I Have Been SOOOOO Bad

I was just signing up for this new service called ArtSpider which will go on line later this fall and the application asked for a blog site. It was at that moment that I realized I haven't done any blogging since April. I've thought about it a couple of times but when I gave it a bit more thought, I didn't really have anything positive to say. Maybe that's the point! My photography is a part of me and with the economy the way it's been, in a downward spiral, I've also found myself in a downward spiral. My husband, Carl would call it depression. Since he's not medically certified, I'll disagree with him.

Here's what I'd call it: When I'm "UP", I'll grab my camera, hop into the truck and drive around, stopping when I see something interesting. I'll travel back roads where I have no idea where they'll come out or how I'll even find them another time. This has always served me well in the past. Some days I get great results while others not so much. Now, in the "DOWN" times with higher gas prices, I don't feel I should spend the money to drive nowhere for no purpose to accomplish nothing. During "UP" times, my work would be selling well, shows would have hordes of people stopping by to chat and business cards would be flying off the table. Last week, a "DOWN" time, I handed out just 4 cards, sold half of what I'd sold the previous year and had just 2 conversations with passersby about my work. Most walkers shoved their hands deeper into their pockets and continued their aimless stroll past my tent. I won't continue on. I only meant to point out why I haven't felt much like blogging lately. I think it will get better. I think during the next few months, the "Christmas" season, people will be more likely to buy and then their will be nothing.

One last thing and then I'll get off my soap box. We've had a lot of construction in Whitefield and that has shaken up the wildlife. I managed to capture the image of a beautiful bear in Twin Mountain who was becoming a regular visitor until they mowed the field he was grazing in. That was a bummer. My bull moose is still in hiding. I'm getting the feeling he'll be growing that rack for another year and I didn't get my kayak so there are still no Loon photos in my inventory. Don't even get me started about the hummingbirds. I'll just have to wait until next year for that one, too......

It Was Inevitable

The weather has been too mild to be considered the beginning of the holiday season but there it is right there on my calendar. I tried to begin my Christmas shopping yesterday and wasn't in the mood. I even walked by an azalea bush with a few blossoms on it. talk about being confused. But, there was something different about the air when I left the mall. Call it a hunch or whatever but I could smell the snow coming. The air had a crisp almost fresh quality about it. It was like being out in the middle of the wilderness, miles from any road or factory, at dawn. The air becomes clean, unspoiled, almost new, as if all of the pollution had been filtered out overnight. It's hard to explain exactly what that type of air smells like and my family has, in the past, thought me nuts when I've mentioned that I could smell rain coming. They are always surprised when the rain begins to fall a few minutes later. So, I don't know why I found myself in that same condition when the flakes began to filter down from the heavens. The wind picked up with a fresh earnest and suddenly it was winter. Well, almost. The traffic slowed and everyone became cautious of the way they walked down the sidewalk. And so the transformation from late autumn to early winter had become complete. And i was dressed for late autumn.

A Note About Sun Dogs

Today, I had a small amount of vindication. My husband and I were headed down Rte 91 towards Lebanon, NH when I spotted a "sun dog". It may be called something else in other parts of the country but there it was, as plain as day, encircling the late afternoon sun. It wasn't as well defined as the one I had seen in Jackson, NH last year but, hey, a natural phenomenon is never the same twice. Each event is unique. Now, I'm not sure exactly what it is that causes the circular rainbow but I suspect it's ice crystals that are suspended high up in the atmosphere which the sunlight refracts through. If anyone knows the real deal, please leave a comment. Now I started this post with a mention about vindication. When I arrived at the Lebanon Art and Crafts Association Holiday Store to set up my exhibit, I asked another photographer if he had seen... Well, you know the rest of the story, right?

