the beauty of cemeteries, in eastern Kentucky

post #232
       During yesterday's evening trip to town for groceries I drove past multiple cemeteries, all beautifully cared for, ready for this Memorial Day Weekend.  As readers of this blog already know, as a photographer and as a resident, I have been very taken with these family cemeteries for a long, long time. So I decided that today I would show some of my earlier photos of some of these places. Then this evening and tomorrow morning, when the light is better, I will take current photos of cemeteries nearest to where I live to post next Sunday. (I post once a week, usually on a Sunday.)

        First, a cemetery in nearby Rowan County, connected to a small church which is no longer in regular use but in a beautiful location.  A friend who plans to be buried here was showing the place to me, near where she lives.

         Now a second pair of photos, in the fall, also connected to a church and in Rowan County.  I took these during the funeral and burial for the wonderful matriarch of a large family, Don Rita Butler.

     Next are three of the photos by John Flavell when we both photographed the final two miles to the family cemetery, for Dempsey McDaniel, at the family's request.

    Here are some photos from there later. I had my eldest granddaughter with me during that visit.  (I took some photos from this cemetery today, during the family gathering, which I will share next week.)

      
       This is the view from the hill where the cemetery is located:

      The next two photos are from the Catron Cemetery, again on the top of a hill, 

 and these last two are also along the ridge I live on. I include the mailboxes, because it is an indication of where I was was standing while taking the photos.  (All our mailbox numbers have changed since I took this photo, however.  We now have 911 in our county....)

      We are having beautiful weather this weekend. It is rich for families to gather in memory of family members no longer living, but not forgotten, giving the youngest generation a connection to their family history and a chance to play with cousins, among other things. I hope some of my readers share my interest in these important places.

a bit of a spring sweep-up

post #231
      Before I get heavy into summer and gardens and who knows what, I want to share a few photos from the spring that seem to have slipped through the cracks.  I took them with several different cameras, but I am going to try to present them in chronological order.
     To begin with, here are three shots from 3/25/15, which, around here, was finally spring!  First an overview, then a detail, and last a bit of local history:

I was stopped by this former side road to the one room school that I first saw, in action, in 1966.  It has been closed down for 45 years or so, after the consolidated elementary school was constructed.  .

       Another moment of local history - the day after I discovered a leak under the back wall of my gallery!  My Stanley Steamer Savior was in the process of pulling back the rug so he could remove the wet padding underneath.  He did a masterful job.  This was on Saturday morning, 4/11/15.

     That same evening several families had a spring birthday party potluck for all the Aprils and Mays in the group.  Ann (definitely not me) worked on and off all day to make her Peanut Butter and Chocolate cake -- even though hers was one of the birthdays we were celebrating.  I took this photo and the next one with my cell phone. Somehow in the confusion of the day, I had forgotten to bring my work camera.

Thank you, Ann!

    
       I had meant to show this photo in an earlier post, but since I made it at the same time as the party, across the street, I am including it today. 

     The next day I tried photos of the mark left by a bird on our deck sliding door. The bird seems to have flown away, though it must have been at least slightly dazed!  I always hope there is not a high price to pay for making a split second wrong decision.

  The last spring photo today is of the violets outside our front door -- at 6:30 one morning, 4/18/15. The wet, cool weather made for a beautiful display this year. Enjoy!

There is one last photo, however.  Inside shot.  Of one favorite section in my bookcase -- picture books by friends, mostly by George Ella Lyon.  I realize I should do a whole blog soon that features some of these bookcovers.  Note to self: good idea!  Thanks as always to hanging in with me this far.  
         

 

a multi-generational birthday celebration, and this weekend's chicken saga

post #241
       Running a little late today posting my weekly blog entry.  Traveling.  With too much to do before I left.  In fact, I hear I left the chicken house door open by mistake, and now my last two chickens have been killed by a beastie.  Or maybe a pair of beasties.  I am sorry because they were such remarkable layers.  Every day for years.  I will try to find some like them before the grandchildren show up this summer, since they are all really into gathering eggs.  I give thanks for those wonderful hens, as I told them every night except two nights ago. 
        For today I have had a request to post additional photos from the 80th birthday party, so I am going to try to do just that.  This was the party I arrived at late because of getting a flat tire on the way over.  Four generations of the neighbors-who-treat-me-like-family.  I wasn't there specifically to take photos, but I can never resist taking a few.  I am including a couple which are not perfect technically speaking, but give a flavor of things nonetheless.  Actually, many of my photos are not technically perfect, and I rarely use Photoshop.  I think it is just an obsession of mine to show what I see and share what I can, especially in a situation like this where the lighting was tricky and the place was crowded, etc. and I am simply enjoying the occasion.

