Postcards
Happy birthday Dave. You have had some grand adventures. I have to admit he has gotten his money’s worth with that iPhone. If you travel with a backpack, there is not much room to spare. I am happy to say his photography puts mine to shame. Keep finding new adventures. I’m proud of you.
Giddy
It’s done. We have both completed two doses of the covid vaccine. It’s a relief! I feel bad for everyone still waiting. I am bewildered by those who believe the vaccine is not necessary. Our appointments were days apart. We celebrated the same way – a meal in a restaurant, distanced. Safe. I feel safer. Indeed, “safer” is s very good feeling.
Art – again
We’re at it again. Art! It started with a snide comment about museums from a family member. We don’t see art. (Literally? Figuratively? It’s an oil on water kind of thing. Ooooo, there’s a pun?!) They see more. And it’s much better art (that they see). Snide? Unintentional? Our museum is quite tolerant. Don’t touch. Otherwise, do as you will. So, I jumped. Collen was beside herself. Again. And we had a wee bit of fun.
I say that I cannot draw, nor paint – well, I can paint a house. But, art? We can do art. It’s fun! …. sometimes, a bit better than just looking.
Potpourri
Hey! It’s my choice. Editing? Some images stand out. Others cry for a story. Cats? I take good pictures of cats now. Or, are the cats just cute? Do they do goofy things and I am there with a camera? Do you puzzle? We have – during the pandemic. How about a 1000-piece puzzle that is missing one piece? If only they had just said 999-piece puzzle? The cat got one (piece)? The ceramic? Emma sent it. It had toilet paper sticking out the back. Ha ha. No, it was not a …. It’s an incense burner. Oh! In this very long run on paragraph, the prize is the picture of the dawn. Straight out of the camera. No Photoshop. I have a double pane window. It is reflections superimposed. Yes, I could’ve done better. You can always do better. Am I good? Or, am I good because I am in the right place at the right time (dawn)? Could I be better with a bit more effort? Ha, we will not know the answer to that. And, I shall just run on….
Cheer at the bird feeder
Pine siskin, pine warbler, and house finch are in the neighborhood. Hey! It’s neat to see birds we don’t see every day. In fact, I did not know they were natives around here. Ha ha. They have been here longer than I have. Colleen looked them up in our trusty bird guide. We matched the pictures to the names. That’s our story and we are stickin’ with it. Nutley, though he would like, does not get to romp with the birds.
Forgotten kitty
Elle is a single, an only. She’s not a twin. She arrived as a runaway having escaped a harsh life. Rescued, she has never forgotten her origin. She’s skittish. She doesn’t trust. Other times she sleeps upon the bed and can’t be moved. I have a lot of sympathy for her. She’s undoubtedly had a hard life. I am as good to her as I can be. When Elle and I first met, the sight of my camera pointed in her direction was enough to make her run. Now, she poses for me – reluctantly or resigned? She has unconditional love here – from me. I hope (wish) she knows it.
After you move
Ha ha! You never see the sights until you move away. I lived in NYC for the better part of my adult life. I have/had never been to the main branch of the NYC Public Library – you know, the one with the lions outside the entrance. Colleen came to visit from WV and off to the library we went. It was absolutely the first time for me too. It was my first and only visit. Who would have thunk that would be the case?
Juxtapose
Real life and a puzzle got juxtaposed as a edited this morning. There’s a cat sitting in the puzzle and there’s another sitting on our table. Amusing. The puzzle did not have a picture of the finished puzzle. And so, we were not certain there was a cat until it showed up, in the puzzle.
I often wonder what thoughts go around in my cats’ heads. If a picture is a thousand words, then there is plenty to say. Otherwise, they are content to sleep as much as sixteen hours a day. At that rate, I am fortunate to get pictures when they are awake.
Apropos to nothing
I take pictures everyday. I edit infrequently. I edit to cull best shots. I edit to keep the database up to date. On January 28, three pics popped up. They are unrelated except to document the day. Blue Willow plate – English – it’s a divided plate that conjures past memory like Proust’s madeleine. Colleen recalled fond memories when none of her food was allowed to touch each other on her plate. She was indulged by Mother and served on this divided dish. Well, not this dish, but it was one similar. And I indulged her and bought one for her. Ah, the things one does for love. We were in the market and a package of sausage meat germinated the idea to make sausage cake, a British concoction. Colleen says it is akin to plum pudding. It’s a spice cake with walnuts… Good? It’s an acquired taste, I think. And on the same morning, my death-defying cat, Ray, climbed the rail and casually nipped at the planter. He jumps. He is our climbing cat (see climbing the bookcase) and he constantly scares Colleen. She would definitely miss him if he fell. Until recently I could say, “No problem, I have seven cats.” It’s no longer true and I never believed it anyway.
