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So today... after making friends with some of my fellow motel customers (a very nice couple from Tennessee and their newborn daughter)... and some of the hotel staff (2 very nice ladies in the hotel office that talked with me about rescue dogs and Smartcars and such...)... I got some fresh coffee for the road and headed out.

This overnight stay has sort of changed my perspective a little on Texas... and that is a good thing.

Driving through the desert is a wonderful experience. And I was rather surprised at how happy I was to be back in New Mexico. Not just because I happen to live here and was coming home... although that is certainly a crucial factor. But it was more that New Mexico seems to be such a sacred kind of place. Yes, the economy sucks. And yes, there are certainly distressing things about living here... but it is also a very serene kind of place... almost eerily so at times. It's like you can feel the land and the stories it is trying to tell...

And so... I got home late in the afternoon... and it was an awesome thing to behold.

*photos by Elaine A. Russell

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Pennsylvania is a gorgeous place. It really is. If nothing else.... my daily drives prove this to me. On the flip side... I have had bad allergies... and a migraine to top all migraines... and I feel as if my body is at war with me this week. It will pass... I know it will.... but in the meantime... I am cranky, sleep deprived and miserable.

Fortunately for you... I will quit whining... and just show some pics :)

*photos by Elaine A. Russell

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Today I was feeling a bit giddy. See.... I had woken up early to take my mom to her church services, and knew that I had a couple hours to myself. WoOt!!!

And so.... I made some coffee.. and settled in for a good hour or so of reading some of my favorite blog writers. I then decided... that I could take advantage of the quiet, and take a nap. And so... I let Sabrina out to run around the yard, and prepared myself to settle in to some super fine quilts. I let her in and she raced to the bed... happy and ready to nap. I crawled in... and started sneezing. Then I started wheezing. Then my eyes started to burn...

and I realized that there was something fowl in the air.

You see... there has been lots of construction in this neighborhood, as they are repairing one bridge, and removing another -- at opposite ends of this street. Apparently, Sabrina had found a nice smelly puddle of creosote or some such fowl smelling liquid... and brought it home with her.

So... after several puppy scrubbings... and several loads of laundry

... I gave up on the whole notion of a nap.

Instead... my mother, Sabrina and I went for a drive in the country. We saw gorgeous fields of corn, cows... and then we saw an entire field of sunflowers!!!

For a photographer... this is pretty much as close to nirvana as you can get.

We had a great time... and here are some photos from the day...

*photos by Elaine A. Russell

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Today was filled with the fine details of the memorial service... arranging songs and verses and such in order for a program to be printed, ordering and paying for the flowers, and gathering photos for a video that is being made by the funeral home as a service for the family. It is frustrating... because certain photos we had wanted to include... we just can't seem to find copies of.

In 2005, I had made a point of copying all sorts of family photos that belonged to my parents, and also of my sister's family... and arranged all the photos into boxes at my parent's house. Copies were made and distributed to various family members. It was a huge expense at the time... but well worth it.

Somehow in the interim however... things have gotten wonky and mixed up.

Such is life I suppose... but it is annoying when you are looking for something in particular.

One of the things I hope to do over the course of this coming year, is to (once and for all) get all my photos onto digital files. I have tons and tons... and sorely need to get them organized. Times like this remind me how important it is to me to have photos such as these readily available if they are needed/wanted.

In other news... we went on our daily drive today... and explored some of the county back roads. We saw lovely fields, cows, pigs, sheep, horses.....lots of farmland... we even stopped at a roadside stand and got fresh tomatoes and cucumbers which we ate for dinner.

The photos for today's post are from this drive...

*photos by Elaine A. Russell

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------> photo by Elaine A. Russell


Wednesday is a day I tend to indulge in some guilty pleasures. I usually do some errands and generally drive around the city... just checking things out.

I spent alot of time at La Montanita with my daughter... checking out all the yummy food, people watching... and generally loving the organic Guatemala coffee. Got a gorgeous rose for my hubby. Got burgers for dinner. And now, have settled in for a night of senseless TV watching. I know. Seems simple, somewhat stupid even, maybe.... but it is a nice break.
I've been having alot of trouble sleeping.... or rather, I can't sleep at night, and have been sleeping during the heat of the day instead. I feel mentally and physically exhausted... and I can only suppose that I am still trying to catch up with traveling back and forth to PA still.
I also have occasional issues with depression.... and seem to be in a "down" period right now. That said... at least I am aware of it... and am trying to overcome it by forcing myself to get out and about today.

About my photo for the day: the YODA dude is a little "toy" figurine of my husband's. I placed him on top of the wall that surrounds my yard so that he looks as if he is high on top of a mountain.... ready and able to conquer the world! From this vantage point... he makes me feel a little more optimistic... and hopefully people who see it will as well.

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Today has been an interesting day.

