Posted in Absurd, Art, collecting art, collections, creativity, Falls of the Ohio, fresh water, Ohio River, public art, unusual collection, watershed, tagged Art, found objects, Ohio River, photography, unusual collection 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.
Posted in Absurd, art and environment, ecosytem, Falls of the Ohio, Green, Ohio River, watershed, tagged Art, materialism, nature, oil spill 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.
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 Art, birds, butterflies, Falls of the Ohio, nature, nature photography, recycled art, Styrofoam 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.
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 Art, beetle, birds, environment, Ohio River, oil spill, recycled art, Styrofoam 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.
Posted in Absurd, Art, art and environment, creativity, environmental art, Falls of the Ohio, fresh water, Louisville, Kentucky, Ohio River, public art, recycled art, sculpture, Styrofoam, watershed, tagged Art, Easter Island Man, Falls of the Ohio, plastic barrel, plastic drum, site specific art on May 16, 2010| 2 Comments »
Wow, what an incredible day yesterday was! The weather was just perfect and I had the park to myself and I took full advantage of it. The river is still a little higher than usual, but not as high as when Julia and I visited here last trip. I made four Styrofoam figures and took a ton of pictures that I will show you over the course of the week. Let’s start by me introducing Mr. Easter Island Man who has graciously agreed to share his day with us. He was in town taking a break from being a tourist attraction and was himself on vacation in the river city. Here’s something to help set the context.
Two recent events have shaped the environment at the park. The first is all the rain we had that led to flooding and depositing massive amounts of driftwood and junk at the Falls. The other is that Spring has more than taken a hold and you can feel Summer coming around the corner. Everything is green, growing, and starting to feel jungle-like in places.
Skirting the driftwood mounds, I moved down to the river by the willow habitat. Wisps of willow fuzz gently wafted on the air currents and small drifts were forming in the nooks and crannies of the driftwood. Butterflies were on the wing. The trees were home to several warbler species and I was challenged to create a few good photos of them. Punctuating the landscape were the occasional blue plastic barrels. It seemed a particularly strong color note in amongst the natural organic hues and tones.
We also see barrels and drums that are all white or all black every once in a while. Ran into a guy not too long a go that collected a few of these plastic drums and he said he was going to make a raft from them. I wonder if he was successful? Hopefully, he didn’t try to take a float trip with the river as high as it was. It’s dangerous to get caught in the wake from a massive coal barge cruising down river in a craft you can’t manuever very well.
Every wonder what those Easter Island sculptures look like below their giant heads? Buried beneath the sand is an equally blocky body. We walked around some more to see what had changed since our last visit?
Near the dam, you could find examples of how high the river got this time around. Mr. Easter Island Man came across this staircase that became lodged in a willow. In surrounding trees, plastic trash bags, and loose tree limbs were stranded in other branches. The mud in this area was very soft and it was easy to sink down to your ankles in it. You needed to plot your course in advance and take advantage of walking on the tops of the beached logs. This way, you also left fewer tracks behind.
Small waves were still slapping the shoreline and fresh junk was arriving by the second. In a few days, the Ohio River will go down some more and another layer will have been deposited. Mr. Easter Island Man was collecting beat-up fishing lures and bobbers. He spotted a blue plastic crate in the surf zone, but when he checked it out, it was already broken.
Not to far ahead, something else colorful had caught his eye. It was a yellow and blue foam glider that rode in on the waves and was now drying out with the driftwood. Something like this is too cool to just leave lying around and Mr. Easter Island Man collected it and made it his own.
Examining the soft airplane, it appeared to be undamaged. Lifting the toy he cocked his arm and said before he threw it…now let’s see what this baby can do! More from the Falls later this week including a rare sighting of the enigmatic riverine predator…the Feralocitor.
Posted in Absurd, Art, art and environment, birds and birding, creativity, ecosytem, Falls of the Ohio, fresh water, Louisville, Kentucky, Ohio River, public art, recycled art, watershed, tagged Art, Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest, Falls of the Ohio, Julia Oldham, notes in bottles on May 10, 2010| 3 Comments »
Continuing a streak of good luck, I was able to catch up with video artist Julia Oldham and show her a little of my stretch of the river. I first became acquainted with Julia’s work through Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest’s Connect event from last summer. Several of her videos were being projected outdoors and I was frozen in my tracks by them. I later learned she would become an artist in residence at Bernheim during the months of April and May of this year. We “cyber-met” through each other’s blogs, leaving occasional post comments back and forth. With considerable interest, I anticipated meeting her in person for the first time. Julia was kind enough to give me a sneak peek of the work she is creating at Bernheim and will formally “unveil” at the arboretum later this month. Her newest works are as she is…smart, funny, and engaging. I looked forward to sharing a river adventure together.
