flood control

sometimes, most always in spring, we experience the melt

the ever rising water carries downstream

clearing out the cold bones of winter

in an ebb flow of panic, the idea

of being washed

away

A Sense of Place

This image , like thousands before it, is a beautiful  & pastoral scene. For me, this simple shoreline represents much more. It is a place I have been exploring for the greater part of my life.  I grew up maybe a thousand yards beyond the center of the photo. I hunted for bottles here, walked on the water when it was frozen over, fished, rafted and swirled beer and more at this waters edge.  I have since learned about native plants and invasive species.  Found that there were entire streets here, Native American Council houses, draw bridges and ships that navigated this waterway , long before I was born. In this to fast paced. throw away society, where greed and selfishness seem to reign, it would be fair to say that having respect and an appreciation for the past is something that is sadly missing in the world today.  Maybe tomorow!

blue heron

Blue Heron's, or any of the "tall as a man" wading birds are steeped in legend and myth.  They represent both good and bad omens, depending on the story teller .  The waterways of my youth, places I still travel to with the purpose of photography, were devoid of any of these majestic creatures, largely due to the hostile, polluted environment at the time. So, that said, these birds are a good omen for me. To see the landscape clean enough to support their return is definitely a positive "sign". The frequency of personal sightings and the elusiveness of getting an acceptable photo, leaves me with some unsettled feelings. Especially so, given  some of the myth stories.  Herons are thought to be spirits of wise men who have passed on, and  returned to earth. There are also Christian beliefs that the bird represents the eternal struggle of good and evil.  In the image above, what I am attempting to convey, is the contemplative, almost oriental view of the scene as it unfolded before me. A few seconds after getting this, the bird flew,gone, like the fleeting memory of a dream.

inspiration

I have been photographing teasel for  awhile now, it's a real eye catcher to me.  I recently learned it's an invasive species and had a commercial  use in the cotton industry.  Who knew?

Recently I have been attempting  to incorporate some of the ideas of the Abstract Expressionists into my work. In this image, there are elements of  the color field paintings of Mark Rothko mingled with the "all over" technique   of Jackson Pollock.

sentinel

he sits upon my garden wall ,  a feeble attempt to keep out the  squirrely squirrels.