I was told that the American Black Bear... the one of my encounters... was trapped and moved to a secluded area just a few days ago. And I also was told (and noticed) that there is a photographer about the area with a pro set-up... who happened to be taking photos of the same things I have posted these past few days. Apparently someone reads my posts? or perhaps it is coincidental.... either way... it's flattering.

I also had a well-meaning individual mention that after being here for 3 months... that my business was probably down the toilet at this point. Probably true... although I hope not. Be it good or bad; my art/photography/jewelry business has definitely been on the back burner while I helped out the parents....but I would not have chosen to do anything any differently. Sometimes in life; you have to make choices like this... and while it's been extremely difficult, I would have felt horrible if I had not helped.

Ah...but enough of that.


The other day I took my mom for a drive to Brookland, PA. I am not familiar with the area at all... but it sure was some gorgeous scenery. We went in that direction.... because I had been told about the All Saints Episcopal Church there; and was told about it's architecture and beauty.

I was not disappointed.

From what I gather... the congregation was around for several years prior to the current building being built in 1888. It is a stunning building, made of grey stone... with a gorgeous woodland setting that makes it look straight out of an English fairytale.

I was not able to see the inside; but I am told it has a font made of Italian marble, and some stunningly beautiful stained glass windows. These items were either donated by, or in memory of Henry Hatch Dent; whom I mentioned in a previous post as being the person who donated the clock for the courthouse building in Coudersport.

(it's a small world here...cue the music to "It's A Small World".. )

At any rate... the photos for today's post are photos of All Saints Episcopal Church.



*all photos by Elaine A. Russell

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(House of Care, Danville PA)
--all photos by Elaine A. Russell--

(Geisinger Medical Center, Danville PA)


It was an interesting night at the House of Care. The place is very, very nice... but I was sharing a room with my mom... and it just felt strange. Coupled with some alarming news from home... I just couldn't sleep. We got up early, and got to the hospital just in time to see my dad getting loaded and transferred via ambulance to go back to PA.

(Treats at Mom's Dutch Kitchen)

We then went to Mom's Dutch Kitchen for breakfast. This is a local (in Danville) restaurant with an attached gift shop that features alot of Amish related gifts. The food was a typical small town diner type experience... I had steak and eggs, hash browns and coffee. It was awesome. We then went back to the House of Care to do some of mom's laundry, and to wait for my aunt and uncle to arrive. They got there around 2pm, and then they all left for Philadelphia to attend my Uncle Ed's funeral.

I stayed around Danville briefly and took some photos... Danville seems very Colonial in style. They have some beautiful stone houses and churches.... and the flowers were starting to bloom a bit.


(Hellebore plants around the Presbyterian Church in Danville, PA)


(Historic "Montgomery House" in Danville, built in 1792 ... it was the home of William Montogomery [the founder of Danville PA]... now the Historical Museum)



I then headed out with all the stuff to drive back to Coudersport. The drive back was very scenic. The weather was nice... and I was able to get a few photos along the way. Just outside of Wellsboro, I stopped at an alpaca farm. The alpacas were very adorable ... and very friendly.


(the cutest little alpaca in the world)


I stopped at various area "landmarks".... Nine Mile Inn ( fabulous pond, creek, and cabins), the marshlands at Wolf Run (Canadian Geese hangout), Galeton (scenic downtown), Wellsboro Diner (converted train car/ now diner), Denton Hill Ski Resort, the old red schoolhouse (now an antique place), etc.


(Nine Mile Inn near Galeton, PA)



Once I got back to Coudersport, I went up to Charles Cole Memorial Hospital and visited with my dad in his new room. He is not horribly happy, as he is having to stay on the extended care ward... but he will be OK.

It was very late when I got to sleep... but I had a warm cup of fresh brewed coffee with my daughter, and a snuggle with Sabrina... so all is well ♥

driving

Kind of an odd day today. One minute it is cloudy and overcast, the next minute the sun is trying to come out. Last night we actually had some snow flurries in and around ABQ. I know this, not just because of the weather report.. but because I had planted fresh mint into pots on my patio.. and had to go and cover them up. (kinda like washing your car, only to have it rain)

I feel like I have been driving alot as of lately. To and from doctor's appointments, to and from CNM, driving around ABQ. Over the weekend, I was with some friends and we drove down to the gallery in Tome(http://www.tomegallery.net/). I have never been to Tome... and would like to go again sometime. I took some random shots out of the back seat windows as we drove down the highways and back roads. It was cool. (http://newmexico.hometownlocator.com/nm/valencia/tome.cfm)

The first shot I did in a style not unlike when I used to do Infrared B&W shots and hand color them. At one time, I was one of only a hand-full of artists doing this style... and I still really enjoy the look. So--- a little "driving tour" photographically today.... enjoy :)

**all photos by Elaine A. Russell