cousins, offspring of three brothers

post #395
        Greetings from the mid coast of the state of Maine!  I am having a wonderful time with my two Wilkerson sisters, 5 cousins, some spouses and a few members of the next generation down.  This gathering happens bi-annually. I am not always able to go so I am glad to be here this year!  We're are not as numerous as some families I know in Appalachia, but we are loyal! Note: currently we mostly live in different states: Rhode Island, Connecticut (2), Maine, New Hampshire, New York, Massachusetts and, me in Kentucky.
          I love the laughter and the stories and, of course, our joint memories.
         The light for photo making here has not been fantastic, so combined with all the food preparation and consumption here at my Maine cousin's home and the many conversations catching up with each other, this is not a weekend primarily about photo making. Even so, I hope the few on this post today are interesting.  (I may well keep some others for my next post -- which will be in two weeks. After that I do plan to return to weekly posts on this blog.)
        
       

the view from the house

Stella retrieves the ball, from hillside to deck, again and again.

Saturday night and ready for lobsters!

My cousins Sarah and Claudia are both artists!

taking a break from dinner prep -- my sister Robin and her husband Steve

what my camera finds

     Two sides of the table, even though I protested that it wouldn't be great photography. However, it does give a flavor of the moment, so to speak:

Tomorrow I go back home, so I share this amazing moment from last week in my neighborhood in Kentucky:

In times like this, we need community even more than ever.

post #392
       It has been two weeks of hot weather -- and our shared worry about the soccer team kids trapped in a cave. Also there remains no resolution for the shoddy situation at the USA border that has made life even harsher for immigrants who are fleeing horrific situations and who were separated from their children with no warning.  How can it be that there are no reliable records or notification to parents where their kids would be sent! This is beyond cruelty for thousands of kids.

      However, at least yesterday evening on this ridge was a good day for community -- at an annual post 4th of July picnic, with music making (not country or bluegrass) on the lawn, and, some fireworks, though I had left by then. The weather was perfect -- so I left, before the wonderful light was all gone, in order to get a few more photos at my pond.  

welcome sign

      
 My photos at the picnic were very random, but I hope they are of interest even to those of you who don't know the people. This is the first year I have been able to join in the fun connected to the 4th.. 

arriving

later, looking back from the family cemetery

the "hamburger cooking" host

tending to a bee sting

recent Morehead State graduate and musician! Bravo!

thanks for all the prep work done!!

"snappers"

anticipation

Two pond area photos: 

       I got so absorbed in the photos that I was taking from the car window (using the car as a tripod in the evening light) that, yes, I must have had the headlights on because I ended up not able to start my car.  Blush, blush, blush !!   Thanks, J, for the jump start today!  

Here is the photo I made with my iPhone to show what I was doing while the car lights were on, by mistake:

The camera is resting on my trusty bean bag placed on the open window next to the driver's seat.

 Again, I am delighted to be able to share these photos, in honor of community and family. I thought it a wonderful occasion. As always, thanks to everyone for letting me take a few informal photos.

Note: if I may, I'd like to speak up, apart from my art and Appalachia and only because I have this way of presenting my concerns. I remain upset that our democracy is under such enormous strain, including the choice of another Supreme Court judge who seems to be selected because he (or she) is just like several judges already on the bench. How boring is that when everyone's decision can be predicted! Brings to mind the phrase "rubber stamp". I always thought that having nine justices of great talent works best if there were to be a lot of interpretation possiblities that benefit from multiple perspectives. Otherwise, why bother to have a supreme court in the first place! I have seen the table where the nine sit in a room that is totally private to discuss the decisions they are reaching during the term.  When I was there, it felt impressive and condusive to thoughtful consideration.  By now I imagine it to have a dimension that might be considered a brawl. These are all brilliant people, but I guess that never guarantees open minds -- or a willingness to acknowledge a common good.