Stay tuned...New images are on the way....

 I took delivery on some new equipment that I ordered last week and it should make the creating of images mush easier. I won't say as yet what it is but it will end the frustration that I have had photographing one particular type of imagery. What took a lot of time in the past due to the difficulty of focus I was having should be cleared up. Stay tuned....more images coming soon !!!!

A Startling new discovery !!!!!!!

 I was just writing to an old, or should I say former, High School Classmate, Dan Koch, who dropped me and several other classmates a Merry Christmas note and I scanned back over the almost 500 entries to my blog. I was amazed that I've been posting on the blog for over 10 years ! I had no idea I've been at it for so long.

I started the blog mainly as a vehicle to display my work and speak of a career that I love. I have had so many unexpected opportunities to travel, photograph, meet heads of state, go into areas of great danger and survive, see manufacturing processes that are unbelievable from start of finish within the processes.....what a kick in the pants, I'm a very lucky guy. Within this journey I met the love of my life, my wife Karen, who has stood by me through thick and thin, believing in me and also giving me the reason to try to be the best guy I can be. She is absolutely fabulous......

Many of my accounts have stretched over the decades, some in the medical areas, some in manufacturing, some in advertising, and some in personal image creation. Much of my business has come from my point to point advertising, and other parts from reputation, and some from just blind luck by asking the right questions to the right people at the right time. 

Photography is really a puzzle game. Questions to be asked are basically 1. What do you want to say, and 2. How do I get there. It is not a matter of buying a $ 5000. dollar camera and proclaiming "Now I am one", it actually takes a great amount of study, experience and most importantly understanding the relationship between Light, Shutter speed, F stops and how that all interact with the mechanics of a camera and film or a digital file, to achieve an intended result. It's not Jr. High....

With the new Year will come new challenges and I am fortunate to start it off with an assignment from one of my commercial clients in the first week of 2021. I really feel as though we will continue to prosper creating images for my past and new clients and it will be a great year for everyone.

I'll never forget Charlie....

In the mid eighties I answered an ad in a photographic journal I subscribed to from Techno Balcar looking for a rep for their line of photographic equipment. They were based out of Chicago and wanted a rep for Missouri and Arkansas. They flew me to Chicago for training and my immediate supervisor was Charlie Moore. Charlie was about my age and looked to be Italian. We hit it off and I completed the training. Balcar made very sophisticated equipment meant for the true Professional Photographer. Very pricy equipment but it was worth the money. While them I was flown back to Chicago to help them cover Chi-Caribe a celebration for the media producers in Chicago. Models, suppliers, photographers, ad agencies, designers, anyone of notation within the Chicago area was there. It was a grand time and Tecno was photographing attendees and giving them 8 x 10 Polaroid prints. Charlie and I got one together.

Techno was sold to another supplier and my tenure with them was ended. It was a real shame as I had to return $ 100,000 worth of equipment they gave me to use and demonstrate to clients with. Part of the job was to demo the products at different shows. One was in Kansas City and I was responsible for my own accommodations. I took Motel Six close to the Missouri River as the Show was across the river and M6 was much cheaper that the hotel that housed the convention. Charlie had all of the ingredients for the hospitality room Techno was hosting and I had a six pack in my room. I had a car so I picked Charlie up as we were going to dinner at one of the KC steak Houses on the Plaza We decided to have a beer before we ate so we stopped by by room to get one. I pulled in about the same time a mud strewn Cadillac pulled in and three guys hopped out in Bib overalls. Reaching for the door handle in the car I started to get out. Charlie grabbed me and said STOP !! I looked at him and he had a look of terror in his face. I said "what's going on ??? Morgan you have to change hotels !! he replied. With a look of confusion I said "WTF Charlie...?? He asked if I had seen the guys get out of the car. I said "Yes"...He replied..."Didn't you see the overalls ??? I said" Yes"........."They're Rednecks Morgan......They may start something....MOVE OUT !!! " I was astounded....I explained to him that people in rural America have all at one time or another have owned one or more pairs of Bibs to work in.....don't be concerned. We got out of the car went into the room had a beer and went to eat. 

