wine trail

Revisiting a couple of vineyards we discovered last year - Blenheim (Dave Matthews) and Virginia Wineworks, home to some very fine wines.  Cabernet franc & viognier grapes seem to be well suited to these foothills and with the help of vintner Santa Rava (@ Wineworks) we sampled a few too many bottles...

looking forward

C-ville

Somehow the paddle wheel seems appropriate.

on the way

 Look3 week begins.  First to Columbus, then Athens...

summer

When the ditch lilies begin to bloom, I know summer has arrived.  And in my back yard the show has begun.

tall buildings

This week my Summer Workshop watched the Hitchcock thriller "Rear Window" - a story about a photographer and his limited view of the world. My motivation for showing the film was simple - we were learning how to use on/off camera flash, and flash plays an important part in the plot.  It was also a good excuse to watch the film again.  As a follow-up, I assigned them a 'window project' for the next 10 days.  Shoot pictures through your windows - house, apartment, car or school.  The key to success: think Japanese Zen gardens - outdoor scenes meant for the interior viewer. Yesterday, after doing a photo shoot downtown, I thought I would embrace my own assignment and make a couple of frames from the empty office we had used as a studio.  The view was grand, but all I could hear was John Hartford's long lost voice...


Someday my baby, when I am a man,
and others have taught me
the best that they can
they'll sell me a suit
they'll cut off my hair
and send me to work in tall buildings.


So, it's goodbye to the sunshine
goodbye to the dew
goodbye to the flowers 
and goodbye to you
I'm off to the subway
I must not be late
I'm going to work in tall buildings.

primary day

I'm a political person by nature.  I still believe Robert Kennedy would have changed our country for the better, that Mo Udall would have made a great president and that my "don't blame me, I voted for McGovern" sticker was the best accessory to ever adorn my '73 Econoline van.  I've cast my ballot for more losing candidates through the years than winners and unfortunately today was one of those days, as Indiana turned away from our voice of reason - Richard Lugar.  But even defeat can't cloud my view of the process.  You see, I vote in a one room school house in the little town of Wilmington - staffed by my neighbors, surrounded by oak & ash and across the road from a cemetery that is home to fallen soldiers from the Revolutionary and Civil Wars.  There is something 'so American' about this place and process, something so optimistic and hopeful.  It's what brings me back, year after year.