Key To the Highway

” Gonna Leave Here Runnin', walking's much too slow" . Key to the Highway is probably my single all time favorite song. Whether it's Derek & The Dominoes or Rick Derringer, I'm there...

It's gettin' dark, too dark for me to see

Bob Dylan's original version of "Knocking On Heaven's Door" made it's top 40 debut today (9/29) back in 1973. Dylan made it to #12 with this song, which has become a staple of the rock music industry. It's been covered by just about everybody from Avril Lavigne to Warren Zevon

Peaceful Moment #42

Coeur d'Alene river, near Cataldo, ID. Not far from Cataldo Mission. Just a few minutes before the rain settled in for a stay.

Fading Through The Door Into Summer.....

reposted from 1 yr ago today

Taken last fall, as summer was fading away. Indian summer, even.
Mississippi River Valley from McAdams Peak, Pere Marquette State Park, North of St.Louis. Late in the afternoon, on a hike with 2 of my kids. The ladybugs were swarming something terrible..... Kodak LS443, Photoshop Elements, Converted to B&W.

Candy Blues

Hmmmmm…… One large M, among the S’s...

Kind of Blue...

14 years ago today (1991) Jazz trumpet great Miles Davis died in Santa Monica, Calif., at age 65. He was considered the most famous trumpeter of his generation and the innovator of more styles than any other jazz musician. No music fan should be without his classic album "Kind Of Blue", which pulled in at #12 on Rolling Stones list of the 500 greatest albums ever made. If you didn't know, Miles Davis was born in Alton, Illinois and moved to East. St. Louis a year later. He's "enshrined" in the St. Louis Walk Of Fame...

Live Each Season as it Passes....

reposted from 1 yr ago today:

"Live each season as it passes, resign yourself to the influences of each." (Henry David Thoreau). Taken early this spring, on a misty day. But seems appropriate as we transition to fall.... Silver Lake Park, Highland IL, Kodak LS443 Digital camera, Photoshop Elements.

BetterPhoto.com August Winners

Better Photo has (finally) posted their winners for the August contest. I got shut out this month, but several friends did well!! Check out all the wonderful images!!

Did she get tired or did she just get lazy?

on this date (9/27) back in 1975, the Eagles broke the Top 40 with "Lyin' Eyes", the not-exactly-cheerful little ditty about a cheating wife. This one must have been a disapointment to the band, as it stalled at #2. One more notch and it would've been their 3rd straight #1.

Autumn Blues

Have you ever loved something, that you thought you knew? Have you ever lost someone, who was close to you?Well I lost my lover, and my summer too.....to autumn...... (Edgar Winter Group - Autumn)

Sorry About That, Chief...

I just saw a headline that says Don Adams passed away today. Adams, of course, was agent Maxwell Smart from the 60's comedy "Get Smart". I used to love that show, the theme song will be lodged in my head for the rest of the day..... Don Adams was 82.

Suzanne, the plans they made put an end to you...

One of my all-time favorite songs, "Fire and Rain" made it's chart debut on this day (9/26) back in 1970. Jame Taylor's autobiographical song made it to #3, and launched his career.

Rainy Days and Mondays....

Another abstraction, driving in the rain. This was taken about 30 seconds before yesterday’s shot…. .

The lake, it is said, never gives up her dead...

This day (9/25), back in 1976 saw the top 40 debut of one of the more depressing hits of the decade. Gordon Lightfoot's ballad of the true story, "The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald" was a sensation. This ode to watery death reached #2.

Going Green

An experiment in abstraction. Taken from a moving car on a rainy day, 30mph and ½ second exposure...

I Don't Care.... What You Do.....I Wouldn't Want To Be Like You

On this date (9/24) in 1977, Alan Parsons Parsons Project cracked the Top 40 with "I Wouldn't Want To Be Like You" . This was from the concept album "I Robot", which I was just lestening to today!

Red on Green

Little berries on a tree…...

Shy Of A Load

another repost, from 1 year ago today.....

Scanned from original 35mm print, from the Nikon. Cropped and minor adjustments in PSE2.0

Like a rubber-neck giraffe you look into my past....

