Kentucky barns, part 2 -- the last part, for now

            WHY DOES THE PRINT START OUT SO SMALL!  I have to trust that once again it will look normal once I am finished pulling it together.  I love working with my photos for each post, but I sure can get irritated (as much as I ever get irritated --- which, actually, isn't much) over digital idiosyncrasies.

         Four more photos of the old barn which has been part of what I called my home place for 45 years:

 

 

        

            and now some photos of Jean's barn that Jonathan rebuilt!  He lowered the roof a full story.

taking out a floor, I believe, and using the materials to make a newer barn

Jonathan likes horses -- and cattle!

    

 

Bravo, Jonathan!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

the barn in use

 

Then these beautiful sheep - in Vermont and not in Appalachia -- share a barn before one day being dinner....

    This has been fun and I look forward to offering other gathered images. Every two weeks. It feels good to be back at it!!!

    In the meantime, don't forget to vote soon!  Of course I support progressive ideas, so I'll just say it's insulting that men --- who don't get pregnant through no fault of their own -- are sometimes not able to accept the rights of women to decide their own health care needs.  But in any case, let's all vote and support democracy for every person. And try hard to imagine ourselves in the footsteps of other persons. After all, we share a single earth.

Light

Eastern Standard Time makes it feel very dark very early.  

The raw antics we hear about -- sometimes called politics-- are also dark, and have been for years.

I figure since I work with photos -- which usually require a decent amount of light -- I can record how, for me, light can do its thing when it's not ignored or taken for granted. 

I remain fascinated by what I see -- and by the way light changes, every minute. I like to work with it, like to leave it alone until another day, like being surprised by it. I even like writing about it.

Sometimes it's the light that hints or insists it is almost ready, and, other times, the show's all over in an instant, to be savored as a memory and a gift.

I've decided to find some recent photos that have been part of my dialogue with the outside.  I don't usually talk about my fascination with natural light, but it regularly willingly works with me and intrigues me. I'm so grateful for its companionship.

one day

another day

It really was this bright and beautiful in the Skaggs' back yard.

Meditation on a tree, as it dances in the changing light:

I can't resist including this photo of the grandparents of the bride, and good friends of mine, The wedding had beautiful weather even in late October, and a delicious home-cooked feast.

These last four photos are from Wednesday night, in Bath County, where there are these mounds, and lots of flat land, and a farm where my granddaughter has been going this fall, after school, to learn to ride a horse. I went with them to see the scene, but the light made it too hard to not make at least a few photos.

LEGS

into the light

        To end this week, I want to share a photo my dear daughter made on the way home from the riding lesson -- in the public library restroom where we changed into "our civies" for the drive home. A quick generational photo, for fun, AND with plenty of inside light!!  I love that it makes me laugh.

 

 

a sample, never simple, week

post #466
         It occurred to me that a weekly blog needs an occasional tribute to the reality of a week -- with its variety within those days and nights, weather, perhaps some adventures, and surprises, along with nature's ongoing effort keep us afloat and functioning.  So tonight I'm sharing a few photos from this past week -- sort of a regular week if we don't count the upheavals in our nation's capital, or the fires in California and more obfuscations about how the world's climate in changing and affecting us all. 

      In Kentucky we have an important election for Governor, and some other statewide positions, on Tuesday, November 5, in just two days!! May I encourage everyone to vote! There are other states having elections as well. Vote as if your life depends on it, because it always does. 

      Frosts came at the end of this week. This photo was made at Sandy's early in the week:

rain on the windshield at the bottom of the driveway:

Here's a visit to Morehead's Public Library, with a favorite sculpture and a favorite reader.  School that day had included a doctor visit to the classroom, with some real doctoring aids, like mouth covers.....

 This shows the view from inside my front room -- during this week of fall colors:

Mushroom photos -- the close ones are by Jeremey Wright -- they got bigger and bigger each day, right outside their kitchen window.  I think J. had to be on a ladder for the ones he took. Thank you!

wiping HAPPY BIRTHDAY off the deck door window - sadly, no more birthdays until May

view from the deck

End of the week:
          Driving early yesterday to the annual All Kentucky Quaker Gathering, a few counties away, I got a bit lost and did some wandering. I tried not to take photos of the beautiful places along the river, which were shrouded in mist.  For one thing, there was nowhere safe to stop. For another, I wanted to arrive in time.  I finally couldn't help making these last two photos from an open stretch on the road with enough distance in front and in back of the car to be seen.  I was somewhere south of Winchester and Lexington. And the mist had disappeared by then. I look forward to going back there someday.

          Believe it or not, I don't take photos of everything I do or work at, but at the same time I rarely do the same things every day or every week. Obviously the weather changes, etc. and I often marvel at how lovely Kentucky can be.  Enough for tonight. Again, please VOTE if there's an election anywhere nearby!!

last week the ride from the barn, today the barn by itself

post #441
          I have kind of a fascination with Gary's barn.  I've posted photos in the past from when Jonathan was renovating the building.  Yesterday -- the week after the memorial ride I posted about last time -- I stopped by to make some more barn photos. Jonathan happened to be there, after feeding all the cattle and the horses! It turned out that this had been the day he separated the calves from their moms. These calves were in the barn but not at all in the mood to have their photo taken.  But the horses were in the barn as well, and they were delighted to stand around contentedly. Perhaps my presence was like desert.... (That's a joke..)
             The light for making photos (bright sun) wasn't as good yesterday as it was before the memorial ride (some cloud cover) but anyway, here are some of my takes, so to speak.

 inside the barn, with Jonathan

The oldest horse, Tiffany but nicknamed Tiff, is around 30 years old and beloved:
 

Tiff is mom to the bigger horse next to her, and I think the dark colored horse is Tiff's granddaughter:

 

my only half decent photo of some of the calves, looking huge to me:

  The repaired roof amazes me. What a piece of work. Bravo, Jonathan!

 storage area -- the old plow, now in the rafters:

 looking back toward the shed and the house:

      The last photo, of the door on that shed, is an attempt at art -- the door has been in use for over 50 years. Everyone realizes it needs to be replaced, but it is latched in place with memories and stories:

Some things are like old friends, and we get attached and even defined by the familiar despite the changes of aging....