surprise, surprise --- mostly snow photos

 

                                                       SNOW AT LAST!  (photo by Rebecca Wright)

 
     Here in the other end of Kentucky from the terrible tornadoes, we have had two days of snow, and then last night and today lots of rain -- snow chasers.  I believe next will be some lower than usual temps.  So I figured I needed at least to enjoy the snow while it lasted and the photography that it provokes. (Those many people stuck overnight on I 95 earlier in the week have my total sympathy. How terrible and scary. I haven't needed to go anywhere for days, but my car is facing down the driveway, in case.)

    That first photo is wonderful. I love it, but I didn't make it.... Another bravo to my daughter.  They explored the icicles down by the waterfalls and, near the house, wore the snow out with the sled and two playful dogs.   

       SO here, barely in chronological order, are some other snow photos:

Well, this is an older photo, along Route 504, and it wants to be included even though it's an earlier storm...

The way to plow your south facing driveway is to get the mail carrier to drive up to the house to deliver a package and later have your son-in-law bring over some of his tasty stew and a dolly to move a file cabinet. By then the road snow will begin melting -- 

 

 

 

 

This is after she drove up and then out, apologizing for not being sure if she had driven on my driveway or not!  She managed better than some do even on a good day.

the end of the first day, still snowing at dusk, so very quiet everywhere (no wind), the pond not even frozen yet.

deer tracks, I think -  on the way to water

this afternoon, after the rain finally stopped

                 NOW, next, la pièce de résistance, a "movie" of the pond before the rain began:

         Please remember that it's possible to double click on any one of the photos, and they will then all line themselves in order at the bottom of the screen.  That way, they can be seen one by one.  Just sayin'.  I had some struggles today, which I hope don't show.  And I will be trying again in two weeks to make things work more smoothly.  It's hard to believe I've been doing these posts for over ten year and still have to learn stuff.  I love the movie this time -- I hope it works smoothly. 

    Let's pursue truth and not believe what doesn't make sense.  And while we're at it, as members of the same human race, let's sharpen our capacity for kindness.    (Voilà, that's my first political statement of 2022! )

Sunsets during my photography years (part 2 of 2)

post #417
      OK, sunsets always have the potential for beauty, sometimes amazing, often when working alongside or within clouds. Since the sun "goes down" every day, it might be easy to take these displays for granted.  I haven't yet gotten to that point, I must confess. I also want to mention that as far as a photo goes, it's sometimes hard to tell later whether it was a sunset or a sunrise! If this is happening in familiar territory, where the looking west viewpoint differs from the one looking east, then there is a clue. Otherwise not. 

      As far as I know, every single image that follows is taking place during a setting sun.  I do hope everyone is still noticing the steady reliable work the sun does for us.  I happen to think that if we don't take responsibility for reducing the human causes of climate change that the sun will no longer be able to be the friend it has been so far.

ARRIVING BY PLANE, IN DENVER, COLORADO  -- SEE THE PLANET

TWO EVENING VIEWS, A FEW DAYS LATER, IN THE COLORADO ROCKIES

FROM RIGHT AT HOME, IN EASTERN KENTUCKY

WELL, THIS IS A VARIATION OF A SETTING SUN, THOUGH THIS ECLIPSE, FOR US, WAS ACTUALLY MAINLY A PARTIAL SUN.

THREE MORE, FROM RIGHT AT HOME

THE CAMPUS OF EARLHAM COLLEGE, IN RICHMOND, INDIANA WHERE IT'S PRETTY FLAT AND OPEN!

ON THE BAY BEACH NEAR EAST DENNIS, ON CAPE COD, MASSACHUSETTS

ON THAT BEACH, LOOKING NORTH, FROM THE SAME SPOT

BACK AT HOME, MIRRORED BY THE POND

I have more such photos, but I am going to end with one last one, for now, to draw the two parts of this sunset 'series' together.  I made this photo sitting in a window seat in the plane going north last week, and the only reason the photo was possible was, of course, because the wing was covering the actual setting sun. I like how the design of the wing mirrored the coastline between the land and the water. I didn't know I would see that. But that's one reason why I stay energized by the visual dimension of my life. 

Do you honor your visual companions?

post #314
       I took a big step along being in a new-to-me house -- with the help of Bob and Carolyn. For two hours on Thursday we hung what I call my visual companions. These colors, shapes, images, words, are from my life so far. Along with my joy in them, each has a story and a history. 
       I am putting my own photo work on the first floor, especially in the Gallery area, and all are for sale. Then upstairs I now have my visual version of surround sound. I am so happy  these images are back to being an integral part of my daily life.  I want to share these this week and next, since a few more will be up by then. However, I do hope that moving homes isn't the only way to bring together your own visual companions to be there for you every day! I know George Ella, for example, is an ace at keeping herself surrounded.
        So, without the full stories for now, here first is some color in the downstairs. The Afghan was knit by my mother, its friend came from some airplane, and the red wool shawl was a present from my stepmother after her trip to Russia. They all keep me warm!

