Travel Theme: Brown
Oh, brown. You are much maligned. You are the color of chocolate, coffee and good earth and yet? Brown = meh. And I get it; you don't have as much zazz as, say, fuchsia, or orange, and looking across a field of brown doesn't tickle the imagination like looking out onto the sparkling blue vastness of the ocean. But brown, take heart. I don't know how to quit you. Neither, apparently, does Ailsa, as "Brown" is her travel theme this week over at Where's My Backpack?Getting started.Occasionally I drive around where I live, because it's pretty, and look for things to photograph. There's a row of wooden stalls in serious disrepair next to a now-defunct business; I think it was a garden supply store and the stalls held different flavors of mulch, but that's not terribly relevant, except that decaying infrastructure has an inherent photogenic appeal. Plus, the woods are creeping in on it and I love it when nature wins again. Check it out.
I took this during some sunrise photo fun in Myrtle Beach; I love the brown of the wooden boardwalk and the golden tan of the sand. Plus, I always thought the boardwalk looked like some kind of massive sci-fi bug-creature lumbering (no pun intended, but I'll take it) back to the waters from whence it came. Because that's how things work in my brain.
This is a photo of the aptly-named Cascade River, in Lutsen, MN. Why is the water so brown, you ask? Because it's busily engaging in the process of erosion and is packing a TON of silt. It's all good.
Meet Guinness. Guinness is an exceedingly beautiful guitar owned by folk singer Ellis Paul (who I've written about here, here, and...). This past June, Ellis played a kid's show at the James V. Brown Library in Williamsport, PA, and I was fortunate enough to be part of the setup team (thanks, Shawn and Robin!). As I was hauling chairs and such I couldn't help but notice the guitar ('cause it's priddy) and HOLY POCKETS! Look at the inlay on the neck.
And finally.Every summer here in the 'burg we get to enjoy Rural Heritage Days (see: we are so not urban), a several-days-long event that celebrates all things rural and heritage-y. I learned how to twist rope, how to make lead shot, and, in this photo, I got a demonstration on blacksmithing, from some kid who probably got his first hammer and anvil in the cradle. I love the combo of old and new--the safety goggles, the old-school leather apron--and the proud father (or maybe grandfather, who knows?) watching on just behind the boy.
So there's my "brown" theme for the week. Have fun looking at the rest of the other participants! (Or play along yourself. :) ) I'll leave you with a video of Ellis Paul playing the lovely Guinness. Enjoy.[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fb9zyBlto8k]