RSS feedMarch, 2012
As close to music as I’m ever going to come
By Silver Blue | 4 comments
4Back in the late 1990s and early 2000s, I ran an Unofficial Fan Page to former Columbia Recording artist Jane Olivor (who performed the Academy Award nominated song “The Last Time I Felt Like This” with Johnny Mathis from the movie “Same Time, Next Year”.
I first met Ms. Olivor in 1999 at the Birchmere, in Alexandria VA, when she played there for Valentine’s Day. I gushed appreciation and had to sit down before I hyperventilated.
In 2001, I actually was able to have dinner with Ms. Olivor:
In 2002, I was offered the opportunity to become her Web Manager. It was a stunning ride on the merry-go-round, during which time I saw her in concert five or six more times.
The only other photo I have of us together is:
Well, things have a way of changing and we parted ways as “the record company wanted to take over her official page.” (That was the official “request’.) Such is life, and she’s never really had a website since. Being that close to the machinations of the music industry, however, left the polish quite tarnished. I’ve never looked at “stars” with the same eye again. Fame simply doesn’t impress me. I’ve met my share of performers over the years, from Star Search winner Sam Harris, to Annie Lennox, to Basia, to Roxette … and to me, they’re all human. When they perform, they all have the ability to take my mind away from reality for a short while. But they all bleed red, they all have bills to pay, and they all put their pants on one leg at a time.
[audio:https://www.eyesofsilverblue.com/wtil.mp3]Silver Blue… who isn’t famous for any reason, and as no desire for fame and riches… yet if I know that if I make one person smile, one heart remember, one moment brighter, then I have more fame and riches than the biggest superstar there is.
Funny how time flies…
By Silver Blue
The year: 1973. The city: Kenton. The state: Ohio. The location: My Grandma’s house, the backyard sandbox, which was in a giant truck tire. The subject: 3 of my 4 cousins on Mom’s side.
From the left: me (age 4); “Mikey” Megison, Jr. (age 5); Regina Van Hoose (age 8); “Patty” Megison (age 3).
Too many years, too many miles, too many lost opportunties. The four of us wouldn’t be back together again (after circa 1984) until my Grandmother’s passing in 2008.
The year: 2008. The city: Kenton. The state: Ohio. The location: My Grandma’s house, the backyard flowerbed, which is now in that self-same giant truck tire. The subject: 3 of my 4 cousins on Mom’s side.
From the left: “Patte” (Megison) Lamer (age 38); me (age 39); Regina (Van Hoose) Soape (age 43); Michael Megison, Jr. (age 40).
35 years had passed since we had our photo taken together. Chances are good that we’ll never pass that way again to all be in the same place as the same time. In fact, I have four cousins (there are five grandkids), and to be best of my knowledge, only one photo was taken with all five of us together:
From left: Michael Megison, Jr.; “Patte” (Megison) Lamer; me, Regina (Van Hoose) Soape; Douglas Michael Van Hoose. (Taken at Grandma’s funeral viewing, September 9, 2008)
[audio:https://www.eyesofsilverblue.com/sr-hbty.mp3]Silver Blue…who does try holding back the years…but to no avail…
A Study in Colour (Part 2)
By Silver Blue | 1 comment
1Not much to say this evening. I’m in a rather introspective mood, but I wanted to share some more photos from the trip to Busch Gardens:
The colour, the water droplets, even the mulch come together to act as one.
A wheelbarrow of spring. Overflowing in its greenery, simplistic in its colouration.
Un petit oiseau, jaune.
Tis the season for tulips and pansies.
As well as tulips and dusty miller.
[audio:https://www.eyesofsilverblue.com/tf-epce.mp3]Silver Blue, who wonders how different the world would be if people took time to not only stop and experience the world around them, but if they were for accepting of those who are different. What if… everything were possible?
A Study in Colour (Part 1)
By Silver Blue | 1 comment
1
A trip to Busch Gardens, Williamsburg, has put me on a study of colour, from the garish tones in the above photo, which to me still work as the flowers and greenery spill forth from this window box planter to the simplistic….