Making it's chart debut on this day (9/23) back in 1972, Leon Russell, with "Tightrope". Leon R. is one of those truely interesting characters in rock, who has been involved in all sorts of cool things. I recently bought his retrospective CD, and discovered several songs I'd forgotten about. Tightrope made it to #11, btw.

If you would know strength and patience, welcome the company of trees

quote from Hal Borland. This is a reworking of a shot from last November….

Each Walk Undertaken Is A Shadow Not Stayed In

another repost, from 1 year ago today.....

Here's an oldie, but a goodie... This was taken back in high school, a mere 27 years ago. I scanned the original slide a couple of years ago, and added effects in MGI Photosuite (which is what I was using back then). This is from the C&O Canal Hiking trail, near Big Pool MD. The quote is from Michael Dennis Browne, a poet we studied in high school.

Get The Knack

Remember The Knack?? One in the long line of "next Beatles", these guys burst on the scene in 1979, with an ablum of catchy "power pop" and a pair of hits. "Good Girls Don't" made it's chart debut today (9/22) back in 1979, and peaked at #11. This was a suggestive little ditty that followed the chart topping "My Sharona" by a mere two months. Good Girls Don't proved to be the end of a shot run, as The Knack promptly disappeared.

Prayer Circle

My daughter asked me to take pictures at the “See You At The Pole” event, yesterday morning. Just one of my “art” shots from the session...

Here I Go Again, It's All Right...

Souther Hillman Furay Band had their first (and only) Top 40 Hit today (9/21) back in 1974. Featuring J.D. Souther, Chris Hillman and Ritchie Furay, this band had the credentials. But they didn't catch on, and only put out 2 albums before moving on to other things. The first album, in particular, is quite good, though...

Don't Cry Joe

And, yes, it still works!. .

Happenstance We Fell Into........

A repost rfom 1 yr ago today:

Happenstance: “Chance or a chance situation, especially one producing a good result” .
See comments for more....

Just Shoot Me #560

On this date (9/20) in 1975, Neil Sedaka continued his comeback, as "Bad Blood" made it's chart debut. This would be Sedaka's 2nd consecutive chart topper, after "Laughter In The Rain". I'm not sure which of these I hate more.

Big Ten Inch Record

It’s music theme day over in the Yahoo photography group. This month’s artist was Aerosmith. I thought long and hard, and finally settled on “Big Ten Inch Record”, from the "Toys In The Attic album. I have a small collection of 10” discs from the late 40’s, along with the wind-up portable phonograph my parents listened to when courting… .

Soothing every ragin' wave that comes..

Sugarloaf's "Green Eyed Lady" made it's Top 40 debut on this date (9/19) back in 1970. A great, keyboard based song, this was one of my favorites as a youth. Many years later (just out of college, early 80's), I tracked down the Sugarloaf album at a used record store, in order to get the full length version on the song... Green Eyed Lady made it ot #3. It would be 5 years later before Sugarloaf had another hit, with the completely different "Don't Call Us, We'll Call You". That turned out to be the last peep heard from these guys....

If I Had A Hammer......

I was walking around the construction site for the expansion at our church, and I found this hammer, just laying in the grass... .

Just Shoot Me #439

Making it's chart debut today (9/18)back in 1976: The Bay City Rollers' absolutely pointless remake of "I Only Want To Be With You". The Rollers' version was slightly more girlish than Dusty Springfield's 1964 original. Both reached #12.

Look Through Any Window (yeah).....

This one’s about a year old, taken at Fox Chapel Presbyterian Church, after my mother’s funeral…. .

Humor Me

Pass The Potato

I Really Want To Know.....

The Who's last hit with Keith Moon made it's Top 40 debut today (9/16) back in 1978. "Who Are You" actually cracked the Top 40 nine days after Keith passed away.

To Everything (Turn, Turn, Turn) There Is A Season...

Soon the leaves will turn wonderful colors, and delight us all. Then, of course, they’ll fall to the ground and need cleaned up. That’s where teenagers come in! .

"I don't have the glasses, and I can actually play the guitar"

That's Stephen Stills' comment about U2's Bono, from an article promoting his (Stills') new album. I thought it was pretty funny, especially as a Stills fan, but not a U2 fan.....
If your interested: Stephen Stills swaps torment for family bliss

Up Around The Bend

Another repost from 1 year ago today....

