Day 186

I've only just realized I haven't yet posted today's picture. I've been distracted by costumey festivities, you see.

Slide! With leaves! Which are the basis of my costume this year! My pre-Halloween work costume, at any rate.



And tonight, I may become a zombie. Pictures from that if I get a chance.

Day 185

Maybe it sounds morbid, but I love taking pictures in graveyards, especially those with some history. The kind where there are still headstones, not just little plaques on the ground to make it easier to mow. The kind where time and nature have had a chance to mellow the harshness of death's reality a bit.



The kind where you can still find strange names, moving epitaphs, and inexplicable monuments.

Day 184

Darth Maul leaf.



Yes, I made a Star Wars reference. Even though I've never seen any of the newer movies. But, come on. Even I realize this leaf looks like him!



And even Darth Maul can enjoy the fall colors.

Day 183

You may have noticed all the autumny pictures on the blog lately. That's likely to be the case for some time. I went a little picture crazy early last week and I've simply got to use them somehow.

However, these pictures are from a different time.



These are pictures of fall arriving on my way home. This is what I see as I drive down the street.



As I turn the corner for home.



The dark of the sky and the light captured in the trees come together in one terrific crash of beauty.




There is never a truly dark day in autumn, have you noticed? Even when the sky is gray, the leaves seem to glow from within.

Day 182

Guess what? Today is a milestone!

Today--day 182--is the halfway mark for this blog year! As of tomorrow, I will officially be on the downhill section of this journey.

I'd like to take a moment to thank all of the people who have supported me in this. If you've let me take and post your picture, if you've encouraged me, if you've stood patiently by while I stopped to take "just one more, I swear!" picture, if you've been one of the 4500 views on this blog, if you've taken the time to comment on a post, I am profoundly grateful to you.

I honestly didn't think I'd make it this far.

*sniff*

Okay, enough with the speechifying. On with the pictures!

Day 181

Friend Holly and I went up to Pickerel Lake last week to try for some good shots. And just as we got there, a strip of clouds passed over the sun. Just the sun itself, mind you. The rest of the sky remained fairly clear. But a very long stretch of clouds covered the sun for the entire time we were there. *sigh*

Still, I managed to get a few shots in the minimal light we had.

This one makes me particularly happy.

Day 180

I love moss. Truly. All sproingy and green and soft. Don't you?

Day 179

'Tis the season for ladybugs (technically, I think these are Japanese beetles, but whatever). The lakeside fellow above is quite a charmer, don't you think?

There were others in my picture-taking path, as well. Take this tiny lady.



She wasn't moving around much, unlike the others of her clan who were traipsing across the craggy bark. She was content to stay still and take in the view.



And who can blame her? What a view it was!

Day 178

I've been able to go out for dedicated picture taking at some of my favorite parks three times this week. Fall colors everywhere! Occasionally, the sun's even been shining!

Do you know how that makes me feel?

This little grill knows.



I think that says it all.

Day 177

I love the haunting, ringing, lonely sounds of life. The distant blast of a train whistle, the call of a loon across a northern lake, the rising howl of a wolf apart from his pack. There is a peculiar beauty in these sounds, a minor edge of sorrow cast by a full throat. These sounds make my heart leap--in recognition, in longing, in sheer appreciation of loveliness, maybe. I'm not entirely sure.

The sound of geese carolling by has a similar effect. My breath catches and I feel a sudden wild rush of joy.



In 8th grade, maybe 9th, I went with my class to work at a camp that was closed for the season. We did a bit of logging, dug rocks out of the ground, all sorts of manual labor. And I'm not gonna lie: I loved it. Really. There's something about discovering your strength out under the open sky that's a huge rush.

Across the path from the cabin I slept in was a playground set with swings and teeter-totters. One morning I woke up early--the sun was barely over the horizon--and snuck outside. I lay back on the seesaw and watched the sky slowly light up. There was a bit of frost on the trees and as the sun warmed the branches, I watched the fog of evaporation. And just as I was thanking God for the discovery of morning, I heard a rising cacophony. A few seconds later, the flock of geese swept directly over me, the rays of the sun catching on their throats, their wings. It's one of the most incredible and moving sights I've ever seen.



Sometimes I wish I could just take wing and follow them across the sky. And then they're gone. Maybe it's best that way. Maybe the beauty we appreciate most is necessarily fleeting. Maybe we only long for it because of its impermanence.