We arrived at the Falls in time to celebrate Earth Day…sort of. It was two weeks late, windy, cool, and the muddy-colored Ohio River was still very high but receding. The park was full of cars and people participating in the festivities. Evidence of the high water was all along the shoreline and to be truthful, I felt dismayed by the sheer amount of crap present. Happy Earth Day everybody…let’s celebrate this liquid landfill we call a river!
Pretty much all the spots I like to inhabit were still underwater or inaccessible and muddy. I wondered how much of a bad impression this was making on Julia? Quietly, it affected my mood and I tried to distract myself by making a quick sculpture from this junk. But it fell apart and I didn’t manage to even get a picture of it! The sight of so much river born garbage was repellent and I felt like a rubber-necker at the scene of an accident. This is also part of the fascination that I have with this place, but rarely have I seen it this bad. Where we could, we touched base with the river. In places, there were immense logs and washed away trees driven against the bank. Who knows what I will find once the river returns to a more normal pool? Definitely, there won’t be a shortage of art making materials…maybe for years.
We visited the Interpretive Center and Julia was able to see some of the displays. I have wanted the chance to photograph the large replica of the Permian Age amphibian among the ginkgo leaves and here it is. I got down on my belly to get eye to eye with it! From this angle it looks like a big frog, but it is a four-legged giant salamander-like critter and lived in the swamps that millions of years later became coal deposits. It was maybe 3 1/2 feet long in life. I wondered if it had a long tongue?
Several birds of prey were on hand as part of a raptors rehab program in our area. We talked birds and I photographed this really pretty male American Kestrel. I see wild and free kestrels in the park all the time. This small falcon is our most colorful bird of prey. I once observed a kestrel catching a Killdeer plover on the fossil beds. The hunt was over in seconds.
Julia and I hiked around the park where we could and then we returned to my vehicle. I had brought with me four clean, glass pint bottles I had found earlier at the Falls as well as materials to write notes or make drawings. After sharing a Blue Dog peanut butter cookie and a couple of pears…we set to work.
I’m frequently asked if I have ever found a note in a bottle and I have to disappoint by saying no. The ones I would make along with Julia are in fact the first notes I have ever put into bottles. I have, however, been interested in doing this for some time and this seemed as good a moment as any. The notes are written with permanent ink on Tyvek and paper.
I have no idea what Julia wrote in her notes and she doesn’t know what I put in mine. We did, however, include some contact information just in case by some stroke of luck someone should find one of these bottles. I hope that someone does. It would be cool to see where it went! I placed small fishing bobbers in each bottle to give it some more visual “pick me up” appeal and then Julia and I took photographs of them in front of the skyline of Louisville. Since the river at the Falls wasn’t conducive for launching our bottles…we drove to nearby New Albany, Indiana. In August, Julia will be having a solo show at the Carnegie Art and History Center and I thought Julia would like to see the space. After a few beers at the New Albanian it was time to launch our bottled notes. We went down to New Albany’s expansive waterfront and while Julia videotaped, I threw the bottles as far as I could and they landed with a splash to begin their journeys to destinations unknown. The setting sun reflected on the glass of the floating bottles and I lost sight of them as they drifted towards the center of the Ohio River and points west.
The day went by so quickly and then it was time to go home. We talked about our very different experiences in the art world, but in the end, felt like we had much in common. The following morning, I opened the local paper and was surprised to discover an article about Julia in the art section. It was a nice way to continue our first meeting. If you are interested in seeing Julia’s work, her blog ” Bee Sting Brose” is on my blogroll. A click there will take you to several links featuring her videos and articles written about her and her art.
