In praise of barnswallows- a view of parenting

Its March 1983 outside Columbia Missouri on north Highway 63

Barn swallow mother perches on rim of nest

In a cold barn the photographer sits in the dark

practicing quiet trying to stay warm and explore good ways to unobtrusively light the spidery scratchy place so that she can see something... anything ...

some action besides the top of a black head high up in a nest on the barn rafter.

This action or change occurs in brief surprises in-between very long periods of no action For some days she has watched from a loft across and above her head as the nest was recycled Cleaned and lined with new mud and some of mother birds own indigo feathers. Then eggs were laid, one each day and, glory be! None of the awful predators came.

Each day the watcher/waiter/photographer climbs into her place and two females sit in a cold barn

one on eggs and the other in hay with a camera

Again and again-- like a fighter jet she swoops in carrying food

watching, dreaming, and incubating the one on the nest has come to accept / tolerate the the other

Barn swallows, Hirundo rustica, have thrived with the human race.  They once lived in caves but now there are barns and porches all increasing in number

Mother carries food to the noisy nestlings

One morning there is shell on the barn floor and weak squeaking above she climbs and watches breathless from her loft the nestlings grow in their demands, exponentially

The mother becomes a flying carrier service

catering to growing mouths.

They are a chorus, parsons or judges, always above her, looking down, looking demonic and ridiculous

Soon they are nearly her size and their wide open mouths are endless.  The photographer is reminded of parenting. Her own children wouldn't like the affinity she feels with this tiny  straining bird.

Barn swallows wait on a barbed wire fence for the evening bugs

The birdlings grow beyond the nest, bursting its limits.  Always one will take off first.  Maybe it hates crowds, maybe it is not quite "right" and has fallen or been pushed,  maybe it is restless or impatient, or simply believes flying can't be that hard.  One will always fledge, 'trying his wings' on the long drop, but may not be ready to fly.

Those around barn swallows have come to expect at least one babe will fall or fail flying each year and not just once.  With luck these people have learned and have and the means to re-place them in the nest or protect them from the cats (check out Baby barn swallow stories)

Barnswallow feeds fledge

Soon they all fledge and for the next two weeks parenting is on the wing.

Later, it is one of those summer evenings when the tree frogs are a choir, the air is a bit cooler, the grass is up, and after dinner we wait for the lightening bugs. The barn swallows and bats wait for the mosquitoes to lift off the fields.

I am reminded of a comment my aunt Mary Bumgarner made when my son was new born. In an amused but knowing voice she said, "The thing about parenting is that it is so daily."

For a lovely set of references about the barn swallow including short essays by people that have lived around them I highly recommend this site: excellent summary facts about barnswallows

Stay tuned we will create a gallery of Barn swallows.

Sharon

Watching photographers & A love story

Living with photographers

In his quiet way James Bumgarner took a picture of his wife Gay Bumgarner
The Photographer
They are in Costa Rica and
She crouches in the undergrowth still and watchful
waiting, camera to her eye focused close.
There is a chance that the unusual butterfly of the area – it being the reason for their hike to this section of the forest, where it’s preferred plants grow --
and its unique black and white sworls, will come & be at home

She waits watching... carefully.  Filled with anticipation at this good spot and feeling lucky --- a lucky day perhaps.
she hears a click behind her and looks up smiling surprised to see her husband standing very near. 
He replaces the lens cap and wears a wry satisfied smile.
She smiles up at him-- and asks if he saw something "good."

He is happy with his camera and its long lens. He enjoys looking -- watching the exotic world ----and she thinks he would be just as happy with a good set of binoculars since he seldom actually takes a picture yet, he always seems content about it.
"Did you see something?” -- she wonders. 'what inspired him to actually take a picture?'
He looks at her with mischief and says,
"The view from here is just lovely" and she is filled with the pleasure of his attention and the compliment.
Their marriage is still brand new, her sense of good fortune unfazed.

He watches, as the wind plays with her hair
and smiles.
His pleasure in her company, her beauty, and her joy is a sturdy force
--- delight durable as an element of earth

In her white blond, Gringa hair, the butterfly is an exotic hair bow,
A stylish fascinator 
& as The Great Eggfly warms itself brief notions of flowers rise up -- butterfly visions-- created by the sun releasing the aromatic floral scent from her shampoo

Does the man speak to her of the butterfly?
No, likely not.
Her butterfly, the one meant for her, will come in time and she will be filled with excitement at its beauty and the efforts of making a picture.

Much later the yellow box of slides, "Kodachrome" comes in the mail and she peers  down her loupe at the slides on the lightbox.
She is confused and then she laughs in music.

