"Strange, But in a Good Way"
Raleigh, NC - October 2000 (Click to embiggen)
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Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Wordless Wednesday #77: Strange, But in a Good Way
Watery Wednesday #21: One Of These Things Is Not Like The Others
"Going Against The Grain"
Pine Knoll Shores, NC - October 2008 (Click to embiggen)
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I've never had any luck at keeping fish alive in an aquarium. Which is a real pity, because I love to watch them. I'm not sure what species these are, but I'm reasonably sure their green coloring is from the lighting and not their natural color. The larger, tan colored guy in the foreground was actually illuminated by my flash which is what makes me think the green guys aren't really green.
Two4Tuesday #6: "Clean/Dirty"
"Well, The Water's Clean At Least"
Raleigh, NC - March 2009 (Click to embiggen)
In case you missed it: Check out my entry in Nicole B's Scavenger Hunt!
Thematic Photographic 42: "Drab" v.6.0
In case you missed it: Check out my entry in Nicole B's Scavenger Hunt!
I'm a rarity in Raleigh, NC. I'm a native of the city that still lives here. I haven't spent quite all of my long life (so far) in this town, but the two times I left I came back. Actually, it's three times I've left, but the first time was between the ages of 6 months and 2 years and I have no recollection of it. The first house I have any real memory of living in was this one.This little ranch has three bedrooms, and a bath and a half. Or did in 1972 when we moved out of it anyway. The windows on the left had side (with the air conditioner hanging out of one of them) are in what was my bedroom from 1963 to 1972. The air conditioner wasn't there then, the only unit we had was in the kitchen (not visible from this angle). The trim was painted green then. A rather putrid shade that I think was called "spearmint". The driveway was gravel, as were almost all of the others on this street. The big rock in the front yard wasn't there then either. The tree in the front yard is a pecan, and used to have a mate in the side yard by my old room. And every fall the pecans would rain down from both of them and my dad would pay my kid brother and I a quarter for each grocery bag we could fill with the ones on the ground. And autumn Sunday afternoons were spent watching football and shelling the nuts for my mom to use in her baking, with an old bed sheet on the floor to catch the stray shells that escaped.This was supposed to be a "starter home", a first step, a temporary stop on the way to bigger and better. Temporary turned out to be nine years, three assassinations, three presidents and a large chunk of the Vietnam War. Charlie Manson, Jeffery MacDonald and Kent State. Woodstock, Altamont and Beatlemania. Lost in Space, Hawaii Five-O and The Mod Squad. Sid and Marty Kroft. Space Ghost and Johnny Quest. Creature Feature and Shock Theater. My first dog, first day of school, first bike and the first stitches I can remember (but not the first I got) are all connected to this house on Weston Street. Behind those triple windows is the living room where I taught myself to read, starting with a book I'd heard so many times I practically had it committed to memory anyway.And aside from the paved drive, the new paint and the big rock in the front yard the place really hasn't changed one helluva lot.
Wordless Wednesday #76 (Tuesday Edition): Park Entrance
"Park Entrance"
Raleigh, NC - December 2008 (Click to embiggen)
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my old hood,
nature,
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raleigh,
rustic,
swamp,
wordless wednesday
Ruby Tuesday #32: Comforting Sight
I hope nobody ever has to test the working order of this device, but I'm glad to know its there. This call box sits in the middle of the parking lot at the Department of Administration building across the street from my office. It's hot wired to the State Capitol Police and features a surveillance camera above the call box. I've never had occasion to use it myself, but I imagine that in the short days and early darkness of winter, this is a comforting sight to many as they make their way to the parking deck across the street.
That's My World Tuesday #24: Ah, Spring
"Spring House In The Mountains"
Blue Ridge Parkway, NC - February 2001 (Click to embiggen)
In case you missed it: Check out my entry in Nicole B's Scavenger Hunt!
In another time, this "spring house" served as a refrigerator for the mountain cabin you can't see in this photo. Built over the point where an underground spring came to the surface of the land, the structure was well shaded by trees and used to store milk, butter and meat for future use. The chill of the spring kept the interior surprisingly cool even during the summer months, and food could be immersed in the spring in waterproof containers during the hottest seasons.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Blue Monday #27: Once More With Feeling
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These dancers were a different variety of Indian from the ones I showed you last week. These are members of one of North Carolina's eight recognized tribes (though I couldn't tell you which ones) and were participants in the 13th Annual American Indian Heritage Celebration in downtown Raleigh last November. I didn't get there early enough to see the two young women perform, but the flashing feet in the second photo belong to one of the two men performing "Fancy Dance", a non-traditional dance whose purpose is just what the name implies. To be fancy. And it is!
Macro Monday #4: "Modern Medicine"
Thematic Photographic 42: "Drab" v.5.0
In case you missed it: Check out my entry in Nicole B's Scavenger Hunt!
When the snow has fallen, crisp and white and fluffy all around it makes for a pleasing winter scene. When it does what it usually does around here however, it's mainly slush and ice that never quite makes the leap to pleasing. It looks more like this view I got on my way to work a few weeks ago. I'm sure my brethren to the north will have no sympathy, but I always find myself looking at the sky and saying, "Snow, or don't. But make up your mind!". So far I've only had a couple of occasions to eat those words, the most recent of those being nine years ago.
Monochrome Monday #26: Cone Estate Riding Trail
"Trail Head at Cone Estate"
Between Boone and Blowing Rock, NC - February 2001 (Click to embiggen)
A few miles from the ski areas visitors to the region can take a quieter afternoon. The Cone Estate, home of textile magnate Moses Cone, is comprised of 3500 acres and provides a home to the Parkway Craft Center, one of five shops of the Southern Highland Craft Guild. The shop features crafts by hundreds of regional artisans and artists. In addition the estate features 25 miles of carriage trails open to the public for hiking, horseback riding, and cycling. The house itself (known as Flat Top Manor) has a 20-minute loop trail around it that its said the Cones walked together every morning.
