I saw this shrimp boat most evenings as I walked the beach at Clinch River State Park near Jacksonville, FL. It seemed so graceful with the booms extended on either side of the boat and trailing the nets in the wake. The port it was heading to was up the St. Mary's River. It was close to dark each time so I guess the days on the water were long. This night there were almost no waves at all.
Portrait Project #7 /
James and I had lunch together. Well, sort of. I was in the small town of Fernandina and sought out the most excellent Timoti’s for lunch. You order inside and then eat at picnic tables outside. I sat across from James and we began to chat. We actually had a wide-ranging discussion about many things - food, racism, faith, state of the world, he was a most interesting man with insight into life’s issues. James held government positions in NC, Washington DC, Georgia and other spots as well. So we also chatted about careers, his and mine. As I was finishing the meal and asking him if I could take his portrait, I mentioned in a light-hearted way that he appeared to have snuck off to have this lunch and he said his wife was in a meeting, “she is always in meetings.” I asked what she did. WOW, this is her Wikipedia entry. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnnetta_Cole The things you learn if you just ask. The portrait project has been a wonderful window into the people around me. So exciting to meet folks I otherwise would have walked past.
The restaurant. Excellent food.
One Good Tern /
This was one of the few birds I spotted along the ocean at Fort Clinch State Park. A ranger said it might have been because of the dredging going on nearby. So this tern appeared over the ocean on my last evening and auditioned for the Olympics for 15 minutes, swooping, twisting and diving in a wonderful display. I caught him just peeking in the late afternoon sun as he flew off. I think he wanted to be sure I got a decent photo.
Clearing Weather in the Smokies /
Along the road across the base of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park is a nice overlook. As we watched the clearing clouds, a rainbow appeared. God’s reminder of His promise to all of us that his mercy is long and generous. His reminder to his people of his power and a wonderful hint of His presence. The moment was special.
Subtile /
It was late in the day - the sun was nearly down. I was off on a short trail toward the beach about a mile from my campsite and this deer emerged from the foliage near the dunes and was standing in a small field, very still and hard to see. She just stood, wary I am sure, judging if it were safe to eat or even stay. She stood so still for 4 or five minutes only moving her head slightly left to right. Finally she did nibble at some grass but usually just stood. There was another person on the trail headed away from the beach, Gilles, whom you will meet later and he had stopped to watch from his end. I took the photo with the “eye detect” feature on the Fuji camera and it worked well avoiding focus on the many tall plants between us and locking on to the deer’s eye. I know you can see these animals lots of places, and I have seen here two 6 or 8 point bucks here though they were too quick or I too slow to photograph them, but this encounter was sweetly special.
Sunday Scripture: Photo from the historic canopy road in Fort Clinch State Park, FL /
Portrait Project #6 /
Meet Aaron, he of a most magnificent beard. I enjoyed chatting briefly with him as he carefully covered the scaffold he had worked on that day so that the people who left Florida’s Oldest Bar, located across the street, at 2AM would not be tempted to see how high they could climb. Aaron was methodical and careful as well as displaying some striking tattoos.
Sitting on the Catbird's Seat... /
…is an old expression. Well, I found it. This Catbird is not only sitting but also enjoying a feast courtesy of the State Park. Nice photo blind set up here, mostly backyard species but as always, birds are unique and the time to “see” the more ordinary is still time well spent as the Designer did very good work for our delight.
Great Horned Nesting at Fort Clinch State Park, FL /
Hi, who are you?
Yes.
No, I asked who are you?
Yes, Hoo.
Right, who?
Correct.
Let me rephrase the question, are you a feathered creature?
Yes.
Well what one?
No, Hoo.
That is what I want to know. Who?
You got it.
What?
Not here, third nest.
This is impossible it is a simple question. Ok, What species are you?
Owl
You’ll what?
Not here.
Who’s not here?
Hoo is, what isn’t
Arrrrugh
Second Nest.
A nod of the ball cap to the pioneering team of Abbot and Costello.
Portrait Project #5 /
This lovely woman, Carrie, has a tender heart. While we were walking around Cade’s Cove this woman had her husband stop their truck and asked if we would like her to take our photo. Who does this? She is doing MY PHOTO project better than me. So, of course, I asked if I could add her to my portraits and she consented. I took her husband photo as well as their little boy and since the child is in the photo it is just for my memories not for TLT. Nice family on a short vacation before a sweet little girl joins them in June. I know she will be kind and generous - just look at her mom.
