Glove Gloom

Recently, while strolling down Lincoln Avenue, a solitary glove caught my eye.  It got me thinking about life as a solitary piece of apparel. 

Life in a ski town is never solitary, singular or lonely.  Tourism makes sure you never feel abandoned.

But... for ski gloves, mittens, skis, ski poles, water bottles and chap stick; well that's another story all by itself.  No where that I can recall have I ever bore witness to so many forsaken items found cast off; on the side of the road, sidewalks, snowbanks or any place for that matter. "Locals" find these items: We place them on counter tops at the post office, lost & found at the ski area or grocery store entrances,  even as a hand for a snowman, in hopes that their owners will retrace their steps and be reunited.  We may even find your lonely ski pole and next thing you know, it's a perfect walking cane for the abundance of hiking trails in Routt County, Colorado.

A Sunday afternoon stroll, and my wife pointed out yet another despondent glove, cold and alone in a snow bank,  This time I had my camera and was able to capture an image of a somewhat expensive looking chap,  discarded by its' owner.  No left glove to keep him company.  Are there no right handed glove wearers?

"...It's like I told you
Only the lonely can play

So hold on here we go
Hold on to nothin' we know
I feel so lonely way up here..."  Roy Orbison, Only The Lonely

early thaw?

A lonely 'berg in the middle of a frigid mountain stream?  It almost appears so.  However, barely visible in the lower right of the lonely pile of snow, a glimpse of a rock can be seen.  

Steely blackish grey water swirls all around the strong boulder in this middle of this swiftly moving water.  White snow gives the rock purpose - to allow the snowflakes to pile up throughout the winter.  A magpie might even enjoy this plateau of snow as a temporary perch.  

A mid afternoon snow shoe along Lake Catamount in Routt County,  gave me the ability to shrug off the mid winter blues.  Even in times of  "just walking around", Mother Nature never disappoints.

Come late March and early April, as waters grow with the thaw, the fury of the melt will wash away this 'berg.

"ambling, rambling, making its' way along the frozen shores, snow piles
listen to the sound of deft flakes of frozeness falling from the heavens
landing gently on the rocks, which have seen the test of time and mighty trout." 
ann mcarthur 1/27/14

And then LOVE rolled by

As a native of Benham Kentucky, past Rose Parades were viewed on my parents' black & white television.  Obviously, therein was the problem in seeing the color of the roses.

During our recent vacation to Pasadena, CA to visit our son & daughter (and grandson),  I rambled on down to catch a glimpse of what I'd been missing all those years during the reign of a black & white TV. 

Of controversy this year, the float of the wedding cake featuring Danny & Aubrey who exchanged wedding vows during the parade.  This was a first ever event - a gay couple atop a styled wedding cake floral float on Colorado Blvd in Pasadena, CA.  Oddly enough, none of this seems out of place.

Often times the photographer may catch first time ever historical events.  The photograph is a visual record of the event; not an opinion of the photographer, one way or another.  If photographers allow personal opinion to interfere with their muse, then the art is lost.  Life comes to us in all forms, and on this particular day,  "LOVE"  rolled by with two grooms and a wedding cake.

"... We are resolved into the supreme air,
We are made one with what we touch and see,
With our heart’s blood each crimson sun is fair,
With our young lives each spring-impassioned tree
Flames into green, the wildest beasts that range
The moor our kinsmen are, all life is one, and all is change..."
Oscar Wilde, We Are Made One With What We Touch & See
 

Sunset Bouquet of Winter

To look at the photograph, the hues lead the eye to distinguish from the paleness of pink and hot oranges, vanishing shades of lavender and the obvious crispness in the white snow. 

The picture speaks of winter; calm and serene but also to remind us of the absolute solitude in a cold January afternoon in snow country. 

All around Steamboat Springs and rural Routt County, cold afternoons and even more frigid nights seep into our bodies.  Most people will thaw out in late March when temperatures will begin to rise; the ground will start to give way by mid to late April, and the snow should be gone by mid June.

