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Archive for the ‘Absurd’ Category

Bellowing Styro-stag

Posted in Absurd, animal art works, animals, Art, art and environment, creativity, ecosytem, Falls of the Ohio, fresh water, Green, Louisville, Kentucky, nature, Ohio River, Originality, public art, recycled art, sculpture, Styrofoam, watershed, tagged , , , , , , on June 21, 2010| 2 Comments »

Reading the old journals from the exploration period…you can hear the authors’ amazement in trying to describe the overwhelming abundance that once existed here.  If you came across a flock of passenger pigeons numbering in the billions and as you watched them cross the sky like rolling smoke until they collectively blotted out the sun’s light how would you record the event?  But it wasn’t just flocks, there were also forests of trees, immense herds of bison and schools of cod and salmon.  In some cases, this was here less than two hundred years a go.  Now this seems remote and out of our living memories.  You don’t miss what you never knew.  Forgetfulness is another type of erosion.

Over the sounds of the river smacking the shoreline, I could discern a few grunts among a high almost “metallic” bugling/whistling in the air.  Or so I imagined as I introduce my latest Styrofoam creation.  In the old days, (which according to my youngest son is anything over nine years a go) the American elk or Wapiti was plentiful in Kentucky and through out the United States.  Several sub-species existed and were classified by geographic region and habitat.  The bulls of this large deer with their immense antlered racks are an impressive sight and are symbolic of nature’s majesty.  Well, mine is not nearly as good…but for the purposes of this post…will do fine!

We are lucky they are still with us today!  As loss of habitat occurred as well as hunting pressures…our elk were driven westward until they were gone east of the Mississippi River.  Eventually, the elk were allowed some federal protections and our herds are rebounding.  Kentucky has led the way in elk conservation by experimentally transplanting a herd to the eastern section of the state where they have thrived!  Their reintroduction has been so successful that a limited hunting season on them has been established.

During the Lewis and Clark trek across the country, elk meat made up a large percentage of the meat consumed.  It remained the meat of choice until the native Americans introduced the explorers to dogs and then that was preferred!  As the country was “settled”, elk continued to disappear from all kinds of pressures.  There was even a brief fad where elk teeth were used for watch fobs!

The elk is a member of the megafauna that was once was a large part of the North American ecosystem.  While I’m taking pictures of my sculpture, a smaller member of this ecosystem came hopping by.  To be honest, I don’t see many frogs out here and I’m surprised this Leopard frog isn’t in a more boggy area.  I think many people by now are aware that amphibians aren’t doing as well as they use to for a variety of reasons that range from climate change to exotic fungi.  If a Great Blue Heron spots this guy, then our frog friend will become bird food.  It’s as if life weren’t already difficult enough without adding to it.

The frog is a reminder that even the most humble of species plays its part in the bigger scheme of things.  So often it seems that the smallest players have the out-sized roles that make the biggest differences to the smooth operation of life at large.  My stag is bellowing and issuing a protest and challenge to protect the environment that sustains us all!  There is far too much in the river that doesn’t belong there especially items dependent on crude oil.

Take this stag for instance, it is dependent on crude oil for its existence.  The body, head, and parts of the leg are made from polystyrene.  In this case it is all river-polished Styrofoam.  The lower jaw is the sole of a shoe and also made from petrochemicals.  The eyes and plastic collar are plastic and derived from petroleum extracts.  Only parts of the nose, legs, antlers, and tail are biodegradable.  The Styro-stag is an animal we can afford to lose and it will be interesting watching the river for signs that the exotic materials that comprise it are on the wane.

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Siren Song

Posted in Absurd, animals, Art, art and environment, birding, creativity, ecosytem, Falls of the Ohio, fresh water, Louisville, Kentucky, nature photography, Ohio River, Originality, public art, recycled art, sculpture, Styrofoam, watershed, tagged , , , , , on June 18, 2010| 2 Comments »

I left the “Petro-totem” sculpture on a small island created by the tenacity of a willow’s roots.  Living this close to the river is an invitation to disaster.  Sooner or later the river will wash away this little refuge, but for now we are okay.  Or are we?