Techno closed and Charlie then started an apartment rehab business and was doing well and then had a cardiac surprise at almost killed him. He called after he got out of the hospital and gave me an update. The heart attack ended his rehab career but he then became a guide at night for the Observatory on the lakeshore and loved it. 

I got an assignment from the National Funeral Directors to create a multi-image slide show introducing Chicago to their attendees. I called Charlie explaining that I needed to show all parts of the city and some cemeteries to be included. I asked him to guide me through the city. I used Carl Sandburg writings as a basis for giving the city a personality of an old man. The show started with the morning light and ended with dusk into night. My nephew Tim Putnam created a terrific music background for the narration. Charlie and I covered the city in a day and decided to hit some Jazz clubs after dinner. We got back to his apartment about three in the morning and were pretty wound up after the day of shooting. 

I noticed a large photo album on his living room table and started to thumb through it. There were pictures of different black families, Charlie as a kid, his brothers and sisters, and as I was looking the asked me if I knew he was black. I said no, but so what ! He then started to tell me a little family history. He was what his family called high yellow....evidently meaning light skinned. I frankly told him that I thought he might have been Italian. In the conversation we had he told me one thing I had never considered.... the difference between being in the Minority and Majority. Charlie decided several years before that he needed to trace his family history which led him to take a trip to Africa. He said he found a tribe that he thought his ancestors came from and was pleased. He did say that for the first time in his life he was in the racial majority and he had NEVER been there before. 

Be low are two photographs Charlie and I at the Chi Caribe in an 8 x 10 polaroid and Charlie in one of the cemetery shots. Looking back...how much it says about the future. I got a call from one of the former employees of Techno telling me that Charlie had passed.....

He had a heart attack in the observatory and died. The Chicago Tribune ran an article on him with the Byline....Master of the Universe has passed......

Charlie was just a great guy and good friend.

Great Catalog for amazing seeds...

Check out amazing seeds.com for the best selection of non-GMO altered seeds available. This company has the catalog that is a true visual joy to see and just thumbing through it makes me want to start planting seeds right now for spring planting. However I will wait till February to do so. 

Order the catalog and become a true Gardner......I'm not responsible for your whole yard becoming a huge and great garden....but enjoy the fruits of your labor.

Almost done with Fall....and a fabulous bit of family news

 I've taken down the banana trees and probably going to eliminate them as they are spreading like poison ivy. Karen is afraid of my creating a new Banana Republic. I think the only way to contain them is obviously in a pot or whisky barrel. The garden beds are done and the mushroom soil mixed in with the Oklahoma sandy loom. It will be a great spring planting time. In February I will start my seeds in the north window of the house and by April they will be ready t plant.The cycle starts again.....

I did move my 40 year old Sego Palm outside this last spring and it flourished. I built a small greenhouse to protect it from what might be a very hard winter. I would hate to lose it as it's been around so long and through moves to New Orleans, Dallas, Joplin, and finally landing here in Tulsa. By this time I guess I should give it a family name.

Which reminds me,,,,My grandson Adam Cain has just told us that he tried out for the Marine Band with an audition. A man was flown in from the band to hear him play and he was accepted !!!! He will report to basic and them take his place in the band. What a GREAT choice he has made which I hope leads him around the world and helps cement his future into music history. What an excellent choice he has made. Way to go Adam !!!!!

Yes I have bananas.........

 We cut down the banana trees yesterday but saved the one with the bananas, The flower is edible and we may try that today for a twist in  the usual menu. In the picture with the cut trunks my leg and foot are in the lower left to give you an idea of the size of the trees. They were actually taller than the roofline. I think they will soon take over the neighborhood.....wife IS concerned...

The upper deck is ready for the fall however the plants are soon to be history as we dig out the bulbs to put in wood chips and seal for the winter. We have saved about $ 300. to $ 400. a year by doing so. The bulbs are stored in the garage and in the spring we replant them and all is well. Have a great Fall and stay safe....we are NOT out of the woods.

An oldie from the 70's...............

 I think this was my first award in "73" from the Missouri Professional Photographers Association. This was when I had hair and no knee, hip, or back replacements....the start of a fun career. Had I known then what I know now, I would have never believed it would be possible. I've traveled the world on assignments, including Canada, Central America, and the Middle East, as well as all over the U.S. It goes to show I think that if you pay attention to who you meet, find out a bit about them, be interested in them and be open about your abilities, anything can follow. I could NEVER believe this could happen to a small town guy. SHAZZZZAAAAAAAMMMMMMM !!!

FlapJack

One more plant note....

 Just a quick note on one more favorite plant....the FlapJack....Had this for years and have propagated several from it. It just hangs out and grows but in the Fall the leaves get the red trim. That becomes the really BIG DEAL for this plant....

Tomorrow I'm going to work on the gardens putting new mushroom soil in them to replenish them from this season. I'm heavily tempted to try straw bail gardening for a new crop of potatoes but haven't decided yet if I will. Starting in the fall you take one bail of straw and wet it down and cover it with commercially purchased manure and let its over the winter. In the spring plant the potato eyes deeply into the straw and water it as you would a regular garden. The potato plants will grow and by late summer the potatoes will be available harvest by digging through the straw. In the Fall the straw composts into the garden improving the soil. 

Fall has arrived...

 For the first time one of my Bonsai trees has turned with the weather. This Red Maple is about 6 years oldand has finally realized that it is to change colors in the Fall. I have several others that may change next year.....

I guess that makes it a red letter day....

My favorite time to photograph........almost..

 Fall is in the air and I'm getting in the mood to do some work for myself. Kind of a strange thought - photographing for myself-but I like the mystery of setting out to capture what is usually missed through everyday seeing. It's kind of like William Last Heat-Moons book "Blue Highways." In it he just started out to "discover" the America he lived in. The journey took him on a path that was determined by what seemed to be the "right" direction amnd ended by completing a circle through the United States.  

A touch of fall/The Moonlight is done

 I bought the "Moonlight" as a nonfunctioning searchlight at a flea market several years ago and I have finally taken the time to mount it so that it is working properly. I'll photograph it tonight to give you a clue as to what is casting that spotlight over Tulsa tonight. Eat your heart out Batman !!!

Hard rain gonna fall.....for days

So many songs, great songs in fact, have been written about the rain. The first that comes to mind is Bob Dylans " A Hard Rains Gonna Fall, "followed up by Jose Feliciano's,"  Listen to the Falling Rain", and then tremendous thunder storms that I loved as a child. Middle of the night booms followed by brilliant flashes of light. I was always amazed. My Grandfather Speer told me that the thunder was the sound of Trolls throwing bowling balls down the alleys and the lightning announced the strikes. As a kid I wondered what it would be like living on top of a cloud and what the bowling alleys looked like. Always a concern as I looked up, and wondering what it would be like to see earth from above, was the question of how thick the cloud must be before you would fall through. I also surmised that although I thought of space as black, the world was covered by white clouds that turned the black into blue. I really felt sorry, although I did admire jet pilots, ( Buck Rogers ), watching the jet trails across one horizon to the other, eventually crashing as I had never seen one land.

The thoughts of a kids' reality in the 50's. Surprised that I made it through childhood.

Talking of clouds and flying, Superman on TV was a big deal. It's a bird !!! It's a plane !!! It's SUPERMAN. I remember one afternoon I figured if he could fly so could I. It had to be the suit he wore. I found a pair of longjohns and put them on. Then a pair of Jockey shorts so I had a super suit almost like his, and safety penned a towel to the shoulders on the top of the longjohns, I was Euclids Superboy. I tried to jump a couple of times and nothing happened. Our 56 Ford was parked in front of the house and I just figured I needed a head start to get into the skyway like SUPERMAN. Climbing on top of the fender on the passenger side I took the leaf of faith !!! I flew for less than the time it takes to realize I couldn't fly, and knocked all the wind out of me. I knew I was going to die......then I got my wind back, looked around, and slowly walked back to get in regular clothes before anyone saw me as an earthbound superboy. I never tried to fly again....

Tomatoes/walkway

Just a couple of images from the backyard. We added some river pebbles to the west walkway to prevent the soil from eroding. As I mentioned in a couple of past entries my tomatoes luck is fantastic. These are the Cosmic tomatoes I have mentioned before. They are cherry size and varied in color from black to yellow, orange blue and black. The really taste great and can be eaten like popcorn-by the hand full. A truly great find 1!!!!

Dog days...

