Mark Wade

New Neighbor

on June 23, 2022June 23, 2022 By Mark Wade 7 Comments

Ya can’t take an oriole
And put it in a pigeon-hole

Bathing in a finger bowl
Eating taco casserole

What’s left of their sausage roll
Will end up in a cubby hole

Eaten on a kaiser-roll
A total lack of self-control

Hooded oriole –

Almost Full

on June 14, 2022June 14, 2022 By Mark Wade 6 Comments

Certainly
Beyond half full
Positive vibes
Bringing on the night

We live on a hill, so gravity reminds us constantly who is in charge.
Two nights ago, while planning the garden, a covey of quail waltzed through our conversation. Half a dozen females scurried to the fence and hopped onto the entangled foliage. Several males/females followed suit. Finally, the dominate male and his mate brought up the rear and joined them.
We were within ten feet of them and they took no notice of us. I held my breath the entire time…or maybe just kept still and quiet. The experience was prodding enough to take out the Z6 and make some work last night. Perhaps they will return and I can make some portraits.

From the top tier of the property, due east Ramona mountains.

Life is a Blur

on May 27, 2022May 27, 2022 By Mark Wade 5 Comments

Plans are for making
Constantly pushing
Constantly breaking

It was a Sunday. We spent the day prepping and painting. As the day was closing we sat at the top tier of the new property, exhausted. Peering through the trees, I spied the orange of the blood moon rising. A slight tinge rang up my spine. “I should be set up somewhere with a tripod and a decent lens making some images of this event.” It echoed in my brain like the nagging sore muscles that covered my body. It was a split second visceral reaction engrained into my psyche from the last eighteen years of concerted efforts in photography.
We drove home back to the old homestead of thirty-two years. The forty-minute drive was quiet. We were both thinking the same thing “what have we gotten ourselves into?” Neither one of us would say it. Now was a time for resolute dedication. There was no room for second guessing.
As I exited the car I gazed up at the beauty of that blood moon. It was so compelling and awe inspiring. It’s red-orange smokiness harbored eons of superstition and lore. Imagine entire kingdoms, generals and seers warning of impending doom based on the omen in the sky. Who could resist?! I made a quick monopod set-up and made some images with my 200-600. There was no getting focus, no matter what I tried. After several minutes, I gave in. I simply didn’t have the strength to continue.

That was twelve days ago. Since then, most of the paint is done. Much of the new floor needs installation. All of the baseboards need replacing. Today, one week after move-in we got hot water (another story). Yesterday, we figured out why our internet connection wasn’t working. We fixed it ourselves.

Tomorrow we finish cleaning the old home and turn over the keys. That little place is full of memories, laughter, tears, struggles and victories. Our grown daughters lived out their childhoods there. Now they have their own beginnings and it’s time for ours.

Tonight, I stood at the top tier of the property again. The mountain behind us is calling. It’s chaparral has its own secrets and tales ready to be seen and told. Soon enough, when the dust is settled and my knees are a little less sore we will meet and speak to one another. Who knows what will happen next?!

A very banal view from the rear of our property. Soon enough I can make time for good light.

Homes and Houses

on April 15, 2022April 15, 2022 By Mark Wade 7 Comments

A house is not necessarily a home.
Until voices and smells
Crying and laughing
Struggles and discovery
Make it so

(Draft started 3/30/22)
It’s been awhile since I’ve caught up on my WordPress reading/writing.
My wife Robin and I are moving to a new location.
After thirty-two years in the same location.
And, our daughter and her husband will be moving with us. (I know, don’t start a sentence with “and”).

What an utter disruption. All of the legality(s), buying, selling, upgrading, fixing, budgeting, signing, soon-to-be-light-construction is trying its best to kill my creative side. Through it all, I find the decompression of nature to be the finest balm. If I have a camera with me, even better.

When it came time to “stage” the house, I packed my main computer and have been using my laptop. I am grateful to have the laptop. It is very powerful. Old guy that I am, I prefer my PC. A nice big screen, a sure footed mouse, and no battery shenanigans. I wanted to go get it out of storage, but I haven’t been walking in several days and that comes first. After a brief search in the storage facility, I realized it’s behind a mass of boxes and stuff. Motivation won out and the PC is back in business.

I found a nesting hummingbird about a week ago at Mission Trails. I think I’ll go visit her today and forget about the floors, paint, counter tops, tree trimming,1% good faith down payment, caulking, electrical trim, new refrigerator, docu-sign, fix the gutters at the new place stuff (short list).

Update: I’ve returned several times to see the hummingbird and she’s a no-show.

Things will be different in the new location. Less light at night, less noise, fewer crowds. I’ve never lived that way. I’ve always lived near a freeway or main thoroughfare. The hum of the city and all its trappings will be something I go to and not live in. Hope we like it.

I am pretty sure I will not be visiting Mission Trails Regional Park as often as I do.
That story will need to wait. Too much emotion attached.

Photograph – multiple exposures- black phoebe – color manipulations and Polar Coordinates in PSE

Expended Energy

on March 17, 2022March 17, 2022 By Mark Wade 5 Comments

Go to the gym.
That’s the encouragement
¿Making us better?

Life is full of advice. Eat this, don’t eat that. We are told what to do, what to think.
My advice, expend energy to make things and make things better.
Bulked up people are attractive maybe. Muscle that is created to look at is useless.
Hands that grow food, lift up a needy person, build a bird house, feed a child, have purpose beyond a self-aggrandizing role.
Being fit is important. There are many ways to get there that has more to do with creating and building up outside of ourselves.

The latest moral emergency(s) reminds us that for as far as we have come, we have much further to go.
I am numb from it all and believe nothing to be absolute. Propaganda is not unique, it is typical for all countries.
Since the advent of television, conflicts have been brought into our homes for dinner-time viewing. It creates wealth when we watch. So, I don’t. We will not see all conflicts. Many of them have been going on for some time, but lack of interest does not make it “worth” reporting.
Yes, there are still tyrants in power that will wield that power at the expense of human lives.
Yes, the victims need help. We should be concerned. We should care and help.
As per usual, many of us end up feeling helpless. No matter what we can do, it will affect very little.
That insufficiency is constant, and frustrates those of us who live in peace.

Sometimes the best we can do is grow food, lift up a needy person, build a bird house, feed a child, have purpose beyond a self-aggrandizing role.

Image; Composite of (2) Multiple Exposure Photographs “Conflict2” –
https://bluemarblephotography.smugmug.com/Composites/Birdscapes/i-rfX57Tr/A