An interesting sight

Sunday was one of those days that really reminded me that the seasons have changed from Summer to Fall.

There wasn't much scheduled for the day - I had the idea of doing some house work and such but then Josh wanted to head out to a Sorghum festival. It was a quick drive out to the county and over a rattling wooden bridge. There wasn't much there, but it was fun to get out of the house for a while and get away from some tests that I needed to post.


It was interesting to watch the old machines squeeze the juices out of the Sorghum cane and the huge cooking trough. I saw the very same set up when I had to give out information at a similar sorghum festival in Lawrence County (around Ironton) back when I worked for LCCAO. I assume that there are only so many ways to turn the cane juice into some form of potable sugars so once it was figured out the basic design / system was spread from county to county.

Afterward, we were driving up to the store and I saw a huge string of people along side the road. I'm not sure what was the occasion, but for some reason there was a huge campaign to announce that "Abortion Kills".

I wasn't aware of any national awareness campaign for that Sunday, but there were almost four blocks of people shouting to get people's attention as they drove by. I've never understood the concept of the 'string of people with signs' campaign. Does it draw any more attention to an issue? Are they hoping that someone will see the validity of their sign and say to themselves, "Ya know, they're right," and change their lives accordingly because four blocks of people held up signs?

All I can see as the aim to such a stunt is to get media attention. An image like this is perfect for a local newspaper. It gets the public's attention, granted, but does it do anything with it once they have it?

Someone's been busy...

Today, like other Tuesdays, is a day that Josh and I get out of the house for a while and try and do something adventuresome. It does not always work since we're trying to keep it cheap so we're usually just traveling to local parks, lakes and the like.

Today we went out to Turkey Creek Lake on the west side of Portsmouth and went creek-walking.

As soon as we showed up to the park, there was something that was different about the place. Large stones that had been part of the hillside since I was a kid had slid down and altered the landscape and the creek had altered its course. As my eyes followed up the length of the creek I was surprised to find that someone had been busy.

Stacked stone sculptures and monuments are as ancient as any human civilization. A rock might point out a boundary or barrier between one area and another. Circles of stones (some as large as those creating the stone circle of Stone Henge) are ancient symbols dividing the ground within the circle and the ground outside the circle as separate; perhaps as simple as the difference between the mundane world and the spiritual world.

Stacked stone monuments, such as the structure above, were commonly found across the European landscape as markers for everything from trails, burials, environmental dangers, etc. They require only time and patience to build since there is no mortar and creek stones are fairly plentiful if you just hunt around for them.

The thing that I find most disturbing about the discover and construction of this stone monument is that =I= didn't do it.

Given the time and inclination, this would have been something that I could have and probably would have built. I didn't think that there were people in this quaint corner of Ohio who would even contemplate the idea of creating a stacked-stone monument. Anyone can stack stones to create a small dam in a creek but it takes patience to collect the stone and stack them so that the shape is maintained.

Near the monument was yet another piece of construction - something that I found rather curious.
A few feet from the monument, someone had stacked and piled stone, sticks and leaves in what I can only best describe as a spiral. This picture doesn't quite capture the design that well, but if you look below there is a close up of the various layers of the form.

The dead sticks are piled at the center of the spiral and then, as it expands, the channel is filled with leaves that are only slightly wilted. I would surmise that this structure (or at least the leaves) were harvested and piled over the weekend since they haven't completely wilted.

So then I thought:

Who would have created two ancient symbols of stone; the monument and the spiral?

I have my own theories as to who -could- make such things but not necessarily if they would or not.

Again,

Someone's been busy.

Photography after the storm

This past weekend, once the storm had passed, I decided to go on a walk over to the local cemetery and see if I could snap a few photos.

The photo to the left is part of the monument of "The Lady", a well-known statue within Greenlawn Cemetery. I saw the snow on the top of the cross and thought that it was an interesting image. Once I processed the photo and cropped it to size, I decided to do something with it. I still can't decide on whether it should be sepia or black and white.

Once I found that shot, I continued to walk around the place for a bit and found another shot that I think is one of my best. The cemetery is a great place to take pictures.

This photo definitely suggested to be made into a black and white image. The barren tree stands directly center in the image with each branch covered in a sheath of ice. The shadows of the tomb stones and the conifers around it just kind of made it stand out that much more.

Day 2: The Ice Commeth

Well, we're closed for another day down here at Shawnee State, and it's all because of the wonderful freezing rain that's been falling since about 5 p.m. yesterday evening.