Day 176

Yesterday was projected to be the last sunny day for the next couple of weeks. Which meant if I was going to get a chance to capture fall color, I had one shot. One day-long shot, but still. In two weeks, all the leaves will have fallen!

I went out at lunch on a picture-taking frenzy and dragged work-Amy along as my willing vict...I mean, model. The sun was not cooperating most of the time, but I still managed to get enough to fill this blog for at least the next week.

Today, I'm featuring the adorable model. Look! A Human Face! On my blog!



Here Amy expresses how seriously she's taking my request to use the lantern as a prop. She's not wrong. It was a fairly silly idea.



I really, really like this picture. Everything about it makes me happy--the perspective, the color, the focus, all of it.



Thanks, Amy M.!

Day 175

How does this not fill your soul with wild delight?



And still, it doesn't even come close to capturing the extravagant beauty that was truly there.

Seriously, sometimes I just want to weep at the beauty of creation. Poem time!

God's World
by Edna St. Vincent Millay

O world, I cannot hold thee close enough!
Thy winds, thy wide grey skies!
Thy mists, that roll and rise!
Thy woods, this autumn day, that ache and sag
And all but cry with colour! That gaunt crag
To crush! To lift the lean of that black bluff!
World, World, I cannot get thee close enough!

Long have I known a glory in it all,
But never knew I this;
Here such a passion is
As stretcheth me apart,—Lord, I do fear
Thou’st made the world too beautiful this year;
My soul is all but out of me,—let fall
No burning leaf; prithee, let no bird call.

Day 174

Part of my reward for successfully navigating the GRE on Saturday was to go to the library (another part was buying season 3 of Criminal Minds, with the unexpected result of two nights of Shemar Moore dreams, but that's neither here nor there. Ahem.) and browse.

Which is where I found this Smart Car. Adorable tiny wee creature, isn't it?



And why does one buy a Smart Car, especially in the large vehicle world of the U.S.?

Pretty simple, really.

Day 173

In which Diagonal Week limps to a close

Not my most successful theme. Not by half. Ah, well--you win some, you are beaten to a bloody pulp by some.

This here is my favorite tree. Granted, I have lots of favorite trees, but this is definitely one of them. It's the pointing tree. He has an endearing face and earnestly wishes you to see what's just over there, if you wouldn't mind. I can never quite capture the face just as I see it, but I think this shot gives you a decent idea.



If it helps, it's a rather long face. His eyes and nose are fairly close together, but his mouth is down near where his arm starts.

He's one of the things I enjoy most about my workplace.

Day 172

In which I give up on Diagonal Week for the time being


This is a chicken.



Ba-kawk!

Day 171

Diagonal: Day...er...Four?

Background: I'm taking the GRE on Saturday morning. I have a pretty bad cold right now. I'm exhausted and I'm going to take a half day from work this afternoon. And I really, really didn't have time to take any other diagonal pictures last night.

Hence the somewhat diagonal, nearly-a-month-old picture below. I still like it and I hope you do too. And I don't have to sob about not having a picture for today, which is a good thing. (Did I mention I'm really very tired? Abnormal reactions guaranteed!)

As always, click on it--it's better when it's bigger!

Day 170

Diagonals: Day four




There really were some amazing pieces at ArtPrize. More explanation on this one later. When I don't have a sinus infection and two huge projects that need to be finished this morning. Sorry!

Day 169

Diagonal: Day Three

I mislabeled yesterday, completely disregarding the shot of Young Kim's work that truly started the week. So I'm just skipping ahead to day three. Since it is. Mostly.

It's Tuesday, right?




Mmmm, beachy goodness. Don't you love it?


The next shot isn't so much diagonal as zig-zaggy, but c'mon. They go together.

Day 168

Day One: On the Diagonal

I'm a bit stressed about getting out and taking pictures this week. You see, every spare second of my time will (in theory) be taken up with studying for the GRE I've signed up for on Saturday. Yeep! I needed something easy.

I've noticed a few of my recent pictures have strong diagonal flow. So I thought I'd gather them together in a theeeeeeme.

It's deliverance for stressed-out me. And hopefully good viewing for loyal you.




I love this shot. :)

Day 167

I am both amused and creeped out by the below picture. (On a side note, even though this was the first room we went into, Debbie didn't notice the giant face on the wall until we'd been all around the first floor and come back to this room.)




And below is part of a piece by artist Young Kim. This was another piece that was widely loved and raved about, but, due to the difficulty finding (much less getting to) the venue, never quite made it into the top ten. Kim's piece featured these tiles of salt, each crowned by an earth portrait, lit by a single bulb. It was really incredible to see--ephemeral and beautiful.