For almost 7 months out of the year, we see the winter storms come and go; leaving their fluffy white snow behind.  We shovel it,  find places to put it, ski on it, play in it, curse at it and even marvel at it. But, in the long run, with sunsets such as the white farmhouse, out buildings and fields above, somehow we are able to appreciate it just a little more every day.

"...Old age is not so serious, and I
By the window sad and watchful as a cat,
Build to this poem of old age and of snow,
And weep: you are my snow man and I know
I near you, you near him, all of us must die..." Old Man in the Crystal Snow, Delmore Schwartz

Dog Joy Backpacking & Man's Role in Life

Dogs love to do their share.  Recent heavy snows have  baptized the mountains with an abundance of pleasure.  Some find God to be living among these trees and in all things powder, so therefore the word baptism seems justified in describing snow musing. 

This yellow dog is loving his journey of joy; breaking trail for his companion, who follows closely behind.  And what a great sense of pride this dog exudes  - carrying his own water, food and undoubtedly a few healthy granola bars, fruit, etc for his 2 legged companion. What a perplexing scene - just who is the smarter in this picture?  Personally, I am more apt to see most of  our animals friends on an even playing field, even more superior from time to time.

Loop C atop the west summit of Rabbit Ears Pass offers the skiers, snowshoers, and adventurous dogs a fine immersion of ample, heart warming sun.  While ambient air hovers just around a chilly 20degrees, a few moments in the high altitude sun allow the sports enthusiast to work up a sweat.

Dogs know their roles well.  Just be a dog - all else is fine.  It is man who struggles with the roles he must act upon in daily life.  Me thinks lessons from our 4 legged companions are the guiding lights to a happy and well contented life.


"All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players;
They have their exits and their entrances,
And one man in his time plays many parts, ..."  William Shakespeare

Sunbeams Romance with Snow

Snow is unique. No two flakes are alike.  Each flake carries its own intricate DNA design pattern.  When you look over an abundance of snow, as in this picture, it's difficult to believe that the millions of flakes that have fallen are independent; even though when together as a collective whole they give birth to perfect model of the mystical frozen flake.

The blue bird sky and brilliant sun add overwhelming life to this picture.  With the kiss of the sunbeams, suddenly individual and solitary snowflakes take on an appearance of tiny diamonds. 

Steamboat is known for its trademark "champagne powder" and in this photograph the eye can imagine a flute of the bubbly and a dash of diamonds for the skier or snowshoer's delight. 

Once again, Mother Nature, in all her glory, brings together all her cherished children and paints an epic moment for the human eye, who were lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time.

...tiny bubbles tickle my frozen nose, and millions of tiny diamonds give me pause to breathe in the jeweled silence of an afternoon adventure deep within a grove of trees, freshly decorated with Mother Nature's frozen tears... ann mcarthur 1/19/144

The Horses Drew Close

Once again, we re-visit the horse.  These two pals were hanging out, perhaps discussing the quality of winter hay or wondering what I was doing, pointing my camera in their direction.

Naturally curious animals,  I can always count on the horses to provide character and depth for my photos.  This particular shot drew my interest as to the contrast: One close, one set back.  Neither seems very interested in the reasoning for the keen interest in equine passions - most likely they are hoping I have apples, carrots or a bag of oats hidden in my backpack.


...“The road may bend out of sight at times, but I know what lies ahead: the faraway horses.” ...
Buck Brannaman, Author and Professional Horse Whisperer

Ocean's Ampitheater and the Opera

Shooting water is always a delight.  Capable of taking on so many forms, the photographer is never bored. An early morning walk along the shore's edge, I found this sandpiper doing his thing: Down to the water's edge to looks for sandcrabs, run furiously back towards the refuge of the sand as the wave breaks. Nature's ballet appearing with grace.

Water, in all its' magnificence is amazing.  Still, utterly silent in a lake or pond, or small veins of life as it trickles through a maze of rock and silt on a hillside in the mountains, water can transform itself to whatever geographical zip code it resides in.  

