Hunt
Farnsworth Museum, Rockland, Maine. 1976. Monhegan, Maine. There is a puzzle, a card, a book cover, but no print available. There was a book plate – sold out. Hmmm, the internet has everything; Amazon has everything. Has no one thought to make a print of this iconic painting. Is it iconic? Colleen loved it instantly. We actually saw it! Live and in person – in the museum. Um, special? Well, it is. You see art. You want a copy/print – to hang at home. It does not seem to have ever been done. That is different, at least for me? Find it? Nope. I am not accustomed to failure. In this whole wide world there is always something. We went down to Port Clyde. There is a gallery devoted to Wyeth work. Alas!
Surprise
This is a mix of shots Colleen made as we drove up to Maine. Yes!? She shot through the windshield rather than have me do so while driving. Ok! Not bad! In fact she got some first class shots! Really! I mixed in a couple of my own. Who could resist? But, Colleen did a great job. She complained or lamented that she missed shots. So? We all do. I do! Nice work. She’s becoming a photographer and doesn’t suspect that the lessons are taking hold….yet. Lee… no peas were harmed in the making of her dinner.
What’s in your day?
You visit Maine. You go to Freeport. You visit LL Bean. Colleen used to look at the catalog with longing. Now we visit to get stuff to fill out the wardrobe. Fun?! Along the way we always have fun. The leaves are changing. The season is changing. Our humor remains high. Great photography? Today was about fun.
Spider
I don’t sit still. It’s hard! I never did – sit still. Colleen laughs. She has every right – to laugh. A spider was out in the open settled on his/her web waiting. We were – Colleen was – stripping golden rod to make a dye bath for her fiber. Natural dying!
Not being able to sit and not helping to strip, I experimented. I put a flower on the web. The spider reacted quickly. Dinner?! Interesting. It encapsulated the flower and then cut it from the web. No trash! The debris might otherwise make the web noticeable like the red balls on a powerlines to warn passing planes. Yes, interesting.
It is a feat of engineering – a spider web. It was not perfect in a geometric sense. Invisible. For sure. Almost unnoticeable except for the big fat spider. I wondered. It got spooked and retreated to the nearest plant, nearly invisible itself. I guess the plan works. It was not a thin looking spider.
What’s in your day?
I am so fortunate. I have a deck to sit. The beach is a short ride away. The soundtrack of “Jaws” plays gently on my mind. Cats! I never cared much for cats till Colleen…. I got no complaints. I got worries. Don’t we all? Charmed. I have been indeed “lucky.”
What do you shoot?
I got about eleven cameras in rotation. I shoot regularly with four right at this moment. Other cameras are in closets or on the shelves having outlived their usefulness giving way to the newest latest greatest technologies. I have several iPhones. Only one is in current use. So?
The question arises: what camera do you use? It depends on the circumstance. For events like an Indian Powwow I want to use the “big gun” and the “big lens.” It’s nice to have choices. I keep a camera on my desk: clouds, moon…. I have a camera on the dashboard of the car. You never know. Colleen is a good sport about taking pics rather than my handling the camera while driving. Good! I have a camera in the dining room to get grab shots of the cats when they are frantically trying to be cute or to avoid me. I use a macro lens for my flower garden and otherwise I am zoom lens on pretty much everything. I tend to the maximum zoom. So, why not a prime zoom at that focal length? TMI!
It was a simple question. I download to five redundant external drives under the assumption that everything electronic breaks down – eventually.
What do you shoot? What do I shoot? Mainly it breaks down to fitting the camera to the need. It is nice to have choices.
Now, to wives? There is only one!! One! One and only?!!! Different day different camera, but only one wife!
Photo op
When there is no rain, there are a lot of opportunities for images. Look!? Place to place, there are images everywhere. I have realized that I must focus. Camera focus is automatic. No, I must concentrate upon the subject and the content of my image. Keep to one thing – color, pageantry, motion, detail….
It was a privilege to be at the event. We learn new things each time we attend. You cannot be everywhere at once. I wanted to feel like I got the essence of the event. I’m shy. At this event I was permitted to photograph, free to capture images uniquely showing people celebrating their heritage and culture.