Ogunquit In The Fall

We had a marvelous camping weekend with our granddaughter and spent a full day with camera in hand. There are so many opportunities and beautiful scenery to point my camera lens at in Maine and I wanted to take advantage of the beautiful autumn weather while we had it. Steph was there with her camera as well. At times, I feel sorry for my husband who is inevitably left holding the camera "bag", literally. Does anyone have suggestions on how I can include him while I'm lost in the moment? We spent an entire afternoon exploring the Rachel Carson Reserve, a beautiful marsh area nestled between the forests and the ocean. Self guided walking tours with informational pamphlets explain the need and importance of these wet lands, not only as homes to all sorts of marine animals but also how they act as a buffer against serious weather such as hurricanes. The resource acts as a filter for pollutants and a nursery for hatch lings. Later, we had a night of campfires and cooking hot dogs and toasting marshmallows for s'mores. The next morning, we found ourselves at Perkins Cove, a picturesque but working fishing harbor, and we included a walk along the Marginal Way, a mile long path that follows the rocky coastline and offers breathtaking views of nature's beauty and power. Then all too soon, it was time to head home by way of my favorite Mt. Chocorua which never disappoints in the way of splendor.

My apologies for not posting photos in the last few posts. I've been making entries from other computers but I promise, in the next week or so, the problem will be remedied and I'll add a few images to older post so check back, please.

Finding Balance

It's something I struggle with every year at this time. We've just come through a long hot dry summer with revenue from events being similar to a world class roller coaster. Even the activity at my web site was "sitting in the shade relaxing". But, when the foliage begins to turn, so does the emphasis and earnestness, if you will, on my patrons. It's like someone threw a switch and now, they can see a need to purchase for their favorite brother in Colorado or daughter whose gone off to college. Whether it's a Christmas gift or for some other special occasion, it doesn't matter. What it does mean is now, when I want to get out and enjoy Mother Nature's final and fantastic collage of color, I get busy. I've seen it happen every year and no matter how I approach this time of year, with whatever meticulous amount of planning, I always get caught short. In fact, just last night I had a call from a lady who visited my exhibit in Dublin this past weekend. She was kicking herself because she hadn't made a purchase and was now calling to order my "Dream" collage, a four seasons collection of images of the Old Man Of The Mountains. I told her I would be happy to fill her order just as soon as I became restocked with that type of mat. I knew it was going to happen. I could see it coming and I still let myself get too low on stock. This goes for the paper that I use, the foam core to back the images and even my frames are at an all time low. More on this subject later. The lady was all smiles and will happily wait for her new photograph. I will survive this sudden rush as I have done other years, but, wouldn't it be nice if I could figure out a way to balance everything out and be able to enjoy this year's fall extravaganza. It should be brilliant!

Change Of Seasons

Sometimes, while sitting for hours at an event, there’s nothing to do while other times, things happen with surprising rapidity. Take this weekend at Quechee, VT. It was the middle day of a three day event and it was really hot. The vendor next to us called out to me and asked if I had my camera handy because there was something in the tree across the parking lot. It was a Peregrine Falcon perched high in a Pine Tree overhead. That was fun. Later, a lady walked by and I heard that same neighbor call out to grab my camera. There, in front of my exhibit area was a little girl, no more than three years old, trying to walk with two of the largest baskets I’d ever seen. I just couldn’t resist! That night, the temperature changed from summertime to autumn and dropped to 37 degrees. And, as luck would have it, the heater wouldn't work in the camper.

It's A Gas

People are always asking me if I have any hot air balloon images when I do my shows. So, we investigated the best spot to get these beautiful photos. Without hesitation, it had to be Albuquerque, NM. There are countless other places but this one is the largest gathering of aerial enthusiasts in the United States. During our research, we discovered the next Fiesta was in three weeks so we began pulling all of the elements together to make it happen. My husband worked on plane, hotel and car reservations while I made sure the suitcases were packed, the camera gear was ready and admission to the massive event was secured. It doesn't sound like I had much to do but we were going to the high desert where temperatures can go below freezing in the early hours and rise to over 70 degrees in a matter of hours. Several changes of clothes would be needed. Batteries charged, laptop ready to travel and memory cards cleared, we took off for a fast paced four day photo shoot. There were over 900 registered balloons and I have 700 images to prove it. There's a heartwarming story that goes along with the bumblebee image. E-mail me if you'd like to hear about them or see more images from Albuquerque.