It's hot here in Tulsa on everything is slowing to a crawl. Our governor Kevin Stitt, who has been somewhat of a skeptic to the Covid situation, and refused to close down anything state wide has come down with the Covid problem. It will be interesting to see if he changes his tune. Masking is vital to staying free form the disease however being at home is the best.

Please stay safe and watch what you do......life as usual is too short.....preserve your health.

MURDER !!!!

This morning I went out on the  deck to water and was shocked as I happened upon what was an untouched crime scene. White, one of our caged birds, had been attacked sometime in the darkness of night.

I immediately noticed that she was missing from the cage and then saw her feet and a tail feather

    which had been discarded due to obviously no interest.

Further investigation led to the discovery of her remains.....

It is obvious that the culprit, the fiend, had a good part of her anatomy for a late snack.

All I can say is that I hope it has a great time trying to digest her styrofoam body.

Rest In peace White, and sing on for eternity......

Cosmic tomatoes...

I was a bit surprised at the size of the tomatoes I chose to plant....at least one variety, The Cosmic set....

I expected large tomatoes like I had was a kid but these came out like cherry tomatoes.....disappointed
till I tasted them. They are fantastic ! We've been taking them off the vine in multitudes as they grow on one stem with a general count of 6 per stem. yum....yummmm..


I have several different types taking off and I'll follow up with a review when I get them in my hands....click on the picture to make it bigger...

Potatoes...

Tomatoes-potatoes..the grand experiment...

One of the pots of potatoes had dying plants which is generally an indication of what should be an impending harvest. I took the hint and got my crop out of the dirt. I have another pot that is still vibrant and I'll wait on it. I initially questioned the sense, or lack of, in plantings the seed potatoes. Potatoes are cheap at the store and it had been decades since I planted them and never in a pot. The grand experiment took place with two large pots on the deck and patio.

In the spring I planted the seed potatoes in good soil, watered them faithfully and watched them grow. Homegrown tomatoes have a great taste and I was wondering if the taste would be different with homegrown potatoes. The jury is still out....we'll have them for dinner tonight....so I'll have to keep you posted. Only the Shadow knows for sure...

However.....it was fun watching them through the growing process......it doesn't take much to keep me entertained...

Tomatoes

As mentioned before and shown in previous stories I planted tomatoes in my raised beds in the garden. They have taken off and we are enjoying the taste I haven't had since I was a kid. Home grown tomatoes. What a kick in the pants !!!  These are a cherry tomato-smalll but fabulous in taste. I have about 30 more plants of a variety called Cosmic Tomatoes that are just now starting to bloom.

These come in clusters of about 6 and they are striped with green and black with a touch of red and orange. Small but really tasty. I'm going to trim the stalks tomorrow-never done it but it is to make the plant produce more fruit.....will let you know....

A wild six weeks.....

I have had, being isolated, a really great time working like I never had before on our "studio" yard. What generally took a year or so to get together in terms of planting, removing, cleaning and creating was done over the past few weeks. Today capped it all as I put up the sunscreen for the Koi pond so the fish wouldn't overheat.  DONE !!!

It is a great feeling and pretty exciting to say the least. DONE .....

Many of my commercial accounts took a beating with the isolation and I am in the process of connecting with them however everyone seems to be a bit afraid of the "recession " that we are entering ....no place to hide so ...in my opinion surge forward to look and be strong and capture the market you have and the one looking for a way to proceed. BE A LEADER !! The company that has the open door is the one that is going to be the winner.

In a lighter note it's time for the yearly "Lilly" image...............

Every year they come back and look healthier and bolder. I really like to photograph them-just a great time. I'll be back on tomorrow with a bunch of images of the yard and maybe a story of past challenges...

Thinking of others in the strange times we're in...

Like everyone else we have been spending time concerning updates on the Corona Virus, My wife came up with an amazing stroke of Genius !!!  She spoke with the president of our neighborhood association and suggested that our subdivision be broken up into areas that were basically straight lines, ask a volunteer from each area to be responsible for picking up curbside boxes, bags or crates of food the homeowner wished to donate, and the volunteer  to drive the load to the Tulsa Food bank.

IT WAS A GREAT SUCCESS !

