eyes, colors, and social change

post #496
          Kentucky has a really good governor, elected last fall. He is being a good leader as we wind our way through so many unknowns.... He's very clear that his main goal is to keep all Kentuckians alive. He thinks for himself, and he is very empathetic, an important quality a leader needs to have!
         I mention this because I was about to have cataract surgery in March, when everything was suddenly shut down. That included all non-essential surgeries; they were off the table, so to speak. My eager eyes had to wait until three weeks ago to get started, but the second eye was done only a week after the first eye, so I made it through both of them without another statewide shutdown happening. This is good. I am grateful. And, as I was told ahead of time by others with redone eyes, there are some big changes in what I am now seeing. (As a color photographer, I have been very curious about what colors I haven't been seeing clearly imperceptibly over the years.)
          The first "wow" came the first morning after the first surgery.  I woke up in my bed simply relieved that I could see anything! Then I noticed that one end of my bedside woven, arty throw rug was now a much brighter and beautiful blue!  So next, when I covered my not-yet-done eye, the whole rug became brighter. By the next morning, the new blue had taken over my brain, and the whole rug was, on its own, without contrast, evenly and marvelously blue.  

           I obviously can't show this in photos, however, so please do believe my story.  I am showing two photos even so, because I had had no idea that I had such a purple shirt!                                                                      Of course I have been trying to figure out if anyone can know how someone else sees. I'm sorry in a way that I will get used to my revised world, because the shock and awe is a treasure, a luxury, a gift, that will be easy soon to take for granted.  

         In the meantime, our wounded world continues to need attention, and I can't not mention a couple of recent concerns beyond my very personal trip through eye transformation.  The first is a screen shot I made of the Attorney General of Colorado, Phil Weiser, who is working fast and furiously on many issues, with a good team, including my son who is the Solicitor General. The AG has recently been appointed by the governor to take another look at the murder of a young black man last August, I believe, Elijah McClain.  I wanted to explain why this story interests me so much, in addition to my concern that our nation is discovering the brokenness of race relations over hundreds of years that needs to be highlighted, better understood, and rebuilt from the ground up. 

an Instagram post I screen shot

    Also this past week I "attended" (via Zoom) a national gathering hosted by the Friends General Conference of the Society of Friends (Quakers) which was largely focused this year on the concerns of community and race inequality. I am still putting together what was said, talked over, communicated about and committed to within the week even without shaking a single hand or eating together.  I mention this because of the importance of the topic and because it is so much on my mind. The young girl in the photo below is 16; she has been an activist since she was 9.

another screen shot, while Zooming

 

 

I end tonight by showing these same day lilies I've shown before, which still look like they always have -- even with my new eyes. Very loyal bunch.  I thank them for their beauty, and for their not being good to eat if you are a deer..... Please stay safe, vote in November, hopefully by mail, and thank you for reading this far!!!!

 

moss and more

post #418
             I have been rather extravagant lately with so many photos at a time, so today is a kind of pull back, a balance. It does go along with my increasing awareness that we live in a world that is threatened. That is, its health is in jeopardy. This is not necessarily due to anything the earth has initiated. 
           Instead I am stunned by how many humans, each one here temporarily, are not willing to help it out and recognize the need to take better care. I think that my concern and angst comes when there is widespread denial of even the possibility of the calamity that lies ahead. I don't think denying the documented possibility shows any kind of acknowledgement that each of us possesses a good brain. How come so many, say,  Republicans, for example, chose to ignore what science might tell us? Are they just afraid of not being able to avoid the truth?  What is there to lose by increasing the studies scientists make concerning our climate? our air? our water? I just don't get it about the joy of ignorance.
           Recently I feel I want to figure out how to do my part, better.  I'm not a biologist, but I love noticing what's in the natural world. I'm not any kind of scientist, actually, but I am a photographer. This week, as I thought about all this, it was warm enough outside to take a walk, and I saw these wonderful mosses. I know they have a part in this world, the one we need to be making whole. 
           As I seek to learn what is my particular place in this work all of us humans can do, I'm happy to share these striking greens, just being themselves:

 Then there are always other interesting sights nearby, such as this one:
 

     Sometimes life gives us unexpected treats. With that in mind, I would like to give a shout out to my young friend Isabel who has been working for me a day a week! She is terrific, and her computer skills alone have helped me so much.  In this photo she is cleaning off some old family slides that turned up, with Pec 12 fluid, which smells bad but cleans well.... Thank you, Isabel. I am forever grateful our paths have crossed.

Morehead's same sex marriage drama, the same day as haying goes on here at home

post #246
     The Rowan County clerk making the national news these days -- Kim Davis -- is receiving some push back from a growing number of us in the local community.  We had a rally in Morehead all Saturday morning in support, essentially, of the separation of church and state!  Not a new American value, obviously, and yet one being challenged through the efforts of outside groups and eager desperate politicians. For two months she has refused to give marriage licenses to anyone or to give permission to anyone in her office (most are related to her) to sign them.  And it continues.  I only had my point and shoot camera with me, and I wasn't feeling well, but I did make a few photos, which I have decided to share for this post.  I would like to have done better, and, darn, I feel better today.

 

long time family friends

on-going media coverage

Friends standing up for equality sitting down.... My photographer friend and mentor, John Flavell, is in the middle in the back, at work. 

more media, and a great poster

Elizabeth with the great flag! She is standing near the sign on the courthouse door notifying everyone that, with no reason given, the clerk's office is closed today.  Usually it is open on the last Saturday of every month.  The sign-up list is so that disappointed citizens can be assured of getting what they came for -- on Monday morning.