A lonely set of train tracks on the north side of Edwardsville, IL. This actually runs on the north side of Edwardsville's Watershed Nature Preserve. My son and I wander up here occasionally, and have managed to watch trains roar by a couple of times. I even squashed a penny once, something I've ALWAYS wanted to do!!!

The sheriff and his buddies with their samurai swords

One of the most classic of classic rock songs, "China Grove" made it's chart debut today (9/15) in 1973. From The Doobie Brothers' landmark album "The Captain and Me", China Grove made it to #15, following on the heels of it's album-mate "Long Train Runnin'" (which cracked the Top 10).

Bel Air #2

The command center of a ’57 Chevy... .

When The Jazzman's Testifyin' A Faithless Man Believes..

Carole King's hit "Jazzman" made it's Top 40 debut on this date (9/14) back in 1974. This made it up to #2, one of her biggest hits of the 70's (Behind "It's Too Late Baby" and "I Feel The Earth Move"). Carole King, of course spent much of the 60's writing hits for other people, including one of the best pop/rock songs ever, The Monkees' "Pleasant Valley Sunday".

AcceleRacers......

A companion shot to my 8/14/05 post, another light up Hot-Wheels from a “Happy Meal”. Just playing around with the “Turn Key Home Studio For Small Products” I bought on eBay last June…. .

Steve Gaines.....

Today (9/14) is the brithday of Steve Gaines, guitarist for Lynyrd Skynyrd. He would've been 56 today, 'cept for the plane wreck in '77. Steve replaced original #3 guitarist Ed King shortly before Skynyrd recorded their classic Live Album: "One More For The Road". He was a complete unknown, and only got a chance to audition because his sister was a backup singer with the band. His contribution to the last "original" Skynyrd album (Street Survivors) is impressive, in writing, singing and playing.

Super Blue

Repost from 9/14/2004....

"Days Are Longer, By Yourself....."
Photo taken in Seattle Washington, at a small park not far (walking distance) from the airport. The text is from J.J. Cale's song "Super Blue).

Warped-er

Another shot from when I was playing with the polar coordinates filter recently…. .

Vote Eary, Vote Often?

I entered Sunday's race car shot into the contest at Photgraphy Unlimited. I'd appreciate anybody taking the time to cast a vote, especially if you LIKE the shot!! THANKS!

American Music, Texas Style.…

Just saw that music legend Gatemouth Brown died over the weekend. Very sad news. Gatemouth lived in New Orleans, and had evacuated to a relative’s house in Texas, where he passed on. He was 81, and not well. I can't imagine the stress helped. I remember discovering Gatemouth Brown on Austin City Limits, back in high school (Fall of 1977, I think). I’ve picked up several of his albums through the years, from retrospectives of his work in the -50’s though the 1996 Grammy Nominated Album “Long Way Home”. I know what I’m listening to tonight. Rest In peace, Gatemouth....!

Ready for Action...

My son had his first soccer game Saturday. This is the line, waiting for the other team to put the ball in play. .

You Drink Champagne and it Tastes Just Like Coca-Cola....

One of the great songs of the 70's made it's Top 40 debut today (9/12) back in 1970, when The Kink's "Lola" hit the charts. Not to be confused with Barry Manilow's Lola (who was a showgirl)... this one made it to #9, complete with it's "syntacticly ambiguous" lyrics as to Lola's true gender.... Pretty heady stuff for 1970, from one of the first "Concept Albums" of the decade, "Lola versus Powerman and the Moneygoround, Part One", which is about the Kink's navigation through the music industry....

9/11, My least favorite day....

We all need to remember 9/11/2001, our "Day of Infamy" in the war on terror. The day when Islamic Terrorists succeeded to kill almost 3,000 people on American soil. From a personal standpoint, 9/11/2004 was the day that my mother succumbed to cancer.

Mo' Poe???

Remember all of the grand concept albums of the 70s??