Angel light
Colleen was not familiar with the term – “angel light.” It’s easy enough to see once you see the picture and imagine the rays of light shining through the clouds. I’m not religious. I would like to think of a higher spirit and that Patch is with the angels. We don’t see this lighting often. It is light that is special because it is so fleeting. It brings a smile with the memory that Colleen and I remember Patch when we see angel light.
Dawn
I get up early. But, my share of dawn pictures is small compared to sunset pictures. It’s not easy to expose and get the brilliant hues of orange and blue in the sky at these times. Press the shutter… what do the iPhone people call it? A shutter button? But when you are there in the moment, there is nothing like it. Ha ha. Mostly, Colleen sleeps late so she gets to appreciate the dawn like you readers – after the fact. No matter, you didn’t do the work and get to appreciate – like eating dinner after it’s cooked. Good!
Bird TV returns
I have nothing against squirrels. They gotta eat too. I was tired of the fact that the squirrels were a bit piggish about hogging all the bird food. Colleen was brilliant. Move the feeders. Duh! They are on the front balcony. They squirrels can’t climb there. Bird TV returns!
Do-over
We ate in this restaurant the night we were married. It was pre-Covid. But, we sort of eloped. Not even our hosts joined us to celebrate with dinner. Luckily, restrictions are not so tight now. We returned to a splendid evening out and had another excellent meal. Crab, lamb, and creme brulee – have you gotten the idea Colleen likes crab? Happy? More than ever. Given my tendency to nuttiness, that’s saying a lot for Colleen’s patience. Saintly!! – her, not me!
Coast to coast
We have shootings from coast to coast. The NRA rules! And Mitch McConnell has denied the will of the people in favor of the Republican agenda which is “No!” Republicans have long since stopped saying, “thoughts and prayers.” Air freshener hanging from your rear view mirror is illegal and punishable by death. The execution of citizens in the street is justifiable police action as long as the officer says he was “afraid for his own life.” Assault weapons are so numerous that we have no hope of ever removing their danger to unarmed civilians. We got a problem. Right after the headline of another mass shooting, I look for the body count. Biden, the most powerful man in the world said, “It’s a national embarrassment, what’s going on?” He’s a pretty powerless figure right now. The will of the people has been denied. Who’s to blame? There is no religion or philosophy that advocates mass murder. Why must I read about another tragedy that will soon follow in the days to come?
Light
LED lighting. Where have I been? The neat thing is that it is bright without the heat of incandescent lighting. And now we see how it can be shaped whimsically into many forms. Bright! There was an industrial fixture with 26,000 lumens. Bright! I settled for 3000 lumens; it was a big noticeable improvement. Modern, and a bit high tech out of sync with our house (?); we are living with it and have begun to not notice it except for the light which is brighter. It will work until some other design comes along that is better.
Happily married
What do you do on a day you’d like to celebrate in an understated way? Head to the bookstore, antique store, and on to the favorite restaurant. Someone got a very nice day out of the deal. Pardon the out of focus shots – low/dim lighting. That would be crab imperial – pretty much straight lump crab meat. We got a teacher discount at Apple. And, “one thing” at Barnes and Noble – that’s the rule, just one thing. Happily married? I joke. But, it is not an oxymoron in our little house.
If I died tomorrow…
Key: 1. We met in the third grade in Elkins, WV. 2. Our first trip: Maine. It was Colleen’s life long wish to visit. Pemaquid called to her. 3. Dancing at my cousin’s wedding. 4. Photography, but, of course, in a museum, no less. 5. The Olsen house, Wyeth, Maine, dream, happiness! 6. Loving. Yes, we do! 7. Imagine this! Art! “A la Dali.” It’s Scotland!
I don’t believe in God. I wish that I did. I’m a doubter. That way I can have a foot in both camps. But, the science in me says, “No God.” It will be eternally black, as though sleeping a dreamless sleep, forever after. I’m ok with that. I guess. The death of Patch, and the Pandemic of 2020, and reading all the obituaries; my time is coming. Some, a few, will miss me. Things on the internet last a long time, forever? No matter. I will not be around to lament. So, I shall do so prematurely. Bad karma? I have had a good life. There were many opportunities afforded to me. I am thankful. My blessings are too numerous to mention. At the top of my list of gratitudes is Colleen. It is epic and, oh so fragile; we almost never met again. But, we did. Life is ephemeral. In a short time, no one will recall our loving and my memories. In the short/long time we have had, it has been a wonderful life! And, we will “be” for as long as this post survives the “internet.”