     Actually the primary decoration downstairs at the moment is piles of papers needing sorting.... Here is a stash that looks fairly tame and do-able. Not always the case. Thank goodness for cardboard boxes....

So, it's upstairs we go, with four treasures on two walls, across from each other:

we three sisters, in the mid fifties....

fern photo by my friend Mary Rezny in Lexington

a favorite Japanese print

an endlessly fascinating hanging quilt piece by Debbie Stephens, from Elliott County

 Two in the hall, the first a bulletin board from my childhood that will have family photos on it once I have the time/luxury of pulling that project together:

      This next treasure hangs in the stairwell.... I once fell in love with this photo by Howard Bond. I got brave and bought it, at a short-lived photography gallery in Lexington. I think I justified the cost by telling myself that if I was going to be a photographer, I had to do my share of supporting other photographers as well. It shows famous worn stairs from Wells Cathedral in southern England. I only discovered two years later that I once visited there as a 9 year old! I must have been amazed by them then, and I stay amazed now. My father and stepmother later drove to Wells with me. I always appreciated that we made that trip.

        By next week I will have time to make a proper photo of the stairwell to show how the photo now hangs in relation to the steps in this house. I also have those other treasures to share. I need to move on to other tasks at the moment, however, and I thank whomever is reading this for having joined me today for my introduction to several of my particular visual companions.
 

in honor of this home I'm leaving next week, part 2 of 2

post #308
       Today is my last full day on my own in this house, after 42 years of lots of our comings and goings and our company coming and coming back and goats and chickens and seasons and changes in the house and hard work by both my ex-husband and myself.  There are stories galore. And this tradition will continue now that my daughter and her husband and their kids will begin living here. These 90 acres of land are healthier for our having lived so fully until now, and it makes a difference to me that this stewardship is being passed on and that I will be able to live nearby. 
        I continue to be in awe that I or any human being can own trees -- we are so dependent on them for the very air we breathe and for their beauty and strength. They should not to be taken for granted in any way.  This hilly farm is not "worth" a lot, but in my mind and heart it has been a treasure to know and always will be.

       Anyway, enough sentiment for now, here are the other dozen photos I'm sharing at this point in time, for fun, and in honor of these many years together:

two upstairs file cabinets and a mirror, and books (dear friends). The grey one is staying, the brown file drawer is going with me.

photo by John Flavell, French translation of a picture book by George Ella Lyon. A former window behind the book now connects the kitchen and the living room.

the shelf of books ABOUT - trees, flowers, the stars, etc., They not being moved at this time.

I have no idea if this cactus is going to be moved!  I hear it's worth about $100 by now, but it seems so happy there, surrounded by toys from cousin camp. Plus it's very hard to move.  Stay tuned.  Anyone nearby want a healthy cactus, to pick up yourself?

Granddaughter artwork graces world issues of personal concern.

Other honored work. The law reviews are from the year when E was the editor.

a door frame from the kitchen to the living room addition, with a warning: low door frame, tall (!) family members

the downstairs file cabinet, to be moved out of T's room on the day a week from now when 9 pieces of furniture, etc., will all be moved from this house to my new dwelling (which is currently my Gallery.)

friends of T's, waiting eagerly for her return from their extended road trip

another view from My Chair in the corner of the kitchen - (see earlier post) - way across to the front door, opened "reflectively" on this warm day

grand-dog wanting to come in, and I can't hide because I am sitting close to this other door

 next to My Chair.

Actually, I am strongly of the opinion that blue is hot, and red totally out to lunch.... but these markers have been adhered to this bathtub since the Nixon presidency went down the drain....

Just in case we'd forget the truth of Mother Jones from over 100 years ago!... The wall this hangs on shows the original inside wall of this house, built during WWII.  There are no interior spaces behind the wall, so the pipes we added when we hooked up to indoor plumbing became part of what is seen. I guess it could be called pioneer design. However, we wanted to show a bit of how the house had originally been built.

waiting for the laundry mavens to return

Believe it or not, this bookshelf shows progress! Mostly cookbooks are left, and the bird books, and the growing a garden ones.  Honest!  We have still to decide which ones stay with the house.

One last bit -- the desk I used as a child, currently in the room T. is using until I actually move out, which is going with me.  I guess I wanted to be sure my younger sisters didn't mess with my desk, so I decided to add my name?  I don't remember doing it, BUT I remember why I might have wanted to do it.  Ironically, due to timing, I ended up in Kentucky with two similar desks! The other one will be staying here in the house for T. to use in whatever room she ends up in once I have moved out.  (I have been house sitting my own house and dog sitting while my daughter and family have been on a long drive around the USA before starting their new life here.) The drawers on both desks work well for being so old..... just like me!  Go figure!

        In honor of my move, I am going to take next week off from this weekly blog, to concentrate instead on keeping my sense of humor in good working order, which between the move and the election will need all the TLC it can get.  This is the least I can do to show my deep appreciation for the help of friends and family at this time.  
       So I'll be back on Hallowe'en, MOVED.