All told we delivered almost 600 pounds of staple foods and canned goods! You never know where your situation will be in these unsettled times. If you can do the same collection and delivery in your area please try to do the same thing. No business or community is like it was 6 months ago....we are all in this together. Try to help someone else.

One of the area collection carts

The back of our car..

The collectors and the food just our group delivered to the Food Bank

Covid time in Tulsa

It looks as though the virus has come to roost in Oklahoma. There are reports in Tulsa, Oklahoma City, and random towns throughout the state. There has not been a total shelter in place decree from our Governor who seems to be oblivious to the situation but people seem to be taking the situation in hand. There is not traffic to speak of on the main roads through town and people are staying close to home. I've been doing nothing but yard work the past few days as the weather has been really exceptional. The garden is in and the tomatoes are growing well. I started several varieties from seed and was disappointed to see no results. No patience ! They have finally sprouted and will be late producing which is good.  By the time my first grown plants stop these will be beginning to produce.
A perfect addition to our Fall menus.

Many of my commercial accounts have been closed due to the situation so I will have to get creative in my sales approach. I can see that the main drive will be online sales of pictorials that I have amassed over the years. I'll keep you posted. Stay in your own domain-make do with what you have and take the free time to be creative. You may uncover new talents. Be safe.....

Remembering the song...

It occurred to me that the old standby of the early "60's anti war movement "Where have all the Flowers gone........fits the times today. The virus seems to be all consuming as it travels around the world with confusion everywhere. Some world leaders who at first refused to acknowledge it have finally sobered up to realize that this is a Pandemic that is pretty much uncontrollable unless explicit guidelines are followed. Families will be decimated if rules aren't followed and simple behavior respected. Be glad to be home and if you are lucky enough to have  a yard to tend to now is the time to excel in its care. 

My gardens are planted, watered and the lawn mowed. My wife and I are playing Rummykube almost everyday and she has become the internet Guru of her sunday school class, the net Hero. She has almost all of them on Zoom for chats, discussions, and just checking up on each other.  Something I probably couldn't have done. Remember to call your neighbors and friends, keep in touch, and be safe.

A double edged sword...

The virus is something out of a Steven King novel except that it's true. It has arrived in Tulsa and deaths have been reported and are destined to grow. As many of you know I have been working part time at Home Depot as a greeter-a job I love-but as of Friday I am taking a 30 day leave. I have been working with a recommended respirator and so far have experienced no issues. However there comes a time to stop pressing you luck......I reached that point. Traffic is coming to a halt on the roads however the customer count in the HD store is way up as people suddenly have the time to start and complete work in their yards and homes that until now would have taken many weekends.

I'm also one of those people.

Very frustrating time getting back on...

  n  

It's a long story but it doesn't start with "It was a cold stormy night"...I had just forgotten my name to get into Google. I gad misspelled it on my first entry and quite frankly forgot it. I figured out today how to do so so I'm officially back on. I've been very busy in the meantime. I've had a great commercial job photographing some really fine craft work on a home building structure. This company builds in the old world - way trusses, beams and supports out of vintage wood and secures them in place by using wooded pegs. Amazing craftsmanship.

Last of the peppers

Although I'm still getting tomatoes the pepper side of the garden is about done. I have several still "on the vine" so to speak but the bulk of production is almost over. I really hate to see that, as I like to grow stuff. It really makes my wife shake her head...

These are some of the last that I'll have and I think their color is remarkable.

I will have to take up the elephant ear bulbs after the first frost and put them in the garage in dog litter for the winter. They will go in a large plastic bin with a top that I seal for the winter. Not only have the bulbs grown new bulbs but also have continued to increase in size themselves individually. I didn't mark the name of the bulbs last year so I ended up with variations in every pot. I'll probably have the same outcome next year.......chance is wonderful. I would like to put out some tulips this year but I don't want to lose the potting space for peppers and cilantro. My sage will need to be repotted in the spring as well as my oreagno which has prospered over the last two years in a large pot. Grow baby grow...............

Fall may be in the air....

