Postcard from Tucson

It’s me again, just playing around. Am back from an extended visit to see my son in Yuma.

As you know from a recent post, he and I recently visited the Pima Air and Space Museum and  took photos with my iPhone. Such a great little camera. Well, there are other fun photo tools for the iPhone (and iPad). One of them is called My Sketch.

So, one day out at the pool, I took the original photo of this seaplane and did a quick sketch with My Sketch. And with some small finishing touches in Photoshop, I created the sketch you see here. Trust me when I say not all the sketches turn out this well, but I got lucky here. I like it which is why I am showing it.

If you would like to see the original photo…well, here it is.

For your information, this is a Columbia XJL-1 seaplane. This particular aircraft is only one of three ever built. All three were built in 1946, just after the end of WWII. The Columbia XJL-1 was intended as a replacement for the Grumman J2F Duck amphibious bi-plane for the United States Navy. The plane bears a strong family resemblance to the Duck and has often been referred to as "a single-winged Duck."

This aircraft was assigned to Patuxent River Naval Air Station for testing. However, the plane did not live up to the expectations of the Navy with repeated structural failures of various parts reported during testing. So, it never went into production. This is the last surviving aircraft of the three.

As I’ve stated many times here before in many different ways, its fun to try different experiments with your photos, like sketches and paintings. Give it a try and see what you can do…expand your horizons. If you photograph with your smart phone, no matter what brand, there are many photo applications you can experiment with. So, what are you waiting for…go for it!

Postcard from Grant County

Here is an oldie, but a goodie: I took this photo back in the year 2000, maybe even a year or two earlier. The waterfall is called Summer Falls, the lake is named Billie Clapp Lake, and the rocks have no name.  Of course, being so dated, this shot was done on film…slide film to be exact.

This lovely scene was only a few miles from my former home in Ephrata, WA…a town of almost 8,000 people. I lived there for several years before leaving and coming south to Tucson.

The name Summer Falls derives from the fact that the falls only run in summer. And not to take the romance out of it, this is a man-made waterfall derived from runoff of irrigation water. There, I spoiled the photo. But, no matter it is still a lovely waterfall…when it’s running.

Billie Clapp Lake is named after Billie Clapp…a former resident of Ephrata and a bit of a local legend. William "Billy" Clapp (1877-1965),  was a lawyer in Ephrata. Clapp became convinced that whatever nature had done with ice in prehistoric times modern man could do with concrete.

But the best story about Billie comes from sometime around 1909. A little background first. Grant County, was created by the Washington Legislature in 1909, spun off from the rather large Douglas County. Shortly thereafter, the legislature chose 2 cities as finalists to become the County Seat…Ephrata and Wilson Creek. Both were to present their cases before the legislature in Olympia early one morning.

The Ephrata delegation was led by our friend Billie. He and some of the other Ephrata representatives came up with an ingenious plan. They decided to throw a large party for both delegations the night before the hearing. Billie paid off the bartenders to double up the drinks for the Wilson Creek boys, while the Ephrata reps stayed sober all night.

Well, the Wilson Creek boys were pretty heavy duty drinkers and they caroused all night, with the party going into the early morning hours. The Ephrata boys kept encouraging their rivals to drink up as Ephrata was paying for this party.

As you can guess, at the hearing the next morning, only the representatives from Ephrata showed up and the city was awarded the prize trophy…being named County Seat. Billie obviously new what he was doing.

That decision can be felt even today. Ephrata grew to a population of over 8,000 people, while Wilson Creek today supports a population of just over 200 people. Because it is the County Seat, Ephrata is mainly a government town.

Just to round off the story, there are only 91,000 people in all of Grant County. The biggest city is Moses Lake. The county, located in the dead center of the state, is still quite large in size. Its most notable asset is the Grand Coulee Dam, which supplies irrigation water to farms all over the county. It was the dam that turned Grant County into a thriving farming county instead of a barren, sandy desert.

I don’t know if it is true or not, but I just have a feeling Billie Clapp went back to Washington DC, got President Roosevelt drunk, then got him to approve the building of the dam. Grant County residents owe a lot to Billie.

(To see a larger version of this photo, just click on the image)

To see more of my work, both in photography and digital painting, please visit my website, www.corkrum.com

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Postcard from Rome

Ah, Rome. The eternal city. For a thousand years, it was home to the most powerful empire on earth…the Roman Empire. For more than 2,000 years, it has been home to another empire of sorts…the Catholic Church. Both empires offer much to see in this city of 2.78 million people.

The Roman Empire has left remnants of itself all over town. The Catholic Church also has remnants, but it is mainly centered in the Vatican, a separate country of its own surround on all sides by the City of Rome. One day after spending some time in the Vatican, I decided to take a walk along one of the most famous rivers in the world…the Tiber.

