The 30th of the 9th month

FISHERMEN AND THE LITTLE KUDZU PEOPLE!

While walking the RW of Tuesday, I happened upon two fishermen.  Both wore white.  This great egret was jumping from rock to rock to find the right pool in which to fish.  He moved with a grace and soundlessness that I learned to do while hunting in the mountains of Pennsylvania.  When you quietly move from rock to rock, your footing is hard and quiet.  Allows one the time to think, hear, and see the sights before you.

The other fisherman, of the human kind, also dressed in white, stalked his prey by quietly moving his feet under water.  The long line you see across the lower part of the trees is the fly line he is hauling out of the water for a back cast.  I watched his technique for some time and he was a technically fine caster of line.  He did not make connection with his quarry nor did the egret.  But they were both out and about enjoying natures creation.

As an aside I checked the Kudzu Castles just to see if the little people of the Kudzu were making their preparations for all hallows eve.  I could hear them scurrying around in their magnificent towers, but alas the little buggers would not make themselves seen.  You might want to check out the Oct. 26, 2009 blog entry for a more thorough explanation of this phenomenon.

Perhaps I should put one of those trail cameras out on Halloween, just to capture an image of one of these elusive creatures.  Problem is their reputation, of stealing from candy hungry children on that night, makes them a worthy opponent.   I would probably just loose the camera.  Perhaps this urban legend needs to be further studied.  Mini sasquacth anyone?

I did find the throne which can only belong to the King or Queen of the Kudzu people.  It's about a hundred feet from their castles.  So they do get around, probably at night when bird activity is at it's lowest.  They are remarkably susceptible to bird predation I am told, and so need to take minimize their exposure during the day.  Their home turf continues to expand despite the park attendant's efforts to keep the Kudzu cut back.  These little people are amazing agriculturists, growing towering spires on their castles almost overnight.

The 29th day of the 9th month of the year of the Camellia

FALL IS CREEPING UP ON US!

It seems that the fall season is beginning to happen here in central South Carolina.

There is not a bunch of color yet, but it became obvious on my three miles this morning on the River Walk.

  Some of the Sycamore trees are loosing it.

And the Mimosa trees have their seeds drying in the wind.

It seems that parts of nature have already caved to the season.  I can identify!  I have lived for seventy of these fall seasons  and am still hanging on. 

But, I think that the time for some serious introspection has begone to overtake me.  As you all know I am a photographer of some modest renown.

  It says so at the top of this site, so it must be true!

I am at my happiest when I am alone with a camera shooting.  Stress the word alone in that previous sentence.  Regardless if it be some run down city scenes, parts of nature, lighthouse or sky scenic.  I seem to zone out when I am on the job.  I guess it is because I am in control of whatever it is I am doing.  Or like to think I am.   Or my God given eye is in overdrive.  That's probably been the route of a lot my problems for a long time. 

 It's always been my way or the highway. I am now sure that that outlook has given me a great deal of grief in the past. 

I always thought that I was a giver rather than a taker.  And no one appreciated that fact.  But I always "Tried" to be a giver.  Maybe that is why I am sometimes amazed that some of my art is not accepted by the buyer.  I love it, but they did not.  How wierd is that!

Self perception!

My parents and grandparents were the first to introduce me to nature, and as I have said here before I had the run of a hundred acre farm until the third grade.  All those old mental images led me to become a hunter, fisherman, and finally a cameraman.  The guns are gone, so when I say shoot it is with the camera.

  I am not a religious man, sad to say, but I do feel that I commune when out in nature and particularly when I am out alone.  I fear however, most of my outdoor communication has always been with myself and not Him.  Another example of the "My way or the highway" concept.  Probably not a good attitude when advancing fall seasons make you feel like your hanging on without a grip!

There have been a number of things at which I have been successful.  But a number of things of which I am not proud.  In fact, a lot of things that no one would be proud of and there is a huge responsibility I carry for my past actions.  Not to mention guilt.  And it's hard to speak of it on here.

  It took eight years of college for me to get two degrees, twenty five years of so-so work in New York City and it's environs, and about 21 years trying to make the photography business a success on a shoe string.  It seems that I have always operated on a shoe string.  I  messed up a 42 year marriage because I talked only to myself and in the quite moments, this weighs heavily upon me.  I have moved on with a wonderful woman who actually puts up with my crap! 