The first two images in this post were taken on a Saturday when everything seemed relatively well.  When I returned the following morning, severe thunderstorms had drenched our region.  The river level was noticeably higher.  The sounds of normal life were rudely interrupted by the sound of the dam’s siren letting more water under the gate.  A tremendously powerful torrent is created when so much water is let loose.  While I went about my scavenging, I made a mental note as the river crept closer and closer to my sculpture.  Here are pictures of what I mean.

The large decaying log was lifted off the shore and began to drift away.

Meanwhile, the surging river was getting my sculpture’s feet wet.

It didn’t take long before the large log started moving in rhythm with the waves and entered the periphery of the camera’s lens.  Although I didn’t hang out to witness the ceremonial washing away of the sculpture, I’m fairly sure it’s gone now.  It wasn’t an especially glad looking creation.

Before the river reclaimed this section of the shoreline, I did come across this pair of toy binoculars.  All around me, Rough-winged swallows were picking off small insects including the left-overs of the latest may fly hatch.

I was frustrated by trying to look through the faux field glasses.  When I peeked through the eyepieces, all I could see was the river water that had seeped through the plastic seams.  More river discoveries and Styrofoam sculptures in the next Falls of the Ohio adventure!

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The New “Studio”

Posted in Absurd, animals, Art, art and environment, creativity, ecosytem, environmental art, Falls of the Ohio, fresh water, nature photography, Ohio River, public art, recycled art, sculpture, Styrofoam, watershed, tagged , , , , , , , on June 14, 2010| 2 Comments »

I was standing by the river’s edge when the dam’s siren went off.  At first it scares the pee out of you!  It’s a loud wail, but you get use to it.  The Army Corps of Engineers gives the warning whenever they plan to release more water under the dam.  Throughout the region there have been heavy thunder showers and the river has risen quickly.  I worked at the Falls both on Saturday and Sunday and so I have a number of things I can share over the course of the week.  Technically, it’s not yet summer, but my clothes are stuck to me with sweat and I’m glad for the nice bottle of cold water to drink.  So often, I’m guilty of not bringing something with me to keep hydrated.  I make a pact with myself to do better this summer.

The weekend’s weather report calls for rain on both days, but I managed to dodge that.  I spent a lot of time exploring a mammoth deposit of driftwood near the dam.  If the past is an indicator of the future, then the river will probably not change very much for now and I look for a site higher on the riverbank to set up another temporary studio.  I did come across a project I did a few weeks back that was featured in the post “Tug of War”.  His buddy must be around here too.  I find the plastic broken toy-part I used for his friend’s crazy hairdo…they are cartoonish fisheyes.

With such humidity, this is a perfect time for mushrooms and fungi to get their hyphi through the soft tissues of decaying matter.  The process of reclaiming old life kicks into gear.  It’s really the small stuff like bacteria, viruses, and fungi that do the dirty work of releasing nutrients back into the system.  The planet is ruled from those kingdoms while we posture around self-importantly.  This fungus was tiny, but so colorful that I thought I would try to magnify it and reveal how fleshy it is in its crack.

 

On a nearby log, a male Five-lined Skink is taking a break from his hunt to bask in the sun.  For him, it’s breeding season and you can tell that by the reddish blush he has around his head.  This guy’s lines are indistinct and he’s  bronze in color.  The young lizards have very pronounced black and white stripes and their tails are bright blue.

One of the sites I considered for my informal studio is this place with a chair set in front of this large upturned tree.  Sitting in the chair you can perfectly study all the intricate roots as easily if it were situated in your home library.  I decided it’s just a little too public and I look higher up the bank, under the willows and their welcomed shade.

I’ve scouted out the area pretty well and on my mental map of this place, I’ve noted where the nicer Styrofoam pieces are.  It took almost two hours to move things into place.  The larger pieces I hoist onto my shoulder and carefully walking on top of the logs and driftwood reach the new cache I’ve created.  Here’s a piece nearly as tall as I am from the Styrofoam mine that I set upright and photographed.  I don’t have an idea for this one yet!

Here’s an in process shot of the gathering of the polystyrene.  There are several nice sitting logs in the area to work from and it’s under the willows enough to avoid the direct sunshine and there are usually birds around here as well.  My favorite Lewis and Clark canvas bag is nearby for scale.

Here’s the same site about an hour later.  There is still one really large piece I haven’t secured at this location yet.  I can’t wait to start making something from all this stuff!  I also have started gathering driftwood to serve as the arms and legs and I’ve stashed that away here as well.  The mallet in the foreground is made of plastic with simulated wood grain.

