The Decade's End...

... and it has been a most remarkable decade to me, perhaps the best of my life. When I think of where I have been in the last decade and how I got there it is amazing to me, especially since my goal as a younger man was to see the year 2000. What overshadows all of that for me is the guilt of where I live when so many are homeless, my lack of protest against the meaningless and cruel wars in which our country is immersed and the resulting dead and wounded, and the importance of personal questioning and conflict that I have made a part of my life in recent years.
I am fortunate, and I have been blessed with relationships and events that are so precious to me I cannot express in words the feelings that come from them. I do not know where the next decade will take me, but I am in hopes for fewer heart procedures (I will take better care of myself), fewer near death experiences (I will be more careful within my surroundings) and more changes as I allow myself to drift along in the winds of fate and fortune (with hard work and love for others as a mantra).
Thanks to all who have been a part of this past amazing decade... boy, am I getting gray!

Steel and Ice

Well, more work on Torrey's car yesterday as Jen was perceptive enough to notice that the sway bar end was split off and may well have been making some of the noise that has been coming from the front end. I have tried a number of things to quell the sounds from this vehicle and am about ready to give up and let it heal itself (I have had several cars in the past that have done just that), but I doubt that I will be permitted that pathway. I have to change the oil in the Corolla tomorrow (whoops, this morning... sleep escapes me) morning and then will hopefully head to Winter Harbor to finish up on repairng the frame on my truck. The photo is of the sway bar support with all its rubber bushings... four tough to get at bolts, what fun!

The icicles are from the house eaves, cold weather is here.

Why do I strive so hard for symbolism in all I do? Understanding of the constructed meanings behind my work is limited to a few, a very few.

Wind, Snow & 2 Angels

A wild day is developing here as the wind picks up, the temperature drops, and the only thing that really makes sense to do is "hunker down". The good news is that can include getting some important schoolwork done for next years classes, some purchase orders together for next semester, and maybe some studio time. I really want to work on putting together some video in Final Cut, so I will do some of that today with what I have for clips.

The weather outside is frightful, and the wind makes a dark shot of the whitecaps in the bay, but the snow along the shore as the tide backs relentlessly away makes a beautiful transition. It is fascinating how a photograph can portray the wildness of weather but not really place the viewer in the moment because it is so singularly dimensional. The feeling is in the composition and how much of the true scene the photographer can capture. I don't think I will venture out into the bay to become more immersed and therefore attempt a better shot.


The angels are simply vestiges of Christmas that we've not repacked into boxes and placed back under the cellar stairs, but they are symbolic to me on a number of levels. I found it interesting as I began to arrange the composition that one of them was turned back to, and probably wouldn't have given the image a second thought otherwise. I don't know who placed them in that position, but it caught my eye and then things happened from that point, resulting in the final image I am posting here.

Amaryllis

Amaryllis (pronounced /ˌæməˈrɪləs/)^[1] is a monotypic genus of plant also known as the Belladonna Lily or naked ladies. (from Wikipedia)
This plant is in the guest room (Torrey's room), and it is in resplendent beauty right now, so I had to post some photos of it. I find it amazing that in the "dead" of the winter the house plants can bring forward such beauty and delicacy with just an occasional watering. There is something sensuous about the large blossoms, even if they are a bright red, which suits me at this time very much!

Merry Christmas...

...to all and to all a good night.

Mothers and Daughters

Christmas eve brought us all to visit "Mom" in the living center this afternoon to celebrate and enjoy the energy of all the guests and sharing laughter and the opening of gifts. I got a shot of Jen hugging her mom that seemed to sum up the spirit of the gathering and express the joy of that human bond between mother and daughter. The elderly have many stories to tell and they might even be more meaningful for all of us if we listen and share them. Ahhh, life........

Baker Hill Snowshoe Hike

The view from the top of Baker Hill is amazing in the winter as much as during the summer. David and I went up the trail this afternoon and it was an awesome hike. David has used snowshoes quite a bit for the past few years, and he usually has a couple of places he goes. The woods are fascinating during the winter as the small animals leave all sorts of evidence of moving about and such in the snow. I really love the quiet and the sense of solitude the forest brings during this time of year, and now that I have my own shoes I will most likely spend a lot more time in the forest this winter. I need to study maps and find some trails that might be interesting to travel. Posted are a couple of photos from today.

Snowy Night

... and I've spent too much of the day inside working on things to give people for Christmas such as fused glass earrings and photos and other such artwork, so it was only natural that I should wander out into the dark void to find what I could find to photograph. There was plenty for me right in the driveway with the new snow and the blowing wind. I walked the driveway up to the road to see how it looked for "depth" getting out in the morning, and the wind had blown the driveway almost clean as there were no real snowbanks on the sides. Here are the pictures, I "flashed" the snow tracks leading up the driveway so there is little motion in the flakes. The shot of the entrance to the house simply uses existing ambient light. Snow is cool in more ways than one!

Ice on the Shore & The Christmas Goose

The cold lately has brought with it the building up of white along the shore here in the bay. This morning there were patches of ice across the bay that broke up once the wind kicked in a bit, but I am afraid the ice along the shore will be with us for a while. I will need to get down nearer to the shore and get some photos later today.

This morning brought a Canadian goose to our field, and it is highly unusual for us to see just one. We have had them come to this same spot in the field before, but always in pairs at the least and sometimes whole flocks will land to graze or clean up for a while. This one was standing on one foot but didn't seem hurt or anything. Maybe just separated from the flock and resting for a bit. I hope it heads south soon!

Digital Drawing

Yeah, I did do some digital work last night, finding the time after getting back from a quick trip to Ellsworth. It is unbelievable how fast time goes by when I am working as an artist. Before I realized it I was ready for sleep.
Students are working on end-of-the-semester assignments which tend to be more difficult for most, and so they are much more needy. When you throw in the demands for media (video, photographs, etc.) from around the (busy) school the days fly by!
Here's my last nights work...