Sunday, November 17, 2019

some of my best

post #468
            Last week I posted only two photos, but they were ones I found by chance. I didn't remember ever posting them before.  This discovery reminded me that I have been wanting to seek out some of my photos that really spoke to me as stand-alones, apart from their place in some larger story or topic. 
          My plan is to start sharing some of these back stories. Each photo has at least one, sometimes more. Usually I remember where I was, what else was going on, and why I might have made the photo. If I can do the short write-ups with some semblance of skill, then perhaps it will be of general interest to others who make photos or to folks who are curious about such things.  My blog is mainly about Appalachia and photography, so I feel this effort is a good fit. 


        This first photo was made near the Kentucky/Tennessee border, in Cumberland Gap State Park.  I was in the area because of an article I was researching about the writer James Still's first sweetheart. It was a lovely day, and when along the north/south main road I spotted a sign to the state park visitors' center, I up and decided to take that right turn and go where it took me. This view is about 2/3 of the way up. I was able to squeeze my car in and park nearby. I was amazed. I loved the evocative view; I imagined those settlers from the east, those civil war troops crossing the river, and the tourists like me who took time to stop. I made one of my note cards with this image as a way of reminding us that such places do exist.


         The next photo is one I had to work to get. For poet George Ella Lyon's Counting on the Woods, I needed two birds together.  Her words to illustrate with a photo were "two birds, daybreak's words." Simple words that convey so much. My problem had been that most birds don't like to hang out together unless maybe they are waiting for a turn at a bird feeder.  Instead, these two mourning doves kindly and calmly rested there while I took this photo from behind an old sheet hanging like a closed curtain, with a slot for putting my camera through, looking out my bedroom window, using a tripod.  Birds had finally communicated to me how to work with them. It happened with other bird photos in the book as well. (note: the photo started as a slide. Later I scanned the slide and made a digital version. I didn't know how to do Photoshop then, but I used Velvia 50 ISO film for most of the photos in the book. I still don't use Photoshop very much.)



         The next three photos are from an altogether different photo experience, but I blame it on my curiosity.  I had heard that there was one remaining Kentucky owned fire tower that was open to the public. After thinking about going to find it, for at least a year, I still couldn't round up anyone to go with me, so I went by myself. It's almost a two hour drive from where I live. I didn't know about the steep walk up the mountain to reach the fire tower, with just the random sign along the way. I wonder if I had assumed there'd be a road to the top! Not! 
         It's pretty old forest on the way, so of course lovely and interesting.  I figured I would be returning the way I came, so pretty soon I shed my tripod along the side of the path -- a clue if I disappeared. I certainly wasn't worried about theft. If anyone wanted to carry it down the mountain, I'd say thank you.
       I believe I wanted to find out if there were views of mountaintop removal sites from the fire tower. It was early spring so the configuration of the mountains was visible through the bare tree limbs. I did finally reach the top -- and the tower. The next logical and obvious thing to do was to climb the three or four stories of the tower. Things looked pretty solid, and I choose to remember that the metal steps had rails. About halfway up it finally dawned on me that if I fell off, absolutely no one would realize it. There I'd be, closer to heaven, but a worry to friends and family. But I wasn't about to do all that climbing and not go all the way. 
        I did discover on those stairs that I could make my very basic cell phone work, so I tried it out. I didn't see any raw MTR sites, but definitely cleared areas. I have to admit I loved taking photos of the tower from within the tower.  I didn't lose track of time, believe it or not, because I knew I would be locked into the ranger station if I didn't get back to my car in time.  
        It's fun to share that experience. I'm not giving the name of where I was because I don't want to risk getting anyone in trouble. Probably, in any case, it is no longer possible to do what I did. I'm very grateful to have been there.







    This last photo for today is totally wonderful to think about and, IMHO, to look at. I had stopped in the barn yard of some nearby neighbors who had given me permission to stop whenever I wanted to. They had a lot of different poultry here and there. I had to have set up my tripod, just to keep from carrying it around.  I made some photos in the barn, and I was impressed by the size of the tire on a parked tractor. As I have stated before in this blog, it is very hard to get a good photo of a rooster or a hen. They twitch and turn and move their heads continuously. This rooster, however, was, I later learned, a real show off. He liked to stand, survey the scene and look important. Thanks to his vanity, I was able to get a sharp photo of him. He started out as a slide, and I have a huge print of him in the display area of my home gallery.  I title this moment as "Big wheel".  Donnie Rose, whose rooster it was, says the little guy lost many tail feathers from standing around. And he lost his life pretty soon after this photo, to a hungry hawk.  What's the saying, 'pride goeth before a fall'? 




        I dedicate this first page of photos + stories to my dear friend and photo mentor John Flavell, who was so patient with me during my early years as a photographer. He made it possible for me to learn a lot of things I didn't even know I really needed to know.  He's such a pro. And fearless. And kind.   Thank you, thank you.
 

Sunday, November 10, 2019

to my faithful visitors and viewers,

 post #467      
          Today I made the hard decision, for only the third time in 7 years of posting every week, that I am going to skip today and go to every other Sunday -- for the next two months -- until early January 2020.  I'm not disappearing; I'm just spacing the posts for awhile because of other things currently on my plate.  I'm feeling fine, but I'm busy. This posting process is always fun for me, but I think the world will survive if I don't try to do everything I'd like to do.  At least I am pretty sure the world will survive, especially if some leaders have the guts to do what they are meant to do. 
          Thanks for stopping by this week, on the chance I had put up some photos. Try again in a week, or find some early posts to revisit.  They are all of one accord, even if about a variety of experiences.  
           And be good to yourself. That's truly important.  Ann



p.s.   emptied milk weed pods, six years ago this week



Sunday, November 3, 2019

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!!