By the time I got around to making a sculpture, it was fairly late in the day.  The resulting piece I dubbed the “Petro-totem” and it takes its initial cue from the skull-like piece of Styrofoam that makes up part of the head.  This piece also features a plastic heart, genitalia (made from walnuts and a plastic toy fire hydrant I found).  The hat is some kind of funnel.  The finished work is far from one of my happier creations.  I just started working on it and making decisions as I went along and this was the result.

I posed this sculpture in several places and photographed it as I moved it around.  There are many tires on the beach and someone has cut many of them so they can’t retain water.  Mosquitoes love to breed in the dank water that collects inside these tires.  An old paint can with its red pigment is used to “sign” the tires…somehow I doubt these are the same people who altered the tires.  It seemed a provoking enough spot to set up a my Styrofoam figure.  I snap of a couple of shots and moved on.

In a future post, I will show you where I eventually left this work.  In closing, I found this little commentary on the big driftwood pile and recorded that with my camera.  The “behind the eight ball” figure was found near by and I added that to the image.

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Images in Found Transportation

Posted in Absurd, Art, collecting art, collections, creativity, Falls of the Ohio, fresh water, Ohio River, public art, unusual collection, watershed, tagged , , , , on June 10, 2010| 6 Comments »

Here’s a collection of found objects that I photographed on location at the Falls of the Ohio State Park.  All form a theme centered around transportation in the form of mostly discarded toys.  I found all this stuff by the side of the river during the past year.  Since the theme is obvious, I’ll just let the photos speak for themselves.  Let’s start with another boat.  It’s not the “Titanic” or the wreck of the ” Edmund Fitzgerald” but it bore witness to forces in nature larger than itself.

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Meriwether’s Mouse

Posted in Absurd, animal art works, animals, Art, art and environment, creativity, ecosytem, Falls of the Ohio, Louisville, Kentucky, nature, Ohio River, Originality, recycled art, Styrofoam, tagged , , , , , on June 8, 2010| 4 Comments »

Just a mini adventure this time.  During my last expedition to the Falls of the Ohio, I paid a visit to one of my favorite trees.  I love the root system on this Eastern cottonwood because it forms a “room” you can sit under.  I decided to take some refreshment there and rest awhile.  Scavenging  Styrofoam can be thirsty work on a hot day.  Here’s the cottonwood I’m talking about.  Looking around, I can see I’m not the only person who knows about this tree.  A couple of fire pits are in the vicinity.

While I was sitting in the shade, my eye was drawn to some definitely non-natural color inside a cavity at the base of this tree.  When I investigated the hole,  I was astonished to find this little treasure trove hidden inside.  I withdrew the contents and set them up on a log for this photograph.  I think you will be as surprised as I was!

A variety of plastic toys including a poodle, Snoopy’s doghouse, various baby items, a numeral “8”, and a horse with three legs were in the hole.  How or why was this stuff here?  When I checked out the area around the larder more carefully I found very small tracks and the picture started to become clearer.  When I saw this little guy…I had my answer!

This is Meriwether’s Mouse and he’s named after the famous explorer Meriwether Lewis who was the first to describe this appealing rodent.  This species is known to cache colorful objects and is not above pilfering items from unwary hikers and campers.  In this mouse’s case, he doesn’t need to take anything because the river will provide plenty.  No doubt these toys were found along the riverbank.  I do the same thing myself!

Because there are a formidable number of predators out here, Meriwether’s Mouse is not as common as it once was.  They do possess very acute hearing and this specimen heard me shift my position and off it went!  Recently, I was looking through a copy of Audubon’s Quadrupeds and was amazed at the mostly small varmints that populate the mammalian natural history of our great country.  I guess most animals aren’t going to be as magnificent as a grizzly bear or bison in size.  In fact, most are about the size of our mouse!  I appreciate all the more Audubon’s challenge in making this seem interesting to the average person sitting at home.  Great or small, all animals are glorious to me!  In closing I offer this abstract expressionist, all over composition… rendered in wildflowers.  Thanks!!

