Smiling in My Exhaustion

Great weather this weekend in Lake Placid! I'd forgotten just how hard it is to drive straight from Cleveland into a workshop. But it was worth it. This was a great group that laughed a lot and made some really great images. (Best Milky Way picture I've seen!)

I met some people I'll never forget. And had some beautiful surprises.

I'm going to act like an invalid tonight in Inlet. Make some visits on Monday. Then home. (boo) What's it going to take for me to just be here? Can't wait to get back up here for the retreat...

First Workshop This Year!

It's been way, way too long since I've been here, but here I am at last! My first workshop of the year! I get to see all my friends from Adirondack Life, most of the API staff and have a great time in Lake Placid. They were calling for nasty weather, but it has been perfect the whole time. And, what a surprise when I opened the door to my room at the Northwoods and saw the killer view of Mirror Lake, Whiteface and Main Street. I am SO happy!

One more day and then back to Inlet...

Brian Henke and then the Woods

It's only fitting that I was able to watch Brian Henke perform last night. He's such a great player and I use his work in nearly all of my Adirondack-related presentations. So his music reverberates in my mind as I prepare for my Lake Placid workshop coming this weekend. Brian and I are also planning a special event together highlighting our new work, probably taking place early next year. Stay tuned!

You can get a nice sampling of Brian by watching this video I made to promote Adirondack Photo Institute. His music is available on cdbaby.

Back To The Woods

A Group of Friends

Gotta get back to the woods! Kevin's bachelor party camping trip to Allegheny Forest this weekend will help, but I've got to get back to the other woods!

Another image from my upcoming delivery to Shelter. I can smell the balsam...

Beginning Again. Again...

It's that time of year when summer season in the Adirondacks is starting to get serious. This year I'm going to do something new and exciting. I'm going to get together with Shelter, my exclusive dealer in the Adirondacks, and put together an invitation-only event featuring some of my newest work, to celebrate the new season. I'm working on the images now, and will soon be getting them off to Shelter, where Jim Kiefer will be finishing them with beautiful Adirondack hardwood frames.

It's exciting to be working on new things, and exciting to share them. Above is a sneak peek from Eighth Lake last fall.

Martin and His Spider

I admit that sometimes I forget what it's like to be a Clevelander. Last year I didn't spend much time here, and when I did, I wasn't really here.

I've known about The Barking Spider for a long time. But I didn't begin to spend signficant time there until last year. It was a place to go and regroup, to start over, to be anonymous. Friendly, but unobtrusive. Authentic is probably a good word. Anyhow, the history was unknown to me.

Last night, I spent the evening with what can only be called the Spider family. Beachland Ballroom graciously hosted Martin Memorial, in memory of the visionary founder of The Barking Spider, Martin Juredine, who passed on very recently. All kinds of great music and stories and goodwill, ending with a sparkling performance by Jim Volk in the tavern.

I knew Martin by sight only, but man did he touch a lot of people in his life. This night was all about what it means to be a Clevelander, the good times, the bad, the bizarre, the lonely, the community. It was about just how BIG music and poetry and laughter can be. And just how big of a part the Spider plays in all of it. A night not to be forgotten...

A Walk Through Melancholy

A thread that came to me after taking in open mic talent at the Barking Spider...

A Looking Back

I sang one song
About a man,
Trying to find his way
Between the two sides of the coin.
I always wanted to sing it to someone,
But I never met you

I made one image
Of the world in all its beauty,
And boundless indifference.
I always wanted to show it to someone,
But I never met you

I wrote one poem
Of no rhyme or reason
But the unadorned truth.
I always wanted to read it to someone in love,
But I never met you

I did all these things
But I missed it
And never met you