Ah, the Great Eggfly (Hypolimnas bolina)
She goes to him.
--------------------------------------------
Note: There weren't many photos that James Bumgarner took and this is one she kept.  These are my imaginings combined with my rememberings of those times.  For all who knew them, enjoy.  If you are a photographer or live with one....enjoy too.
Have you a photo or a story like this?

Sharon

Big HUGE Amazing Pumpkins at the Pumpkin festival in Damariscotta Maine

Whatever you have been doing with pumpkins I would bet it doesn't begin to compare with the town of Damariscotta Maine.  Last weekend we took a fall New England walk-about and stumbled upon the greatest pumpkin festival ever.  

Now only are they big-- This year three pumpkins were state record breakers, all over 1400 pounds-- but, the citizens seem to take the whole thing with a hearty dose of whimsy and good humor.

The history of the pumpkin festival in Damariscotta is not long, 3 years, but it has caught on with admirable enthusiasm and now there is an ever rising bar to explore and improve all things pumpkin including the pumpkin regatta -- yes a pumpkin boat race, costumes, carved and painted pumpkins by talented artists, decorations, and even pumpkin shooting or launching plus, pumpkin edibles of all sorts.  If you like pumpkin art definitely consider a visit.

Check out pictures of the 2010 Great Pumpkin Festival in Damariscotta Maine.

Perfect Meadows

Picturing Peace

Often I find that art comes to me as I pass it, or seek it out in various collections and shows. The emotional response is one then that I have not sought out, but rather one that is impressed upon me. Not that this is a negative way to experience art, but it is a usual one. Recently I found myself looking for an emotional response, a state of being; I was looking for peace. Not peace in the world peace sense, but images that evoked a sense of peacefulness. Searching through Gay's images I chose several that evoked that response, and over the next several weeks I sat with them, returned to them, and found they continually brought on a sigh, relief and release. Peace.

I then thought about what it was that evoked that response and that, along with some of those images, is what I share here.

In the image above--taken on the Olympic Peninsula--I like the sense of the near, far and middle distance. It speaks of potential and possibility as much as it speaks of a contentment with what lies behind, and of the present. The interplay of purples and greens, the snow on the far mountains, these speak of change, promise and contentment.

Three birds sitting on the barbed wire in the last not-quite-warm sun of a late summer afternoon, two looking forward, one looking back. They appear so content; accepting of  the imminent change of seasons, the combination of warm sun and slight chill on the breeze, being where they are, looking both forward and back without judgment. Just being.

And finally, here is this little fellow, coming out of the grass, stopping to look into his future, enjoying the warm sun on his back, warm mud and gentle eddies of the water around his legs and feet. Like the birds he is so present, going from one place to another, yet so content with what is and what was.

So, I realized that when I picture peace I look for a sense of possibility without the anxiety of contemplating change that we so often instill in our path through life. So often we mull over our options, try to figure out what will be, try to look behind and change what we can't. That is a state I find anxiety producing and not particularly constructive. It was interesting to me to look for peace in images, find it, and consider what evoked that feeling: possibility, change and contentment with what is and was. These images (and others I chose) serve as reminders of, and vehicles to that place, that state of being.

I am going to try this with other states of being in future posts, but perhaps you would like to see what says peace to you, or what says... something else you seek.

Look through Gay's images and see what speaks to you. Make a lightbox so you can return to those images (if you need to know how to do this please e-mail), and consider...what says "peace" to you? What says.....?

Please comment below or e-mail to respond to this post, share and let us know what you find.

Gay's Gallery previews, look at images: http://archive.gaybumgarner.net/c/gbi/gallery-list

My peace lightbox, with additional peace images: http://www.photoshelter.com/c/gbi/lbx/lightbox?L_ID=L00000OUBPrC2Xbk

My chicken is more beautiful than your chicken 

and when it dies I shall make a jacket of its feathers 

and be a Queen.

 

This picture doesn't do it (the rooster actually) justice, jump over to the (large bird) gallery and see how nice those feathers really are.

Fancy feathers

The red cap and surprising silver shoes make a daring fashion statement.

In this new world of urban refugees and dyspeptic consumers, we are voting with our conscience and our forks for local, homemade and non-industrial food.  My sense is that many more people are keeping chickens these days. 

Towns are struggling with zoning and we talk about chickens a lot and, of course, there is a lot to say.

Note: there is an article in Slate http://www.slate.com/id/2218390/

claiming the movement isn't real but a media-myth. 

Whereas the Guardian in UK presents a more convincing argument and a friendly tone using data from breeders, chicken rescue calls, and equipment sales 

Guardian chicken trend

Meanwhile, not to make too much out of the patterns of my cohort, but when friends in Boston, LA, San Fran, and of course, Vermont, are all comparing chickens  chicken accoutrement, and cute chicken stories then it's a trend.