After a very long summer here in Oklahoma land I'm glad the season is drawing to a close. It is just too hot.  However, it's been a very prosperous summer with more work done on our outdoor studio area.  I eliminated a really underused area to the south of the pond and created an area that offers a couple of posing options I didn't have before. With the emphasis that I have placed on my commercial work photographing architectural interiors/exteriors and product photography, this space may not be used too much.....but at least I have it to offer clients should I need it. This should complete all renovations of the environmental area. I'll be marketing to some new clients the rest of the week so I may be somewhat silent for a week or so. However. I will keep you posted.
Have a great time next week and we will be in touch......

Several years ago...

I had a fun challenge with an account several years ago with the problem of getting an image of a printing press that was very large and could only be photographed on location-in the plant. This company rebuilt presses and this was the first they wanted photographed......no one else had been able to do it. Typical excuse...not enough lights.

There is more than one way to skin a cat so to speak and I reverted to the old technique of painting with light. I had the company build a 16 foot wall behind the press on the back and on one end. I suggested using styrafoam board for the wall due to cost and ease of use, and paint it white. This hid the rest of the plant and by having them wet the floor with water I not only bounced the light but also got rid of an ungly cement floor. I used one had held light and finished to job in about 4 hours. It was fun.

Another job well done and problem solved.

A note about The Challenger....

I just thought of a note about The Challenger, Mickey Thompsons land speed car. Mickey was my wifes' cousin and he was murdered by a former partner in his multiple business enterprises. He had a son Danny that carried on with the dream of smashing the land speed record. This past year Danny took Challenger to the Salt Flats and breaking the standing record. His total speed was 442 miles per hour combining the two required runs. Danny upgraded internal parts of the machines motors and other parts but kept the same design that Mickey created.  The Challenger has a new home in the Smithsonian Museum in Washington D.C.

This summers peppers...

As most followers know I do plant peppers and tomatoes in the spring primarily because I like to eat homegrown veggies. I built raised beds last year and they worked well and this year I added some mushroom compost in the spring. That stuff is a great addition to the sandy soil we have here. I think that a couple of more years of adding it will make the dirt similar to the soil I had in Missouri. The tomato plants are still producing as are the peppers so we will probably be in good shape till the first frost.

As a new addition I also have potatoes in two containers just to see if I can grow them. They can't be harvested until the first frost so don't hold your breath. It seems like a really dumb idea growing them as cheap as they are in the stores but if there is a difference in taste I'll put in a larger bed next year.
Obviously as most people know tomatoes are radically tastier if home grown. John Denver was right.

These are some of the garden treats from this year.

Touching base...

I've been really busy getting ready for some Senior Portrait sessions. Did some work on the outdoor studio in preparation and am pretty much done with it. Later today I will post another page showing how some of the previously shown commercial images were used by one of my clients. It's always good to get a "tear sheet" from my clients to add to my portfolio. It really adds credibility to my sales attempts. It really solidifies my "Sure I can do it.." statements I give my clients. Stay tuned...

That time of year...

I guess it has become somewhat of a habit over the years to post my first crop of tomatoes and following tradition.....these are my first ones. It is also my first in years to be picked before July 1.
I'm looking forward to a bumper crop !!!

I started the plants from seeds I had purchased from Baker Creek Seed Company in Missouri.
They are non gmo and taste like the tomatoes I ate as a kid. It's going to be a great summer !!!

Completed second job for my new Client-----------

My new client is an interior designer was that was invited to decorate a room in the historic Harwelldon House for a Designer Showcase that was held recently. This room is in the basement of the house but has the feel of a normal ground floor of a home. The chest was carved and I think was made of mahogany. The chairs were covered with a very fine leather, really top line appointments.

I sure love my job. Watch for more interiors as she has told me that she has several kitchen installations she has done for clients recently.

A new account.........

I have just started working with a new account, a company that is a designer of ultimate kitchens. What a great partnership. With the opening of their new office, I produced images that were used in their promo piece and will photograph their show kitchen in a designer showcase home.

Update..........

The main problem with my back was "fixed " but yet it wasn't. I still have intense pain on occasion with my right thigh and calf but it is somewhat of an improvement over where I was with it. I'm going to have another MRI at the end of the month to see what the next procedure will be. Hopefully not another back surgery.

Business is taking a back seat to my medical issue but my commercial accounts understand and are waiting for me to get better to schedule more shoots. I have a couple of "Must Haves" that I'm shooting but that's about all I'm scheduling. You really don't appreciate walking until you can't.

