The Uniqueness Of Nature

I had an unusual opportunity while we were dismantling our booth in Sugar Hill on Sunday. A Luna moth flew by and perched on the tree branch over my head. While they are not rare, it is rare to see them in the full light of day because they are nocturnal. One must look in the shadows to find them resting. This one had secreted it's location inside a cardboard box and when the vendor picked up the box to begin packing, it was slightly damaged and flew away to the nearest shade it could find, my tree. Since picking up my camera professionally, I've never had the chance to capture one which of course is a figure of speech. Sadly, the moth was at the end of its' life cycle and fell to the ground moments later. I will continue my search for these beautiful creatures, but for now, this image of the moth resting in the shade of a maple tree will have to do.

A New Venture

I'm always on the lookout for ways to further my business and expose more patrons to my work so when I was asked to participate in the "Thyme To Heal Wellness Center", I was eager for the opportunity. Within the next couple of weeks, several positive care givers will come together to provide people with a place to go for comfort and healing. I know this sounds like new age gibberish but as time goes on, the concept will become more clear. Massage therapists, herbalists and a few select artisans will be housed in a restored nineteenth century Victorian house in the quaint village of Bath, NH. The theory is to enrich the body and mind as well as the spirit. I'm fortunate to have been asked to collaborate with such a talented group of practitioners. My photographic art will be for sale in the retail area, called Thymeless Essentials, and some of my work will also be on display in other areas of the building to provide a meditative and serene environment. This harmonious venture will be available for all of our clients to experience and the general public will also be able to purchase items from the retail area. As more information becomes available, I'll share it here with you.

Reminiscing

The plans are in motion for our trip to the Pacific Northwest at the end of July. It's a part of the country that I haven't had a chance to experience. It's also where my father, Bob and his wife Adena live. We'll be spending time with them, based in Bellingham, as we tour the beautiful but rugged landscape of the Cascades. I'm sure I'll have tons of new images to share when I return. The act of reminiscing serves to remind us of past escapades, forgotten essentials and bright spots in an otherwise average agenda. We had one such moment in Central America while on tour at a Botanical Exhibit. Our native guide took a moment from his narrative to point out this delicate hummingbird atop her tiny nest. The entire structure was no more than two inches across and while the garden was teaming with people, she just sat there, stone still, giving warmth and shelter to her eggs. Even the intrusion of camera lenses didn't send her away.

The "Bear" Facts

A constant theme among visitors to my exhibit last weekend was how prevalent the opportunity to see and photograph bears had become. In fact, several visitors even had images to show me on their digital cameras or cell phones (never thought I'd use that word while talking about photography). It turned out to be one of those days where I felt conflicted. On the one hand, I was looking at some wonderful opportunities captured by enthusiastic viewers and on the other hand, I was tent bound at an event designed to sell my work. In hindsight, I can't say I would have preferred to be out in the woods waiting for such an encounter. Several years ago, I came to the realization that in order to be successful in my business venture, I would have to self promote. I do that by meeting and greeting the public to show them my work, answer questions and generally be an ambassador for the craft I've chosen to practice. It means long hours of smiling (that comes easy) under less than ideal conditions, (heat, cold, rain, wind and even a snow flurry or two) while visitors wander through to view my work. It's all worth it, though, even replying to the occasional odd comments that make me shake my head. I often tell people how there are three elements to a good image; right place, right time and have camera. This means the camera should be on the seat and turned on at all times. I didn't follow my own advice yesterday when a bear walked casually across the road in front of my truck. By the time I stopped, unzipped the camera case, turned on the camera and began to focus, he was inside the tree line. So, here is my latest animal image. This bear wasn't going any where.

Lupines And Other Beauty

In spite of the unseasonable, cold, gray, rainy and just plain miserable weather we've been having, mother nature has put herself back on schedule. By that, I mean the flowers that should be blooming at this time of the year, lupines and lady slippers, are in fact blooming as we speak. This is good news because, first and foremost, this is my favorite time of year to get out and shoot. The weather is warm and the grass smells ever so sweet when I decide that kneeling or even sitting doesn't give me just that perfect approach to my subject. Secondly, and far less noble, it's time for the Lupine Festival in Sugar Hill, NH which begins on June 8th and runs through the 24th. For all three weekends of the Festival, I will be set up in a "Crafter's Village" at Harman's Cheese. It's a well known country store in the area famous for it's incredible assortment of cheeses and other delights. By village, I mean there will be more than 20 artisans set up representing a wide variety of work. Just down the road on the first weekend, at the Meeting House, will be the 6th Annual Fields Of Lupines Art Show with an additional 20 artisans exhibiting their skills. The lupines bloom for an extended period of time but past experience has taught me that they never last the entire three weeks so if you're going out for that perfect shot, go early. Mother Nature can take her bounty away as quickly as she brings it.

A Soldier's View

These are Carl's thoughts about our recent visit to The Wall.

Strange how things affect a person. My wife and I spent 3 days visiting Washington DC. We spent some time at Arlington National Cemetery, The Jefferson Memorial, The FRD Memorial, The Lincoln Memorial, The WWII Memorial, and The Korean War Memorial. Maybe because I served in Viet Nam that I had trouble speaking when we approached the Viet Nam War Memorial. For some reason, for me this simple Wall with so many names on it gave each person a place of honor in history. All I could think about was how thankful I was to be standing next to my wife, and how grateful I was that she was not standing there with our grandchildren, pointing to my NAME. I can only imagine the grief that must overcome those who stand and look at the name of a loved one.~Carl Hill~

In Memoriam

There have been pages upon pages of words written in tribute to our soldiers, both fallen and veteran, so I'm not going to even try to compete with these great testimonials. What I will do is to tell you what an unbelievably moving experience our trip to The Wall was. The Wall I'm referring to is the Viet Nam Memorial . When you approach, there is this hushed reverence that overtakes everyone. Some stand back, in awe, trying to absorb the magnitude of the highly polished gray marble. It can't be done. Others stroll by each panel, glancing to their left or right, as they read a few of the more than 58,000 names engraved there. 58,000 names, each of them representing a life lost to further the cause of Freedom. Each of them died doing what they knew to be right. Each of them left loved ones behind. My husband and I walked quietly, pausing before many of the panels, glad in our hearts that none of our friends' names are there. It doesn't matter. We remember them all.