Blaze of glory and all that

I don't just love fall because it signals the cessation of summer's heat. Nor just because it's nostalgic, bringing to mind the start of the school year (and the actual start of school this year) and the memory of new clothes and new class kleenex boxes and new things to learn. I don't just love it because I know the apples are arriving and pumpkins and hayrides and all that goes with.

I love it because it's gloriously beautiful...far more so than my camera can ever capture.




My name is Katherine and I cannot live without beauty.

Brave Hands

There was this exhibit at ArtPrize--pianos distributed about the city for anyone to play.

So Debbie did. Background here: Debbie played the piano growing up, but it dropped off when she grew up, as so often happens in our lives. A few years ago she sort of wandered into piano playing again...and discovered she was better than she'd ever been.

It's still not generally a public thing for her. But she couldn't resist the lure of these pianos just sitting out in the open all available and stuff.



She sat down and the sweet sounds of "Linus and Lucy," the classic Charlie Brown tune, floated out into the ArtPrize crowd.



When ArtPrize ended, the pianos were donated to schools and community groups in the area.



I really can't decide which of the last two pictures is my favorite. They're both lovely, I think.

Yeah, I just like this picture.

In her shoes

I'm supposed to be writing a paper right now. I'm...not. Instead, I'm here, sharing a pair of shoes with you.



These are not my shoes, though I'd love to have a pair of my own. These shoes (and the feet inside them), belong to Brianne Celeste, a 14-year-old friend of mine. She and her shoes came along to ArtPrize when I visited Michigan a couple of weeks ago. Heavens, it seems longer than that.

I can't decide if the charm of the shoes rubbed off on their owner or if they've been imbued with her spirit. Whichever direction it went, there was just something about these shoes that stole every shot they were in.





They remind me of her, in a strange way: intelligent, bright-spirited, a little diffident, solidly supportive, and unexpected.



Kickin' shoes. Awesome owner.

Off to the races

I moved to Kentucky, I started school, and suddenly, I DO things. Interesting things. Things I've always wanted to do, but somehow never have. Like going to the races.

No, I did not wear an extravagant black and white hat, nor scream at any horse to "move your bloomin' arse!"

I did, however, have a great time and get pictures I love. I call this one, "I'm on a horse."




I did not know this at the time, but the man in this photo is one of the anthropology professors in my department. He wields a mean parasol, too.



And this is one of my favorite pictures of all time. Cronies! Racing cronies! Bellybutton!

Orchards

In today's world of supermarkets and packaged foods, I suspect most of us rarely think of phrases like, "the bounty of the harvest," or truly understand the both the glory AND the satisfaction of rolling amber waves of grain. I know it's not constantly on my mind.

I can't help being confronted by that frankly miraculous notion of harvest when I go to an orchard. Have you been? You are suddenly surrounded by the warm, rich scent of soil, overripe windfall apples, often the spiky smell of hay, and the intoxicating aroma of freshly pressed cider. The off-kilter globes of pumpkins tumble over each other, fighting with the leaves for the title of greatest reflector of the sun. The leaves that have already ceded the fight crackle underfoot, preparing to become the nourishment for the next growing season.





There truly is an abundance of health and deliciousness in the autumn, a gorgeous and fecund wonderfulness.

Speaking of deliciousness, may I recommend a cider slush float? Odd, but extremely pleasant. My adorable friend Katie models the happy experience.




Find an orchard near you. Buy a cup of hot spiced cider or peach turnover or just a bag of apples (and maybe caramel dip, too). Take your kids on a hayride. Pick your own pumpkins instead of buying them at the supermarket.

Rediscover the earth's bounty...and maybe give thanks a little early this year.

Leaf me alone!

You may be noticing a theme lately.



They won't all be leaf shots, I swear.

Probably.



Oh, fall. I adore you.

Things on my shoe

On Friday, an accidental and very small series emerged in my photography: "Things On My Shoe."

First, there was the butterfly at Robinette's.



(I think my foot looks kinda funky in that shot).

That was followed by the leaf at Pickerel Lake.



(Huh. My foot looks weird in a different way there).

That was all. I said it was a tiny series. A dyad, if you will. But it amused me.

You'll notice I'm trying to post more regularly. It helps that I'm actually taking pictures again. I can't guarantee an everyday post, but I will try to make it happen more often, for those of you who are interested. I have quite the backlog going, so I may as well. :)

ArtPrize!

If you've been with me for...oh, a year or so, then you may remember last year's discussion of ArtPrize. Well, it's annual, though this is only the second. I'm so glad it did come back this year and even more, that I was able to come back to Grand Rapids to visit. And to take pictures, of course.

I haven't the time, space or inclination to show you all the shots I took, but I wanted to share a couple of my favorites (and there may be more tomorrow--we'll see).

At Rosa Parks Circle, there was a small pool with scads of steam rising from within to cascade up the hill behind it. And suddenly, there was a little girl cresting the hill, dramatically surrounded by the mist.



Okay, fine, she was playing. But it was still pretty cool. I rather wish she'd been wearing diaphanous scarves or even something post-apocalyptic...

On the face of the circle itself, right where one ice skates in the winter, there was a woman creating in chalk. She was surrounded by onlookers, primed to appreciate talent. However, ArtPrize was technically over. I have to wonder if perhaps she's out there all the time, crafting transient beauty for her own soul's edification and ArtPrize is just giving her a wonderful opportunity to share.




Hooray, art!

Sorry, Hols!

Happy Autumn, everybody!




I'm home for the weekend, and my heart is full of joy.