…single red tulip blooming in a field of purple pansies. I call this “Never be afraid to stand out in a crowd.”
Learning to use depth of field (known in the photographic world as “Bokeh”) to throw the background out of focus so that you don’t have sensory overload from EVERYTHING being sharp and your brain going “what do I focus on? This? That? This?” is something I’m really beginning to have fun with.
Of course, I realize that most of the flowers at BGW have been “forced” into bloom in greenhouses, the weather has been so peculiar this year that it really wouldn’t surprise me to see petunias, pansies and snapdragons all in perfect harmony. (In fact, this morning while cutting the manor grounds here at the Shenandoah Forester, I noted that the wild violets are already in bloom — something that normally doesn’t happen until late April/early May.)
One of the things I appreciate most about the groundskeepers at BGW is that they aren’t afraid to juxtapose opposites on the colour wheel for dramatic effect.
[audio:https://www.eyesofsilverblue.com/aob-liaf.mp3]Silver Blue, who loves this time of year, even though I suffer from bad seasonal allergies.
Night I left the city…I dreamt of a wolf…
By Silver Blue
Went to Passport Preview day at Busch Gardens, Williamsburg today. Weather was perfect and it was worth putting up with the pollen.
I’ve never heard the grey wolves howl in the park…. until today.
In fact, over in Germany, at the Curse of Dar Kastle ride, a large wolf statue says…. CHEESE!
The thing that I really appreciate about BGW however, is how well they tend to their grounds (a veritable wheelbarrow of Spring):
Plus, the fact they act as caretakers this year to four Bald Eagles who have been injured in the wild and cannot fly or hunt, so are protected and fed here:
and…
This one, if I recall correctly, injured his wing by flying into a power line and almost lost the wing to injury and infection (hence the reason it wasn’t able to be “re-set” so he can fly).
All in all a great day… even if time passed too quickly.
Silver Blue, who is thankful Mother Nature held off on her rain and storms and let me have MY day, making the most of the shots…
(*title from “Cry Wolf” by a-ha)
Where the HDR fascination started…
By Silver Blue
I was in Ghent, Norfolk, VA, and had shot a good number of photos of the Naro Theater and … back in those days, the only option I knew of was the somewhat primitive Photoshop option.
A different look (not necessarily better, but different) is now available by clicking three buttons.
The lower is garish, while the top appears lost in a fog. The difference is that the top photo took (when I rendered it, back in 2007) about 15 minutes of heavy computing power. The lower one took about 8 seconds.
Sometimes, however, just a proper exposure for neon can make all the difference. This one has no HDR effects applied at all, and it’s the one I prefer most:
Silver Blue…. who tries to capture what lights up his world.
A visit from Cat Man Deux
By Silver Blue
Cat Man Deux sits watching over Meditation Corner at the Shenandoah Forester. I encountered him in New Orleans in 2003, adopted him, and brought him home.
He was the closest that I could find to a Silver and Blue Harlequin.
Here he is in front of the “Living Proof Farewell Tour” programme:
He makes sure that nothing bothers me when I am deep in meditation. 🙂
Silver Blue, who sees lightning out the window and wants to get this posted before we possibly lose power and/or internet….
Come taste life….
By Silver Blue | 1 comment
1Still life, that is. From an event on campus this evening, the ruins of the pan of bacon wrapped scallops.
There’s just something about this photo that I really enjoy. Heaven knows it wasn’t the food! Still, at least the limes were cut decoratively and had their peels also decorated.
Silver Blue, who knows that being able to mass produce food does not a real “Chef” make. (I wonder if the scallops were bought pre-prepared….)
A long (and long overdue) post about Roxette Bunny™
By Silver Blue | 1 comment
1Roxette Bunny™ is the cutest, truest, and sky bluest bunny that has ever existed. She hopped into my life in 2003, and made herself right at home. She’s a great travel companion, and being that she recently traveled to Virginia Beach with me, I thought it best to take you back in time… back to Kenton, Ohio, when they were having the “Little Chicago” night in 2003 as a fundraiser to help restore the Hardin County Armory.