I think I smiled the whole day. While I enjoyed my day job (neurosurgeon) and its challenges, I think I might have been a photographer if circumstances were otherwise. For me, this was a fun day.
Raindrops
I hate it when Colleen is right. She’s always predicting weather based on the weather report. When is the weatherman correct? Drat! Rain was predicted to fall right as the festivities began on Day 2.
And it did! Right on schedule. Right as predicted. When is the weatherman right?!
Uncanny! We went for pizza. Yes, we left. And, came back. The opening flag ceremony was just beginning. Few dancers were in attendance. Or, they were getting Chinese food? But the rains resumed – poured! There was a stampede to the exit.
Yup, raindrops… no one is getting their feathers wet. Do you wear your finest clothes in the rain? And, there was no audience.
“If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?”
I am glad we were gifted with a spectacular Day 1.
1916
My personal record of images shot in one day. It’s not bragging. It is wonder to me. It would translate to roughly 52 rolls of slide film shot in one day. That would amount to nearly one half year’s worth of film shot for me before I converted to digital. I would take about 40 rolls of film on a major trip (two weeks) to Europe. I am amazed that life has progressed for me in this way.
Things turn out so different from what I had ever imagined. One picture. Two picture… it was not video or movie. I don’t shoot video. I never look at it. I resolved a long time ago to stop shooting video. There is plenty of video shot and saved from when the kids were young. Now, it’s for me. I shoot digital and embrace the technology but not too much. Digital tech changes – in order to sell more cameras. I am too old for “camera lust.” New technology?, is something to get me better images or to get images impossible to get any other way….. shhhh, ha ha, a telescope (inside joke).
1916 images in one day, it was a record I did not set out to make. I am otherwise in awe of technology that would allow me this feat within the budget I set.
Explanations: Yes, the waiter was giving me horns. All day, 1916 pictures, and, only 4 selfies. “They” Colleen pronounced it a “they.” Astute! I was not paying attention but it had a full set of armpit hairs and a man’s face. Transition or unsure? Color and pageantry! Action! Cute! Kids! Birds! That hornbill was catching a grape mid-air. The vulture was stalking. Yes, they do.
powwow
Pageantry, color, people, costumes, politicians…. Colleen laughs and joins me reluctantly. I am drawn to the photo opportunity. We go. We learn. Images are everywhere.
Senator Carper showed up. I have not seen him for several years. Shocked. We were stunned by how old he looked. Stooped gait and cracking voice he had seriously aged since we saw him last time. Sad.
Color and pageantry were all around. Fun! We learned about dance, drums, and song. It was a grand day. I feel so fortunate to have attended.
North
Colleen and I were puzzled. We giggled. Women! The women in my life all are directionally challenged. Jules had her Garmin GPS device upside down on her dashboard because she was driving south. Ditto, her mother, who holds a map upside down because we were driving south.
So it was with the Aztec dancers from Philly at the Indian powwow. They consistently pointed in the wrong direction as they paid homage to the four winds – NSEW. Oh my! It was comical. It was solemn. Are you still blessed if you are looking the wrong way?
Weary
Each revelation is the nail in Trump’s coffin. But it ain’t. He lies anew and his followers follow. He committed crime! Many! A judge no less has determined that felonies were committed. Felony! It’s a crime! No. In this case I ask when is felony not a crime. To be sure if it is was me, my ass would be locked up already.
Teflon Don Gotti:
Why was he called Teflon Don?
Following several unsuccessful prosecutions—one of which failed because the jury foreman was paid a $60,000 bribe—Gotti became known as the “Teflon Don” (because criminal charges against him never stuck) who could always outwit the criminal justice system.
Shhh… 45, your time is coming.
End of the season
It’s the end of the garden season. I try to have color all spring and summer. Flowers, even annuals, have a season and some do not last all season. Glancing briefly at last year there was a better season, so it seems. There were more picturesque blossoms that lasted longer. Really? Does it matter? We go forward. But, gee, I wish I were getting better.
