December 18, 2022
gem
dogs, farm, fire, party, photography
dogs, photography, solstice, solstice fire, solstice party, video, winter solstice, winter solstice 2022
It all started at 3pm for me (with the perfunctory “lighting of the barrel”). Just making sure there was a heat source for people who arrived before the big bonfire lighting.
The sky was gorgeous.
And soon there were solstice attendees and tiki torches.
We lit the fire shortly after 5pm when it finally got dark enough. There were LOTS of people here for the lighting. It was a good one.
The fire had a huge core (that is still burning late the next day).
Meanwhile up at the barn there was terrible Christmas music, lots of food, and a great sense of camaraderie.
The homemade eggnog (recipe here) made things a little blurry. Delicious.
The space between the barn and the bonfire is always magical. This year, the lasers were particularly remarkable.
And the highlight of the evening for me. Music with Clark and Gina. Yes please. This is how we turn the sun.
We wrapped things up around midnight with the last of the hearty attendees, leaving a large pack of 20 somethings to deal with the skunk!
Moonshine loved it.
And he says, now that everything is cleaned up, lets do it again!
Thanks to all who came. Magical.
December 7, 2022
gem
photography, travel
cliveden house, england, maidenhead, photo shoot, photography, solstice card, uk
Cliveden House is a very nice place for a walk outside. We were on a quest to make some photos for our solstice card. We did it!
Romey walks the grounds.
Noel plays the part
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Location one
The one below is the one we chose for the front.
Noel and Romey way up there.
Location two.
Here is the shot we chose for the back of our card.
November 11, 2022
gem
hiking, mountain, nature, photography, travel
hiking, mountains, nature, Norway, photography, travel, vettisfossen, video, waterfall
The day could not have been prettier. Light rain, but gorgeous light. And peak Fall leaves. And waterfalls everywhere you look. The funny thing is, though we hiked about 13km, we never made it to the big waterfall! Ran out of light.
I guess we’ll just have to go back
THIS is not the one! But look. Spectacular does not even begin to describe this walk.
We had some very late lunch very near the top at an old farmstead and village.
The turn around point.
November 11, 2022
gem
hiking, travel
dogs, gøran, hiking, mountains, nature, Norway, nova, photography, romey, travel, video
Sometimes walking out the door and around back is the best way to hike. We bushwhacked up through juniper and blueberry towards a small lake where fish are rumored to live. Tyinkrysset, Norway is beautiful.
This little stream is just up the road a few hundred meters.
Here are some pictures of our walk in the mountains.
A view of the valley.
Chilly Romey.
Panorama
Our intrepid hosts at the top. Our fearless leader Nova was dressed for the weather.
We love being in Norway.
Coffee and brown cheese? Nova says yes.
November 8, 2022
gem
hiking, mountain, nature, photography
backwards waterfall, gøran, nature, Norway, photography, reindeer, romey, video, waterfall, waterfalls
It’s pretty far to get to the waterfall, and the directions are tricky.
Maybe it’s that way?
Should we follow the reindeer?
And you have to stop by the visitors center snack place where they have really nothing. No coffee today, no waffles, nope, no water, sorry only candy made from juniper berries.
But there it is! Upness in a waterfall.
OK. Not the best waterfall in Norway, or really even the most interesting. But there were reindeer!
Peekaboo romey.
On the way home we dreamed of bubbles.
September 5, 2022
gem
nature, river, who knows
gem, kayak, nature, photography, river, romey, shenandoah, shenandoah river, skaggs, video
We are way too busy. During COVID the river was a key respite for us. Time to get back to our roots.
A run in September is just what the doctor ordered.
Honestly, they did answer…
Boyle’s boat looking grand.
A run of the class 0 rapids (with one hand).
Here’s to more Fall runs during 2022.
September 5, 2022
gem
art
art, art museum, hirshhorn, joan, photography, romey, video, washington dc, yayoi kusama
There were circles. Which is my favorite part.
Romey and Joan arrive
We waited for our timed entry.