My late grandmother (Katie Cottle), my mom’s teacup Chihuahua (“Miette”), and Roxette (in nothing more than a bow! Scandalous!)
Hopping uptown to explore the festivities.
Paying homage to fallen heroes at the Liberty Garden.
Here, Roxette pauses to pose on the steps of the Armory.
Gazing in the windows to see what renovations have taken place (I hope her eyes were better than mine — I couldn’t see through the curtain!)
Lending a paw to the Emergency Crew of the “B-K-P Life Squad”
Inside the Armory, Roxette causes a stir by invading the men’s room!
She took some time out to raise money for scholarships…
…and oversaw the cooking of 100 chickens.
Her eye was caught (as was mine) by the silver and blue computer case in the window….
….and was distracted by looking for carats. (Carrots? Well, DIAMONDS are a girl’s (and bunny’s) best friend. LOL)
Hopping to the Arcade in search of Family Fun.
Reading about the history of the courthouse.
In front of the courthouse. A Grand Old Building.
Here, we find Roxette eying the goods at Kenton Surplus.
All that Hopping gives tiny blue bunnies a great thirst!
Roxette wanted to catch a film (Showing? Spy Kids 3D, Tomb Raider 2, and Pirates of the Carribean).
Unfortunately, she couldn’t get someone IN the ticket booth to sell her a ticket.
So, she looks at a historic site (now a parking lot) and comments on how it would be a LONG way down.
Deciding what flowers to send Grandma. The building behind her used to be a laundromat and the Wards store in town.
Roxette proves that even small blue bunnies, when they pop out of the mailbox, can startle the mailman.
Even bunnies like to have fun, and sliding down the banister is just the thing!
Roxette was to go to New Orleans with me, to Florida, Nags Head, and other places… so you may see those photos at some point in the future.
[audio:https://www.eyesofsilverblue.com/ls-aatw.mp3]Silver Blue, who remains young at heart, thanks to a small blue piece of plush, affectionately known as Roxette Bunny™
Have a Coke and a smile.
By Silver Blue
Continuing from this post, I thought it best to show you a new found treasure, the current state of the building, and what fate befell the original Coca-Cola plant.
The original set of photos had been taken in 2007; I’d not been back to the neighbourhood in 5 years. What changes would meet me?
The abandoned plant is still in relatively good shape:
The end two Coke bottles still have their coverings over them which were put in place (actually, over all four Coke bottles, the Coca-Cola Logo panels, and the center “Newport News Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Inc”) when the plant was shuttered. I’m surprised that Coke, proper, hasn’t attempted to salvage one of the stone bottles, or some of the stonework. This is history! Then again, to today’s society… history isn’t what it used to be.
The old plant, sadly, met with a disappointing fate. The building was donated to be rehabilitated and repurposed into apartments. The city inspector came, declared the building structurally unsound and condemned it. By the end of December, 2011, it was demolished. This is all that remains of the “curved” building… just a grassy field:
Comparison time:
Still, there was a bit of magic to behold.
Across the street from the remaining Coke Plant is St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church (elegant architecture that will be featured in a future blog post). Behind the Church, however, are the remnants of a painted store advertisement:
I don’t know what Perry’s was, or what this building used to be (or why it was modified), but I found it somehow comforting to see the familiar Coca-Cola bottles on it, still. In fact, if you look closely, you can see that there was a sign painted UNDER the current sign.
Taking another angle, and processing it through attempting to bring out as much detail as I could:
The word “CUSTOMER” was in a much larger font behind the current “customer”. The work “PARKING” is visible (the P A before the “Parking” and the G after Only”), and you can make out Perry’S (why the lower case for the “e” is beyond me unless it was there logo). There may have been “while shopping at” behind the current words as there appears to be a ghosted “W” beside the current “While”. I like looking at history this way.
[audio:https://www.eyesofsilverblue.com/ns-itrt.mp3]Silver Blue…who knows that everything fades away… but some memories are meant to be captured and held on to.
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