It was an unplanned treat, traveling to Kyoto just in time for the Jidai Matsuri or The Festival Ages. In this annual event, over 2000 people parade through the streets of Kyoto in traditional costumes from Japan’s feudal history.
Posted in Inspiration, On the Road | Tagged Festival of the Ages, geisha, Japan, Jidai Matsuri, Kyoto, Photography, samurai, traditional costumes, warriors | 1 Comment »
I think they must be an aquired taste, octopus balls. I have seen them each morning in the hotel buffet. I even placed one on my plate and was encouraged by the golden crispy exterior. It looked like hushpuppies from my youth. Except hushpuppies are just deep fried bits of seasoned cornbread. Pry apart an octopus ball. Then the truth is revealed: pale puffed bread steaming fragrantly and nestled saftely therein , soft pink-gray tentacles. I stared long and hard at the little suction cups imagining how they might feel against my tongue. Not exactly the experience I wanted for breakfast. Though I consider myself a fairly adventurous person, I could not do it. I could not bring the fork to my mouth. I did take a picture. Stay tuned. 😉
Posted in Inspiration, On the Road | Tagged Kobe, octopus balls, road trip, travel | Leave a Comment »
The challenge of internet research for me is that I can start my research at one very focused point and then somehow find myself meandering through the tangled World Wide Web, eventually ending up in unexpected places. Like today. I was researching famous letters, when I chanced upon the website dedicated to Dan Eldon and his journals.
Eldon was a 22-year old photojournalist killed in Somalia in 1993. Later his mother published his personal journals. These journals revealed to those who did not know Eldon an amazing and creative young man. A man who through his work is still inspiring others to this day. You can read more for yourself via the following links:
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Posted in Inspiration, Nature Notes | Tagged feathers, goose, nature, Photography, white | Leave a Comment »
Images taken along the Nashua Street Park in Boston
Posted in Branches, Inspiration, Nature Notes | Tagged abstract art, Charles River, Nashua Street Park Boston, nature, Photography, urban | 1 Comment »
On my mind of late has been the idea of the missed picture. Was there a moment when I should have taken a picture and instead I “wimped out?” It is not a question raised lightly. Usually, if I see something and I happen to have my camera, then great. If I don’t, then I simply have to be present and enjoy that moment. And maybe that’s the key word: enjoy. The incident that I purposefully missed was not one that I think of with joy.
The moment took place when Steve and I were traveling around down south. We entered an establishment through a gate. On either side of the gate entrance stood black lawn jockeys. Now before I continue, let me be quick to state that everywhere we traveled people were welcoming and inclusive, and if I stood out as the only person of color, no one made mention of the fact. As we left the establishment, having had a great time inside, Steve asked if I wanted to take a picture of the lawn jockeys, as an image that I could use to provoke conversation about a topic that people find difficult to discuss. I said no. We drove away.
I have no image captured in pixels, but the moment will remain with me. All the moments remain with me, when I am reminded of the complexities of race in this country and how that complexity has played out over time. And still does.
Posted in On the Road | Tagged black lawn jockeys, missed pictures, musings, Photography, race | Leave a Comment »
Image by Keith
Posted in Guest Contributor, Inspiration, Nature Notes | Tagged clouds, rose colored, Virginia | 2 Comments »
Butterfly Photo by Lorraine
Do butterflies live in houses? They do in the mind of a young friend of mine. And that’s the focus of an article I wrote posted today on Creativity Portal.com, about the unexpected places one finds inspiration.
Posted in Contributing Writer, Inspiration, Nature Notes, Publication Updates | Tagged art, butterflies, Creativity Portal, drawing, illustration, imagination, Photography, whimsy | Leave a Comment »
Watching me from a nearby oak tree is a large male cardinal with bright black eyes. My camera is across the room. He will surely be gone before I can grab it and race back to the window. What to do? Just remain still and enjoy my unexpected encounter with a red-feathered friend. Unexpected. There is no better word to describe my life at present. Since my last update, there have been lots of unexpected experiences. Some have been as simple as spotting the cardinal at my window, or the above leaf as I walked to the grocery store. Others instances have been more complex. Their creative impact and outcomes remain to be seen. Meanwhile, here are some brief highlights of experiences from the past month, with a focus on recent travels. Enjoy! 😉
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Virginia
In September I traveled with Steve to Virginia and West Virginia. Virginia is my home state. While there, I visited one of my favorite nature trails along the Blackwater Creek. See the little fish at the bottom of the picture? Other sights along the trail:
And in a neaby national park …
West Virginia
In Virginia, I showed Steve my old haunts. In West Virginia, we journeyed to one of his, Seneca Rocks. There I had several unexpected and memorable experiences, first attempting to climb a mountain, and then riding a horse. When I wasn’t afraid of tumbling, off the mountain or the horse, I managed to snap a few photos. 😉
On the Horizon
Well, one of the most unexpected opportunities is an upcoming trip to Japan. I don’t expect to encounter any horses, but Steve is determined to introduce me to octopus in all its varied culinary forms. We’ll see about that one!
Also, I’m pleased to share that I will be making a guest blog appearance November 1st on The Evolving Critic, A Metro Boston Blog for Art, Architectural, Urban Planning and Community Explorations. I’ll be sharing words and images about one of my favorite Boston sites, the Charles River Esplanade.
That’s the quick scoop from me. Wherever you are in the world today, I hope you are healthy, happy and feeling inspired!
Posted in Contributing Writer, Inspiration, Nature Notes, On the Road, Publication Updates | Tagged autumn, Blackwater Creek, butterflies, Contributing Writer, horses, insects, lady bugs, leaves, musing, Photography, rock climbing, Seneca Rocks, stink bugs, travel, Virginia, West Virginia | 5 Comments »
Posted in Inspiration, Nature Notes | Tagged blossom, flower, petals, Photography, pink | Leave a Comment »
