woods

238:365


"...to everything there is a season"... and often quoted bible verse... brought to mind as it will be recited at my father's memorial service tomorrow. I thought about this all day today as my mother and I were taking our daily drive in the countryside... evidence of summer life all around us, even as the sadness of death has been weighing on our hearts...

...and so on it goes...



(photos by Elaine A. Russell)

72:365

It's still raining... and for brief periods... it is snowing. Somehow, I managed to sleep 'til almost 2 o'clock this afternoon... woken only for the phone ringing... and for the Jehovah's Witness lady that came to the door. (I think she saw my car with out of state plates... and figured I needed religious help).
By 4pm... I was on the road with my niece... driving to Bradford, PA to the Walmart store there (*the closest one in the area... and about an hour away). She got new bunk beds for her 2 boys who are sharing a room. Miraculously, we got the box in the van.... along with her 3 children, carseats, both of us, some toys, etc. While we were in the area... she stopped at my Aunt's house so that I could see my Aunt and Uncle. I love these guys ... and I think they are some of the best people on the planet. They have been having some health issues... and I was glad I was able to visit for a short while.
And... we got back to my hometown around 8pm.

~~~
Talked with my mom... no word on a possible transfer of my dad to a local facility. He still has an NG tube... but no further bleeding in his stomach/bowel/ innerds. Still has an IV... still getting pain meds... which are (fortunately) holding back most of the pain.
In other news... my mom's only living brother passed away early this am. Mom is the youngest daughter of 10 children (5 boys/ 5 girls)..... and now it's down to just my mom and her next older sister who survive. The news was very traumatic for both my mom and her sister... whom I visited with earlier today.

~~~


The photos for today's post are a bit of a diversion for me ... I guess I needed one.....


The first shot is a house that was built in the 1930's by architect Lynn Hall. He later became the lead contractor for Frank Lloyd Wright's "Falling Waters" house... which is pretty famous. When you look at the photo (and the link)... you will see that Lynn's house heavily influenced Wright's house. (link: Lynn Hall House info)

We were driving in the rain when I took the shot... so when I edited it, I tried to make it look very retro feeling... to set the mood.


The next photo is of a mysterious looking factory in the middle of nowhere ... in the woods... just outside of the town of Smethport PA. I didn't even realize it was there until we took this road to get to Bradford. Apparently, it was built in 1923, and was originally an oil/petroleum factory. Later... it bacame a wax factory (wax that is used to line cups, boxes, and also for tires, candles and such). Somewhere along the way the EPA got involved... because the info I saw on-line about it mentioned that they were working to resolve some issues in regards to soil and water contamination. Yikes. (link: Weird Factory)

I digitally colored this photo. I used to do alot of Infrared B&W photography, and I hand colored the photos with Marshall's Oil paints. I love the look... and tried to replicate it here with this shot of the factory.

Then... just some pics of what PA looks like right now... (ie: chilly and rainy)....




And lastly... a photo of the woods near Bradford PA. I thought it was looking rather "Blair Witch" out there in the dusky light... so I tried to make the photo appear a little creepy....

(link: The Blair Witch Project website)



...............................................................all photos by Elaine A. Russell

to be known

photo by Elaine A. Russell

I was going to write about something completely different today.. and I have changed my mind. I got a phone call from a dear friend of mine. Probably one of the most influential people in my life... In fact, if I could choose to be like anyone in the world, it would be a combination of this lady and the older lady I spoke about in my blog several days past.
Nancy was my Sunday school teacher as a child, but she left the church (for many reasons) years ago. She was one of the few people in this world who actually understood me as a kid... helped me emotionally through some of the worst years of my life... and still loves me. I have always thought of her as sort of an older sister.. although she is technically old enough to be my mother.
She now lives on a farm near Ulysses PA ( not near anything ). At one time, her father owned the entire valley she lives in. She and her husband own about 70 acres now. They have a horse, a dog, some hens, a beautiful pond, a barn... and an extraordinarly gorgeous home. The home encompasses what was once the farmhouse, but they have expanded and tweaked it over the years. They have these stunning windows that look out over the entire valley.. and a wonderful wrap-around deck to sit on and enjoy the views. She took me on a drive in her truck all around the "back 40" so to speak. We walked thru the woods. We named all kinds of flowers and trees. We walked around the pond. We startled bullfrogs, ate raspberries, and watched the sun set. We talked about life, love, and learning.....We talked about families, and priorities. We talked about illness and death. We talked about the meat and bones of life that most people avoid talking about. We talked about religion, and philosphy.
We also watched as Sabrina found her new-found joy in life... rolling in bear shit. And, we gave her her 3rd bath of the week or so for having rolled in it. ..again.
We went back to the house and had eggs and toast, discussing books all the while. The day ended far too quickly.
As soon as I am able, I will post some photos of her spot of heaven. In the meantime, I am relishing in being known. Being understood. Being loved for who I am. She and her husband are truly some of the best people I know. And some day -- when I grow up, I want to be like them.