any case, if anyone reading this is near Morehead, come by and see me on Saturday at MSU's Laughlin Health Building between nine and four.  Then stay around for the Hometown Christmas and then the annual performance by the Cave Run Symphony Orchestra at 8 p.m.  This year there is a choral number, with a large choral singing section.  Friend Molly Carew is singing in it, and says the music they're doing is truly beautiful. She never imagined being able to perform with a full orchestra!

       Next week I will share some snow photos that I never used last year. As I write this, there is a big storm in the midwest -- I hope everyone is safe and warm.  Somehow, those first storms of the season are often not taken seriously enough. 
      Talking about taking seriously enough, of course I continue to hope that sanity will prevail on the subject of climate change. We should be having a global imperative to get a grip on what work is required. When will enough leaders realize that we need to do a lot to protect our future? Right. Now. 
       Well, we don't need just to protect our future. We need to guarantee a livable future.