sign

194:365

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


slipping... over the mossy shoreline into the depths below
traveling further and further downward like a plant falling from a window way too high for it's own good
past colorful denizens of the deep
ever watchful
ever hopeful
yet, sinking further
looking towards the skyline of the land I used to belong to
...and the eyes of Poseidon watched


About the photo for today: I was driving downtown taking photos out of the car window. When I came home tonight, this one caught my eye... and I thought it would be interesting to see what it would look like if I changed the color scheme to make it look like it was under water. Well... when I reversed the colors... these fabulous eyes came out of the clouds! I then tweaked the colors just a bit, and removed the brush the Octopus was holding ( the photo is of an Octopus car wash sign)...

73:365


Current Police headquarters for the town. It used to be the train depot. It is gorgeous.



Vintage train caboose... now part of the Coudersport Arboretum display



Back view of the caboose at night......



Today has been a really, really, long day. First of all... I slept til 2pm (except that I soon discovered that it was actually 3pm because if Daylight Savings Time). Took a shower, did some chores around the house.... and realized that today was the last day to enter photos in the Alibi yearly photo contest... so I worked on that.
Then, my niece called... so I spent the early evening hours helping her and my daughter put together a set of bunk beds (and watch 3 kids). It took longer than I thought it would... but they look great... and the kids seemed excited.

Afterwards, we went over to my local "Sheetz" gas station/super mini store extraordinaire... and started to take my photo of the day (with intent to include it also in my blog with a blurb all about Sheetz and how cool it is to have a 24hr mart like that in the little town of Coudersport).... but then the manager came out and proceeded to chastise me about illegally taking photos of the place (even though it is in the middle of the town... and I was across the street on other property). So... I deleted the photos. How sad.
So... instead I went to take some photos of the old train depot and a train car that is right nearby... and of a vintage sign.
It's such a small town... and most everyone is extremely nice... it just surprised me that she was so defensive and adamant about it all.

I am exhausted. Completely and utterly. And I didn't even really do anything today.

In other news: ... my dad is doing a bit better today. He is still massively distended... but he is progressing along. Still has the NG... still in alot of pain.... but better. The doctor told him that the pain meds may be contributing to his constipation/ distention.... so he didn't take any pain meds today at all. I encouraged him to at least take it at night. He is so stubborn.
No word on his impending transfer to the local hospital, so I will wait on going down. On one hand.... it would be good to go down and be supportive to my folks. On the other, if I go down too early I will really rack up the hotel fees, food costs, etc while staying there... which I can't afford to do. Somewhere in there is a happy medium that I am striving for.
My uncle's funeral is Thursday, outside of the Philadelphia area.... not sure if I can go or not.

It is still raining.
I fear this may be a trend. ie: Elaine is in town... it must rain.
The river is really high here. It runs right behind my parent's house, and through the middle of town. I am reminded of back in 1972 when we had a really big flood here. At that time, we were living in a bigger house on a hill... and when the floods came, we took in a couple other families that had been flooded out of their homes. I remember packing sandbags along the channel with my brother and dad. And as traumatic as it probably was at the time... I don't remember it being a scary thing. Plus.... the air around here smells so good .... wet and fresh with a hint of pine ♥

And... I saw some headlines as I was reading the news on MSN today. Apparently, those tornadoes and storms that passed through the Midwest when I was traveling..... they were only about 10 miles away from us; and only a few hours ahead of us. How scary is that.....and how fortunate we are ♥



----------------------------------------photos by Elaine A. Russell

a slight change in plans..



*photos by Elaine A. Russell


Re-modeling is always an interesting thing...
My contractor placed the order for the kitchen cabinets back in the the end of September/ beginning of October.. and they just now came in. Today the guys started hanging them....and they are the wrong color.
Not a bad color... but the wrong color.
My husband reminded me of when we had a new roof installed 2yrs ago... and they put on the wrong color of tile. We decided to keep it; rather than change it... and it was a good decision. I actually like the "wrong" color roofing better than what I had orginally chosen.
So... we are sticking with the "wrong" cabinets.
Now, the challenge is whether or not the countertops that we had ordered will match the cabinets...but I think it will all work out.


photos are from a couple of months ago. I was near the college here in ABQ... and right by Winning Coffee Co is a fabulous little bungalow home that is now the place of business for a clothing/eclectic shop; and a psychic. I stopped in and had a chat with her.... I suppose I should have asked her about the remodel....

stev-o

photo by Elaine A. Russell

Sometimes you need signs. Like the other day when I was roaming about downtown near UNM. I found this fabulous graffiti on the sidewalk "Stev-O... follow the arrows."

Woudn't it be great if the powers that be gave us such explicit directions to follow thru life ?
Course, I realize that having such clear direction might take some of the adventure out of it all.. but there are days when I wish I had the "owner's manual" or signs on the sidewalk to help out ....

barriers



--------------photos by Elaine A. Russell

I've been thinking alot about barriers lately.
By definition...."barrier" (noun)(www.TheFreeDictionary.com)

1. anything that blocks a way or separates, such as a gate
2. anything that prevents progress: a barrier of distrust
3. anything that separates or hinders union: a language barrier [Old French barre bar]

Websters also adds:
1. A structure, such as a fence, built to bar passage.
2. Something immaterial that obstructs or impedes: Intolerance is a barrier to understanding.
3. A membrane, tissue, or mechanism that blocks the passage of certain substances.
4. physical or biological factor that limits the migration, interbreeding, or free movement of individuals or populations.
5. A boundary or limit.
6. Something that separates or holds apart.

Artists face barriers every day. Barriers based on their religion, color, race, even economics .....
And then there are the barriers based on the work of art itself ... is it too controversial? Political ? Sarcastic?, Erotic, etc
In alot of ways ... I am my own worst barrier. I self censor my art all the time. Is it good enough? Is it strong enough? Is the point of the art clear? Is the technique I used up to par? etc.
Many times I censor to the point of not being able to produce any art at all.
I think it all goes back to a primal fear of failure. I am afraid that other people won't like my work, so I intimidate myself to the point where I won't make anything at all. If I don't make it.. I cannot fail... I think to myself.
Any yet, by not even trying... I am failing.
So--- I am going to be making a concentrated effort to NOT censor myself. To NOT expect that everyone will hate it... to NOT care even if they do. To just DO IT for arts' sake. And because I can't live and not do art.

Nice guy -- awesome sign

-----------------------------------------photo by Elaine Russell
So -- I love Central Ave here in ABQ. I love to just walk up and down and window shop and talk to everyone.. and then go get some great food at the Frontier Restaurant or a coffee at any number of shops.
So -- here I am walking down the street and there is this lovely guy... selling art.. and holding the most fab sign I've ever seen in my life. After talking for about 15 minutes, he let me take his photo, and I even got to purchase one of his girlfriend's original art pieces. FABULOUS !

It's a good day.