I took this photo on that walk. The river at this point, flows very close to the Vatican and the famous Castel Sant'Angelo (Castle of the Angels, formerly the tomb of the Roman Emperor Hadrian). So it was quite easy to take a walk along the Tiber.

Obviously it was winter time, and I was fascinated by the shape of the trees along the river. It forms a natural archway along the walk…it must be something to see in the warmer months when the leaves are full. But, I like this winter look as you can see the basic skeleton of the covered walkway.

While I most definitely enjoyed seeing the monuments of both empires, I also enjoyed quiet, undisturbed moment like this where I could wrap my self in the history of thousands of years. What momentous things this city has seen and endured…especially along the Tiber River, the very heart and soul of this eternal city, no matter who was in power at the time. 

The Tiber was extremely important to Roman trade and commerce, as ships could reach as far as 60 miles upriver from the mouth of the river at Ostia. That city became a major naval base for the Roman fleet, both for commerce and war. Ostia is about 20 miles west of Rome, so the distance was important to any defense of the city in times of war.

Like the Roman Empire, the river has a very humble beginning about 230 miles north of the city. It consists of two underground springs, about 30 feet apart, high in the Apennine Mountains. In the 1930’s, everyone’s favorite dictator, Benito Mussolini placed an antique Roman column topped off with an Eagle there. Inscribed are the words, "Here is born the river / sacred to the destinies of Rome." Mussolini was heavy into rebuilding the glories of the Roman Empire. It didn’t work out too well for him, but the Tiber flows on.

(To see a larger version of this photo, just click on the image)

To see more of my work, both in photography and digital painting, please visit my website, www.corkrum.com

If you subscribe to this blog by e-mail and wish to purchase a print or send a free e-mail greeting card using this image, click this link to the main Postcard Blog Site.

Postcard from Tucson

This is another in my series of architectural photos, specifically of small elements that go into a structure. This staircase is from a building on campus at the University of Arizona. Over my time here, I found many such interesting architectural designs. Most look so much better in black and white. 

As I’ve explained here before, the distractions caused by color are removed in a black and white image. Now you can see all the intricate elements of the photo. See how the stairs go off in different directions…always up. The stairs are interlaced with bricks…and all are framed by the curved ceiling of the landing on the next floor. 

To be honest, when I do one of these photos, I am never 100% sure if it will turn out the way I want. Sometimes, it does not. When I am there, I am distracted by seeing in three dimensions, and, of course, by all the colors. I will admit, this photo turned out more provocative than I hoped. So, part of the credit must go to post processing. But, that is true for most photos these days.

(To see a larger version of this photo, just click on the image)

To see more of my work, both in photography and digital painting, please visit my website, www.corkrum.com

If you subscribe to this blog by e-mail and wish to purchase a print or send a free e-mail greeting card using this image, click this link to the main Postcard Blog Site.

Postcard from Venice

Only a few brave souls chose to ride a gondola on this rainy day in Venice…I was not one of them. I preferred to walk around this amazing city with my camera to find those once-in-a-lifetime shots that are hidden all over town. In a sense, it is like an Easter Egg Hunt.

Most of the gondolas were bedded down for the day in hidden harbors like this one all over the islands. The water buses and taxis were running, but it was not what you would call a heavy traffic day. But, no matter what the weather, Venice is a special gem on our planet.

I’ve been to Venice three times, this being the only rainy day I endured. Funny, but I have never felt the slightest inclination to ride a gondola. I would rather see the city on foot, traversing hidden streets and bridges with no particular place in mind. Just see where my feet take me. It’s the only way to explore Venice.

On this day, they took me to this safe harbor where about 25-30 Gondolas were tied up for the day. I got lucky with the way these 4boats lined up in a row.

And don’t worry about getting lost…there are sign posts all over town. If you make St. Marks Square your home base, you will never be lost. All signs point the way to that great landmark. And don’t worry about being run over by crazy Italian drivers…automobiles are not allowed here. Besides, they would not fit.

Venice is one of perhaps five places you should see before your time on earth is completed. Spring and Fall are excellent times to go…but never, under any circumstances, go there in the summer. It is hot, humid, and very crowded. OK…if you have to, you have to. Just go.

(To see a larger version of this photo, just click on the image)

To see more of my work, both in photography and digital painting, please visit my website, www.corkrum.com

If you subscribe to this blog by e-mail and wish to purchase a print or send a free e-mail greeting card using this image, click this link to the main Postcard Blog Site.

