Athens and Vicinity.

This place makes me seriously wonder if there are points on the earth, beneath which, like water and oil, pools of inspiration exist. Otherwise, why would the beginning of so much of what we know and what we are as modern humans have originated here. Here are some random photos of Poseidon’s Temple, the Archeological Museum in Athens, etc.

 

Europe May/June 2022

What a trip! It began mid month in New York, where we attended the American Academy of Arts and Letters event during which Doug Peacock received an award for his new book, and his life of activism. Then we went to Virginia to watch birds, visit our friend, Anne Backer, see our son Louis, and grandkids, Malta and Sheza. Then to Paris for a few days of museums and food before Noor and Steven’s wedding. Steven is Terry’s agent who has been like family for years. The wedding went far into the night. The next morning at 0’dark thirty (after two hours of sleep) we headed to the airport to catch a plane to Athens, via Vienna. In Vienna, while getting off the plane while sleepwalking, I missed the turn to our gate and ended up exiting the airport. After racing back through security and down the Concourse got to the gate where Terry has convinced the gate-keeper to hold the plane. Bless her. Then after three hours in the Athens airport figuring out where our luggage was, we headed to a ferry with a sun deck, where I sat in bliss for the hour and a half ride to Hydra, which was a bit like dying and going to heaven. There we got in on the tail end of Tassos and Felicia’s wedding weekend–Felicia is like a god-daughter to us– which was glorious and heaven, and spent four days eating and walking and watching the sun set. Now, here we are in Athens with great friends, Bill and Story (Felicia’s parents). They’re like having the most qualified guides to the city. We’re also with Annette, our great friend from SLC who has a way of seeing ahead to any potential glitch, plus she’s tons of fun. And also new Friends: Story’s brother Joe, who loves birds, and his wife and amazing (AMAZING) daughters. Here are some sample photos in no particular order.

Dragonflies

Years ago, I had a dream in which a dragonfly appeared to me. I wouldn’t have thought much about it except that within an hour of having that dream I noticed a small swarm of dragonflies hovering near a small stream, more in one moment than I recalled seeing in my lifetime. That was the first of dozens of encounters I’ve had since the dream. This, compared to one encounter that I can recall prior to dreaming that dragonfly. At first my encounters were spontaneous, accidental, surprising. But lately, as I’ve learned their habits, habitats, and flight seasons, I go looking for them. I’m working on a book in which I explore both the natural and imaginal ecology of these fascinating creatures. Here you’ll find photos I’ve taken to document some of my encounters.

 

 

 

Publicity Photos

 

My friend, DanSchrag, took this of me by the Colorado River. I like it. Let me know if you want to use it and I’ll get you the original which is much higher quality.

 

This is a selfie

 

 

Taken by Terry in Kaktovik, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. This is me hiding behind a Bowhead Whale vertebra at the Village Bone Pile. Residents are allowed to kill three whales each year. They once would find them out at sea, harpoon them, drag them up on distant ice for butchering. Climate Change has melted the ice forcing the hunters to bring the whales onto shore near their village for processing. This attracts Polar Bears. To mitigate the unintended consequences of having Polar Bears roaming town, the whale bones are taking to a small peninsula on the outskirts. There, the polar bears feed on them throughout the year. This photo was taken during one of the few periods without any Polar Bears nearby.

 

 

Terry took this on a bright winter day on the Colorado

 

 

Terry took this of me being a tourist–drinking Turkish Coffee at a sidewalk cafe in Istanbul.

 

 

Terry also took this….as I recall in NYC’s Metropolitan Museum of Art. There was an exhibit about portrait photography, as I recall….they had a studio set up complete with backgrounds and chairs for visitors to set up and make their own portraits.