Three Canyons

Lurch at dawn, Howard's Pocket

What a difference a day makes.  There are no contour lines on my Kaibab Forest map and we ended up at a much lower altitude than planned.  In Arizona.  In June.  It was a little too warm and a lot too buggy.  Poor Luna had them flying up her nose, and in our scramble to get her into a safe space we got eaten ourselves by the nasty buggers.  We tried two other spots (one a mile away) and couldn’t get away, finally spending the afternoon in the camper. It has screens.

By the following day we were way out in the neighboring Coconino Forest, it was 15 degrees cooler with a lovely breeze, the view was remarkable, and there were no insect Jihadists.  I was in my hammock with a beer, Dog-face was in her bed next to me, and Marco was in the camper making chocolate chip cookies.  I felt as if I could stay there for days, and not just because I was nervous about the drive back (potholes the size of a bull elk).

Great overwhelming gratitude.

 

Moonlight and stars, West Fork Oak Creek

Sadly, this was the last of our three-night adventure.  Long summer days and a midnight stint doing astrophotography gave me the illusion of a much longer trip though.  I’ll be back in this neighborhood soon – there’s so much more to explore.

Stormy sunset at Desert View

Earlier we’d been to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon.  I was amazed to remember that Marco hadn’t been since 2001 when we did our rim to river to rim hike (affectionately dubbed the Death March).  I get there a couple of times a year, generally in winter but I’m something more of a North Rim girl.  We were treated to a little storm cell moving through at Desert View, and watched the sun come up at Shoshone Point.

Sycamore Point

And the buggy night?  Why didn’t we just drive away immediately?  I had my heart set on photographing Sycamore Point in good light, which worked out quite well.

So, The Grand Canyon, Sycamore Canyon, and The West Fork of Oak Creek. Arizona Classics from their rims.  And, Cookies and beer.

Thanks for coming along.

My girl, in the ferns

More images are in the on the website.

Thanks for all the fish

It didn’t really hit me until I started culling patient charts.  I looked up AZ statutes and determined that I need to keep six years worth of charts.  The rest, maybe 2/3 of the total, will be shredded. As mind-numbing as the task was, there was a ritual quality to it which I seem to have needed.  

I’ve been at this for about 20 years, at first while still practicing OB-Gyn and then with a freestanding Medical Acupuncture practice.  I’ve seen a lot of patients in that time, and the chart project was an amazing trip into the foggy reaches of my middle-aged brain.  What a blessing to get to know and help all these folks.  I’m grateful, it’s been fabulous, and it’s time to move on.

Why the paper clips?  That’s roughly how many records I'll be sending to the shredder.  I didn’t count (my mind is sufficiently numb from the culling), but there were a lot, and many included thank-you cards, holiday greetings and birth announcements.  There were relationships long and short, serious and light-hearted.  Many will continue.

 A friend from my OB/Gyn practice made this logo for me when I was just finishing acupuncture training., I adore it still.  Equally special was the intarsia piece inspired by the logo; a patient gift.

Most of my Acupuncture practice was in this office on Bell Road.  I so appreciate Glenna and Caroll Wheat, my landlords, for putting the office within financial reach.

So, after 28 years I’m changing my medical licensure status to “retired,” paying my malpractice ‘tail,” selling off some stuff, and becoming primarily a Photographer, Volunteer, and more involved member of my family.

Next chapter; many more photographic images to come.

“So long, and thanks for all the fish.” -Douglas Adams

Black & White Week

Valley of the Gods, UT

I’m just back from the 14^th annual and penultimate Moab Photo Symposium.  I’ve been a little late to the party, as last year was my first Symposium. This round I was equally impressed with Bruce Hucko and crew’s creation of an inspirational experience in a family atmosphere.  

This year’s theme, Black and White.

Telephoto Detail, Canyonlands National Park

Here are some thoughts on the subject from the event’s presenters.  These remarks and the accompanying images were impetus for me to do a bit more greyscale work than usual.

Chuck Kimmerle:  For some, B & W is the only language, and color is merely a distraction.

Guy Tal: For others, B & W is one dialect of the visual language.

Bruce Barnbaum: B & W is a step toward abstraction, Meaning (I intuit) a removal of one of the literal aspects.

Michael Gordon: You can do almost anything [processing] B & W, and it works.

Bruce Hucko: B & W images are uniquely beautiful to look at.

Muley Point; The view over the San Juan River to Monument Valley

I’d add that there’s a particular historical weight to these images, bringing to mind photography pioneers, as well as an emphasis on pattern and texture when the (indeed) distraction of color is removed.

Sometimes, for me, I render in Black and White simply because the color doesn’t contribute anything.

The preceding images are from last week in Southeastern Utah.  More, some in color, are In the Utah Gallery on the website.

Windy day at the Dunes

I was also inspired by the symposium to “Dumpster Dive” a bit more.  Here’s a re-worked image from Death Valley.

All the best to you in your desaturated adventures.