In addition to his textile business, Cone was also a noted conservationist who planted hundreds of acres of white pine, hemlock and a 10,000 tree apple orchard. There are also a number of man-made lakes on the reserve, fully stocked with bass and trout. The manor house and craft center are open from mid-March to late-November, but the riding trails are open year round. This shot was taken from the carriage barn at the trail head of one such trail just after a surprise snowstorm.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Friday Photo Challenge #3: The Good Earth: v.3.0 - "Where Broken Wings Fly Again"
"I Know Why The Wild Bird Sings"Raleigh, NC - January 2009 (Click to embiggen)
In case you missed it: Check out my entry in Nicole B's Scavenger Hunt!
Find out more here.Still confused? Don't worry about it, you're in good company. Here's the deal: Dr. Cason turned over the helm of Friday Photo Challenge to guest hosts this month, and Tinkerbell’s Momma Kat took it. I don't think she intended to carry it for the month, but that's apparently how it worked out. Anyway, she's got the link up and it's pretty sparse this month.
As host of the month, TMK also got to pick the theme, and elected "The Good Earth" as the raison d'etre.
So as my final entry for this theme, I've selected this pond at Theyland Stables in Raleigh. You've seen it before, but I think it was in black and white that time. In any case it wasn't this shot 'cause I don't reuse them on purpose (there's no reason to when you shoot as many as I do). My reason for choosing this scene is that Theyland, I've learned recently, is part of the Triangle Land Conservancy. I don't know so very much about the organization, but I will soon. Some of you may remember my first venture into this challenge when I presented a recently rehabilitated red tail hawk on her maiden voyage post-op during the New Beginning theme in January. Well TLC saw the photos from that day and it turns out they wanted two of them for their May newsletter/magazine including the one in the aforementioned post. Before you ask, no, I'm not getting any remuneration out of the deal, but still, it's nice to be published when you weren't expecting it. So it seemed fitting to give Theyland and TLC a nod in my final post for "The Good Earth".
Kay's Seven Deadly Challenges #5: "Envy"
Envy, contrary to some opinions, is not the same thing as jealousy. I could get into the differences, but Kay probably did it way better than I could in her introduction of the Sin of the Week. But I really don't have much to offer in the way of Envy, because envy requires coveting and there's not really all that much I covet. Sure, there are things I'd love to have (Dear Santa, I have been a very good boy this year and could you please bring me an EF 400mm f/2.8L super telephoto lens?) but I honestly can't think of to awufl much that I want so badly that it would make me dysfunctional and obsessive. But I guess if there's anything I could say I envy it would be the ability to create something like this painting, a print of which I saw at India Fest 2009. The print I could have afforded easily enough. And if I'd had a place to hang it, I would have bought it. (And it's still not outside the realm of possibility that I'll go back and get one.) But the skill and talent required to create it isn't something one can purchase.Oh... let's be honest here, it's actually the model I covet. ;) Does that make it envy or lust? Guess I'm screwed either way, huh?
Neat Way To Spend a Saturday
Or a Sunday for that matter. This weekend the J.S. Dorton Arena at the NC State Fairgrounds is host to India Fest 2009, organized by Nuv Yug, one of the Triangle's Indian cultural organizations.
Full-resolution version of the slideshow avialable here
I was there this afternoon for a few hours (regrettably few actually, I missed the headliner, Prashant Tamang the winner of Indian Idol 3). But in the time I was there I did get some pretty cool photos of the local performers. Most of these were young people, and all of them quite good! If you're in the Raleigh area, or will be on Sunday 29 March, consider coming out for the second day. Details are on the Nuv Yug website, but the short version is that Sunday's party runs from 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM, admission is $3 (children under 3 free) for the day. and hand stamps allow for pass-outs if you want to take a break to tour the Flea Market just next door.
Thematic Photographic 42: "Drab" v.4.0
"This Wasn't Here Before, I Swear!"
Raleigh, NC - December 2008 (Click to embiggen)
Hosted by Written Inc.In case you missed it: Check out my entry in Nicole B's Scavenger Hunt!
The swampmarsh was not there when I was 10. Because there's no way I would forget something that cool! I don't know this for sure, but my guess is that it was formed just about the time Jimmy Carter Way (and the houses along it) were built. Most likely the construction dammed the creek (which I believe is Big Walnut Creek), caused a backup and created the swampmarsh. Which is not an altogether bad thing since it provides a habitat for waterfowl of several varieties as well as probably several other species we wouldn't normally see (and a few I'd probably rather avoid).But aesthetically appealing in the usual sense it is not. At least not at the time of year when I took this shot (late December). Perhaps it's different in the spring when there are tings growing and blooming and doing colorful stuff. But when I was there last, it was just a lot of mud, weeds and water.
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Thematic Photographic 42: "Drab" v.3.0
In case you missed it: Check out my entry in Nicole B's Scavenger Hunt!
Once upon a time, this neighborhood in downtown Baltimore was probably a jewel. The Mt. Vernon Hotel, which is where this photo was taken form is a stately old lady born in 1907 overlooks much of historic Baltimore, including the Basilica of the Assumption. It also overlooks these rather tired looking structures we could see from our window.
Shutterday #21 - Theme 110: "Birds"
"State Bird"
Raleigh, NC - March 2009 (Click to embiggen)
Next week's theme: "Not Boy"
In case you missed it: Check out my entry in Nicole B's Scavenger Hunt!
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