The ocean's magic is in the tide's method of crashing unto the sand with force, only to be gently pulled back to the ocean by the invisible forces of nature and gravity.  The water also keeps its' voice ever changing.  Whether the roar of the tide, or the absence of sound coming from an untouched mountain lake - water never disappoints.

... "“listen: there’s a hell of a good universe next door; let’s go”
e.e.cummings

Loving the Sunset Shoreline

Light and layering.  Yesterday's blog referenced the lighting and the lust it provides for a photographer's eye.

While in Port Hueneme, CA in late December, we were blessed with pristine weather conditions, Santa Ana winds and no on-shore fog. 

The Port Hueneme pier, originally constructed in 1956 is a familiar face along the seashore.  Being held hostage to the powerful tides that surge along the Hueneme coastline, especially during the winter/rainy months, the pier was partially destroyed in 1995, 1997 and then restructured in 1999 to what beach-goers see today.

It is not uncommon, on any given day, to walk the length of the pier and see various fisherman with their lines cast in hopes of catching dinner.  The duality of the pier is not only its attraction for fisherman, or lovers walking hand in hand, but also for solitary sun & sea stroller who can catch a glimpse of the surfers waiting for the next series of waves to appear.  Even seagulls and pelicans have a "bird's eye view" to all the happens at the end of the pier.

This photo was shot just as the sun was setting, and by allowing the shutter to remain open a little longer, I was able to garner the smooth appearance of the ocean as it laps on to the shore. In the distance you can see the Anacapa Island, part of the Channel Islands State Park and once home to the Chumash Indians, with Anacapa being only 12 miles from the Hueneme shore. 


..."Be not impatient—a little space—Know you, I salute the air, the ocean and the
land,
Every day, at sundown, for your dear sake, my love..."  Walt Whitman, Out of the Rolling Ocean, the Crowd.

Light and Layering

Layering in photography adds depth and subtle intensity to a picture.  As a photographer, I am constantly chasing the light.  This shot depicts the multiplication of layers, drawing you inward, almost as if you were walking down the fractured trail yourself.

On a recent trip, our son Bryan surprised us with a scenic drive towards a prime spot for layering:  Angeles Crest Highway [SR2] from Pasadena, CA.  It is evident in this picture that there has been a dusting of snow, that adds contrast to the shale rock, scrub and pine trees.  [of note, this is the location of the hellish Station Fire, which charred 160,000+ acres, lasting from August-Oct, 2009 - the result of arson).

Within the layers you can find the sound of peace.  The winds soars through the chasms, and echoes of a pristine dance upon the shale serenade you.  Suddenly, you are lost within the moment, the light, layers and melodic string sounds of the air around you.

Every picture tells a story, but when the photographer can seek and find dancing light, the picture comes alive.

"... A likeness of the light in the ground of the soul flows over into the body, which is then filled with radiance. ..." Meister Eckhart, poem no.3534 Dominican Preacher

Loving Lattice and Staircases of Beauty

Vacations are an adventure.

Whether traveling to a familiar place or spinning the globe and allowing it to plot your journey; something unusual piques your interest and imagination.  Pasadena, CA in December was a warm and pleasant reprieve from the bitter cold of Steamboat Springs, Colorado.  

The Pasadena Courthouse grounds and courtyard are fantastic.  Within the white pillar sentries, rose gardens and large trees allow for an abundance of eye candy.  I was drawn to the whimsical and delicate lattice work of the winding staircase within the courthouse grounds.  While photographed from the bottom to the top and the opposite, as is shown above, I preferred the lighting of going from bright to dark, giving the illusion of a magical trip to destinations unknown.  

Dr. Thomas Elliott, the man who coined the name Pasadena, a partial translation of "of the Valley" [1878 Wheeler Land Survey] was spot on with the name, as with one glance from atop Angeles Crest Highway [Hwy 2] Pasadena truly is "of the valley".

 ...up and down, all around, the steps lead you where you need.  One at a time, step by step,  destinations are discovered and stumbled upon... ann c. mcarthur 1/14/14