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.

Saint-Malo photos, for all readers of All The Light We Cannot See

post #245
     Many people I know seem to have read Anthony Doerr's All the Light We Cannot See.  I have not finished it yet, but my friend George Ella said in January that it was the best book she will read all year.  It took me many months to realize that the city of Saint-Malo which is featured in the story is a place I visited -- for the first time -- in May, 2014.  And being me, I took photos there.  And made an album in my Zenfolio account. I have finally put it together in my head that I can share those photos with readers known and unknown by putting the album on this blog.  And today's the day!

        While figuring out how to do this, I followed a link to Goodreads.com where I discovered this marvelous photo of Saint-Malo.  I wish I had seen it before my visit.  Even in walking the wall all around the town, I couldn't get a feel for how it sits on the English Channel.  I am including this whole Goodreads section, I think, though there are other reviews on that site as well. The book won the Pulitzer Prize in literature this year.


 PART ONE, the photo and a book review from Goodreads.com:

Jul 22, 2015 LeeAnne rated it 5 of 5 stars  (on Goodreads web site)

Shelves: france, literature, germany, favorite-fiction, lyrical

All the Light We Cannot See
by Anthony Doerr

This book has the most hauntingly beautiful prose I've ever read. It's brimming with rich details that fill all five senses simultaneously. It's full of beautiful metaphors that paint gorgeous images. I didn't want this book to end, but I couldn't put it down.



"In August 1944 the historic walled city of Saint-Malo, the brightest jewel of the Emerald Coast of Brittany, France was almost destroyed by fire....Of the 865 buildings within the walls, only 18 ...more

flag 582 likes · Like · see review

PART TWO, the story of visiting there with my friends Mariko and Christian:
      My friends have often been to Saint-Malo; they live only an hour away, in Rennes, in the region if Bretagne. I have been good friends with Mariko since meeting her in Japan a long time ago. I thank them both profusely for being willing to go there once again to show me the place for my first time ever.  We had a lovely day in mid-May for our excursion.  
       The guiding design of the town is the thick wall around the outside, with a wide walkway all along the top. It felt like a big star, with the views toward the interior being either high buildings or streets leading into the center of town.  The views away from the town feature boats and ships and nearby land along the northwest coast of France. The whole thing is very dramatic.  I can't imagine the destruction of the place near the end of WWII that is part of the story in the book.  It must have been an enormous community decision to rebuild the town as faithfully as was feasible and affordable.  
    
Revision May 2020: I'm redoing the photo entries for this post. I deleted the slide show link that was here because it wasn't working. Enjoy!

looking into the city from the ramparts:

Mariko and Christian

school group

pointing toward Canada... see a history book....

writer and diplomat Chateaubriand, early 1800s, native son

    

guest photographer Joe Hill, Memorial Ride for Garry Purnell

post #244
      Hot day. Very hot.  Middle of July. The first annual memorial ride in honor of Garry Purnell, my neighbor who died last December.  Photos by Garry's son-in-law, Joe Hill, who is a fine photographer.  I take responsibility for these photos not being in strict chronological order.  My apologies for not being able to post these closer to the date of the ride! and particularly for not getting these photos to show here as sharp as they are in their original version. I may be able to redo this post in the near future.

I particularly like this photo of two good friends, with Joe's mother-in-law on the left.

       

      

 The last three photos I made more recently, trying to show the cemetery/house locations.  Their farm provides this beautiful spot.  Since I took this photo, a bench has been added.

Guardian rabbit nearby!

   Thanks, Joe, for sending these to me, per request.  I forget, have I ever seen you on a horse?!?!? 

Kentucky Cousin Camp follow-up, on Book Lovers Day

post #243
       Our local indie bookstore (CoffeeTree Books) has reminded us that today is Book Lovers Day.  That is my excuse for actually reading in my book this morning for awhile instead of getting this post out in a more timely manner!  I have a special book reading moment photo that I will save for the end of this post.
       It helps that there is currently a break in Cousin Camp, though a mini version starts late Tuesday.  To tide myself over, I decided to post today some more family photos. So what follows is four sets of four photos each: the swing, the farms, the toss, and an appreciation.

       The swing J. built on day one gets lots of use. Here is one sequence I got to watch. I did try out the swing myself, but it is of course way too close to the ground for my long legs. 

                We visited nearby friends whose farms have all kinds of animals, from kittens to rabbits, chickens, guinea hens, peacocks, small ponies, goats, sheep, and llamas (to keep the sheep company and protect them). Our thanks to all.

    Then there is the Big Toss, all three cousins headed toward one big safe splash.  They had all done it before so they knew what was coming.  THANKS, J., and wow!!

   
    I can't help it, I am going to add a fifth pond photo, having fun with the new noodle:

         As my readers know, I am always saying thanks, and meaning it, so first are two photos of Maleigh, who helped host the gang at her grandparents' barn.  I like both these photos of her.  I hope she likes them as well! 

      Then, as a photographer, I appreciate others who carefully look at things and see possibilities.  These two photos of my granddaughter fascinate me.  She turned 4 in May, but she instinctively holds the camera well and she waits until she has the image lined out the way she sees it before making the photo. The first photo is by me, and the second one,  is by her, though I don't remember being aware of her choice of subject. I say bravo!

     Well, I have this post mostly finished, it is only 1:13 pm. I have, as stated, saved this last photo for the closing of today's post.  Our good friend George Ella Lyon came by for a visit to be with the cousins, and she sang them farm songs with accompanying washboard.  She also read a book or two, of course, and she even stayed for dinner!  Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful.