Banner photo: Austrian National Library Vienna. I’m astonished by man’s perpetual search for knowledge. This week’s Lens Artist Challenge is almost limitless in possibilities. During my travels I’ve been astonished by nature’s handiwork and by the creations of man. The natural power of water The tranquility of water created by man
Every now and again a Lens Artists Challenge beckons and this most recent challenge hollered, “come on down.” Over the past few years I’ve become so captivated by black and white or, monochrome that when I compose an image I try to image what it will look like in monochrome. My banner photo was taken …
“I was in cities, you know, of, you know, fifty to a hundred thousand in Iraq surrounded by insurgents. And we Marines, well trained Marines, did not act the way that they’re doing, the way they’re treating other fellow Americans right now.” “They’re using tactics that, you know, we didn’t even use in Iraq in …
“This is OUR Hemisphere, and President Trump will not allow our security to be threatened.” Tweeted by the Department of State, January 5, 2026. “I feel better going into this New Year than I did a year ago,” I told my son. My son disagreed. He and his wife and two children were visiting for …
This old man has a hard time figuring out what inspires writers, poets and artists to gush sentimentally about the time of year when darkness, dampness and cold hold sway over light, comfort and warmth. Take Andrew Wyeth who came up with this ode to the frosty seasons. “I prefer winter and fall, when you …
“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose/ By any other name would smell as sweet.” Juliet, in her soliloquy, diminishes the significance of a name; in this instance Romeo’s surname, Montague. Romeo would be the same “dear perfection,” she proclaims, if he were a mere Smith or Jones. But maybe not a …
‘Mer·i·ca/ˈmerəkə,ˈmərəkə/nouninformal•US EnglishAmerica (used especially to emphasize qualities regarded as stereotypically American, such as materialism or fervent patriotism). Banner photo: A drive through liquor store in Sheridan, Wyoming. What could possibly go wrong? Strip the color from an image and what are you left with? An ordered story. A quiet, pointed narrative free from the screaming …
“I love the autumn—that melancholy season that suits memories so well. When the trees have lost their leaves, when the sky at sunset still preserves the russet hue that fills with gold the withered grass, it is sweet to watch the final fading of the fires that until recently burnt within you.”~ Gustave Flaubert, Memoirs …
An American’s observations of a first time trip to France. *Normandy Landings Omaha Beach – Pointe du Hoc – Sainte-Mère-Église – Normandy American Cemetery A dog romps around this mostly quiet beach. There’s nothing quite like the unbounded joy of a dog on a beach, kicking up golden sand, and stopping occasionally to inspect the …
Banner photo: Fort la Latte, Plévenon, Côtes-d’Armor. An American’s observations of a first time trip to France. Color directly influences the soul. Color is the keyboard, the eyes are the hammers, the soul is the piano with many strings.” ~ Wassily Kandinsky, Concerning the Spiritual in Art. Whether it’s a market stall, or a vast …
The Life in My Years 