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Tangled Thoughts Seen Through an Oily Lens

Posted in Absurd, art and environment, ecosytem, Falls of the Ohio, Green, Ohio River, watershed, tagged , , , on June 5, 2010| 2 Comments »

Recently came across this view of the river through a magic portal.  Since it is double-sided, it allows me to look both forward and backwards from a fixed position.  I thought I would use this opportunity to go through some of the many photographs I have taken at the Falls and not previously used on this blog.  Many times I come across scenes that are visually interesting to me, but they don’t fit the post I have going at the time.  Consider this an attempt to cobble something together through a tangled theme.

I’m sitting here thinking whether I have chosen the correct words to entitle today’s post? My immediate thoughts are that this is a more complicated situation than I first considered.  Just thinking about things that are tangled up is ensnaring and hard to tease apart!  When I look at the root ball of a big tree I can see that the roots themselves seem tangled up not only with themselves but with the earth that helps it grow.  There the relationship is more obvious and seems purposeful in its interconnectivity.  The tree roots help stabilize the tree while providing the nutrients it needs from the soil.  The soil in effect is held together by the roots that run through it. 

String enough trees with their root masses holding things together and you have the beginnings of an ecosystem.  The relationship is one of symbiosis.  When I see trees that have been uprooted like this I imagine that the riverbank it once helped to support has been weakened and degraded in some way.  We see a lot of erosion around here and it isn’t just the river’s fault.

At the Falls, there is a lot of wood that gets deposited by periodic flooding.  That is how it has been since there has been a river here.  What has changed since the days of Lewis and Clark  is how much man-made stuff is now interwoven into the mix.  When it’s something like this old wooden palette, then it isn’t as bad.  Eventually, the palette will break down and be absorbed by nature.  But at the Falls, I also see many things that will not go away easily if at all.

Here’s a barge cable that has been snared by a tree during high water.  These large ropes I’m guessing are made from nylon and are very heavy.  They are used to secure along the shoreline, long strings of barges along the intercoastal waterway.  A lot of coal is moved on these barges and is burned to produce electricity.  On occasion, I find a lot of washed up coal too.  Water is powerful and does its best to reduce these ropes to something that is more manageable.  Interestingly, I have come across several bird nests made almost entirely from these untangled cable fibers.  In their own instinctual way, even the birds are trying to utilize these cables.  Many of the resident willow trees are “decorated” with these snags.

This large black hose washed up here during the last flooding incident.  It’s all tangled up into a much larger driftwood pile.  Even something like this isn’t going to get reabsorbed into the natural system easily.  It’s just tangled up and will lay there until the river moves it again or until one of the periodic river clean-ups where it might eventually get covered up in a landfill somewhere else.  It probably won’t get recycled, so burying it is more a matter of out of sight, out of mind.  This solution takes no inspiration from nature.  Since late winter, I have been watching and photographing this boom that just showed up here in all its yellowness.

I did look up the company name on this object because I wasn’t entirely sure as to what this is or why it’s here.? I suspected that this is a boom used to contain or protect something from contamination.  Like many people, the immense oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico has been on my mind.  What a colossal failure of imagination this has been all the way around.  I imagine that the company that made this yellow boom and is based in Houston , Texas is probably having a great year.  Here are some recent images.  The longer this boom stays here, the more it seems to catch things around it.

It is ironic that something that is supposed to be a tool to “protect” the river, winds up becoming another discarded piece of junk.  What is one supposed to do with this boom now?  I’m assuming that this was used somewhere along the Ohio River or its tributaries which eventually flows into the Gulf of Mexico.  This boom’s appearance here suggests that the Gulf and the river were already in trouble long before the latest oil spill.

I know many people who feel as I do…that they are tired of feeling hypocritical about our relationship to the natural world.  Trying to untangle good answers to this dilemma while living lifestyles that promote and accept such waste has to be psychologically damaging too?  At the moment, we seem unable to act in our own ultimate best interests and it will probably take some even greater calamity to befall before we are forced to have the courage and imagination to go in another direction. 

The last couple times I have come to the Falls, I have run into this man.  We have talked a little bit, but there are some language barriers.  Anyway, he’s delighted to have discovered a source of materials he can take to the salvage yard.  I watched him nimbly moving from one log to another yanking out these old metal wheels.  I have a lot of admiration for him and it made me think of how people from less developed countries have much that we can learn about living on this increasingly global scrap heap.