When I woke up this morning I immediately grabbed my camera and ventured outside to see what I could capture for my blog.

The power and cable lines are drooping because of the added weight of about a quarter-inch of ice encasing them. I've already heard that several homes out in the county are without power because of trees that have become too heavy with the ice and fallen through the lines. My uncle David, my mother's brother, has already lost power this morning because he lives -way- out in the county with lots of ice-coated trees between him and any main road.

I tried to focus in on a seed pod on a bush in the back yard to show just how thickly encased things were in the grip of the freezing rain. I think the plant is milk-weed but I couldn't swear to it. It looked so interesting with ice caught within the remains of the pod as well as coating all of the branches and vines that I had to try and snap a picture of it.

What really surprised me was some old scrub plants on the hill behind the house. Each branch and twig is coated with the ice and together they create quite a cool effect.Sometimes it's hard to see where the branch ends and the ice ends - as though the whole structure were somehow converted to a crystalline-based plant.

Wintery Blankets

Normally when it snows, I grab a picture of Tseo the Raccoon to show how bad the weather has gotten. Today when I went out into the backyard I realized that there was actually some measurable accumulation.

This morning he sort of looked like a raccoon ninja - hidden by the wintry blanket.

Shawnee has already closed classes for the day - originally only canceling classes until noon but then expanding it. So, it's a Tuesday and I have little to do.

Tseo says...

Tseo says:

"This time, I think she's serious."

It is only fitting that the first day of finals, the finals that I am giving, would be met with two inches of snow.

I have already received, before ten o'clock this morning, three emails from students stating that they can not make it in for the final tonight. Yes, tonight. The final is not scheduled until six o'clock this evening.

I'm sure that several students are simply treating this final exam much like they did High School. Generally speaking there are only a few times in the year where the University is serious about sticking to a deadline; finals week is one of them. Students, however, feel that if there is a reason, any reason, that they should not attend class - they won't.

Snowflake in the air? Cancel.
Relatives coming (the next day) for a Holiday meal? Cancel
Rain might (might) make the roads slick for driving? Cancel

The students are ready for this term to be done. Perhaps that's just how fall terms go. Since so many students are still trying to fight the reality that this is no longer their high school, they will take any chance for the proverbial "Five more Minutes."

So, since the snow fell in earnest last night, I took this time to shovel my sidewalk and throw down some rock salt which I kept by the front door. You would think that an old, oatmeal tube full of rock salt would have been the least interesting thing in my house. But simply by placing it near my front door there was some level of curiosity aroused.

"Why do you have salt next to your front door?" A friend asked this past fall.

"Because that's where it's needed." I responded.

No need for magical intervention or supernatural explanations for this one. Keep salt by your front door (especially in a house like mine that doesn't see a lot of front-door traffic) so that when it snows or is icy you don't have to hunt down the bag from last year. I know that there's a bag of salt =somewhere= in my basement and I'll eventually dig it out, but it's quite handy to have just enough to hit the sidewalk whenever needed.

It may be magical in some circles, but it's practical in mine.

-T

Athens Halloween 08

Once more, the streets of Athens, Ohio were filled with the rowdy masses of the "Tweenty" Crowd (Eighteen through twenty) for the annual Halloween festival. The main street in Athens, Court St., was shut down and upwards of ten-thousand people walked from end to end drinking and carrying on in all manners of costumes.

My friend Dan and I walked down so that I could get some pictures (because everything is just fodder for the Blog) and it was nice to know that we had grown out of such things.

At one time it was fun to go up and make the laps around the 'party', but once you've done it a few times it becomes somewhat boring; especially if you're not someone who drinks alcohol.

There were scantily-clad guys and gals as far as the eyes could see. I tried to get some pictures of the throng of people, but my camera doesn't like taking pictures at night. There was also the problem that court street has a large hill in the middle of it; separating it off into North and South Court respectively. These shots are taken from the end of North Court looking back onto the street. Campus is at the foot of South Court with the Court House in the center.

To my knowledge nothing bad happened at the party. There are always going to be people who get arrested at the Party but I don't believe that there were any serious offenses.

It really made me miss my adopted "Home Town".

-T

A shot from Greenlawn

This is a shot I took today in the Greenlawn Cemetery in Portsmouth. I was surprised to find out that not all of the trees had lost their leaves and the vibrant yellows against the harsh browns of the branches was just too cool not to grab.