On this date (9/11) in 1976, Alan Parsons Project had their first top 40, with "The System of Doctor Tarr and Professor Fether". This was from APP's "Tales Of Mystery And Imagination", a concept album based on stories by Edgar Allan Poe. By coincidence, I just downloaded this album, and the subsequent "I Robot" (based on the Issac Asminov story) from I-Tunes. Gotta say, I Robot is hugely better. Oh yeah, "System of D. Tarr...." peaked at #37.

Built For Speed

My friends at Jerry’s Tires had a special event the past 3 days, with real race cars and a race simulator…. We had a lot of fun, and set up an appointment to get a set of new tires for my Subaru!

On Route 66.....

This old filling station is on the east side of Edwardsville, IL, along old Rt. 66. The "Mother Road" was replaced by Interstate 270 here, running parallel just a few hundred yards to the south.….

Duke Chapel

A repst from last year, updated......

The Chapel is the centerpiece of Duke University's campus, and the location where my wife and I were married, 22 years ago today (9/10/83)! Photo is from behind the Chapel, by the Student Union. Taken on a drizzly spring day in 2003.

Tent Meeting #2

Another shot from the recent Bicentennial Celebration ….

Good Morning America How Are You?

Making its chart debut today (9/9) back in 1972: "The City Of New Orleans". Arlo Guthrie's version of Steve Goodman's song made it to #18, and was actually Arlo's only Top 40 hit. This is a song about a train, not the city itself, but still an interesting coincidence, as New Orleans is the center of attention after hurricane Katrina.

Hurricane Relief

Hurricane Katrina has devestated the Gulf Coast, now is the time for all of us to pitch in. there's lots of great charities, but wr give to United Methodist Committee On Relief. They do a good job, and 100% of donations go to the emergency or project that you designate. UMCOR's administrative costs come from other sources, especially the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries and the One Great Hour of Sharing offering. .

POTD @ Shutterbugs!

"Jacked Up" won "Photo Of The Day" today, in the B&W category!! Yay!

This was just posted here on the Blog Tuesday...

The Mountain is High, the Valley Is Low.....

...And You're Confused On Which Way To Go.
On this day (9/8) in 1973, Edgar Winter's hit "Free Ride" made it's Top 40 debut. This was the second single from the classic album "They Only Come Out At Night", and is my favorite E.W. song. Also debuting 9/8/73, the Allman Brothers with "Ramblin' Man'".

May Be The Last Time, I Don't Know.....

Another repost from 1 year ago, the early days......

When WAS the last time??

Tent Meeting

A week ago (8/26/05-8/28/05) was the Bicentennial Celebration of Methodism in Illinois. This included services under a big tent each night. I took pictures Saturday.....Two Hundred years ago, the first Methodist house of worship was built in the Goshen Settlement, now our very own Glen Carbon, just a dozen miles or so from St. Louis. This original building was called the Bethel Meeting House, and was located just a mile or two from our current Church, New Bethel United Methodist.

Back In The Saddle Again....

Aerosmith continues to "keep a rollin", with just announced plans to release a live album, lifed from a 2002 performance at a Las Vegas club. The glimmer twins have kept rocking since the 70's, with continued success. My personal challenge? I need to come up with a photo using an Aerosmth song title by 9/20.

Jacked Up

We spent most of Labor Day weekend laboring. Among other projects, we rented a jackhammer and broke up (most of) our 20x20 patio. Too much fun. Now I’m trying to convince my wife that our piles of broken up patio shold be left aroind the back yard, as “Extreme Rock Gardens”.

Les is More.....

There were several great articles on Les Paul that showed up in MyYahoo! this morning. Not just a guitar by Gibson, Les paul is one of the most inluential folks in Rock & Roll..... I'll have to check out the new recording!

Check it out:
Les Paul More Than Just A Guitar Brand

And my only thoughts of her are kind...

Ex Monkee Mike Nesmith had his only pop Top 40 with "Joanne". Which made it's Top 40 debut today (9/5) in 1970, and which peaked at 21. Nesmith also wrote songs like "Different Drum" (popularized by Linda Ronstadt and the Stone Poneys), and had a pretty successful run on the country side of things... before virtually inventing music television.

This is the steeple......

A candid shot of my younger daughter, taken at her sister’s high school graduation. This one was playing in the p\band, part of the festivities. She was unaware I was taking her photo, and has no recollection what she was saying with her hands…….