And finally it was time.
Then more waiting.
And it was time again.
And then, you guessed it, more waiting!
And it was the last time.
Well worth the wait. Wow.
Our reality is not quite as…
July 23, 2022
gem
art, politics
art, art museum, dali, film, light, madrid, modern art, Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, photography, picasso, politics, queens, romey, sculpture, spain, video
There is lots of politics pervading the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía which if you think about it is somewhat ironic. I mean, the place itself is named after a queen. And lots of anti-imperial politics pervades (including some well-deserved anti-Americanism). But a queen? What kind of democracy has a monarch? Or still reveres a monarch? Seriously. Those days need to be behind us as a species.
Anyway, the ill-begotten gains of monarchy are at least being spent on art and not on oppression. Or is art just an opiate slightly stronger than religion? These are difficult issues to plumb.
And are they old fashioned or what? No pictures of some of the pictures? Trapped in the past they are. The guernica room is a shrine that should be full of life, not a mausoleum. Spain still seems to have a Franco hangover.
But still, go. The sound and the fury be damned.
The light is excellent.
Shadowplay.
Take a green break.
Watch mute.
And then coffee.
June 25, 2022
gem
film, music, photography
claudia, download, download festival, festival, five finger death punch, germany, live music, markus, markus schumacher, metal, metallica, music, photography, video
What do you do when you land in Germany? The answer involves a Camaro and the Autobahn and Metallica.
Markus’s airport car service
After a quick shower to wash off the metal tube, it’s time for the first Radler. A slippery slope to lots of beer. It is, after all, Germany.
The download festival. Here we come.
The duck is your co-pilot
Cider for the win
In the van things are serious
The weather GOOD
The weather BAD
duckface
After a bunch of beers (who is counting?), we wound our way over a 5km spiral into the venue. Germans are a very orderly bunch. Bt who thought up this entrance and exit plan?
MOO.
Sabaton from Sweden
Rock and roll
What?!
My crowd. What an unruly, fantastic bunch.
There was beer
Did I mention the part about the beer?
We pushed off the rain through sheer psychic magic, but it was only delayed.
Nap time for the American
Five Finger Death Punch
You may start with five fingers, but you will end up with four.
Finally, Metallica
Are you feeling good? Yes, we are.
Some guitar for you.
Rocker
Nothing else matters in this crowd of strangers. Metalheads are a welcoming bunch.
I am not alone.
My first metal show was the best one ever.
June 3, 2022
gem
art
art, art installation, barns of rose hill, berryville, BORH, digital art, digital psychedelic art, eli mcgraw, original art, photography, the ulluh, ulluh, video, Virginia
In the end it is a sight to behold. That is, the transformation from a workaday, poorly conceived upper gallery blank slate into a thoughtful exhibition of great beauty and striking talent. Feast your eyes on this…
The (almost) final instantiation of digital psychedelic art by ulluh
This is the first formal showing of ulluh’s art on planet earth, and it is an incredible testament to the power of digital art and artistic vision.
Here’s how the show went up.
Stands for the digital displays (seven of them in the show, all told), five on these rolling stands.
This window required covering, and the space could use some chopping up and conceptual clarity.
That’s more like it. The blue leaks into the great hall like the glow of an old school TV. All intentional design.
Screens booting up. Each of these displays show three pieces in a six minute cycle. They are synchronized. The art gets an opportunity to speak for itself.
Romey’s couch and a 10.5 by 8 feet divider create a space for more intentional viewing. This is where the absolutely stunning builds are shown in an 18 minute loop. Watching the artist’s creative process is both informative and captivating. Wow. Once again, the blue light brings the space an altered reality.
Shadow box frames hover off the wall.
The rest of the space creates a natural eddy, flowing around the room, drawing the viewer in.
The prints go up, each its own reflection of a digital display.
A build caught in early action.
This art is the result of hundreds of hours of painstaking and thoughtful work. Each piece has a deep story to tell. Lean more here.
The show runs at the Barns of Rose Hill through July 2nd.
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