I have two children (not children any more) with great spouses and four grand kids.  All are great people without the more serious problems that plague our times.  In that regard I am fortunate.

Once when I said to my son (who is a far more insightful than me), all I did with my life was to help raise two great kids.  His answer was "And what else is there?"  He was and is right.  And for that I am grateful, but I am not even sure I had all that much to do with it.  Their mother is and was the best mother that God ever created.  And she talks to Him.

Somewhere along the line, I am going to have to start giving credit to the real creator of all those wonderful images I've made over the years.  I guess a higher power has been watching over me after all.

  The first photographs I ever took even semi-seriously were after the automobile accident death of my father and the hospitalization of my mother.  The company I worked for at the time, gave point and shoot cameras to the employees in lieu of cash as a year end bonus.  That really impressed us all! 

But I used that camera as a catharsis, driving back and forth from central New Jersey, where we lived, to the hospital in Delaware, and then on to maintain my parents property on the Eastern Shore of Maryland.  We shot film back then and some of the photos actually turned out pretty well.

  Expensive as all get out.....film $3.50.......Processing $11.50......Soothing of grief....Priceless! 

And that's the start of it all.  Still trying to make the business a success monetarily while doing it without a substantial and consistent money source. 

When asked by neophytes, "What does it take to be a successful photographer?"

My answer is simple.  Money, time, and an eye.  Without the first two, the third will probably not make you a Nat Geo contributor.

The money part is obvious....equipment and travel expenses.

The time part will often take the place of meaningful relationships.

And the eye is something given to you by a higher power than you ever will be.

This year is the 40th for the Waterfowl Festival in Easton, Maryland.  I have been showing there for 21 years and am the senior photographer.  I have been blessed to continue to be invited to that show and always look forward to seeing old friends and making new ones.  The turnover of photographers is not great, as most of the work is the best in the country.  In this regard I feel blessed and would love to show there when the show is fifty.  But I have the feeling somebody else is going to be in control of that.

The summer has been most hot here, and the seventy-ish temperatures are welcome.  The day has shortened as I notice last night-----it was dark by 7:30 and daylight saving time is approaching.  Soon we will have Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years and then look forward to doing the summer all over again. 

I can't wait!

The 28th day of the 9th month of the year or the Camellia

I have some catching up to do.

First, I spent a weekend with about thirty or so of my high school friends at a mini-reunion in Seaside Park/Heights, NJ.

Just for the record you all look great and it was wonderful meeting again. 

After seeing all of the photographs on FB from that weekend, I can only say that there is a reason I don't like my photograph taken.  The best shots of me are on a wanted notice in some post office.  I just don't photograph well.  In my humble opinion that is.  I looked old, tired and grumpy.  I didn't think I was grumpy, but happy and was.  Old and tired I'll give you!

A group of us went on a nature walk in Island Beach State Park where we all got some photos.  I had forgotten just how beautiful that park can be, and here's the proof. 

This is one fine group of people whom I am proud to say have been and are my friends!

I had to put this in.  It is a piece of driftwood that looks eerily like a blue heron!

And finally some ingenious individual added this monument to the twin towers on the beach.

I'm not so sure the beer bottle was all that appropriate, but the imagery is unmistakable.

They say you can never go back.  I disagree!  A great number of fond memories were uncovered on that weekend and for that I wish to thank my classmates. 

Specifically seeing Tom again, and I hope he likes my humble donation to his collection.

Carol and Carol, it was great seeing you again and meeting your husbands...lucky guys.

Pam and Jack who did so much to make the weekend work.

Drude, you look just great.

Dennis, who somehow lost his shoes.

Meg and Karol you guys look fabulous.

And all the rest to whom 70 is just the new fifty.

Thanks so much!

I will be travelling again in Mid Oct and Mid Nov.  Both times for a show and visit with kids/ grand kids.  I will love to see the family, but kinda don't look forward to all the travel.  The reunion weekend was just a little over 1600 miles.  It seems it is taking me longer and longer to recover from those long drives on the road.  But after all in my business, one has to be a "Road Warrior"----it's just part of the biz!

