2 Jan 2014

A YEAR IN REVIEW AND A NEW VIEW!

Yep, a couple of trite comments regarding the passage of one year and the beginning of another.  I have been neglectful dear blog and resolve to be more faithful to you in this next 365 some days.

Last year was good for me business wise with a large increase in sales on my favorite site, and I can only hope, plan and promote another increase for the upcoming year.  So hang onto your hats kiddies, the roller coaster is at the top of the hill!

Health wise I had no major complaints in Thirteen.  Feet hit the floor most mornings giving me the opportunity the thank the Lord for his grace in saving this old curmudgeon.  Didn't loose too many teeth, need a new prescription for my glasses and the old heart seems to keep pumping. 

Renewed some old friendships with a few high school buds and actually did a rather successful show at the Hereford Inlet Lighthouse is October with minimal fuss and muss.

And so the sun has set on another year and we all actually survived it.

But 2014 should hold all sorts of new adventures and photographs.  The bucket list is growing and as long as you people keep buying from the site, maybe we'll actually get to do some of them.

I will be concentrating on and around the state of South Carolina.  I know you thought I was going to say the state of confusion.  But I only go there sporadically.  Although these old brain waves do seem to bend in weird directions  from time to time.  But the photographic emphasis will be closer to home with only one NJ trip planned for October.  So far!!!

I will increase the number of new photos this year and promise (only half heartedly) to continue my sage appearance on this blog.  Frankly, my appreciation has grown in the last four years of writing this thing for those who must, because it's their job, write a column every day.  It ain't easy Jack!

I will continue and expand the effort to market my art.  Yeah, it's an art and always has been.  If you want to argue about it, give it your best shot in the comments section.  I closed the year with almost two thousand images for sale on the website and intend to double that in the coming year.  And I still have some slides that need to be scanned, so that number will increase.  And of course there is always new stuff.  Well that's the business plan!   And for you corporate types toiling in the cube farms, I know it's not a business plan but I understand it.  And so do my four employees....Missy, McGee, Duce and Hooty.

Let the 2014 games begin with a new dawning!

4 DEC 13

SHORT SHOOT

It's warmed up a bit here, fifty seven, this morning and so I have wanted to venture out away from the big glass eye to the world on my desk called "The Puter". 

 Yesterday I visited the Columbia Hydro-electric plant built in 1895 and wide open for all to see.  Kinda interesting in as much as the equipment is huge and not the kind of stuff one uses a pair of pliers to adjust.

Not your garden style, under the sink fix if something goes wrong project.  I am amazed that the usual sign of our times, graffiti, was not present as the place is wide open each day.  So somebody is doing something right.  

I guess I sound a little bitter from time to time when it comes to the public purposefully damaging property that is open to the public for educational purposes.  Maybe I am!

  And then there is this business about gangs of thugs playing this "Knock out" game.  What Game?  It's criminal!  But then again when we have leaders who are basically criminal.  Is it any wonder? 

Wow, how did I get from Hydro-electric to Hydro-rant in a twentieth of a second?

  You can't even hold a camera steady for a twentieth of a second and make a good photo.  So how can I make a point in such a short time.

Well, maybe I did.  For all the good it does.

Have a fantastic day all!

30 November 13

I spent Thursday and Friday pushing christmas trees for out local neighborhood to place in each front yard.  The understanding is that they have to put only white lights on each tree and in theory each street is lined with these things.  We have sold over 300 trees, the benefit for which goes to the local museum.  I spent most of the time in a tractor trailer moving six foot trees around.  I am tired, but a good tired.  Or as we say on the Eastern Shore…I'm tared!

I have three promotions up on Fine Art America for the next five days.  20x24 images of three top lighthouses, Barnegat, Race Point and Hatteras.  You can save up to $70 on these canvas prints ready to hang and delivered before Christmas.  Here are the links and get er done.

http://fineartamerica.com/weeklypromotion.html?promotionid=131688

http://fineartamerica.com/weeklypromotion.html?promotionid=131714

http://fineartamerica.com/weeklypromotion.html?promotionid=131715

28 November 2013

Happy Thanksgiving to one and all!

At risk of saying that I am giving everyone the bird…..this is my photo of a real wild turkey who probably made it through Thanksgiving.  I made the image some time ago on Maryland's Eastern Shore.

I am thankful for……..

Two of the greatest adult kids and four of the most fantastic grand kids any parent could want.

An ex who probably had more to do with the above than I.

A loving companion who despite all of my short comings, still loves me for some unknown reason.

The opportunity to make my passion my semi livelihood.

To have been born in a country that is free and where anyone who actually wants to work can prosper, despite the restraints of wrong headed governments from time to time.

To live in a giving country who always responds to the needs of others in distress.

And to have good friends and in some cases loving friends.

And to you all I am grateful for the opportunity to give thanks for you all and those who have passed on and live in our memories.

Finally, I thank God for the opportunity to make all the mistakes I have and probably will in the knowledge that He will allow me to continue to love him.

