FIRST POST of 2023!!!!

       Once again, almost by mistake, I was able to connect to my blog!  It is always a happiness to work on a new post. I hope everyone has had some peace and some joy over the holidays.  I also hope my friends in California are safe and somewhere dry during the current and unusual and dynamic and frightening and very wet weather there!!

     Here now are some of the photos and links I have wanted to share over the last 12 weeks.... Please note: the four grandchildren made it into these photos.....

always good food from the Cuisine J.W. !

Two photos of the versatile pond:

checking out bulldozer noises yesterday on the property next to mine (find my house !) 

looking across my field from my house at the newly shaved steep hillside  -- I learned that there will only be one house, at the top. When it is not winter, I won't be able to see it. 

 neighbors are treasures:

S and J's super cute Pygmy goat -- living for now in the house -- very lively and fun.

 

 

I made a DENVER trip in early November:

during a museum visit nearby E's office

an artsy view of two of my photos hanging at the bottom of the stairs  -- which are my exercise guarantee when I visit my Denver family.

    Gettting ready to bike to school:

This last-photo-for-tonight is by Rebecca.  It shows the "first waterfall" and Nik and Hannah who came the week after Christmas.  Lucky us!

I just wanted to show signs of life in the winter here!  I am going to do more "normal" photos in upcoming efforts.  I seem to get distracted from doing one of these posts on a totally predictable schedule, so I will just say I plan to return here soon.  Many thanks for your interest in my work.

 

Chris Garris, photographer

    I'm fortunate to have a young friend, Chris, whose photography I have always admired so much.  He grew up close to where I have lived for the past 45 years. He currently teaches at Metropolitan State University of Denver (MSU Denver) but he has recently moved up into the mountain range west of Denver.  This year he made some fine images from his new home location. Thanks, Chris, for letting me share them on my blog today.  

    I should add that I was in Denver this past week for a great visit with my son and family. The weather was beautiful the day I wanted to drive out to see Chris. Starting the next day after that , however, he eventually had over a foot of snow! Close call for my being able to visit!  

    BTW, his dear dog is Coleslaw, and the cat is Peanut. These images are from earlier in the season.

 

from inside the house

I suspect this wonderful image must have required a lot of patience!

 THE VIEW:

MOMENTS:

  This last photo shows both playfulness and art --  all while making the best of a momentary hand injury:

    

      Next week it's back to spring in Appalalchia. I hope everyone is able to get the COVID vaccine. I wouldn't have wanted to go on my trip without both of mine.  Please, everyone.

    Chris - if you want to say anything about your photos, please let me know so I can add that to this post or to next week's post.  Thanks for that and for the usual working out of some of my camera questions..!    Ann

A week away from Appalachia in April

         I am so glad to be with family, no matter where they are, but I do love Appalachia in April.  There are wonders everywhere.  This year, because of weather and that prolonged severe ice storm, things are running a little behind. Since I am not there today anyway, I decided to share some photos from earlier years. 

        

on the way to town last week

last gasp from last year's cattails, beside my small sweet pond

a trillium in bloom, in the woods, near the creek

 

redbuds

abundance

spring leaves near the second waterfalls

 

barn to house, at the home place, photo by Rebecca Wright, 2019

  

    Then, for part two of today's post, there's this week away, leaving Cincinnati for Denver, the photo showing left to right Ohio, the Ohio River, and Kentucky -- if so inclined, see the two ball parks on the Ohio side of the river:

AEO greeted my arrival with a hospitality question, and then she fixed a pitcher of water with sliced limes -- and we got into bubbles and light, and a bit of refraction action.

local humor

She assembled what I said I might like to eat...

Riley: "You made me spend the afternoon getting cleaned up, so I darn well deserve to sit in ANY chair I want to for now!!!

        So, ending with family, wishing for everyone to have a supportive one of whatever kind. Enjoy the spring you have as well, wherever you can find one!

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.