Later! 

The fifteenth day of the ninth month of the year of the camellia

FIXIN TO TAKE OFF!

Going north and will write when I can.  I surprised this black duck outside Stevensville, MD a few years back.  This is pure wing shooting with the camera instead of a gun.  I can around a blind spot on a pond and he jumped.  Scared the *^&**^&*^ out of me but I got the shot.

This shot always reminds me of a photography friend from the deep south who I have not seen for years.  In checking out his website, I see he has been very active over the years. 

http://www.kirkpatrickwildlife.com/home.htm

He showed his work at the Easton Waterfowl for a couple of years and stayed with us in Chestertown.  His early work with waterfowl was simply outstanding with a lot of flight shots of ducks found in the swamps he frequented.  Check his website for some really good photography and some equally as good books.

The 14th day of the 9th month of the year of the Camellia

FALL?

Sixty degrees this morning.  Going to be in the 90's again later, but gives me a feel of the upper part of the country at this time of the year.

Actually, this not a small cabin in the west but located in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania.

Sept. 13th, 2010

Not a scam, but as close as the law allows!

Check your phone bills. If there is a billing for $9.99 for "Premium Messaging", it's probably a game or some other unwanted offer from an online company. In my case they have been charging my phone for the past three months (yeah, my fault) and I had not authorized it or in any way asked for the service. The company, in my case, is called "2waytraffic", located in NYC, and owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment. While it all may not be a scam, and they do tell you they follow the law, it is right up there with real questionable. Somehow they got my cell number, probably from the web site, then started to charge me through Verizon. If you get a text from 787-77 just delete it. Then send a text to that number and say STOP. All caps and they will stop. Forget about any refunds, all their service reps can do is read the scripts (in broken English) they were given. Good luck, I guess we all have to be smarter about whatever we do with the phones and of course online. I am no computer guru, and know how to get around, but they got me because I was not diligent.  Sony....your Pres. is going to get a letter. Your corporate reputation is better than this company!

The 13th day of the 9th month of the year of the camellia

GET READY FOR IMMEDIATE WITHDRAWAL!

I will be headed out of town for a week.  MD, DE, PA and NJ .... so you're going to have to get your news from Fox News, or something.

Leaving Wednesday and headed north to attend a mini-high school reunion in NJ , visit kids in DE and PA.  And maybe spend some times at the auction to look for antique frames.

This shot was made in some southern swamp where we got too close to nature.  Got to consider that when aiming something big and black at a gator.  Either looked like a gun or I looked like a tasty morsel. 

Yep, most likely the gun thing.  Or the camera, more likely! Certainly not a crusty old un-tasty morsel!

The 12th day of the 9nth month of the year of the Camellia

I was talking with my son last night and it seemed that my two grands, on my son's side, were going to spend the night "Camping" with their neighbor buddies.  That is they were going to spend the night in a tent in the back yard.

Now these kids are six and nine respectively!

It brought back a memory or two.

  Seems when you get older, there is no end to the stimulus that brings back those old adventures.

While in high school, my neighborhood buddies and I decided to do some deer hunting in northern New Jersey.  I had the old '58 ish pontiac station wagon at the time and we all piled into her Friday afternoon.

This was a time when urban expansion was not as noticeable as today.  There was rural and we were in it.  Farmers eeked out a living of sorts between the River and the mountains or hills to the east.  There were no golden arches to soothe our craving for grease and sugar.  And all liquid nourishment had to be "Carried In" so to speak.  This was roughing it to the extreme for guys who were basically spoiled to begin with.

We were going to hunt a private farm that belonged to a friend of my father, somewhere along the Delaware River north of the Water Gap.  In so doing we had to camp out overnight.  No tent of course and none of all the modern day camping equipment so popular and necessary today.  Some of had read the adventures of  Teddy Roosevelt, so we were prepared. 

I will also remind you of the fact that we were all accomplished archers and this would be a bow hunt.  It still amazes me that the local authorities had not arrested us all for roaming the neighborhood with our bows and arrows almost every day in the fall.  I think one of the parents might have advised the police of our basic ineffectualness.  But you know that God protects drunks and little kids.  We fell into the latter category.