Postcard from the Desert

This is a Cholla Cactus…also known down here as a Jumping Cholla. Why? Because if you get close, a segment of the cactus will jump off and stick itself into the closest part of your body. And trust me, it hurts. Not only that, but they are very difficult to remove.

Just look at the hundreds of needles on the plant. When it “attacks,” there is no way to grab hold of it to get it off…and the needles go deep. Each needle is very sharp and has hundreds of microscopic scales. The scales work like a fishhook. They go into your skin easily, but the scales expand making it hard to remove.

Static electricity is enough to detach the spikes and stick them on a passing animals or humans. Also vibrations of someone walking close by can cause them to jump.

A couple of years ago, I was attacked by one. I don’t believe I brushed against one…believe me with those needles I would have known it. All I know was there was one of them stuck in by side and another in my leg. I used a handkerchief to get them off me as that is all I had.

Veteran desert travelers always carry a comb or a pair of needle nose pliers. Using a comb allows you to have leverage over the needles and they will come out…but you will feel it for several hours.

A couple of weekends ago, my son was visiting here and we saw a young lady get stuck. Eric is a Border Patrol Agent and he is quite familiar with the nasty cactus from his desert patrols. He used his shirt to wrap around the needles and remove them from her skin.  

So why do they jump? Believe it or not, it is their way of reproducing. When you pull a segment out of your skin, of course you throw it on the ground. In the winter months, that segment will grow roots and become another Cholla. That is why you will often see a forest of Cholla plants growing together. Clever, eh?

They do produce a lovely flower this time of year, but it is neutral…it is not used for reproduction like most other flowers.

So take a good look at this photo…memorize it. When you come down this way, make sure you don’t get close to these buggers as you will pay a heavy, painful price. You’ve been warned!

Postcard from a Washington Beach

After the Storm

After the storm
the sea is calm
Once dark clouds,
threatening and cold,
separate and
the light again
shines brightly
over now gentle waters

Peace surrounds us
Fears fade away
Chill winds that stirred
and left us cold and shaking
are now at rest.
Life again fills with light,
calming fears of life's storm
that rise within oneself.

Beyond the clouds
the sun is always shining
the sky is always blue.
Clouds change and waves
rise and fall, come and go.
The unchanging is eternal.
Storms are but awhile
and so with faith I wait!

Peace, serenity.
Tranquil seas.
Light overcomes darkness.
The gentle breeze
awakens my spirit.
My soul is ready for the new day.
Beautiful is God's creation and love
and I embrace the Eternal embracing me!

N. Ellsworth Bunce - 1998

 

(To see a larger version of this photo, just click on the image)

To see more of my work, both in photography and digital painting, please visit my website, www.corkrum.com

If you subscribe to this blog by e-mail and wish to purchase a print or send a free e-mail greeting card using this image, click this link to the main Postcard Blog Site.

Postcard from Tucson

To paraphrase an old Broadway tune, “Spring is bustin’ out all over.” When I take my morning walks, that song pops into my head as I parade past the flowering cactus here in the Sonoran Desert. And yes, my walks are getting earlier and earlier as the temps start to rise. It won’t be long before I walk around sunrise at 5:30 to escape the overpowering summer desert sun.

As mentioned before, I live in the western foothills above Tucson. so I just have to go a few feet to see a variety of blooming cactus. I love this time of the year! Right now, the blossoms are mostly on some of the smaller and medium size cactus. But, it won’t be long before the giant Saguaro Cactus show their stuff. Nature saves the best for last.

Just down the street is a hill covered with hundreds of Saguaro. It’s like a forest, with each cactus having its own personality. After the first 100 years, you never know how the arms will twist and grow. It’s quite spectacular, to say the least.

But, for now, I will be content with the smaller variety, like the one pictured here. I found this little gem in a neighbor’s yard. Remember this is the desert here…we don’t have lawns. We decorate with rocks and cactus. You won’t find many power lawn mowers on sale at a Home Depot here. The only lawns are on the golf courses. When I lived in the northern climates, I always wondered about all the efforts we put into our lawns. So much work to keep them clean, green and trimmed. On that score, give me the desert every time. A lot less work.

I was disappointed this year when the hills here did not yield any ground cover wildflowers. I thought we had enough rain for them to come forth. But alas, it was not to be.

I remember a couple of years ago when I drove the 3.5 hours from Yuma to home and the desert was non-stop wildflowers all the way. That was spectacular. So this year, we must all be content with this year’s crop of cactus flowers…and I am.

(To see a larger version of this photo, just click on the image)

To see more of my work, both in photography and digital painting, please visit my website, www.corkrum.com

If you subscribe to this blog by e-mail and wish to purchase a print or send a free e-mail greeting card using this image, click this link to the main Postcard Blog Site.