I'll write more as I progress. Keep the faith.......

Vanished.....

Well....as the Grateful Dead sang "it's been a long strange trip...."

In November my right leg started to act a bit strange at the hip. Having undergone hip replacement several years ago on my left hip I assumed the right hip had gone by the wayside. One doctors appointment later and two cortisone shots the pain persisted. One more doctor consultation and an MRI and it became apparent that I had back issues with bulging disks. I went in for surgery in February and had surgery on my back. I was in the hospital two days and returned home with the notation that I shouldn't do any work for several months...I was told not to lift any more than 10 pounds...pretty limiting. I couldn't climb stairs and walking was an issue due to weakness and PAIN.

Which brings me to the issue of Hydrocodone. My doctor had prescribed it to me to get through the pain that accompanied the operation which, was pretty high. I was on the mend and figured a week ago Monday that I really didn't need the pills. I had heard of the warnings about the possible addiction to Hydrocodone but figured that I would recognize the issue if I was having a problem. I stopped on Monday and Tuesday was a day I'll never forget. Deep depression, doubts of self worth, amazing thoughts that kept me in bed all day and totally trying to sort everything out. Wednesday I realized that it was the withdrawal from the drug. I now see what the warnings were all about. The drug will slip up on you and nail you to the wall without you realizing anything is wrong.

I will never again take that drug-it is unforgiving and will take hostages for life if you are not aware of the potential.

I'm getting back to work on a limited scale this Thursday as I am photographing the Mayor of Carthage Missouri, Dan Rife. I have several portraits of the Mayors of carthage dating back probably 40 years. I guess the tradition continues. It'll be good to get back to the ol' stomping grounds again.

Missing Mike

As some of my diehards may have noticed I’ve been missing. Last summer when I was 16 I decided to  finish the backyard”studio” area. I finished the landscaping and laid down about 2 tons of river rock to finish it off. That included several areas that had very large “rocks” for client seating areas as well as several walls. Needless to say I’m glad I was 16.

I’m 18 this year and around October of last year I started to have some strange feelings in my lower back. First noticed them in October and they got worse. I went to the Doctor who replaced my knees and left hip joints......I ran miles after work for years and played racquetball all to stay in good shape for a decade or two........go health !!!!! After an x-ray or two the verdict came in. I had 5 bulging disks that were needing attention. I was sent to another doctor that gave me two injections with the idea they would help remove the pain. They did........for a day or two. Around the first of February I could hardly walk without extreme pain so another trip to my regular doctor. He put me in tough with  a surgeon that specialized in back problems and we had a consultation scheduled for March 6th. I was dying in pain. In desparation, Karen, my baby baby, wife, lovey lovey, called the office of the surgeon and asked if there were ANY openings before the 6th. They called back with an appointment as someone had cancelled. He took a look at the x-rays and scheduled me for last Tuesday.

I checked in at 5:30 in the morning was in the operating room at 10:30, out by three, and in my room. There was no pain. Later that day he came in and said there was a cyst that was rubbing on my spinal cord that was causing the problem. I was actually able to walk a bit and checked out the next afternoon. I was in the hospital a total of 36 hours. I am going to have to wear a back brace for 6 weeks but that’s fine there is no pain.

I now understand back issues !!!!! I have not really been able to work much with the back issue but I’m ready to start it all up again. I love my job !!!!

St. Louis..

We were in St. Louis several days ago and in our wanderings we ran across several interesting features in one building. These are a several windows and part of a door. There will be more to follow soon. Click on the image and it will get bigger.

Raining again...

I guess it's better than snow but the rain is coming down with a vengeance. I cleaned out the filter in the pond yesterday as we had a very lucky break in the weather. It almost got to 70. It's cold now and there is a forecast for a mix of rain and snow through the weekend.

I have gotten some new equipment in this past week and am looking forward to improving my delivery of images to clients. I just have to figure out how it works in "real life". It doesn't look as though a rocket scientist is necessary to use it but it must be considered that I am not the smartest rock in the box when it comes to tech issues.  We'll see.

I'll keep you posted....

Bye Fall...HELLO WINTER !!!!

