Snow Day

 Another from the Chuzhao "toy" camera.  This ais actually from a couple of weeks ago, during our big snowstorm.  It took me a while to download, process (minimally) and post.

February Haiku

 I asked Chat GPT to create a Haiku based on my photo.  Here's my favorite from the suggestions.  I wish I was creative enough to write my own.  Anybody else want to take a crack, post in comments!

Peeling bark in light,

the tree loosens its old skin

without moving on

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More Chuzhao

 I took the "Toy" camera on my walk today, here's a few photos from Miner Park:

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The Blue Owl

 I posted yesterday about our recent trip to Kimmswick, MO, and mentioned a goal of the excursion was to eat at a restaurant we'd been recommended.  But I then redirected to photos from Kimmswick.

So, here's the restaurant:  The Blue Owl.

This was a great find.  Really good food, really nice people, excellent desserts!  Highly recommended, we'll need to go back!  I had the Smoked Turky Melt sandwich, wife had Quiche and their "famous" White Chili. 

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I had to sneak in an "artsy" photo...

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Desserts!

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Kimmswick, MO

 Our temperatures have finally gotten about freezing for a few days, and Friday actually made it into the 50s!  So we decided to take a short road trip to Kimmswick, MO, and have a late lunch at a restaurant we'd been recommended.  And snagged the first decent photos I've taken this February:

Looking down the Mississippi River from the landing at Kimmswick.  The river was pretty low, but I think it was pretty typical for this time of year.

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Star Anchor supporting one of the buildings, The Barber Haus, originally 1872.

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Just the kind of thing I notice...

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Train bridge over Rock Creek (still frozen).  With the Mississippi River just visable

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Keystone Bridge Company, from 1874. The oldest known wrought iron span in Missouri. Originally placed across the River des Peres at Ivory Avenue. It remained there until 1928 when it was replaced by a new bridge. The bridge was moved to Kimmswick and put in place in 1930. The bridge is only open to pedestrian traffic and is located at the intersection of Mill Street and Front Street.

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Eagle Watching, Sans Eagles

We go Eagle watching pretty much every year, at least.  Last Friday we went out for the first time this winter.  Just a quick run up the Great River Road from Alton to Grafton and Pere Marquette State Park.  Then back, with a lunch stop in Grafton, and a pass through Audubon Center at Riverlands.

We only saw 1 eagle, and not in a manner to grab a photo. But that's ok. Good company, nice meal at Grafton Winery & Brewhaus. And a few photos (but no Eagles).

Here's a few photos:

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Edges and Decisions - New video

 I've posted a new photo-essay video on Youtube, Edges and Decisions.  Check it out, leave a comment (here, or there!).

This is a follow-up to my "A Good Crop 2025", which was posted 1/1/26.  As I was struggling to cull my 2025 down to just 12 photos, I realized that there were 2 different 

From the video:  

"These photographs trace a quiet architecture of seeing. Each image offers a small negotiation with the world, transforming shifting scenes into something deliberate. 

Collected, they reveal a practice built on the belief that clarity is something made, not merely found."

You can check out all my videos at LSqrd1960.

Alton, IL

 A followup to the previous post on analog photos...

Here's "proof" that the drive through photo is from Alton IL:

My photo

And Streetview

Nailed it!  The wide angle street view spreads it all out, but you can see it is the same spot.

Analog

 I recently finished off a roll of B&W film that had been in my old SLR for a long time (Maybe 2-3 years!).  Dropped it off at the local-ish camera store, and scans showed up in drop-box just a few days later.  It's always fun, I don't remember taking most of them, and am not sure where quite a few were taken.  But analog is always fun, it's a whole different feel.  

Here's a few of the photos:

location unknown

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location unknown

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Pere Marquette State Park

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location unknown

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Highland, IL (I think)

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Columbia Bottom Conservation Area (maybe?)

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Really?

I've posted before the story (stories?) behind my first bass guitar.  I'd link if I could find them, but I guess I was sloppy tagging whenever it was.  Here's a recent one.  And an oldie of me playing it.  

Anyway, long story short:  I bought my 1st bass guitar at a pawn shop on the North Shore area of Pittsburgh, back in mid 1978.  I did a few bad mods to it (like adding pickup on/off switches), and played it the for abut a year.  Eary summer 1979, I replaced it with my Guild Jetstar (which I still have), and sold this to a friend.  About 30 years later, I met up with him in a bar at my old hometown, and he mentioned that he still had it, but it had been sitting in his basement (not in the long gone case).  He graciously gifted it back to me.  

Point is, there's a sticker on the headstock, saying "Invest In: The Realies".  Now I don't remember ever putting such a thing on the bass, neither did my friend.  And no clue what it really means (pun intended).  But, during 1979, we changed the name of our band from "The Readymades" to "The Reallys".  There would've been only a short time that I owned the bass while the band carried that name.  So why?

Anyway, that's not what I came here to talk about.  I wanted to get y'all's opinion on these 2 photos of the sticker.  Which is do you prefer?  And why?  Maybe I'll ask ChatGPT and see what it says...

 

Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch Changes.....

turn and face the strange...

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For the past few years, I have been posting almost all of my B&W photos on my other blog site, Happenstance Photography.  And that site has only featured my B&W photography, and the occasional quote.

I've decided, for 2026, to change it up.  I'm going to stop posting only b&w at Happenstance, but also to focus on my "best" photography.  This site will continue to include photos, technique discussions, general ramblings and musings and such.

Let me know your thoughts in the comments!

Held, Unwritten

 The pressure remains. The instructions do not.

Who remembers clipboards?  We still have a few around.  

Between Songs

 Not put away... Not being played... Still listening.

This is my first bass guitar.  Purchased (new) at a Pawn Shop on East Ohio Street on Pittsburgh's Northside.  Looking at Google Maps streetview, it is still there.  This bass is pretty unplayable right now, but has lots of mojo and memories.

a shadow of a doubt...

 

Pale winter light

shadows stretch on cold concrete

silent as the day

Haiku from an internet haiku generator, with a couple of tweaks.  Just for giggles

Self Portraits

 "All photographs are self-portraits"

- Minor White