Meanwhile this weekend, back at the house, our neighbor, Jamie, has mowed our ragged fields, making multiple round bales, which he drove off with about 15 minutes ago.  So far no rain today, after a whole week without rain, so that is a change.  It was too wet to mow this past spring.  Thanks, Jamie.

mowing

rowing

bailing 1 and then 2

 

Today: Jamie had gone back to his barn to get the fork lift to load the bales.

          I will end today with a few views from around the place, a squirrel enjoying an apple, a turkey crossing the steps, the pump for the well, and a sign in the woods for what is coming next.  Happy harvests, everyone, and may equality come every day, all year long, for each of us.

What?? No politics yet??

post #104: weaving recent photos with recent musings
        This blog is about Appalachia and Photography, but I am interested in other things as well -- including politics.  And memory.  And the right I have as a human being to be in charge of what happens to my body, which includes a perfectly fine if imperfect brain.   
        I didn't design this blog to share my opinions, but in this season of loud voices, I want at least to be clear this one time that I care deeply about the future of our country during this important election coming up.
        So here is last week's "looking earnest" photo:

       I believe in voting, yet along with that I want us all to celebrate our brain, by using it, by thinking for one's self, and by trusting ourselves to be able to figure out how advertising, for example, is not telling us truths.  In fact, an ad is designed instead to influence how we think.   (My father worked as an advertising man, so my siblings and I have thought about this subject for a very long time.)  I for one don't like it when someone tries to buy my brain.  I think we could gain more by listening and learning:
       

        I get the impression that many voters have very short memories.  Somehow outrageous statements and behaviors and beliefs become forgivable or forgotten, even though leadership skills are nowhere in evidence.  How terrifying if some of the folks coming up with these statements, behaviors and beliefs were the only ones in charge!  Scary!  The US Senators in my own state of Kentucky are already scary enough. 
        This next photo shows a very loud voice, and it is not winning me over!

 

a guinea hen, from the rooftop

        There are many things I care about in my leaders.  For one, he or she needs to get it that the arts are extremely important, both as a part of public education and in all of our lives.  Singing ourselves, seeing colors, making things with our hands, dancing, acting, writing, listening are all part of what makes us human.  They even help us learn more and learn it better.
         The next two photos are "just" weeds, but with my photography I saw them more closely.  It encourages my soul to be able to share them here:

ironweed, goldenrod

         And, as I have not been able to resist mentioning in earlier posts, I believe in keeping our sights on the health of the world.  NO MORE MOUNTAINTOP REMOVAL MINING.  How shortsighted to grasp at a short term quick fix that creates ugly, needless deep wounds.  I don't understand why we can't rethink the choices we are making.  (I'm back to that brain thing.)  Why not take longer views, whether because of acknowledging climate change or challenging the role greed plays or whatever.  Focus instead on our human community and its connection to the earth. 
         I am grateful, for example, that President Obama is so far willing to ask more questions about such projects as the Keystone XL pipeline project.
      
        I know, too many words in this season of words.  So I end with one last photo, of a creature who is neither Democrat nor Republican, who's one of millions counting on each of us to celebrate our brains by using them.  Fearlessly. 

   

Kentuckians for the Commonwealth

post #50

    I have been gratified that, for whatever reasons, so many of you have been interested in the funeral photos by John Flavell and myself in last week's post, #49.  Thanks too for the comments.  As we get riveted by such out-sized things, like hurricanes and earthquakes and national financial quandaries, it helps to be reminded how sharing and caring with our neighbors, friends and family keep our lives grounded even or perhaps especially in times that hurt.

     Yesterday I was in another situation where the strength comes from helping one other -- I was part of  the 30th birthday event of a statewide organization I am very proud of, Kentuckians for the Commonwealth.  KFTC got its start working to stop the abuses of the broad-form deed.  It took many people all over the state to change the law in the early 80s to keep coal companies from taking the top of the land when landowners signed over their mineral rights, for which they were paid very little and the surface of their land was stripped.

     Some of the issues KFTC works on now are preserving streams so our water is not ruined by mountaintop removal mining ("We all live downstream"), establishing voting rights similar to all the other states for felons who have done their time, and identifying local issues that affect the health and safety of ordinary people living there.  Developing local leadership is key.  Here is their website,  www.kftc.org; their main mission is to build a new balance of power and a just society.

     Soon after I arrived, the light on the porch where some of us were gathered was right for photos, so I just couldn't help it.  Had to take some photos, even though none were needed.  (Also, I like it when I can be fairly unobtrusive.)  Therefore here are a few photos taken mostly during the afternoon session called Sharing Stories -- of which there were some from each of KFTC's three decades.

I call this "Three of the Greats", early and persistent advocates for change: Daymon, Patty, and Ruth.

John Rosenberg from Prestonsburg, present at the very first gathering which identified the need and the possibility of a statewide social justice organization, named at first "Kentucky Fair Tax Coalition".

Ray Tucker, with Teri Blanton in the blur (Sorry, Teri!)

effective poster for the broad form deed constitutional amendment, which passed!  Thank goodness!  And thank you everyone who stuck with 1986's enormous effort statewide.

Ada Smith, an active long-term advocate for social justice, i.e. since childhood!

Kristi, now on the KFTC staff, shares her story.  Thank you, Kristi.

Burt, commenting on Daymon's wardrobe preferences....

Doug Doerrfeld and K.A. Owens, two other former chairpersons, during the part of the late afternoon general gathering that honored all nine of them.

Now, last, a view along Route 213 in Powell County, on my way home.  I love Kentucky.