He came by yesterday and swept up the salt, ending the experience.





This second shot also begins a new theme for this week. "In which I play with diagonals" I shall call it. I hope you'll enjoy!

Day 166

A powerful piece makes the whole world recede--and suddenly, it's just you and the art.




Another view of Ran Ortner's "Open Water no. 24."

Day 165

A most wonderful thing has been happening in Grand Rapids for the past couple of weeks: ArtPrize. The brainstorm of Rick DeVos, the event was open to any and all artists. Businesses and buildings chose from the proposed projects and art was created and displayed across a three-mile area.

One of the most groundbreaking (and controversial) aspects of ArtPrize was that the winner would be decided by the public. Not by jury, not by curators, but by what many in the art world apparently consider the uneducated, unwashed masses.

I have rarely seen a city so involved in conversation. For the most part, those masses were exposed to art on an unprecedented scale--and, from what I can gather, came out of the experience amazed and thankful and really happy. It's not that they haven't seen art before. It's not that they haven't pursued art. But there were over 1,200 distinct pieces of art on display to be seen without any greater expense than a parking meter. In fact, it was almost impossible to avoid. Furthermore, the artists themselves were also there on an incredible scale. They were on hand to explain their art, to share their vision, to mingle with other artists.

I can't help thinking that all the people who complained about the "pop" and "folk" pieces that garnered lots of attention, who maligned the Grand Rapids public as unappreciative bumpkins who could only like something if it were "gussied up in spectacle," really missed out. The point of this event was to not only celebrate art in all its incarnations--which it did--but also to begin a conversation with the public that artists so often say they want to reach but despair of doing so.

Who is art for? Is it simply an indulgence for the artist, alone in their studio? Or is it for the public, a chance for the artist to convey their vision to others--for change, for impact, for the sheer need to express beauty and life, joy or sorrow?

I happen to think art should evoke--emotion, conversation, whatever. And I'm struck by something that those who are complaning that not enough "real art" made it to the top ten, that if a piece of folk art* won it would prove Grand Rapids was just some backwater hickville, don't seem to realize: they're getting a chance to air their views. They're having a conversation with people they otherwise would probably never have spoken to. Their art (for those who were taking part in the competition) is being seen by people who might just fall in love with it.

One of the pieces I fell in love with (there were several) was held up as an example: "This is real art!" "If this doesn't win, the competition was rigged!" "Grand Rapids will never choose this, because it's actually art!"

Well, it did take home first prize. And the artist who painted it stood by his work day after day, taking the time to talk to the public and explain what it meant and why he creates when creativity is so rarely rewarded in any material sense. He was open and generous and not at all condescending. His piece spoke for itself--but he allowed others to join in on the conversation.

Ran Ortner's "Open Water no. 24" is seen below (definitely click on these to make them larger). And it was so much more compelling, astonishing, and majestic in person than any picture can convey. It got my vote, and I'm thrilled to have been able to be involved in his success. Congratulations!





*the folksy giant table and chairs wasn't my favorite, but let's not kid ourselves that folk art isn't real art

Day 164

Ladies and gentlemen, what you see before you now is the stupendously tasty (and, at the time, still warm from the oven) apple cinnamon bread from Robinette's Apple Orchard. I was torn between this and the cheese bread loaf. This choice did not disappoint (not that I think the other would have either. Next week: cheese bread!)



Oh, it was good. Just look at that beautifully yeasty dough! See the crackling sugary drizzle! Marvel at the gooey caramelly bottom! Gasp at the fresh apple goodness throughout!



Last bite. *chomp*



Deeeeelicious.

Day 163

I'm late posting this morning and I'm doing it on a five minute break from a meeting. So how about some random shots? Great!

First, Big Bird Younkers. I don't know who he is, but I'll definitely remember him.




The day begins to wane on Lake Michigan. I love this time of day!




Click on the pictures, my pretties. You know you want to. It's just better that way.

*zoom*

Day 162

Today's featured model: a Sweet Tango apple.

Hanging out on the porch one Saturday afternoon.



Beauty shot.


Getting comfy.



And now, the indoor model: my first ever honeycrisp apple.

Dramatic shot on the spiral staircase.



All tucked away in an apple cozy.



It was delicious--the perfect balance between tart and sweet, and the ideal amount of crisp to the bite. I'm hooked! (I've had four or five since then and I'm not stopping until they're out of season).