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The Pink Chapeau

Posted in Absurd, animals, Art, art and environment, birds and birding, creativity, ecosytem, Falls of the Ohio, nature, nature photography, Ohio River, Originality, recycled art, sculpture, Styrofoam, watershed, tagged , , , , , , , on June 3, 2010| 2 Comments »

Before the month of May slid into history, I did a little sliding of my own.  The day after Julia and I visited Nerinx, I did a solo expedition to the western section of the Falls of the Ohio State Park.  Now the sliding part has to do with mud!  In places the earth was high and dry, but in key areas  the mud remained slippery and sticky.  Here’s a picture of what I mean.

It’s creamy and in places you could sink in over your ankles.  To get things over with so I don’t have to obsess about this, well I just find some mud and step into it.  After that there are no worries about remaining clean!  The deed is done.  I have a similar philosophy about the rain.  Once I’m as wet as I can get…I can relax and do my thing as long as I don’t get too cold.  The mud is more treacherous closer to the river’s edge and I decide not to flirt with it too much.  There is afterall, much to see around here.

The willows are in maximum fluff production and there are drifts of the stuff on the ground.  When the wind stirs then the willow seeds become air born and are carried away.  With so much fluff, you would think willows would be even more common than they are.  I have to say that so far, I haven’t seen any birds that have made my year.  Last year’s signature bird was the Summer Tanager.  This year hasn’t been the warbler fest that I experienced just two years a go.  Still, I take what I can get and I always love American Goldfinches.  Here’s a male taking a dip in some water.  Small flocks cruise along the trees nearest the river.

I’m walking west along the river and I came across the only persona that I saw all day.  We eye-balled each other, decided that neither was a threat and so we had a short conversation.  Mostly, it was an opportunity to compare nature notes.  I guess the feature that most stood out about my acquaintance is the bright pink hat she? is wearing.  I said I was looking for birds and junk and “she” said that she was a Lepidopterist.  Oddly, we didn’t introduce ourselves, but she let me take her picture for my blog.  I guess she’s about five feet tall or so and walked with a cane.

After I asked if she had seen any interesting birds…she hadn’t.  I was asked about what butterflies I had come across.  Fortunately, I also like butterflies and try to take their pictures when both insect and camera cooperate.  I really don’t like these autofocus cameras.  Anyway, I noticed many species out on this day including Commas, Mourning Cloaks, Cabbage Whites and then I showed her images of the two butterflies that I did get decent pictures of and she seemed happy to identify them for me.  Here is the more unusual of the two that I came across at the forest’s edge.

Quickly my new friend identified this as being Enodia anthedon or more commonly, the Northern Pearly Eye.  It is a forest butterfly that does not come to flowers preferring instead the fermenting juices of fruits and tree saps.  I reply that I had noticed that there were many butterflies around the fallen mulberries and on the sides of the willow trees. 

I wonder if science has determined if a butterfly can get drunk off the fermented juice and if this is possible…do they experience hangovers?  I know this does happen with birds like Cedar Waxwings that literally get tipsy.  The second butterfly is one that many people know and it’s the pretty Red Admiral or Vanessa atalanta . Even its scientific name is charming.  This is a people friendly butterfly and will often alight upon a person.  I came across dozens of these today.

With the rising heat the promised threat of a late afternoon thunderstorm began to materialize.  First there was the distant sound of thunder and since I had a hike to still make to reach my car…I said farewell to my butterfly friend whom I hope to see again.  I asked before parting if she collected butterflies and she answered that once she had, but was now over that part of her interest in them.  She no longer needed to possess them and instead grew flowers and plants to attract them.

I hope I run into the lady with the pink hat again.  She seemed to share a reverence for the life that is out here in the park.  I would welcome learning more about the butterflies that call this place their home.  One last shot showing willows, the riverbank, fossil cliffs, and the dam in the far distance that keeps the river at bay…most of the time.

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Tug of War

Posted in Absurd, animals, Art, art and environment, birds and birding, creativity, ecosytem, Falls of the Ohio, fresh water, nature, Ohio River, Originality, public art, recycled art, Styrofoam, watershed, tagged , , , , , , , on May 28, 2010| 4 Comments »

I never have a dull visit to the Falls of the Ohio.  Each time I come out here I can expect an adventure of one type or another.  On this day the river had noticeably receded and this large boulder of Styrofoam that I had been watching for days as it floated out here was finally on the shore.  I tried to move it, but it was so waterlogged and heavy that I gave up…for now.  All around it were Styro-bits that were ground off by abrading against logs and the sandy bottom.