Seriously now, eggs aside, wouldn't that make a gorgeous jacket? I am planning an eccentric and eye-catching wardrobe with accessories for my older years and this caught my fancy.

Fashion advice or chicken stories welcome here.

Michael Jermyn - Gallery in Gay Bumgarner Images

Welcome Featured artist Michael Jermyn from Montpelier Vermont

Greetings!! We have our First  Featured artist Gallery and the honor goes to the photography of Michael Jermyn.  Follow the link to this gallery or just click on "return to Gays galleries".  Suzanne Rhodes and I carefully chose from the large selection of  Michaels work so that we could create a two page gallery that would to show off his range from stunning still-lifes, landscapes, and humans.  Please note to get to the second page look carefully at the bottom right for the word "next" or the right facing arrow at the bottom or top of the page to see the second page.   I met Michael when he happened to  be touring Northeastern Vermont and came a display of Gay's photography at the Peacham Historical Society.  We began to talk photography and I expressed an interest in seeing his work.  That was a good impulse.

Micheal's playfulness and willingness to explore the photography "painting" or other treatments creates stunning images.  He has an extraordinary eye for composition and combinations-- combining colors, objects, and characters thus, creating pictures that speak-- pictures upon which stories can be built or that speak past past stories directly to feeling--to the midbrain.

I hope you will take a little time to look at his pictures, and his first web-based show. Tell us what you like, what you would like to see more of from him.  I will say that the printed versions he makes are  more vivid and professional than what the computer screen can show.  In our galleries you can leave comments on pictures or galleries or you can give comments here on the blog (anonymousely or just sign in) or via facebook. I will also put the gallery up on facebook. All artists entering a new medium of exposure can use feedback. Please let him know what you think and which ones interest or surprise you. And let us know if we are on the right track with guest galleries.

Micheal will be the featured artist for at least a month or two and then his material will continue to be available via our site through the gallery index  for at least 3 -6  months.

We will let you know when the next featured artist is selected.  And, please let us know how you like the concept. 

Thanks
Sharon

Vote now for your preference

This gorgeous creature is the Large Wood nymph butterfly, cercyonis pegala. She is swathed in orange day lilies, with a touch of red lipstick, wearing jewels made of orbs of golden pollen (look closely). She reminds us as Gay did to 'brighten up'!

Which version do you prefer OR think that she would enjoy as a card?
#1) Imitate nature or
#2) Wear Bright colors

To see the original, unadulterated version click on this link:
http://archive.gaybumgarner.net/c/gbi/img-show/I0000q4uQEpeWbPI

Thanks!!
Sharon

 

The Field Sparrow

A bubble of music floats

The slope of the hillside over;

A little wandering sparrow's notes;

And the bloom of yarrow and clover,

And the smell of sweet-fern and the bayberry leaf,

On his ripple of song are stealing;

For he is a chartered thief

The wealth of the fields revealing.

— Lucy Larcom

See more Nests and nestlings  

in Gays pictures or try one of my new favorites
Birds bathing and fitness

Do you think I should submit this one for calendar?

The power of design: Fun in funny places

Recently, while traveling with friends we reconsidered  a question posed  some years ago via questionnaire about how to increase the traffic flow in public restrooms, particularly womens' rooms.

A variety of suggestions were put forward at the time based mostly on dark humor and the assumption that people move more quickly in places that they don't like.

My son suggested that if you really wanted to shake things up that you could significantly change the traffic in mens rooms by putting the urinals back-to-back so the patrons faced each other.  Alternatively, one could place them in a circle facing inwards.

All men  present agreed this was a potent idea that would have far-reaching effects (none that they were in support of).  Some predicted that such a design would create a restroom that no one (man) would use.

The inquiries of the curious women were met with curt certainty and unusual concordance among the men but, no details.

Thus, much giggling ensued.

Tonight I found this wonderful picture by Wim Wiskerke a photographer based in Holland.  He has been a great help to me as I learn the ropes in stock photography and seek to expand and share Gay's available images .  His image that I've included in this post is available at Alamy Stock or from him directly.  It  provides a similar innovative culturally-based approach taken in a REAL mens room in Brussels.  The caption reads "Mens bathroom; urinals at a Brussels restaurant featuring 4 women onlookers, amused, making jokes".

 The anthropologists among us want to assess the response to the design and its impact on use, demand,  and time spent.  We are intrigued.

In truth, the actual solution to the long lines outside the womens loo is  probably to double to number of womens bathrooms available or make all public restrooms unisex.

Then again if some of the ideas proposed here were tried it might be that certain mens rooms could be documented as underutilized and therefore, candidates for renovation into womens rooms.

Please, share your response to these far-fetched notions-- the actual pictures from a Brussles resturant and their loo, or the facing urinals design, how would these affect the situation or environment  we know now?

And, thanks Wim for a great shot.

sharon