This was our quarry!

Course we never saw one!

I remember that we pulled off a back road (two lane), in the dark,  and parked up against the side of a very steep hill.  A hill we intended to hunt in the morning.  There were four or five of us and our "Tent" was simply a big piece of canvas that we tied to the top of the car and then to stakes driven into the side of the hill.  A good lean too, we thought.   A small fire to heat water and cook whatever slim staples we had and we were good to go.  It was total darkness by the time we got set up and it looked pretty good to us.

Until---------the temperature dropped and it started to rain/sleet!

We didn't have a clue.  The rain ran off the tarp, onto the hill, down the hill, and across all our camp.  To add to all that we couldn't keep a fire going. 

Dinner consisted of a few bag of potato chips.

It's amazing how grumpy a group of good friends can become when under such stress.

Now we were in our mid teens and without adult supervision.

We did make it through the night, but with everyone sleeping in the car!

I have it on good authority that the Grands were asleep by 8:30 pm and no strange noises kept them awake all night.  They didn't sneak onto the porch and then into the house in the middle of the night because of  those night critters we all know are out there.  They made it through the night!

Way to go kids!

They did a great deal better than I those many years ago!

Second entry on 9/11/2010, the year of the Camellia

There are two national events of unequaled catastrophe to occur in my life time on this place.  The first and most recent of course was the utter senseless destruction of all the living people who died in the twin towers in New York.  Their souls live on you misguided fools who perpetrated that horrendous time.  May all your radicals die in hell without the reward of Allah or whoever it is you pretend to follow! 

Bless the memory of this place and how dare you plan to desecrate it?

I was having coffee in my great room on the Eastern Shore of Md when my neighbor called and told me to turn on the television.  I did so and we watched together the second plane hit.  Needless to say my plans for that day were changed and I was glued to the constant reporting.  I had worked for 20 years just two blocks east of those towers.  People I knew died---------------a sad day in our history.

Bless all those folks who died.  And those who tried.  Those who tried to save people and gave the ultimate.  Those who tried and succeeded in saving so many.  Those who survived.  And finally blessings to the loved ones who remain stained with that horror forever!

I was talking with my Senior Advisor at Penn State when the news that Kennedy had been shot was passed along to the academicians in that building.  As I recall it was a Friday and we all spent the weekend and following week glued to the television.  Another idiot now spending his time in hell for some radical idea or misguided theory.

And now with those two actual events behind us, all we have to do is to make sure it can't happen again.

That's all!

I am afraid that we are all destined to relive history if we forget.

Insanity is surely repeating the same things but expecting different results!

I for one, will never forget!

The eleventh day of the ninth month of the year of the Camellia

9/11

I REMEMBER!

The tenth day of the ninth month of the year of the Camellia

I am back after a brief respite and have been scanning some old negatives into the computer, just to see what I have missed.  Evidently a good bit.

The old story about how do you eat an elephant?  Answer of course is one bite at a time. 

Well, the same principle applies to how do you photograph a Hippo?

One piece at a time!

Course, you might want to take her out to dinner first!

She just looks so happy!

The first day of the ninth month of the year of the Camellia

September and the kids are back at school or will soon be.  This next weekend will be the last of the big weekends of the summer, and  we kids always anticipated a big time.  It was at least a three day affair that our fathers had off from work and that meant we went somewhere.  In my case, it was three or four days on Maryland's eastern shore at our place there. 

And btw, I did attend one of these one room school houses for kindergarten through second grade.

We had a boat of course and most of the weekend would be spent on the water, either swimming, crabbing, or fishing.  The bleak reality that school began again after the weekend was over,  didn't set in till along about Sunday afternoon.  But afterall we had our friends to look forward to seeing despite the regimen of school.

We actually had to put shoes on for the first time since June and say goodbye to our summer buds.  Then the long car ride back up to New Jersey was pretty quiet.  Didn't, as I remember those trips, fight with my sister too much.  It was sorta like the lambs being taken to slaughter, we were quiet and introspective.  Our lives would change irrevocably for the next 8 or 9 months. Then we'd take the shoes off and start it all over again in June.