Hurricane Irene

Here in the Research Triangle, we're on the western edges of the storm, contending with mostly winds and the occasional downpour.  We have some power outages, maybe some creeks or ponds will break their banks, but for the most part, this will probably be just another day to hunker down and then we'll go back to living our normal lives tomorrow after the cloud bands have passed us by.

Further east, it is a different story.  Making landfall near Cape Lookout, Irene is marching across the eastern third of the state, wreaking havoc on the Outer Banks, the sounds, and the small towns that dot the landscape.

Our Governor Bev Perdue summed it up best:

"We're preparing for the worst & praying for the best.  That's what we do here in North Carolina."

The Events: Naked & Hungry at the Spa at Bell House

This past Friday, Spa at Bell House in Pittsboro, NC hosted my friend Ashley Memory for another reading from her upcoming novel, Naked & Hungry.  Spa at Bell House offers a variety of services to provide complete wellness care and those in attendance received chair massages to help unwind & be ready for an evening of literary entertainment.

As we sat on the charming front porch, enjoying sweets, sweet tea, and each others' sweet company, Ashley read us a pair of passages featuring the character of Margaret, a high-strung gal who so desperately needs a day to kick back and relax.

In case you missed it, mark your calendar for October 21 when Ashley returns to Spa at Bell House, this time with crepes.

The Series: Sunsets

I've always had a thing for sunsets.

It seems strange.  I've usually lived on the east side of things: the eastern coast of Florida, the eastern part of Iowa, the eastern seaboard.  I'm much more a morning lark than night owl; sunrise is my favorite time of day.

But sunsets are an entirely different kind of magic.

Depending on the weather, the air quality, the temperature, or your elevation, sunsets can be anything from mundane to extraordinary. 

Shooting them can be tough, as sometimes they're so fleeting or change so rapidly that you have to work quickly.  But this is a chance to experiment with your ISO settings, filters, and exposure to capture that scene in all its beauty.

Sunset from a plane; over Jacksonville, FL

Sunset over Blue Ridge Mountains; Asheville, NC

Sunset over Iowa City, IA

Sky on Fire; Durham, NC

The Sites: Korean War Veterans Memorial

On my recent trip to DC, I took a day to visit each of the war memorials on the National Mall, beginning with the Korean War Veterans Memorial.

We arrived in the late morning amid a light drizzle, which cast a shadowy light across the space; I can only imagine how hauntingly beautiful this must be in the silence of a thick morning fog.

Nestled near the reflecting pool and the Lincoln Memorial, the space is thoughtful and thought-provoking.  19 figures march in formation; when reflected in the soaring granite walls, their numbers double to 38, symbolizing the 38th parallel.  The granite wall is etched with nameless faces, depicting the land, sea, and air troops that served.  It is an interesting contrast to the faceless names of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, which sits on the opposite side of the reflecting pool. 

 

Following the wall takes you to the point of the memorial's triangle, where the path meets a reflecting pool with a simple phrase:

Looking back at the silent figures on patrol is eerie, even with dozens of other visitors around you. 

As you continue around the memorial path, gaining distance from the scenes etched into the granite, the faces fade in detail.  It seems a harsh metaphor inherent in the space, this distance and this fading from memory.  The phrase is often tossed around for political impact, but there is a true gravity to its reality: indeed, freedom is not free. 

The Events: Coffee & Crepes

Last week, I headed over to Coffee & Crepes in Cary for another reading by Ashley Memory from her upcoming novel, Naked & Hungry.

Celebrating her main character H.T.'s love of all things food, we sat outside, where we socialized, chatted about the book, and sampled fresh blackberry crepes before Ashley read from the book.  As the evening drew to a close, a nearly full moon rose over the trees.

Be sure to join Ashley for future readings - stay tuned to her site for upcoming events!