The best I can say is “different.” Each season is learning what works and what did not. No complaints. The nurseries carry different flowers. Some work; some do not. Be positive. Be happy. Don’t worry.
Don’t worry. Be happy!
Best boy
How long is mourning? Not a day goes by lately that I don’t miss our departed Ray. I guess it was his sudden death? Nutley, his brother, is identical in photos except for the color of the fur around his neck. It’s hard to tell. Trust me. I edit and it’s hard to tell Ray from Nutley. Our other twins – Spice and Feather – are equally hard to distinguish in pictures.
Storm’s coming. Here’s a neat trick. I have trained the cats. I clap hands and say, “Go!” They trot to the door and come in off the deck. Yes!
You will notice the clip and rope around Ray’s neck. He and his brother staged frequent jailbreaks over the fence of the deck, hence, the restraint.
As I said before, we miss Ray.
Symmetry
Close your eyes. I am about to dive between two tractor trailer trucks on the approach to the George Washington bridge. Pay attention. Drive carefully! Don’t drive distracted!
I like my pottery symmetrical too.
It wuz two different pictures. The models are the same. Same clothes, even!
No no, driving is not boring. Sometimes we see interesting things. The “dive” picture is mine (while driving). Colleen took the GW bridge from the passenger seat.
Matching
On occasion we wear matching clothes. It’s not intentional. For a while I would see matching Japanese tourists in NY. They wore the same T-shirts or whatever. It was oddly curious to see.
As you can readily see I can go both ways. It’s a joke not a gender insult or confusion. Otherwise, our museum antics would be considered schizophrenic. And hats? Why, of course!
Tea
High tea. It’s referred to:
“English High Tea usually involved a mug of tea, bread, vegetables, cheese and occasionally meat.
What is difference between afternoon tea and high tea?
Delectable scones, tea sandwiches, and cakes are the hallmark of an afternoon tea, which is served in midafternoon. A high tea, however, includes much more substantive fare…“
“Tasha Tudor: was an American illustrator and writer of children’s books.” Beloved!
Colleen has loved her books and illustrations long before I met her. We have bought several of her books which are collectibles from antique stores.
And, I have become introduced to the Tasha Tudor society. Yes, a fan club! On her 107 birthday we attended a Tea in her honor far from our home in Lancaster PA. I won the door prize! Imagine that! We had a splendid time. There were speeches. There was a tour.
Yes, there are cults that promote good. We met people who had met Tasha during her life. Some folks have pursued celebrations like this for many years. It is indeed humbling to see living history pass as the participants grow ever older and the tenuous connection to Tasha fades.
The day started in fog and ended with a spectacular sunset replete with rainbow. Nutley, as ever, did not want us to leave him for the day. Colleen ate in a favorite restaurant as a coda. Perfect! Priceless!
Arresting
… my attention. Not a real arrest, silly.
I’ve been to Hawaii twice. I barely remember it. On the second occasion Lisa was pregnant with David. Morning sickness. We drove to a vantage for me to take pictures of the coast as the clouds cleared at noon. I rolled into the parking lot and stopped short to back up into a parking spot I had passed. Jules and Lisa promptly threw up from the sudden change in direction. My bad. I did not get the shots either.
Everyone lies. ?!?! We arrived at the Honolulu airport for our flight. We expected a jet plane. The attendant asked us for our weight. It turned out they were calculating the weight load for the aircraft to takeoff. Lisa burst into tears on the tarmac. Why? She sobbed, “I lied about my weight!!” I was close enough to see the jet in front and to read the gas gauge which read nearly empty. The plane fared no better as after it landed it took right back off into the sky without refilling its empty tank. I was glad not to be on the return trip. And, meanwhile at the rental car counter I asked for the directions to the hotel. The clerk replied, “Go out the gate. Make a right.” Uh… we were staying right next to the airport.
What a nice little series of slides, all parked together in my catalog!
