Sky Change

The blue is not water, but rather a band of dense cloud cover over Bath, Maine. I love the way the eerie light makes the shapes of the buildings so crisp and clear.




Driving along RT.1, just north of Bath, Maine.


Crossing the bridge to Wiscasset, Maine.

I'm beginning to notice clouds as spring creeps slowly into Maine. I seldom see large dramatic cumulus clouds in winter...Winter is a season when brilliant blue skies fade as a gauzy smear of white ushers in the flat gray of approaching weather.

Last July 4th, Peter and I were caught between two storm systems...he drove while I blissfully recorded the unfolding drama. Clouds are a photographer's friend and they transform the most mundane scene. I'm glad to see them back again!

Henna Boxes

I purchased the henna boxes years ago in India and one of them may have come from that magical city, Jaipur...it was such a long time ago.... Henna is used in a myriad of ways, but my favorite is the thick mixture which is painted in intricate designs on the hands and feet of a bride. I was inspired to post the containers after viewing a beautiful wedding video on twitter. Filmed in Jaipur, the photographer wove together actual wedding footage into a mystery of his own creation. I hope you enjoy the link, the film lasts about 30 minutes.

Kevin Shahinian's City of Lakes.

Flickr Dogs in Maine ~ Celebrating Shiner's 11th Birthday

Happy Birthday Shiner!

Caddy, a beautiful, goofy German Shorthair Retriever and Shiner's Mere Point buddy!

Harrison!

Jack of The Meadow.

Natalie!

A wolf/husky mix puppy I saw on the steps going down to Sand Beach at Acadia National Park. It was a difficult shot because he wouldn't stop moving and wiggling all over. Oddly enough, it is my most viewed and googled in my flickr stream with 771 hits!

Dear old Shiner; plucky, trusting, loving and full of shih tzu attitude. Huge vet bills! Here is her song!

Bacon's Castle, Surry County, Virginia

17th century Jacobean colonial mansion built by Arthur Allen. JCB has a beautiful post about Bacon's Castle and I urge you to look here.





The house sits well back from the road in a rural setting surrounded by farmland. On the day of our early spring visit the sun was shining, although it was still cool enough to enjoy the walk down the long approach to the imposing home. The view is impressive as the details of the plantation are revealed and the unusual roof line and triple stacked chimneys are beautiful against the bright blue sky. The simple white outbuildings on the property provide a pleasing contrast. We are given an informative tour of the interior; the home has been well loved over the centuries and is in surprisingly good condition. There have been renovations to accommodate newer styles, even so, I thought the changes did little to encourage the flow of air...that whisper of a breeze, so welcome, on a stifling Virginia summer's day. The house is an echo of home an ocean away and a poignant reminder of everything left and lost by those who came to this land to begin again.

The King's Arms Tavern and windows through a window

The window view from our table at the King's Arms Tavern in Williamsburg, Virginia.

I co-admin a collection of photos on flickr called Windows through Windows. The group was created by my contact, Accent on Eclectic, whose perceptive observations on my photos, as well as the work of many others, have taught me a lot. Finding a window through a window to invite to the group, while browsing through flickr's thousands of images, is like looking for a needle in a haystack. That's what makes the posts so unique and I have never looked at a window in the same way again. Searching for that tiny view beyond is one of the many subtle lessons I have learned in photography.


The hard working and authentic looking staff at the King's Arms Tavern.

Strangeness...or days when I mess about with my camera!

A splash of afternoon light on the study wall.

Tulip petals in the kitchen sink, detail of the garbage disposal.

A view through the window of JCB's dollhouse.

Carved face in an old betel nut box.

These are small things that are part of my daily landscape, barely noticed, most of the time. Then, suddenly, light streaks across a wall, or an object catches my eye and translates, simply, to form and shape. This is when I grab my camera to experiment and explore the possibility of bending reality.

Views From the Herb Garden ~ Random Memory #10 ~ Virginia

Bruton Parish Church, Williamsburg, Virginia.






Random Memory #10 ~ Virginia

JCB and her gentleman spied the herb vendor's display from the Bruton Parish Church yard and so we crossed the road to enjoy a few quiet moments in its petal sprinkled gardens. Newly turned earth and signs of spring were abundant in this little out of the way patch of Williamsburg. Here, words were spoken from the heart and a new memory was added to my kaleidoscope of random memories.

With love to the gentleman.

Little Patriots

Williamsburg, Virginia

What could be better than to combine Easter weekend and historic Williamsburg, Virginia! The air was soft and the sun was shining on visitors seeking a glimpse of our colonial past. My eye always gravitates to the children...and one little patriot in particular, who was clearly on overload!

Ok. Make me believe it's Spring!

Northport, Maine.

You could almost believe...

This would have been perfect except for the sunglasses!

One of the things I love about historic Williamsburg is the presentation of crafts people, shopkeepers and tour guides dressed in colonial attire. Many stay 'in character' while they interact with visitors, although I discovered they are a challenge to photograph without including information from today's world. At a glance, perhaps, you can almost believe...

In the Pink

Historic Williamsburg, Virginia.

An unforgettable spring day. With love to JCB and her gentleman!

....and on another topic! I am afraid I related to Medieval Help Desk all too well!

Skewed Reality

Playa Del Carmen, Quintana Roo, Mexico

These two zoom shots were taken seconds apart, but they present very different stories. I spied the guitar player from the deck of our hotel room in Playa Del Carmen and I would have loved better light, but it was late in the afternoon and the sun was low. The day was chilly and there were not many people on the beach to serenade, nevertheless, the singer was absorbed in the moment and in his music. I thought the scene with the surf at his feet was beautiful. I took the shot and when I focused again, I saw the seated figure, head in his hands. I wondered, what kind of sorrow and despair would make a person so oblivious to the sounds of surf and strings?

I have not yet posted the images to Flickr because I can't make up my my mind about which story to present.

Home Again

We have just returned home after our journey south to see JCB and her endearing gentleman. The four of us (and Shiner the shih tzu) drove to Williamsburg, and beyond, to savor spring in some historic and very atmospheric sites. It will be awhile before my photos are organized and ready to post, but you can see our trip through JCB's artistic eyes.

The above shots are from our February trip to the Florida keys. I had never experimented with the aquarium setting on my Canon Powershot before; these are the results after a few adjustments and a little cropping.

Happy Easter ~ Happy Spring ~ Random Memory #9 ~ Turkey

Happy Easter from smilla4! Cookie from Three Labs Bakery, Rockport, Maine

Random Memory #9 ~ Turkey

The Easter Holiday will occur in the middle of our trip to Turkey and after some discussion, we decide to delay the bunny's arrival until we return home to Tehran. I know hiding baskets, fuzzy chicks and eggs will be impossible in our crammed suitcases. JCB and her brother, we hope, will be sufficiently distracted by traveling to realize the Holiday has slipped past unacknowledged.

When Easter arrives, we are staying in a lovely little hotel in Antalya. Outside the children's door is a small basket with four bilious green dyed eggs. I am touched beyond words at this kind and generous gesture. The children stare at the eggs...the color really is awful. I think of the Easter baskets at home that I have already decorated and tell them that offering a basket of green eggs is a traditional symbol of welcome in Antalya.

The Jackalope

Shy and secretive, these Maine natives can occasionally be seen in Ellsworth, Maine.

I'll be back soon! Off to D.C. to see JCB!