The Chute

The Chute, originally uploaded by gwENvision.

I think we figured out that this is probably a slide for one of the haunted houses in the West Bottoms. It's one of my most popular photos on Flickr and I've never quite understood why. It is unusual and the spiral form makes for a nice composition. The black and white treatment turned out very dramatic. However I'm still not quite sure why it has drawn so much attention. Go figure.

Traincar Abstract

Traincar Abstract, originally uploaded by gwENvision.

It was a looong train so I figured that I might as well whip out the camera to keep myself amused. I'm always looking for new ways to shoot trains. I thought the double stacked containers on the train made a nice silhouette against the sunset. Then it was off to shoot some bridges at dusk.

I finally got my Utata project finished just in time. The photos are uploaded and tagged and I have a few more days to write some text, maybe even some poetry.

The dog days of summer are here. Hot, dry and no change in sight. It is just a matter of weeks before kids go back to school. Maybe I'll take some vacation and do some short day trips around the area.

River of Glass

Power Plant on the Missouri, originally uploaded by gwENvision.

This is the Sibley Power Plant on the MIssouri River in Eastern Jackson County. It always amazes me when the river looks like this. Not hardly a ripple or disturbance, more like a lake than the powerful river we know the Missouri to be. Of course the Big Muddy has many moods, calm and glassy like this is just one of them. We've had a recent demonstration of full, muddy and filled with debris during the flooding this spring. I've seen white caps in windy conditions and ice jams in the winter. No matter what mood the river might take on it is endlessly interesting and a constant source of amazement.

Rose of Mystery

Secret Admirer?, originally uploaded by gwENvision.

A single rose left on a study carrel in the library and never reclaimed. Was it merely forgotten or was it left for a particular person? Who was the intended recipient? A person secretly admired? What was it's purpose? A token of love? Of respect? Of gratefulness?

I guess it will remain a mystery, a source of speculation and lore.

NO SHUSHING ALLOWED!

Friday Afternoon in the Library, originally uploaded by gwENvision.

Yes it makes me happy to see people relaxing, smiling and laughing in the library. As I librarian I love it that they feel confortable just hanging out here.

Yep, most librarians aren't the Librarian from the Black Lagoon. They actually like their patrons. They want their patrons to like to come to the library. I personally like to create an atmosphere that is conducive to an open relaxed environment where people like to hang out.

I think maybe I need to add some comfortable chairs.

Construction Twilight

Construction Twilight, originally uploaded by gwENvision.

This is not the picture I had planned on taking last night. On my way to add another photo to my "l'heure bleue" set for The Utatan I saw the sliver of the moon and Venus low in the sky. Hmmmmm..... I thought, I wonder if I can work that into my shot. So then as I zipped down the Broadway Extension towards downtown and I saw this construction equipment in silhouete in the Briarcliff area, DETOUR! Needless to say I never made it downtown.

As often is the case, life happens unplanned on the way to do something else.

Bride at the Wheel

Bride at the Wheel, originally uploaded by gwENvision.

On 07/07/07, here in town like nearly every where else, you couldn't swing a dead cat without hitting a bride. My whole day I kept running into weddings. Finally here I decided to do a little wedding photography of my own. A meta-photograph, a photograph of the creation of a photograph.

There was a time when at a firefighter's wedding it would be assumed that the groom was the firefighter. Now today, I'm not so sure. This bride looks quite at home up there behind the wheel on the hook and ladder truck.

I wish them many years of happiness!

Flickr

This is a test post from , a fancy photo sharing thing.

OK, I think I've got this photo blogging thing figured out so let's get started.

I don't know what makes me think.......

.....that I think I can keep a blog going. I was never ever able to keep a diary beyond the 3rd week of January.

So the plan is this. Use lots of photography, tidbits of useless information and small doses of my personal opinion to create something that someone beside myself might find interesting. It's a plan. I never claimed it was a good plan. Only time will tell.