Quiet Spot

The garden area behind the freshman dorms at Drake U. Looks like a great spot to set a spell.….

Romeo and Juliet, Are Together In Eternity....

Yep, that cheerful little song about suicide, "Don't Fear The Reaper", made its Top 40 debut today (9/4) in 1976. This was Blue Oyster Cult's first Top 40 hit, and remains one of the staples of Classic Rock Radio. BOC was a fun band, when they didn't take themselves too seriously.

Learning To read

A statue at our local Library….

You probably wouldn't remember, I probably couldn't forget it

Steve Miller Band's Jungle Love made it's Top 40 debut today (9/3) back in 1977. This is a great song, but one that I never associate with it's title, for some reason...

Happy Labor Day Weekend....

Labor Local 474, Glen Carbon, IL. This is a repost from 9/3/2004. This building is now a bridal shop, or something of that sort......

Shutterbugs!

I won a POTD today over at Shutterbugs, in the B&W Category. Its always exciting to get recognized! Click on the icon to see...

Looking Towards Fall

The maple trees in our front yard have been dropping the occasional bright colored leaf, in advance of the full blown change that's not too far away ….

Breathe Deep the Gathering Gloom, Watch Lights Fade from Every Room....

The Moody Blues' biggest hit, "Nights In White Satin", made its Top 40 debut this day (9/2) back in 1972. This one didn't quite make #1, stalling in the second position. Notable for the spoken poem at the end, actually titled "Late Lament"... The lat e70's punk group Dickies did a 900 mph version of this dirge, which is pure art.

Missing Muscians from Katrina....

From a Fox News artcle:
"New Orleans is a city famous for its famous musicians, but many of them are missing.... To begin with, one of the city’s most important legends, Antoine "Fats" Domino, has not been heard from since Monday afternoon. ... Domino, 76, lives with his wife Rosemary and daughter in a three-story pink-roofed house in New Orleans’ 9th ward, which is now under water.
In the meantime, another important Louisiana musician ...is the also legendary Allen Toussaint. Another Rock Hall member, Toussaint wrote Patti LaBelle’s hit “Lady Marmalade” and Dr. John’s “Right Place, Wrong Time.” His arrangements and orchestrations for hundreds of hit records, including his own instrumentals “Whipped Cream” and “Java” are American staples. (He also arranged Paul Simon’s hit, “Kodachrome.”) Last night, Toussaint was one of the 25,000 people holed up at the New Orleans Superdome hoping to get on a bus for Houston’s Astrodome. "

Stinkin' Rats With Fuzzy Tails......

OK, I've long claimed a hatred of squirrels. Back all the way to when I was 10 and lived in a neighborhood appropriately named "Squirrel Hill", and they'd glower and chatter at you. One of the larger causes of power outages in areas with trees, we used to count the number of squirrel related trips when I worked for the power company in the 80’s. My main concern nowadays is that they raid the birdfeeder. I gripe and complain and sometimes resort to throwing things like dirt clods at them…… So, naturally, my wife bought me a squirrel feeder.

Lookin' For Soul Music, Churnin' Out Of The Juke Box.....

Another 1 hit wonder, Herman Brood and His Wild Romance, had their only chart debut on this day (9/1) back in 1979, with the really cool rocker "Saturday Night". Not to be confused with "Saturday Night" by the Bay City Rollers (#1 in 1975) or "Saturday Night" by Earth Wind and Fire (#21 in 1976), or even Saturday Night Special (Lynyrd Skynyrd #27), or "Saturday Night's Alright for Fightin'" (Elton John, #12)..... Herman Brood's "Saturday Night only made it to #35. But I really like the song, and bought the album back when it was frash and new. Sadly, Herman Brood not only had just one hit, he seems to have had just one good song...

To the place I belong......

From the vault: 9/1/2004. 8/24/2005 was my "Blogversary", 1 year of the blog format. Thought I'd do some reposts in case you weren't around when I was just getting started.....

"West Virginia, mountain mama". This is Central WV, along Rt 19, a few miles north of Summersville. About 50 miles east of where I was born (as the crow flies). Taken last fall (2003), headed to Pittsburgh from Eastern TN.