Who could have imagined we would be in a folk dance group picture together at eight years old and never realize the significance of “forever.” It picked up decades later and, indeed, became, “happily ever after.”
Another day, another sunset
I get gorgeous sunsets out of hand. Ho hum? No, just luck? No, I am in the right place at the right time. Ha ha – near sunset. It does require the requisite cloud formations to make things spectacular. Colleen likes it. We are lucky to be sharing such beautiful sunsets. There is a higher force looking down upon us.
Pardon me
I am still upset about another shooting of an unarmed young black man, the father of a two-year old son. “It was a mistake” rings true on so many levels. Apology or excuse? Lives have been changed – forever. So true, so sad. Could someone accept the same explanation after their child was hit by a drunk driver? It was the “heat of the moment.” Hey, you forgot your training? Twenty six years experienced, the officer should get a pass on the only mistake she’s made? Yes, apparently, she was carrying a yellow taser.
Cat? I got twins – fraternal and identical. The difference between a taser and a gun are pretty obvious. It about as obvious as telling flowers apart. When I was neurosurgeon, operating on the wrong side of the brain was enough to end your career. There are mistakes and there are unforgivable mistakes. While this mistake is unforgivable – the investigation must go on? Or, are we in the Old West: “Let’s have a fair trial, and then hang ‘em.” Firearms have consequences. Hand gun death and mass shootings go on with far too much frequency.
Mirror mirror
We were out perusing the goods. A floor length mirror was too good to pass by. I just wanted the photo-op. We did not need the mirror. We looked about; no one was near; click!
Speechless
A young black man is dead because the police could not tell the difference between a taser and a gun. Duh!? Really?! I’m speechless. In this case, why not an eye for an eye? Shoot the police officer’s son. Come on?! I’m trying to process the information. It’s senseless. I am sad. Is this the best excuse for the death of a young man? Administrative leave? The poor dead boy is gonna be dead a very long time. Any excuse is poor compensation for his life. Speechless
All on the same day in the news
What is a dingy person?
To be a little bit, ditzy, not all together there. Usually refers to a shallow or not too bright person.
Tucker is worried that white people are being replaced. With what?
NYC may get an Asian mayor.
August, Georgia – The Masters golf tournament with all it’s faults and anti-feminist sentiment got an Asian champion.
The police shot and killed a black motorist in Minneapolis near where the trial for George Floyd’s killer is underway.
An officer in Virginia was fired for pepper spraying a black army medic.
Yo! All on the same day and near the same place. Nuts! Stupid is as stupid does. With all the attention and sensitivity following George Floyd’s death, the police just can’t seem to resist “stupid.” It is like Matt Gaetz thinking he’s bulletproof. His name is mentioned too. Shake your head. There’s no accounting for “stupid.”
Gee! photography… again
“When you see a disposable photo you know it’s real and it wasn’t crafted or put together,” he said. “It just happened and it was captured. That’s what makes it so exciting.”
Gee! WYSIWYG – what you see is what you get. No filters?! Not Instagram? It’s still social media. Better? Who knows? Every time you turn around someone is inventing the wheel and trying to make money from it. Good!? Real photography is work. Huh? Or is it that no one wants to work? Or…. Whatever. It seems to be an excuse to not blame the workman for the poor workmanship. Spontaneity? Freedom? No responsibility? It’s pretty easy to see how spontaneity can slip into “staged.” But, keep to your fantasy. You still have to press a shutter. And, something is better than nothing. Do you need to chase fame? Do you need a million followers to feel fulfilled? Whatever?! Someone is due to make a ton of money on this idea.
10%er
Patch loved to sit on the table and mooch. He wouldn’t eat. He loved to lick potato chips, for the salt? And, he liked smoked turkey. He had been taught not to eat table food. So, it was with a mixture of rebellion and obedience that he – ha! – mooched. He did not bother me, just Colleen. This was just before he became mortally ill. I smile because I just downloaded a happy memory of Patch in better times. 10%? It refers to the fact that all my pets going back to Nellie, my dog, all had a right to a 10% share of anything I ate. They held me to it. I was/am helpless to deny them their right. Yeah, yeah, Patch liked to lick bread too.
photobackstory 