This is an overall view from when I first arrived.  People standing up are filling a plate!  The birthday girl, June, is front and center.

the birthday cake, made by June's niece, Vivian

This is the best I could do for Sandy that afternoon, but I wanted to include it because June is her mother,

and Diana, who lives in Michigan, is Sandy's older sister.

blowing out the candles on the cake

I like this photo of Gayle with the hanging balloon.

June and Vernie, let's see, they are sisters-in-law.  Vernie has since passed away, and we were all at the visitation and/or the funeral last week.  It is always so hard to lose a close family member.

June's son, Billy

Vernie's daughter, Darlene, and her husband, Eddie

The youngest generation --  three cousins:

   I hope this does give a flavor of the party, which was lovely and delicious and generous.  If anyone should want a photo removed from this photo story, please just let me know.  I am always clear that I have privacy concerns, so I don't ever want anyone to be uncomfortable about a photo of him or her that is out there.  Thank you all, and my apologies for not getting more decent photos of the youngest generation!

Photos have the first say on this third of May

post #240
       By first say, I mean, of course, what images most capture my fancy -- before I determine what will be in the week's blog post.  The verdict just now is that it's gonna be PEOPLE.  In my view, the change of seasons wouldn't be as beautiful without them. 
       Recently I showed the trillium on the rock photos. I saw them first with Karen and Doug on 4/18/15 (see post #238).  Today's photos are on 4/28, ten days later.  I am with Debbie and Lucy, all three of us way into photography.  

trillium still blooming, ten days later!

tricky lighting, patient friends

       I do prefer to show anything in context, a witness to where I am at the time and patient with the lighting.  This inclination of mine must have something to do with my over-active curiosity gene!

 These great guys cleared a majorly clogged drainage pipe during those days of heavy rain and saturated ground.  Jason and James, thank you for a job well done!  They are both juniors in high school.  Here is what it looked like before they were called to the scene: 

       My next people are gathered in a dry inner space -- within the rotunda of the Kentucky State Capitol.  My friend George Ella Lyon is being inducted as the next Poet Laureate of our state, for a two year term!  The Kentucky Arts Council orchestrates the ceremony; the governor speaks and six former P.L.s get to read a poem.  George Ella gave the main address, and soon after we all went outside because of a fire drill!  Congratulations to all, especially when poetry can rule for the day, Kentucky Writers Day, April 24th every year, the anniversary of the birth of Kentuckian Robert Penn Warren in 1905.
      

Frank X. Walker, the "retiring" P.L.

      Now two photos of George Ella -- I am sharing the first one EVEN THOUGH it is not what it could be. I love her expression, but I did not hold my camera still enough to capture it with the clarity I would have preferred.  However, she is acknowledging her family at the beginning of her remarks, and I think she looks loving and happy, so I am not able to dismiss this photo entirely.  The second photo of her could also be sharper, but it is the only one I took at that time.  (Gosh, honesty can be interesting but also difficult to own up to.)

      Last set of photos today: my neighbor Natalie was showing me her baby goats, especially this chocolate one.  She and I have just been to a community theater performance, but she was in her barn outfit in a flash so she could show me the new goat.  I love it.  Thanks for coming with me Sunday, Natalie, and letting me take your photo with the baby goat and the baby rabbits.

CUTE - and quick!

more spring glory in eastern Kentucky

post #239
        Today is redbuds, lilacs, chickweeds, and a pear tree.  Spring here is all about intensity this year, starting late, lots of rain, and an eager world awaiting.

our pond, too full, very muddy from the hillside run-off

redbuds along the road at Forks of the Caney, showing Grayson Lake over-full and even muddier

This is usually the boat launch area, but these fisherpeople are making the most of what shore they can find.

"The one that didn't get away was THIS big!"

Another stop along the road, this time for a tall old pear tree:

I turned to look over the other side of the road from the pear tree: the old building I check every spring

NOT a redbud, but even so beside the road like a redwood would be

two chickweed photos, beside the road to the Laurel Gorge Cultural Heritage Center, where I was delivering two of my framed photos for their spring art show

  
Next some pairs of photos, since as usual I seem to be all about telling stories as I go:

Lilac in the yard, April 14, 2015

Same lilac stem, April 19, 2015

Now two from another lilac bush in our yard, very tall, seen from the second floor of the house in the first photo, and, in the other view, from below, outside, with a different sky on that same day, April 19, 2015.

I particularly like this photo. Just saying.  And I am going to stop now, more next week!