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It's been a day..... and I for one --am glad it's essentially done.
It started off with me oversleeping at the hotel... rushing around to get out...and having a headache.
We got packed and on the road... and had 2 awful episodes on the Ohio turnpike right away... one with a huge tractor trailer carrying a load of construction equipment; who decided to suddenly cross 2 lanes of traffic to get in front of me and take a sharp turn onto an exit. Then... I got cut-off by a lady (on the phone)... driving a huge Chevy truck. Both of these events came seconds from wrecking into me... and causing unknown harm. 
And so... the daughter and I decided to stop at the first Starbucks we saw... to rest for awhile... and get out of the chaos for awhile. After an hour or so.... we got back on the road. Within 10 minutes of leaving... we were in a construction zone in  and around a bridge... and we were no sooner on the bridge when we had a massive tire blowout... within just a few minutes... I got off the bridge and stopped.... but it was too late for 2 of my tires. One was completely thrashed and down to the rims... the other was down to the steel. 
2 hours later.... we had gotten a tow and gotten to the only place that would replace the tires today.... a Walmart Superstore. We did a bit of shopping.... and about an hour or so later... we had new tires on the Jeep. Deciding we had had enough drama for the day... and several nearly horrible incidents... and because (by now) it was dark and late... we stopped for the night just 50 miles down the road from the Walmart.
eesh. Some days you should just stay in bed.

(photo by Kristin Russell)

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It's been an odd day.... with not as many miles passed as I had hoped...
 and my camera has been on the fritz... which is very annoying. But... we did abandon alot of art along the way-- as part of my participation in the Art Abandonment group on Facebook (hosted by Michael DeMeng). ... and we found an incredibly cool diner... where I had a great meal of steak and eggs. Plus... we did manage to see some pretty awesome scenery.
And now, we are in for then night in Tulsa, OK.



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Wishing you all... A Blessed Samhain and a Happy Halloween

***

Today started a bit rough... with tons of rain... wind ... and cold.
But as the day progressed... and the miles passed under our tires...
we gradually got out of the rain... and into blue skies again.
Along the way we saw several  gorgeous sun dogs, lots of wildlife, I got some new boots! 
(I've been wanting a pair forever). We had some great coffee (and some not so great coffee),
left some art as part of my participation in the "Art Abandonment" group hosted by Michael DeMeng,
traipsed through woodland, farmland, and swampland...
and saw a gorgeous sunset.

And now we are safe and enjoying a great room near St. Louis, MO





(the photo of me holding a burger, and the photo of the wetlands... were both shot by Kristin Russell.
 ... the others are mine)

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then the daylight comes
showing us things seen and unseen
and we are revealed.

***

it has rained every minute of our journey home so far...
but it has been both cleansing... and refreshing.

We were fortunate to find places open (like Starbucks... and travel centers and such)..
grocery stores with fresh veggies and such for our meals...
and a very comfortable hotel at the end of the day 
(with a fabulous pool and hot tub that we took advantage of)...
and I am grateful.

(course the **shocker** was when we downloaded photos from the P&S camera...
and discovered the top shot... which has to be part of the ominous clouds of Hurricane Sandy.
It was so dark... and raining so hard... we had no idea that it was so close... but the camera did)



((the top photo..... and the bottom photo... were both taken by my daughter; Kristin M. Russell.
I took the middle shot while we sipped coffee at a Starbucks... 
and thought it was cool how my daughter's hands were reflected in the rainy windows))

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so.. today... I proved my ineptitude as a daughter.
I am such a work in progress... although I am sure to some... that progress seems painfully slow.
Much love to you all.... I am on my way home.

And it seems so fitting that I would be traveling in the midst of a hurricane...
after such an emotional hurricane of a fallout with family...
eeps. Stay safe everyone.

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crimson leaves of fall
dotting the landscape with hues
too lovely for words

***


it's been a day... or two.
I must admit that I've been very sad these past few days... of no particular reason... and yet... perhaps because of too many reasons. I am not sure what I thought I would accomplish with this trip... and so far... it has not panned out as I anticipated at all. Partly, because I have been sick... but also something more... something not quite tangible. A re-living of sorts of the past... in an attempt to make some sense of it all... I suppose...  which, I suppose... never goes well.

And the weather has been reflecting this for me.... rain and drizzles...
perhaps a preview of  Hurricane Sandy... perhaps just some typical fall weather... who knows. 
And so.... trying to stop the stop-motion movie and endless dialogue in my head... I have wandered downtown... taking photos...

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sing me a love song.
a song of a thousand dreams
--- oh my sweet hoot owl

*****

after the funeral service... my daughter and I wandered in the woods.
..... and during this walk; we got serenaded by a wonderful old hoot owl nearby....  saw busy little squirrels gathering food for the winter...  winked at a fabulous earthworm stretched out and enjoying the light rain coming down... gazed at a busy little spider... marveled at a host of bees feasting on crab apples... green and spotted after having been nipped already by a winter frost... and we heard gobbles from some wild turkey... hiding from the hunters on the opposite ridge...  and it was wonderful.
And I think I may be doing more black and white photography again...
along with rekindling my love affair with infrared black and whites.