I may try painting this sometime.

-T

Home

A Squatting Ent?

You find the mythical world in the strangest places sometimes.

This is a shot of a strange bit of greenery in the local cemetery.

Does it not look like some huge ent has leaned up against a tree and is watching something in the distance.

Btw, if you were to line up where the figure is looking, the first thing he would be watching is a funeral home.

Makes ya wonder.

-Tom

Just something Funny

I'm a Cowboy...

Somehow this song just crawled into my head when I was reading the "Back in the Saddle" post from the other day.

I'm a cowboy, on a steel horse I ride
I'm wanted dead or alive
Wanted dead or alive

So I have finished the first week back from Spring Break and it's raining... again.

I wanted to work on the back yard during the break but it rained so much that my back yard was little more than a quagmire of mud. I needed to put in some additional drainage around the edge around foundation of the car port. It didn't exactly work out as I had planned.

I hoped, foolishly, that this weekend would be dry enough for me to try something constructive. Well, it seems that it's going to be mud soup once more.

For some reason, a common element in my thoughts of late has been the 'Drifter'; a Cowboy, a Gypsy, etc. This would suggest that I'm not really comfortable with what I'm doing right now. It's an accurate assessment of things to be honest. Life isn't bad right now, per say, but it's not really giving me what I want out of life.

At one time, I had an image of myself on a motorcycle or a jeep and just traveling across country with a camera to explore all the Forgotten Places. The image is perhaps a bit stereotypical; the adventurous wanderer. The mysterious wanderer with a heart of gold and a dark secret. Cliche' of course, but it's something that I identified with very early on. Short of inheriting some serious money or figuring out how to travel on the cheap (not with today's gas prices), the "Wise Wanderer" moment will be on hold for a while.

However, I'm getting a case of itchy-feet. I just don't know where I want to go.

Well, correct that, I do know where I'd like to visit, but I can't afford a trip to Japan right now.

Though I would wish to be alone as I explored the various gardens and shrines, it would be nice to be able to share the trip over and back with someone. Such moments are best when you can experience them without distraction and allow yourself to take the time needed to fully appreciate them.

Discovery is made
when the mind is unclouded.

Anyway...

This post has deviated somewhat from my original notes (yes, I made notes for a blog entry while in my office this afternoon), so I should draw it to a close.

Always the Quest,
-Tom

So about that Ritalin

Last night, around midnight, I was surprised by a big flash of lightning. The rain began to pour and assumed that we would have to miss out on the snow that everyone else was getting. Then, as I was getting ready for bed, I realized that the rain sounded different; almost metallic.

I poked my head out of the front door and realized that it was the ting-ting of freezing rain that I was hearing. So I crawled into bed with the idea that we would probably have some icy patches but that was about it.

And then, when I woke up, my roommate said four words:

"You got your wish."

I ran to the front of the house and tore open the door like a 'Night Before Christmas'. The street was coated with snow; choked with the White-Death. I realized, while I was in bed waking up this morning, that the lack of sound that seemed a bit eerie; no cars, no rain, nothing.

So after I got myself together, I threw on a coat and grabbed my shovel and did that very domestic chore of clearing the driveway. Within a stroke or two of the blade, I realized that I was standing on about an inch of compacted slush as well as a few inches of snow. Oh, this was going to be a Good Snow. By the time I got out to the front steps, I ended up having to scrap the ice away rather than shovel it.

I'm sure my neighbors were pleased hearing the sound of plastic against concrete at 10 a.m. on a snowy Saturday.

Who knows how long it will last.

-Tom

Pilgrim / Seeker

While doing a search for lanterns last night, I came across this image of a medieval watchman. There was no reference given to where the image came from on the site and I doubt that I'll be able to track down the mysterious author of the painting by the symbol in the bottom left corner. However, I'll be sure to keep an eye out for it.

The image of the watchman in his cloak and carrying a staff and lantern is mixture of symbolism. The cloak protects him from the wind, cold and the rain. The lantern allows him to see through the darkness - as he is charged to seek out any crime in the city - but also it proclaims his location like a ship's lantern. The staff, a simple object, is also a form of protection in that it can be used to defend one's self from attackers or the occasional large rat.

So the image conveys PROTECTION, SEARCHING, and ASSURANCE.