Work in progress
We just got done with kitchen renovation. A myriad of packing boxes empty and full are strewn about getting sorted into donation or putting away. It’s a mess in another picture…
Meanwhile Colleen is on a roll. So, move the weaving accoutrements from here to there hither and yon. Oh boy! I am making another mess or cleaning up one that is long overdue. The barn loom went downstairs – storage. Rugs were coming and going. The bookcase and Hossier cabinet came up for additional storage. Two looms migrated into the space. And… etc. etc. and so forth. Neater?
Of course it is! Did anything get thrown out? Don’t ask!?! Neater! More organized! Easier access and easier on the eye. Less messy?!?! I gotta admit. The girl can organize. Oh! My aching back! You may laugh, this was pictures of a kitchen renovation. Right?! …. all that moving about and not a thing got thrown out.
Who’s watching
Colleen reads my blog. She is very complimentary. Of course! Well, thank goodness. She is quick to tell me if she dislikes something. She is my number one fan and supporter. Do I need more?
They keep statistics on the parent website. It tracks visits and views and from which country I am being viewed. I have been seen from around the world. Not all at once but over time someone from almost every country has seen one of my posts. Impressive! I am awed at the reach of the internet. Some folks even come back more than once.
So. Today. I see some nice things. Peonies. Who knew? I ignore them in the plant nurseries. They put on an utterly amazing display in the spring. It’s too short for me to plant in my container garden. I want color all summer long. But spectacular! My thanks to the patient gardeners who have such a brief but spectacular show. It’s still pandemic as evidenced by the cat mask (Colleen made it, my favorite).
Canceled
Our boat tour of three Scottish islands was canceled for wind and inclement weather. The tour took off from Oban which as you can see was bright sunny and without much wind to see. Lemons? Make lemonade.
Oban is a lovely town to walk and explore and eat a meal. Cullen skink. Don’t ask. We found it in the guidebook and Edinburgh and then we chased it all over Scotland. I just photograph it. We did have an excellent time on a very pleasant sunny afternoon.
The tower is “McCaig’s Tower, also known as McCaig’s Folly, is a prominent tower on Battery Hill overlooking the town of Oban in Argyll,” And yes, we walked to it.
Same ole’
It’s easy to slip into your comfort zone. I shoot cats, family, and flowers. There is some travel, restaurants, food, and museums. Events are an occasional opportunity. It is a running legacy. Does anyone care?
By now you’ve seen about as many cats and flowers as you might ever wish to see. There are stories. Sure. But how interested is anyone in the saga of my cats? Good pictures? Technically so, they are I suppose. Good stories? For a laugh, maybe they are. Somewhat.
I write. It’s an outlet. I illustrate. Or, perhaps I photograph to illustrate? Eh? I photograph. I decided I cannot draw or paint. Photographs don’t lie. Except when they do. I photograph. I tell stories. I suppose you should be glad not to be my cat. Too many pictures.
Reflection
Tip Top coffee house, Thomas, West Virginia. Colleen adores it. It is a place like so many others and unique unto itself. There’s nothing particularly notable – location, friendliness, quality, … etc. But Colleen adores it nonetheless. We have changed our route in order to stop.
Me? Sit? Still? Never.
I pulled my camera for photo ops. …dog in a doorway. Reflection in the door. We sat. I remained busy experimenting with reflections in the glass. Relax? Yes. This was relaxing to just let everything go, to forget about world events and politics, to enjoy the sun, and the company. I paused in my photo catalog this morning reflecting on how this moment of serenity makes me smile in the innocent memory of our interlude.
Seven
“Even or odd?”, the vet asked Colleen. Do you want an even number of cats? We are currently odd. The number is already unwieldy. They keep us busy. Isn’t one (cat) enough? They only let me have one wife at a time. Hee hee. Characters one and all. All unique. I give and receive different affection from them all. And our relationship is always evolving. Ha ha. Currently we have two sets of twins. And they are not identical in behavior whatsoever. Yes, unique. I’m still running tryouts. I just hope we don’t end up with nine cats….
Today was inventory day. I went around with my camera to photograph each cat. i do the periodically. Nutley is (heaviest) largest. Peas weigh two pounds more than Tillie. You cannot tell Feather from Spice from looking at their faces. Willow and Elle are singles. They never say boo.
photobackstory 