Near my polystyrene giant was this section of the riverbank.  It’s the aftermath of a tug of war we are engaging in with the planet.  In this type of struggle there are no winners.  Recent images from the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico come to mind which incredibly still flows unabated weeks later.  Since much of the garbage in this photo is derived from petrochemicals, I wonder if this also could qualify as an oil spill?  If I scooped up a handful of sand around here…I would see tiny bits of plastic and the ever-present polystyrene bead.  This stuff is likely to never go away.  But life does try to keep carrying on as it always has.  I also came across this interesting beetle and a smile returned to my face.

I have seen these out here before.  It’s an Eastern Eyed Click Beetle and I think I read somewhere that this is our largest click beetle.  If you placed this beetle on its back, it would flip right side up with an audible “click”.  Hence click beetle.  There are other species, but they are all smaller.  This one is just under two inches (about five centimeters).  It’s coloration is similar to a bird dropping, but it also has these dramatic eyes on its pronotum.  These guys do fly, but most of their lives are spent as larvae living in decayed wood.  I passed by the mulberry tree with its ripening berries and there are birds who just can’t resist this plentiful food source.

Among the bird species eating fruit from this tree included this Blue Jay…

…and this Catbird which does make odd sounds which sometimes sound like the mewing of a cat (hence catbird!).  They can be quite territorial to their own and other species too.

Not too far from this tree, I could hear some squabbling going on and I moved towards the sound.  You can imagine my surprise when I came upon this scene!  I stayed hidden behind a large willow and just observed.

There were these two little figures and one of them was tugging on a rope attached to a plastic gasoline container and his “friend” with the wierd hairdo was jumping up and down on one leg trying to get him to stop!

The figure with the rope eventually succeeded in knocking the container over while his friend continued hopping!  What he thought he was going to do with this gas can is a mystery?  He soon grew frustrated with his efforts and a shouting match between the two began.  That deteriorated into another contest where each tried to take the rope from the other.

All this effort must have been exhausting because after a little while they gave up and abandoned the rope and the gas can leaving them lying on the sand.  They reconciled and walked away from here hand in hand. 

Perhaps they realized the futility of their struggle and came to their senses?  Perhaps they recognized that it was better to conserve their energies for more constructive pursuits?  Who knows, but while I pondered these questions I came across another image of futility and I will leave you with that until next time.

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The Rare Cumberland Greencrest

Posted in Absurd, animal art works, Art, art and environment, birds and birding, creativity, ecosytem, Falls of the Ohio, fresh water, Green, Louisville, Kentucky, nature photography, Ohio River, public art, recycled art, Styrofoam, tagged , , , , , , on May 26, 2010| 2 Comments »

While wandering the Woodland Trail in an area best described as temperate semi-rainforest, I made another unusual bird discovery.  I believe that I have these privileged sightings because of two principal reasons.  The first has to do with frequency.  I am at the Falls of the Ohio as much as I can get away from my other responsibilities and so I have more chances for encounters.  The other has to do with motive.  Being knowledgeable about our avian friends, I simply am out here looking for birds and therefore open to their discovery.  On this particular day I was actually anticipating members of the wood warbler tribe when I came across what must be a first for this park…the rare Cumberland Greencrest!

This is one species missed by both Lesson and Gould in their individual monographs on hummingbirds of which the Cumberland Greencrest is an atypical member.  The Cumberland Greencrest was first discovered on the Guatemalan Highlands in 1910.  It is larger and slower on the wing than the average hummingbird.  It’s flight can best be described as being Swift-like where the individual wing beats alternate between extreme activity and gliding.  In its main haunts, this bird constructs a small nest from lichens and spider webs on a suitable tree branch and a single jelly bean-sized egg is produced.  The adults take both small insects on the wing and feed from the nectar of rare orchids found only in certain protected valleys. 