Because of his search, people can feel assured that they are marginally safer with people like this watchman doing his job. Though given the simplest of tools to aid him in his search (Lantern, cloak and staff), it is none-the-less a Quest. It could be a quest for crime, or fire or just anything out of the ordinary. I would imagine that the nightly quests of the Watch were quite boring, but if they weren't out there there would be little sense of assurance or protection. This lead me to the writings of Edmund Burke.

"All that is necessary for evil to succeed is that good men do nothing."
-- Edmund Burke

I would take Burke's idea and expand upon it to say:

When people speak of evil, they speak of all the bad forces that affect our life. Fear, Doubt, Anger, etc. Evil is then the collective effect of those things which we can't control in our lives and that limit our choices. Freedom to make one's own choices is a cornerstone of most works concerning civil rights. The restriction of freedom, slavery, has brought nations to its knees. So i simplified the association to state: "If freedom is Good, then restriction as it's opposite, must be Evil." And what, generally, restricts our choices more often than any other force if not Fear. Fear of the unknown, or fear of an unwelcome eventuality.

Therefore, I can begin to re-interpret Burke's maxim about evil to read:

"All that is necessary for fear to succeed is that good men do nothing."
-- Edmund Burke (modified)

To continue my interpretation of Burke's work, I examined the last phrase: "Do nothing". According to Burke, all we (good men) need to do to defeat fear (evil) is to do something. Well, how do you conquer fear? There are far more things in this world that we do not understand than what science and religion have attempted to answer. Therefore, fear of the unknown would seem to be the most crippling, the most limiting, the most powerful form of evil.

Knowledge is the best weapon against fear. As children we are afraid of the dark because we don't know what's "out there". Our vivid imaginations crawl with media-induced phantoms and specters and we succeed in terrorizing ourselves with vagaries of perception. To combat this fear, it is important to learn from ourselves and our environment. A tree which terrorizes our dreams by night can be seen to be little more than a twisted-trunk by day.

So educating ourselves about our world and our own minds is the key to combating these phantoms of shadow and crumpled jeans. Many different religions and philosophies would describe the process of educating one's self as the process of Enlightenment. The path to enlightenment, an understanding of yourself and your world, is the quest for awareness.

"All that is necessary for fear to be defeated is to encourage the search for enlightenment."
-- Thomas Riley

Or, to be put simply:

"Always, the Quest."

or in another sense, "Always seek Enlightenment"

My gods, I think I just said I'm a Buddhist.

I'm on Notebookism again

morning-press
Originally uploaded by Green Pilgrim.

Yup, my peeps have decided to use another one of my shots again.

Click here to see what it looks like.

-T

Some Flickr Fun

Found here

Mmmm is for morning

My current field book, Owl Cup, Cellphone and Bodum Coffee Press

Around 10 a.m.

In twelve days I will be thirty-five years old. In fifteen days, I will be back in the school year. When I woke up this morning, the first thought was: "I need coffee..." My sinuses decided to pretend that it was fall so I woke up half-strangled with nasal gick.

Yesterday was a day for cleaning and organizing the house as well as indulging in a wicked pleasure: World of Warcraft. I didn't think that I would get caught up in it as much as I did but I also realized that after yesterday, I needed to tackle more of my prep-work for classes. I have my syllabi done and the first chapters done, but I want to get ahead. I also need to start my Blackboard files so the students have something that they can download for reviews and such.

So, when I woke up this morning, I grabbed the new Coffee Press and my field book. It's a wonderful combination for the remainder of my "summer break".

Mmmm, French Vanilla.

-Tom

Cat Pic

I grabbed this pic at my mother's garden. One of her cats, she has about a dozen I think, was crashed out on the old rocking chair and the shot couldn't be avoided. I grabbed my camera and grabbed it as quick as I could. I think the veggies growing in the background and the old basket in the foreground make it look very cool.

Scorch-Journal

scorch-05
Originally uploaded by Green Pilgrim.

This is a size-1 journal that's 1 1/4" thick. I tried a new leather-distressing technique called scorching. I love the feel of it.

It's such a brick. :)

Look here for a nice, big image of the book. I'm quite pleased.
-Me

Shots from Roosevelt Lake

A shot up a tree that was leaning over one of the creeks that feed the lake.

My favorite shot from today's hike. The tree was in the same creek as the shot above but it just looked awsome to me. It's now my desk top.

A nice area just off the beaten path. The shot turned out dark but it was shaded by the trees and such. The moss-covered rocks were also cool.

A rock shelf on the hill beside the creek.