Director Tree /
The mountain backdrop is set, the sky adds dramatic lighting and the wind’s overtones match the rustling branches of the tress. The director tree takes the podium and orchestra trees come to attention across the stage waiting for the cue to begin Antonín Dvořák’s Symphony No. 9 in E minor, known often as the New World Symphony. And renewal begins anew.
Cotten Kiss /
Touring Cades Cove on Thursday was a treat. The sky changed every few minutes, the rain eased most of the time, the temperature hit 64 degrees, and the sun peaked out occasionally. At this point on the loop road, the sky to the east looked foreboding and to the south a weak sun peaked through thin clouds lighting the winter colors of the broom grass and winter weeds. Then a cloud slid over the mountain, dipped down the side and the bottom of the cloud, white and soft, kissed the mountain and then faded away. Wonderful moment.
Sunday Scripture: Photo from Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge, Virginia /
Contrast /
Live in the light and reflect that light, live in despair and darkness and you reflect that attitude. Always be full of gratitude for the day you have been given.
A Family Lived Here, final /
We are now at the back of the house at the detached garage. Again, built by hand, old workbench in one corner and the floor covered with the detritus of years of occupancy and evidence of someone who kept a lot of “what if I need this someday” material. I like the angle of the door. The building is red like the roof of the main house porch and the roof of the shop. There may have been more buildings - there are a couple of what look like shed foundations in the back yard. Just barely visible past the big tree is a barbed wire topped fence around a large solar field. Clearly the family sold the farm to the power company and now a technology that no one who built this house or built their lives over many years vested in this farm would recognize. The son(s) or daughter(s) sold the farm maybe making one more trek back from Atlanta, or Richmond or Denver or a dozen places near and far to finalize the decisions they had made.
R I P MOM
A Family Lived Here, 3 /
This is the addition on the left side of the house.It has a separate entrance and small porch and note the small AC unit in the wall, it looks like the only place on the property that was air conditioned. Notice the separate power pole, this spot needed a bit more power than could be had from tapping into the old fuse box in the main house. The driveway widened in this area and it looks like a few cars could park here or turn around here. That might have been where farm equipment was stored or, as I think, it was for customers of her shop. The small addition has a large front room and a smaller back room plus a very unique screen porch that leads to a door into the main house. My speculation is that while her husband worked elsewhere she did hair in the shop and possibly long after he passed away. I think she loved the little screen porch. She could access her shop dodging rain or sleet and avoided the heat of summer a bit too. I wonder if her “best” friends entered the shop by the screen porch’s side door? One more post tomorrow.
A Family Lived Here, 2 /
So what can we know with a reasonable assurance? This house was lived in for a long time and the wife/mother appears to be the last to occupy the house. It was well taken care of in its day and someone added to the house at least twice. The shadow of an addition is seen on the right, parallel to the house and one on the left perpendicular to the house. More on that one later. The one on the right looks like added bedrooms. And we know at least one child but probably more children lived here. Note the sign on the house in the second photo. I’ve never seen that before. We know this was a very small farm and it is likely they worked elsewhere for the main income and, I would guess, had some chickens, grew vegetables, hay fields or some other crop and maybe a cow or six. The house was built by hand, maybe the owner and his family and friends? You can note on the closeup a holder for a flag. I picture Ol Glory here at least a few times a year and my imagination suggests he was a WWII veteran. Someone took pains to make the house nice with curtains on the windows, and everything inside painted well. Faded but still visible. I also think the family was happy when they installed the antenna on the chimney and picked up a four or five stations better than the rabbit ears on top of the TV. Later, maybe when just the mother was left, the kids got her satellite TV??? She tried to stay in the house as she declined as evidenced by the ramp added to the front door. Lots more here, what do you see? And more tomorrow.
A Family Lived Here /
We are going to briefly explore this property for a couple of days. What can we know for sure? What might be true? We don’t often stop and think about the people of the past who are not in the history books, no statues or plaques in the public square. It is the story of most of us. Dreams, home, family, work occupy much of our lives and we can discover something about the family that lived here. Stay tuned.
Landscape Arch at Arches National Park /
Posted with no comment for a DEAR FRIEND
Sunday Scripture: Photo is from the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. /
This is one of the first photos I ever made when I decided almost 18 years ago I was going to learn this craft. It was a very sparse effort for more than 6 or 7 years but since then I have devoted more time and attention. LOTS to still learn but it is fun, that is so important. This photo was left alone - a jpeg out of camera, so I will consider this my “Blue Period” - I think there was a famous painter that did the same.