Needless to say Fall didn't last...............I really dislike the Winter. Snow is a pain in the tail and I just don't like it ! I did however go out and get the last of this years last tomatoes. I really learned a lot about the growing of them. I had the right soil, mushroom media mixed in with the sandy loam of the area built up in a raised bed. I planted several varieties some which I bought already started - which turned out to be a huge disappointment - and from seeds I bought from rareseeds.com.

                                                                                                     

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This is the Large barred Boar tomatoe which is very meaty and tasted like tomatoes did when I was a kid. The seeds from Rare Seeds are non GMO thus delivering the same taste I grew up with.

The hard freeze the last couple of nights totaled what plants were remaining. I'll clean them up tomorrow when it is to get to 50 degrees or so. I've decided to lay out some more mushroom soil also and let ti sink into last years soil and it may make a difference next year in crop yield. There is also not enough sun hitting the beds so a cropping of the trees will also be done soon.

I've been working on the mobile assignment I got from the designer on OKC for a project he has done for a client. It's really much more interesting than I had anticipated. Translation....it's pretty difficult. But we all need new challenges. I'm making a 1/5 scale model for his approval as the finished piece will be 10 feet wide and 21 feet long. It will be made out of aluminum and steel and be monochromatic. It is a challenge.....  As a member of FabLab I have access to laser cutters and the tools I will need to fabricate the pieces.

The Fair...

When I was in undergraduate school I went to the County Fair and did some shooting, still having some of the shots. At that time I was toning them and selectively altering their look to give them a different sense of presence so to speak. Wandering throughout the fair in Tulsa the other night I started to do somewhat of the same thing. Grabbing images to see how they would fit in my more senior vision. Here are a couple of them that I have altered so far. It's a really different feel as to the reality.

I really like the look. Be sure to click on the images to have them enlarge.

Running sound at Cains

One of my nephews was in town several week ago running sound at the Cains Ballroom here in Tulsa. Andy has been handling Anderson Easts sound on the road for over a year traveling the United States, Northern Europe and Scandinavia. In the spring they are headed back to Europe for more gigs.
Cains Ballroom is an iconic music venue here in Tulsa having had some of the best and most famous musicians play here since 1924. Starting as a honky tonk it has grown into a first class venue here in the Midwest. I got an image of Andy in the green room waiting for Andersons time to stage up.

The green room is the R&R room set aside for the musicians to use so they may eat, shower, practice,

and rest. Available only to the musicians and their crew.

Naked ladies...

I have always valued the quality given by Nikon lenses and camera bodies. My Naked Ladies imagery says a lot about that. We had a surprise appearance of a new plant in our west bed and, as suspected, it turned out to be a Naked Lady plant that must have sprung up from the roots of a nearby bunch of them. I'm enclosing two images of the bloom and I really like the close-up almost abstract of the blooms.

By clicking on the images they will enlarge and it is really worth the time to view.

I love my job..................

Just a quick note , with more coming later...

I just checked the stats an the blog and we've had over 72,000 views !  More invisibility coming with flying included. This is going to be fun ..........

Invisibility from the past......

As I mentioned in an entry or two ago I rediscovered some invisibility images from my past. I traveled old Route 66 from Springfield, Missouri to Hemet, California to see what the Mother Road had to offer. I photographed along the way and found several of the images a few days ago. I had just started experimenting with invisibility and quite frankly had forgotten about the images with the exception of an occasional blip of a thought of them. I stopped along the way at interesting spots and a couple just for the hell of it. I photographed invisibility images throughout the trip. I just have to find them now.

One of the great memories of the trip was one roadside attraction that boasted of a very large collection of baby rattlers, possibly the largest in the world. I hate snakes but these must be penned up and not threatening so I stopped just to see the collection. Thought it might make an interesting picture. I paid the guy at the counter a buck and he directed me to a large box with screen wire over the top that was outside in the sun, adding that I should be careful. I didn't know if it was safe, the snakes could weasel out through a slight loose part of the wire, I approached slowly. No activity on the outside after careful due diligence, and I looked in over the walls of the cage. There were approximately 60 baby rattles in pink, green, cream, red, brown, you name it. It was immediately evident that something was lost in translation and I had been had. It was worth a chuckle and the realization that a little creativity can make you some money. I still hate snakes.

After 47 years invisibility returns with the addition of invisibility flying..............coming soon....