January Sunrise

View over the Neuse River from left of the sunroom. As I've observed for the past six years...at this time of the year...many ducks come here to spend the winter. Sometimes, mid-river,  a long ridge of dark specs sit out there. The scene warms the heart in these wintry months. My schedule has been so hectic that my blogging has been limited.

Predicting a White Christmas?

The icy fingers of Winter grabbed us very early this year and our heat pump has not been able to keep up with the wind and cold over  the last few weeks.  This is a shot from last winter...but none the less echoes what we've been feeling here on the Coast. The volunteer cedar trees that I left to mature are lending wonderful haven to the doves however, and seems we have a lot of doves in the yard lately. Just last week, there were a dozen doves sitting --- enjoying the sun, among the leaves and grass. It was hard to see their purplish gray bodies all balled up among the brown leaves.

GETTING READY FOR THE DRAGON'S VISIT

I've been called the "Dragon Lady a time or two...and while as a child, I remember the dragon on my mother's dishes, I had never entered the the mythical world of this fascinating creature. Enter retirement in Oriental, NC and here the Dragon reigns. She...yes...it's a she...and they're eggs around here to prove it. The Spirit of Christmas will conclude with the Dragon's dance on New Year's Eve. Legend goes....never mind....here is one of my depictions  of the Oriental Dragon.

Nature Paints the Countryside with Color

In the six years of living here at the Coast, I don't believe I've seen a prettier --- and more sustained color drenched countryside. The above photo taken of leaves floating in a creek several miles away -- complete with all the little specks of "stuff" floating by. My days have been busier than a one-arm paper hanger and my postings not so frequent...but it was nice to take a take off and record some of the beautiful color around. The golds have been especially spectacular.

Dragon Boats Race

Residents of Oriental have nurtured a kinship with Dragon lore, images, eggs -- you name it. One develops a certain kind of craziness you know, living a few steps from  the edge of a continent, a bit isolated and rural. Yesterday, they staged the first of hopefully many, dragon races. These boats pack about 20 rowers with a drummer and someone who steers (22 in all) and I had only a few minutes to click off a few shots in the heat and humidy

Painting as First love...

For all my dalliance with Photography and writing Poetry, Painting is really my first love and most closely identifies who I am. It gets harder and harder to get to it these days with the constant administrative right-brain work that I've been doing these last few months as President of the Pamlico Arts Council. "Winged Opus" (watercolor) was a part of the series for the show "Feathers, Fins & Things" several years ago.

Images that Sear the Mind - Tar Baby vs St. Sebastian

Much has happened over the last couple of weeks --- including the loss of a dear friend and close neighbor. In fact, we co-owned, Kinu, my dog --- together briefly. Seems I've also been traveling more than usual. And, reflecting as I do, here by the river....I went back in my files to look at this piece of sculpture on display at the NC Museum of Art. This work is by a Jamaican-American, Michael Richards (1963-2001) who was killed in the NYC 9/11 tragedy and eerily, it seems to forecasts Richards' own death. Cast from his own body, planes pierce the body like arrows reminiscent of St. Sebastian.