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The day which we fear as our last... is but the birthday of eternity 
-Seneca Indian quote

~~~

In loving memory of Garrick Anderson

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the boards may be weak
and the roof might leak a bit
but the soul is sound

***

I love this house. 
It's just one of those places (like so many out here in PA)... that reek of charm.
If time and money were no object... how cool would it be to be able to travel around and take photos 
of these wonderful places before they all melt into the earth....

On an aside... we will be busy with visiting family/ funeral/ internment... for a family member
over the next couple of days. ... which also reminded me of this photo...
in the sense that, even though "hard times" have hit us...
our "framework" is solid.

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so... today.... the daughter and I drove up to New York state to visit a couple of friends and their fabulous pups.
The weather was amazing. We kept going in and out of raindrops.... and then there would be these gorgeous blue skies for a brief moment... the light was awesome. Of course, the scenery was great as well... as we were driving in and around small towns, villages... over hills... past rivers and lakes... 
And  we were amazed to see that there was still quite a bit of color on the trees in spots.

Halfway through our visit... we were blessed with a gorgeous rainbow... just in front of our friend's house... how awesome is that?!...



...and now we are back at my mother's house... and resting a bit. 



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It's been a rough day... but I must remember that things always happen for a reason... and that everything will (ultimately) be ok. These past couple of days I have been releasing pent-up feelings and such...  thinking of times past that didn't always go as I wish they had... of friendships lost... of loved ones lost... and the lessons learned.
I've thought about how very much I gave to those relationships... and how bereft I felt at the time of their leaving.. and released it all. I even wrote letters to those few people in my life that I felt had left with bad feelings and such... and wished them all the best... and I do. I felt (and feel)... that I learned alot from the experiences... and even though they ended badly... I wouldn't change a thing... as it made me who I am today. And while I will always be a "work in progress"... things are moving along... just as I imagine they are supposed to be.

And then... we got news of a death in the family. A life cut way to short... and it is shocking.... and sad... and horrible... and I feel so badly for those closest to him... and wish them all the best... of love, and light, and goodness... and reassurance... and kindness... and peace. 

Seems like it's been all about endings... and moving on... so in tune with the weather... and the season... 

...much love to you all...

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mossy undertow
tiny enchanted places
I've yet to explore

***

I love those wild places.
Those enchanted little nooks that send my imagination reeling with excitement.
There is something about being in the Pennsylvania woods that 
overwhelms my mind with ideas of things to do... things to make.... things to take photos of...
and Haiku to pen.



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Today, we drove over to Bradford, PA to visit family. 
My parents, siblings and I lived there until I was 4yrs old... and we still have lots of family in that area. 
Bradford is quite a bit bigger in size than Coudersport, and I remember as a kid... that it always seemed like we were going to the "big city" ... when we went there.
If any of you are familiar with Zippo Lighters... or Case knives... Bradford is where they are made.

The drive over was beautiful... and it was interesting to see that alot of the leaves hadn't fallen... like they have here in Coudersport. We went thru several quaint little villages... stretches of hillside where only deer and camps are ... past old oil derriks... past farms... (including a very cool goat farm)... and more.
As a kid... I was always terrified of the bridge just outside of Eldred, PA... and I was recounting to my daughter how scary that bridge seemed to me. To me... it seemed HUGE... and run down... and not safe at all... course... we always did make it across the bridge... but I digress...

We were able to visit with my (favorite) Aunt and Uncle... and a cousin who was kind enough to trim  my hair (thanks Kim!). And before we left... we took a quick walk in the woods... and then had dinner at a local diner.
 All in all... a very good day.



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Potter County morn
fall leaves crunching underfoot
as I stroll on by

*****

well... I definitely missed the majority of the fall leaves here...
which I suppose just gives me an opportunity to come again some other time to see them.

Things are a bit crazy back home... and I'm not sure what all is going to be panning out in the next several weeks...
but things... they are a-changing... (hopefully, for the best)....
and I am trusting that everything will work out just as it should.

We are doing OK here in PA. This week is "dedicated" to cleaning ... doing some stuff around the house...
visiting a few relatives and such... and organizing for a massive "Basement Sale" here at my mother's.
Hope you are all doing well






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One of the places we always stop at on the way from ABQ to PA... is the Coleman Theater in Miami, OK.
It is a gorgeous building, and we were honored to be able to get a tour of the inside... which includes a huge theater space (with Wurlitzer Pipe Organ and magnificent tapestry curtains) ... and a fabulous ballroom space.
It opened in April of 1929, and originally held 1600 seats in the theater. At the original building cost of $600,000... it is no doubt worth much more... and holds a place of honor on the Historic Places register.





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I stand in silence...
drowning in my memories
much deeper than this

***
It's hard to come "back home"... in alot of ways. 
Hard... because nothing (and no one) is the same as it was... or at least not as you remembered.
Hard... because you long for the stable, the known... and it's not always there...
and yet... there is the new... ( some say improved ) versions ... that you just can't swallow...
Hard because you want to help ... be productive and useful... and yet... not always able to do what you want to... Hard because you are trying to live up to some mythical standard that you've set for yourself... and you don't want to let anyone down... to be less... to be cast off and discarded... or worse... ignored altogether...
I don't know. It's all a jumble. Here are some photos of the gorgeous Lake Wallenpaupack...