I was exploring the trees lining both banks of Parfume Creek (so named because on certain days, the scents of various laundry detergents are detectable emanating from the water using one’s  open nose) when the Cumberland Greencrest made its appearance.  I immediately recognized I was in the presence of something special and limited my movements so I wouldn’t frighten it away.  As this single individual coursed along the creek bank, I slowly brought my camera up to my eye and recorded these images in quick succession.  I think they show this bird in its glory very well and are worthy of sharing with a larger audience if I say so myself!  But please, don’t just take my word on this…judge for yourself!

I recorded these images using my high-speed camera as the bird made its passes back and forth along the creek.  In these images one can see why this bird is appropriately named with its lacy green crest atop its head.  The encounter was brief, but memorable!  What was this bird doing in our area to begin with?  The answer may lie in the very powerful thunderstorms that are becoming a staple of the Western Hemisphere.  I speculate that this bird was simple blown way off course as is known to happen with other species of hummingbirds.  I returned to this area the following three days, but never again encountered this specimen.  I did, however, see the duckling of a species of which I am currently unfamiliar and recorded its image among the driftwood and I hereby also present this to you my very dear reader in the hopes it will fuel your curiosity!

The Cumberland Greencrest was made from materials found entirely within the park and include:  Styrofoam (body and wings), wood (its tiny feet), coal (the eyes), plastic ( the bill which was part of a fishing bobber and the tail which is a plastic lettuce leaf!, the yellow collar is from a soft drink bottle) and lastly the green crest is some foam-like material.  It is held together in places with small, sharpened wood pegs.

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Faces, Places, and Surfaces

Posted in Absurd, Art, art and environment, collections, ecosytem, Falls of the Ohio, fresh water, Louisville, Kentucky, Ohio River, unusual collection, tagged , , , , , on May 23, 2010| 7 Comments »

I thought I would post a recent collection of photographs of some of the stuff I’ve come across since mid April.  The river has been very up and down during this time and accessing the shoreline hasn’t always been possible.  Whenever I come out to the Falls, I’m also interested in what else I can find in addition to what I can make from some of this stuff.  I’ll start with this “Sunny Ball” I found lying in a pool of water with a sheen on it!  I see this frequently as it surfaces through the sands.  Here’s another.

The iridescence isn’t just motor oil (although there has to be some of that here) but also includes decaying organic matter in the form of old leaves.  In this case, there is also fluff from cottonwood trees.

Nice recent cracks in the mud.  I’m not sure what the blue plastic object is, but the tracks going through this scene are from a white-tail deer.  How about some more found faces?  Here’s another lost ball with images.

I found this ball when Julia accompanied me.  Here’s another image from that adventure with a Halloween theme.

For those of you unfamiliar with this American custom, on October 31, children go door to door in their neighborhoods in costume and collect candy.  These plastic jack-o-lanterns are popular for storing the candy.  Here’s another I recently came across peeking out among the debris.

I also find many other figurative toys.  The more traditional dolls I come across frequently make disturbing images.  I’ll save those for another time but I think these are interesting as well.

His shirt says “Forty the Legend Continues”.  I wonder if this is a novelty item from a barbeque establishment along the river?

Another pig-themed…not certain what this is?  It could be the lid from something and was about two feet across and heavy.  His eyes caught me as I walked across the sand.

Continuing with pigs…here’s a plastic stopper? I found recently.  Maybe this belongs with a bottle of pig perfume?  Nice bow tie.

I’m walking along looking and listening for birds when my eyes are drawn downward and I see a “Big Bird” I wasn’t expecting!  I lifted it off the ground and a quick photo is taken at the place of discovery.

I came across this lying on the sand and maybe because of the orange color, may be a Halloween novelty too?  It was flat and lightweight and the white spinner-thing spins.  Perhaps off a glider toy?  Anyway, it has personality as does my next image.

The “A” is for Alvin of the Chimpmunks’ fame.  He is a little worse for wear.  The river is very tough on everything.  He is posed by some carpeting that washed ashore near this object.

Came across this just yesterday and I “love” (almost hate to say this) the patina on this plastic snowman bottle.  I popped this into my collecting bag.  I imagine this must have been floating out on the river for a while to acquire this surface color.  Not sure what I will eventually do with it.  I think that’s about it for now.  I have one more image, also from yesterday.  I came across a really large expanse of beach left high and dry and this was its surface.  This is what’s created when a really large piece of Styrofoam gets chewed on by the river and floating logs…a Styro-aggragate.

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