Tag: red

Ah the fun that an old man can have with the simplicity of a small piece of an already beautiful thing. How light reflects, creates shadows, small valleys and rises. The color, already vibrant, can be made to seem to make a solid into transparency. All with the simplicity of a bloom and a small maglite. Add the fact that in can all be done within the comfort of eighty degrees when it’s 101 outside.

It somehow seems a bit of cheating the mindful practice, using artificial means to achieve what used to take hours of waiting until the natural light became what you needed or wanted. I long to be of the nature like Ansel Adams. I had read of the lengths that Mr Adams would go (or wait) for the images to form to his liking. But then I read his description of the making of his haunting image: Moonrise over Espanola.

                                                                                               ©Ansel Adams

From Ansel Adams, in Examples:

“We were sailing southward along the highway not far from Espanola(NM) when I glanced to the left and saw an extraordinary situation—an inevitable photograph! I almost ditched the car and rushed to set up my 8×10 camera. I was yelling to my companions to bring me things from the car as I struggled to change components on my Cooke Triple-Convertible lens. I had a clear visualization of the image I wanted, but when the Wratten No. 15 (G) filter and the film holder were in place, I could not find my Weston exposure meter! The situation was desperate: the low sun was trailing the edge of the clouds in the west, and shadow would soon dim the white crosses.

I was at a loss with the subject luminance values, and I confess I was thinking about bracketing several exposures, when I suddenly realized that I knew the luminance of the moon—250 c/ft2. Using the Exposure Formula, I placed this luminance on Zone VII; 60 c/ft2 therefore fell on Zone V, and the exposure with the filter factor o 3x was about 1 second at f/32 with ASA 64 film. I had no idea what the value of the foreground was, but I hoped it barely fell within the exposure scale. Not wanting to take chances, I indicated a water-bath development for the negative.”

Realizing as I released the shutter that I had an unusual photograph which deserved a duplicate negative, I swiftly reversed the film holder, but as I pulled the darkslide the sunlight passed from the white crosses; I was a few seconds too late!”

Please do not think that I am comparing myself to “Da Man”, other than we both use the same tool (of sorts), the likeness fades like an under-fixed print…..Peace Out †††

“WE BUILD TOO MANY BRIDGES AND NOT ENOUGH WALLS.”   Isaac Newton….. 

Shades of Gray from Grayson Co, TX #901 – Raindrops, So little raindrops

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We had so much rain a month or so back that I never thought I would be asking for more. But it always seem we want what we don’t have, then whine when we don’t have it and whine some more when we do.

We can be so fickle!   ††††monos en theos † jas L

Shades of Gray from Grayson Co, TX #847…Hints of Red

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Having moved from Southwest Texas to North Central Texas, we really went from one extreme to another. We moved almost as far from one corner of the state to the other. From the Rio to the Red.

One of the pleasures has been the actual slow approach of fall. We seem to really have a fall. Well. as much as one could expect in Texas. Southwest Texas always seemed like to shift from hot to a week or two of comfortable coolness and then wham, a “blue norther” would blow in and every leaf went from green to dead.

I am relaxing with the slowness of North Central Texas. We are closer to East Texas and people just move at a slower pace. I have a theory that it has a little to do with how mother nature moves. I think the people, like the leaves, grow to reflect that movement.

So, I am enjoying the slowness of the coming of Winter and getting to rest in the reassurance of slow change.  Green to red is much nicer than green to dead. I trust that it works with humans as well as leaves!

None the less, I am getting the fireplace ready for use…†…monos en theos…jim

Shades of Gray from Grayson Co, TX #816 – BE THE RED CHAIR

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There is an old deserted church in our neighborhood, Pleasant Grove Baptist.

It has a castle like and crumbling exterior. I have been building the nerve to take a peak inside.

Amidst the rubble, trash and decay sat this beautiful red chair where the altar had once been.

I listened to hear the stories it could bear witness to, but all I heard was the need to be like the red chair. To sit amongst the rubble. To stand firm and retain your form even when it all seems to be falling apart.

monos en theos…†…jim

IMAGES OF SMALL THINGS FROM THE BIGGEST COUNTY IN TEXAS #752 – IT IS MEMORIAL DAY, NOT VETERAN’S DAY

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Many of us think of Memorial Day as a federal holiday where most people have a day off to barbeque, go to the beach or travel, but in fact there’s a great deal of historical significance attached to the day.

Celebrated annually in May, Memorial Day is an occasion for remembering those who died while serving their country in the United States armed forces. It’s not to be confused with Veteran’s Day, an annual holiday in November that honors everyone who served in the U.S. military.

Memorial Day was first observed in 1868, when it was called Decoration Day, a day set aside to honor the 600,000 U.S. men and women who died in the Civil War. Millions more have served since, and many have made the ultimate sacrifice.

To commemorate the holiday, here are 14 Memorial Day quotes said by influential people.

“The average American is nothing if not patriotic.” -Herbert Croly

“Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it.” -Mark Twain

“Better to die fighting for freedom than be a prisoner all the days of your life.” -Bob Marley

“Americans will put up with anything provided it doesn’t block traffic.” -Dan Rather

“The brave die never, though they sleep in dust: Their courage nerves a thousand living men.” -Minot J. Savage

“A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself.” -Joseph Campbell

“I am proud to be an American. Because an American can eat anything on the face of this earth as long as he has two pieces of bread.” -Bill Cosby

“The cost of freedom is always high, but Americans have always paid it. And one path we shall never choose, and that is the path of surrender, or submission.” -John F. Kennedy

“What’s right about America is that although we have a mess of problems, we have great capacity – intellect and resources – to do something about them.” -Henry Ford

“There is nothing wrong with America that the faith, love of freedom, intelligence, and energy of her citizens can not cure.” -Dwight David Eisenhower

“I have long believed that sacrifice is the pinnacle of patriotism.” –Bob Riley

“Who kept the faith and fought the fight; The glory theirs, the duty ours.” –Wallace Bruce

“The patriot’s blood is the seed of Freedom’s tree.” –Thomas Campbell

“The dead soldier’s silence sings our national anthem.” –Aaron Kilbourn

From the commercials I see on television, to various blogs speaking of how once you have worn camo it is in your blood and it defines who you are. I get that. I respect that. This is not Veterans day and not about what color of uniform covers a man or woman. But this day is about those that bled red until they had no more to give for my freedom.

Hats off, flags lowered, prayers given for those that have given without question, doubt, or care for themselves, but for us……monos en theos…..jim

IMAGES OF SMALL THINGS FROM THE BIGGEST COUNTY IN TEXAS #750 – CLIMB ON UP !

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“The most beautiful people are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, and a deep loving concern.”

Elisabeth Kübler-Ross

In moments of praise our scars disappear!   monos en theos ††† jim