photos + stories, #2 of many more to come

post #470
          Welcome to almost the new year, with a return for me to doing my post every Sunday! Today is very wet, after a week of warm that included Christmas. 
          I seem to be more and more distressed by the current scorched earth elimination by our so-called leaders of environmental safeguards. I especially fear the ones that would otherwise address the effects of our warming globe. Our one and only globe. Every weird moment to do with weather causes concern; every discarded regulation gives me the shivers.
          I have absolutely no understanding about the political determination to deny the reality of rising seas, increasingly severe storms, coral damage worldwide, and the human price here in the Appalachians of polluted streams and dirty air. I can't even make light humor, like asking "What are they thinking!?", when the only possible question, really, is "Why have they forgotten totally how to think?".
          
          Anyway, now that winter is actually here, I am going to celebrate it by sharing photos I made in 2015, during two major snow storms. It was the winter that I divorced, after 46 years of marriage; I had quite a bit of maintenance to handle on my house and driveway. Luckily my neighbors helped out, and some local teens helped me as well. Resourcefulness training is always handy. Making art from the world that surrounds me brings me great pleasure and satisfaction. I don't remember that time being anything but interesting. After all I was a New England girl until my early twenties; I grew up loving to play in the snow with my sister, Cathy. 

views of the steps from car down to the house -- a good judge what work the snow will require

Thanks forever, Melva, for all your help during that March visit with that surprise storm.

        In my former house, where I lived over 40 years, I often felt I was living in a nest, with life happening outside of it and around me. The birds especially came by to visit. And if the light were right, which it often was, I could make photos from inside the house. I will talk more about this aspect of my work in another photos + stories post.

a Coopers hawk, passing by and taking a rest

experimenting with the light and the snow, at night (did not achieve mastery....)

morning snow and sun

I'll always wonder what went on overnight -- who ate whom.....

     

 For this last photo, I see another path, other steps, to a home, and I celebrate the mysteries in the natural world. 

             With wishes for a new year with fewer lies, more truth, less disregard for the world we all share, and with more kindness, curiosity, and occasions for laughter.  Also, my thanks for looking at this blog post!   Ann  

Christmas -- from the last several years

post #469
           I'm back again to do this post, after attending a wonderful concert this afternoon, an hour of Handel's Messiah, in Morehead. It was lovely, lovely, lovely. 
         I've decided the best thing I want to do for this time of year is to share some Christmas photos over the years -- not too thorough a review, but I hope some of the moments are of interest.
       
      IN DENVER, several years ago, but it was Thanksgiving when I took these first two photos, trying to get one they could use on their holiday card:

finally an acceptable photo -- in their yard

 

     And here's another Denver Christmas, with thanks for the share via Instagram:

 my neighbor/friend Sandy's annual decor, two different years:

my neighbor/friend Sandy's annual decor, two different years

Next, an earlier Christmas, in Kentucky, with T. making like a tree....

super chef J!

I guess J. must have taken this photo.... with Nik and Hannah in Kentucky. If I remember correctly, I didn't have the camera set exactly correctly at the time. Sorry!

This next photo was a Christmas gift I once gave to Nik when the whole family lived in Massachusetts. It still makes me laugh. 

Back to Denver, a year or two later -- the annual cookie baking:

cookies aren't the only sweets at Christmas

last year, favorite photo, in Denver

 

I've had this photo on the blog before, but I do love how it turned out. I had just been experimenting.

      
       I'll be in Kentucky for Christmas this year, and I hope to get a few more usable photos.  Also I might add some older photos to this post. (Note: I'll now be skipping next week for this blog, and then return to every Sunday in the new year.)

       My best wishes to everyone, and this includes the presidential impeachment efforts that are being made very sincerely, out of sad necessity.  However, whatever it takes to get Climate Change back on the urgent list works for me.  I will never understand the reluctance to undertake every possible measure to protect our planet as much as possible from over heating.  Please, people, grow up and take responsibility for our futures. Consider the consequences of the ignorant alternatives! And may we all treasure time this season with those we are grateful to have in our lives.

Delay is done, some Colorado photos instead!

post #468
       Monday morning. I'm still on my Thanksgiving trip, in Denver, Colorado.  I fly back to Kentucky tomorrow. I think I will miss all the week's air traffic snarls across America! I didn't plan lucking out with my plans, but I'm sure happy it's breaking that way for me. 

        Well, here goes. I'm the grandma who went over the river and through the woods to get to this house where family live...

1. grandparents day at the school:
 

"Mine" is third from the right -- third graders

2. Denver art museum, Monet exhibit:

       Some of his words were projected on a screen. I  loved how close his words about painting are the same ones I would use for photography.

The next painting is not Monet, obviously, but I'm glad I discovered this corner with a quiet bench -- after the rooms full of people who, like me, had managed to get a ticket to the Monet exhibit (thank you, family.)

3. The whole morning SWIM MEET, next day (a Saturday). Both kids were involved.

4. learning about my new camera, with some help from a Kentucky photographer friend now living in Denver...

This is his way of trying out the double photo feature..... His whole approach was playful and so very helpful.

 5. Using the new camera:

Wednesday morning

lots and lots of snow, in Denver

same table when we returned to Denver!  still like this today!

     4. We were in the mountains for three days over Thanksgiving, with LESS snow than we left behind in Denver.

my footprints next to something else's prints...

my son, running up the slope, me walking down the slope...

My daughter-in-law starts a new job today, as the Executive Director of the Colorado Outward Bound School, and she asked me to take some possible PR photos.  There's nothing like HAVING to use a new camera to help learn HOW to use one!! Thank you, Lauren, and congratulations with your new position!!

 5. the way home, Friday night, photo by cell phone....

      I hope everyone has had a good week. I am grateful for so many things, and the fun I have doing this blog is one of those.