26 November 13

USED TO BE

When my father, god rest and thank you Dad, wanted water for our first place on the Eastern Shore of the Chesapeake Bay, he went out in the side yard and drove a point six feet down and we had water from the ground for 30 years.  That is, until the city made him join the city water (tax) system, we did just fine.  Of course our ancestors just went over to the spring, stream or lake to get their water.  Heck, at the Big Lake in New Hampshire they still use lake water to manage.  But when you live in a city and go from this--------------

To this ----

This ain't enough!

Now folks, the city is not at fault!  Old water lines break.  Just a fact of life (number 7,122,074 that is).  Or as they say "Stuff happens".  Hey it's a family blog too!

We were only out of water for about 18 hours, but it served as a wake up call for this old, half blind photographer.  What would have been our plight had it been a week…or two weeks….ummmmm?

First the city was going from one Wally World to another buying up all the bottle water they could find to hand out to residents.  Not a problem there.  That's just doing their job.  But it also helped all the "Milk, eggs and toilet paper" crowd to panic and have to drive further to get their water substitutes.  Speaking of that…note to self…check on beer, wine and liquor sales in the area for confirmation re: substitute product.

I guess people for the most part, are brighter than I.  Nah!  But!  Most of the stores had experienced their own "Runs" on the bottled water shelves by the time I woke up to the fact that our toilets take three gallons of water each.  I mean, I can go out in the back yard with the dogs….but the other half, well that's whole nother story right there.  And that's just for one flush.  I kept thinking of all those poor folks on the Jersey and New York shore after Sandy.

  Then it finally sunk into this thick skull.

  Maybe emergency preparation is not so stupid after all.

25 NOVEMBER 13

HOME SWEET HOME

Some of you have wondered just what I do all day when I am not on here peddling photos.  Well, it is apparent from the photograph that keeping up the old homestead takes a lot of time.

This morning we woke up to no water and temperatures below freezing.  Body functions and bathing have been suspended temporarily until the government wonders can fix a water line break.  Thank God we have that big old pump out behind the shed.  But nothing to prime it with,  except some of that designer bottled water that we bought at Trader Joe's a few months ago.  

I think that the decorating I have done for Thanksgiving has gone well.  I mean it was a touch of genius putting the 55 gallon water drum right by the front door.  Considering the water situation, I should have put it under one of the drain spouts on the house to collect the rain.  Oh, wait a minute we don't have down spouts. 

The table next to the tank is used for cleaning fish and other wildlife we are able to collect.  You know, semi-fresh road kill.  I think that's what's on the menu for Thursday.  With our air conditioning like it is, I just have to pass the freshly cleaned critters through the kitchen window to the right.

How do you like the big piece of lumber on the right holding up the front wall?  The house leans a little bit without it.  And it's a good thing I cleaned off the front porch…..this way the family has a place to sit come Thursday.  

Well, that's it for today.  Got to slap on some deodorant and after shave to make myself at least a little presentable until they get the water back on.

Good thing that Face Book thingy doesn't have a scratch and sniff button!

22 November 13

Remembering JFK!

I was in the office of the Dean of Agriculture at Penn State when a professor stuck his head in the office to say that the unthinkable had happened!

Remember where you were?

--------------------------------

GOD AND OLD WOOD!

Seems lately I have been taking photographs of old and dilapidated buildings that once held meaning, life and joy to someone a long time ago.

The St. Simon Church in Peak, South Carolina is one such spot.  It can be found in a rural community in Newbury county on a dirt one lane road.  I am guessing in it's day there was a whole lotta prayin gone on there.  Built in 1900, it was still an active church into the 1920's.  Now, you gotta know that Peak isn't even on Yahoo maps or my South Carolina 60 map page Atlas Book of the area.  And that is the Large Scale edition, so this half blind photographer can read the fine print.  I did remember seeing a road sign off Rte. 26 north out of Columbia with an exit to Peak, so I just followed that and finally found this place.  A little like a feeling from "Deliverance" when I got back in there.  A big part of the lure of this photo business is just searching and finding significant things to photograph.  I have written in the past on here how difficult it can be just finding lighthouses, but then that is part of the fun.  The joy of the search!

OK, here's one of those obscene commercial moments designed to get you victims in the door to buy something.  I really am not just another pretty face around here, but becoming successful on the Internet with the web site from which you may BUY, Buy, buy!

The website if you have been visiting Mars or Venus for the past year is found by simply clicking "Website". 

Just to show ya!  This year to date we have had 302,000 visitors and 3158 positive comments on the images therein.  Now that is a site with over 100,000 artists.  So I stand out somehow.  I know I work hard to do so.  I have 1848 images logged into 43 galleries to make searches easier.  Again, if you have been in outer space for a while and have missed what's going on……..you can just do a key word search for whatever you are looking for.  They will sell you a simple note card or #Christmas card, a print, matted, framed, spectacular metal prints and even iPad covers.  You can create a memento for your people from most any spot in the world on that site.  So go and have fun with it.

Now the hook!  You can also get a small discount by using the discount code EEJVSA.  It's not much because I am a cheap SOB, but it might help to lure you through the door.  It's good till Jan. one.

So, when the alarm goes off next Friday at two am….remember you coulda slept in and bought it all from the comfort of your Barco lounger at a reasonable hour of the day.  Of course, if you want to do Black Friday, it is amusing to watch.  So good luck with that!

Have a wonderful day and a better week end.