Frosted and Wilted...

Frosted and Wilted

In these frost covered and wilted leaves I see a graceful and elegant submission to the inevitable onset of winter.

Yet the the remaining green on a few of these leaves suggests that the story here is not over yet.

All members of the plant kingdom play difficult a cat-and-mouse game of survival with the changing seasons.

Some "win" and some "lose"... but these leaves seem confident in the knowledge that right now they are just settling down for a "long winter's nap" and that after this they will reemerge in spring with renewed strength to greet the warmth and sunshine of another spring.

 And the cycle of life goes on. :)

"Emmanuel"...

"Emmanuel"

Much like one of the most wonderful pieces of music I've ever heard...for me this image triggers a full range of complex emotions. Hope, anticipation, abandonment, solitude and intimacy.

It is unclear if these chairs are abandoned for the season or if in just a few minutes two people be sitting here sharing a special moment together.

Like much in life each of us will see something different here and interpret this within the context of our own emotions and feelings.

CHRIS BOTTI IN BOSTON | "Emmanuel" w/ Lucia Micarelli | PBS
https://youtu.be/m8NN4fpdm40

"Last Quarter"

"Last Quarter" 

When you visualize an image of the moon in your minds eye what do you see? The impossibly large disk of a “Super Moon”... glowing softly as it rises slowly over a silhouetted landscape? Or the crater Tycho... shining like a lunar lighthouse, the arms of it’s massive ray system extending out for 1500 km in all directions. Maybe you see the lunar mare (Latin for "oceans") that make up the so called “Man in the Moon”. 

These are timeless images. The one's everyone sees and everyone tries to photograph.

And so did I until just the other day when I made this photo. After years of trying (and failing rather miserably) to recreate those "other" images for myself... something drew me to take this simple photo instead. And as soon as I saw it I knew I had succeeded in creating something that satisfied me and finally expressed who I was... my personal views and what I felt when taking this photo. Yet I wasn’t quite sure why.

Then it hit me. This image contained a message. It was telling me that in my previous attempts to photograph the moon I had been succumbing to thinking and seeing like everyone else. I was part of "the crowd"... going for the “big glowing disk” photograph. I was focused on achieving a specific result rather than allowing myself to explore options. However now I have a photo where the moon is properly portrayed as just a small part of something much larger. In this photo I feel as though I can see right past the moon, through the blue of the sky and into the depths of space that lay beyond. For me it helps define where we on Earth fall in the grand scheme of things.

But no matter the subject matter, your political views or the country you live in... few of us ever exercise our right to think and act as individuals. We believe what we see on TV, the opinions of our friends and what we read online to be true. Without question.  We have a desire to fit in and therefore become a part of the crowd. And while comfortable and easy, the reality is that this limits our development both personally and as a society.

However to think for yourself, to consider options and to encourage others to do the same requires courage and taking certain risks. It can be uncomfortable... but the rewards are worth the risks. And this is true whether taking a simple photograph, teaching our daughters and sons how to be better people, or simply searching for the truth. In my opinion the the world needs more risk takers... and we need to applaud, support and recognize the efforts of those who already do.  Or better yet... become risk takers ourselves :-)

Simply Ablaze!...

"Simply Ablaze" - A Roadside Snapshot.

It seems every tree in New England is begging for individual attention right now. Which raises a question of how best to enjoy the beauty of fall in New England?

Like people each tree has it's own unique qualities. Yet when viewed "en masse" and enjoyed as a group of good friends... there is a completely different dynamic and feel to them. 

And in the end I guess trees in fall are like people... there is no right or wrong way to embrace, enjoy and learn from them. You simply have to be open to the opportunities that both life and Mother Nature present us to enrich our lives and nourish our soul and not let them pass you by.

Not Your Typical TBT...

Not exactly your typical ‪‎TBT‬... but a challenge to all my friends today.

Think about where you were a year ago today... look at where you are today... and imagine where you want to be a year from now. 

Then realize everything is possible! :-)

A 60th Wedding Anniversary

Don and Jo Anne Mengle
60th Wedding Anniversary
09/27/15

"Jo Anne and Don Mengle - 60th Wedding Anniversary"

State College, PA - 09/27/15

I’ve been on the fence about publishing this photo for over a week now. My parents are relatively modest, quiet and private people who have never sought or needed a lot of attention in their lives… either together or as individuals. But a week ago they achieved something very special and very rare these days which I think deserves special recognition.

On 27 September 2015 they celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary together with a small group of friends and family! This is an almost unheard of milestone for any couple of any era to reach and I would like to recognize their achievement once again here with this photograph of them together.

In their 60 years together they have seen and achieved a lot. They have seen times of war and thankfully… some peace. They have seen and lived through good and bad economic times. They have seen man land on the moon and a presidential assassination. And they have raised two children and now enjoy the company of three grandchildren and two great-grandchildren as well.

And from my point of view they have been the best parents and role models I could have ever wished for. They have taught me the value of hard work and perseverance. They have taught me the value of strong personal and moral values. And most of all they have demonstrated wonderful life can be together when two people love, respect and absolutely support each other through both good times and bad.

So to my parent’s Don and Jo Anne... I once again say “Happy Anniversary” and "Thank you"!  And I hope you are not embarrassed that I’ve recognized you in this way... because you deserve it :-)

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Comments
Kelly Pinard Denmeade
Kelly Pinard Denmeade congrats! Dave I hope your parents are proud and realize what they have accomplished-love, marriage, family and more family. Thanks for sharing my old friend..
Like · Reply · October 3 at 5:47pm

Kt Partridge
Kt Partridge So great!
Like · Reply · October 3 at 8:30pm

Greg Greene
Greg Greene They should be as proud of you as you are of them.
Like · Reply · October 3 at 10:18pm

How Can This Have Become "Routine"?...

Source: The Guardian - UK
(See the complete graphic at the first link below)

A truly shocking graphic.

And while some might consider this "sensationalism" or a cheap shot that targets gun owners, the NRA and big business... we need to come to understand why this is happening and what we need to do to cure the disease of gun violence that infects our country today. And we need to do it now.

Unfortunately, this HAS become routine. In fact not one person I spoke to today even mentioned the UCC shooting in conversation. And I probably talked to at least 50 to 75 different people today.

To me this is disappointing and disturbing. It is evidence that this kind of violence has not only become routine... but even worse... it has become "normal". Not even worth mentioning in conversation with our fiends and colleagues and certainly nothing our elected politicians want to take a potentially unpopular public stance on.

But we need to have the discussion. We need to have the debate. And they both need to start now! To refuse to talk about this... or ignore it hoping it will go away is to simply not even acknowledge there is a problem.  But we need to start taking real steps to eliminate this kind of senseless and irrational violence from our society.

Of course it will not be easy. Doing the right thing and making the tough choices never is. But we need to do it and we need to do it now. For ourselves, for our children and for all of those who have already died needlessly when all they were doing was trying to create a better future for themselves... in fact, for all of us.


See the complete graphic from the Guardian here;
http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2015/oct/02/mass-shootings-america-gun-violence?CMP=fb_gu

And this is an interesting article about US public opinion concerning gun control:
http://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/2015/oct/02/mass-shootings-have-no-impact-on-support-for-gun-rights-in-the-us

UCC Campus 01.10.15
Photo - AP