Posted in animals, Art, collections, creativity, environmental art, fresh water, Ohio River, public art, recycled art, sculpture, Styrofoam, unusual collection, watershed, tagged Art, Life at the River's Edge, museum display, Oldham County History Center, Styrofoam sculpture on May 7, 2010| 6 Comments »
On May 6, the Oldham County History Center had a members’ opening for their Oldham County: Life at the River’s Edge exhibit…which was actually several exhibits in one. My sculptures played a part in the overall display and were integrated among the other exhibits. I really liked the idea that my work (which included objects and images) would find a home among other examples of our material heritage. Here are a few images from the event. Once I got home and looked at the pictures, I realized I didn’t have any with people in them! Yes, there were indeed people present and I enjoyed meeting and talking to them all! Thanks for the beer and bar-be-que too!
Nancy Stearns Theiss, the center’s director, lives on by the Ohio River and so she recognizes the materials I use and where they come from. She gathered up her own debris and put it in context with my work. Nancy has a strong background in environmental education and recognizes what my project is attempting to do in a way that I must say gets overlooked in the usual art gallery context.
This was also the first time I have been able to show my Falls images, sculptures, and collected objects in the same exhibit. I have always imagined that this would create the most interesting display. The photo above is an example of this and includes my “Fake Food Collection” that I have gathered on the riverbank over the years.
Become a Trash Artist! I guess there’s no denying that I’m one. As an activity, materials were on hand if anyone felt the urge to make something that was encouraged. My “3M Wasp” is hanging from the ceiling with fishing line. This piece gets its name from the protective mask I found that looks to me just like an insect’s face. Later during the summer, I will participate in a workshop making art from found materials.
Also on display was a Living Stream Touch Table, essentially an aquarium with native creatures that one might encounter in the local fresh water environment. Among the animals in the tank include several species of native fishes, crayfish, frogs, and a small water snake.
The exhibit will be up until August and I look forward to returning and participating with the center again. This final image is located on the center’s grounds and right next to an example of a root cellar.
Posted in ecosytem, Falls of the Ohio, fresh water, Louisville, Kentucky, nature, Ohio River, Styrofoam, watershed, tagged cottonwood tree, Falls of the Ohio State Park, Kentucky, Louisville, Ohio River, spring flood, Styrofoam on May 5, 2010| 2 Comments »
I knew we received a lot of rain…I can tell by how much makes it into the basement of our home. I once thought it was the river’s way of trying to claim its own since I store many of my river finds there. I have this mental image of Styrofoam and driftwood floating into my back yard from the bowels of my basement. As much precipitation as we experienced, there must have been a heck of a lot more just northeast of us. The river has been rising for days and will continue to do so for a few more. Since yesterday, the river has essentially gone over the dam and large masses of driftwood and debris are flowing over. Once the water recedes, I expect to find a completely different park. I’ve put together a few images to give you a sense of the river rising over the last two days. Let’s start with some larger views.
The rise can be seen from the height of the water on this Cottonwood tree. Usually this tree is not touching the river.
This is the time of year when the Cottonwood trees release their fluff. Wind catches this fuzz which harbors tiny seeds and disperses it everywhere. In places cottony drifts are created. Here is the broken tip of a branch showing how the Cottonwood tree earned its name.
There are several places to access the riverbank at the park and one popular way is to use this set of wooden stairs. The river, however, has covered the bottom two boards. While I was there, I watched the surreal sight of a plastic castle go floating by!
Okay, here is the castle I mentioned…
…maybe I’ll find this thing later on as well as this huge Styrofoam chunk I saw yesterday! Most of the pieces I find have been shaped by rubbing against driftwood in the water. The abrasion creates these interesting biomorphic shapes I like to use in my sculpture.
Once the river crests, it will be a few days before I can get back down to the riverbank. I heard it’s supposed to rain again this weekend. In the meantime, I’m looking forward to the exhibit at the Oldham County Historical Center in LaGrange. There’s a small reception Thursday night and I heard my pieces have been dispersed among the regular collection. I’ll post from there next and try to give you a few views of the display. Finally, here’s one more high water image I came across late today.
Posted in Absurd, Art, art and environment, birding, birds and birding, creativity, ecosytem, environmental art, Falls of the Ohio, fresh water, Green, Louisville, Kentucky, nature, nature photography, Ohio River, Originality, public art, recycled art, sculpture, Styrofoam, watershed, tagged Art, Baltimore Oriole, birds, Kentucky Derby, recycled art, site specific art, Styrofoam sculpture on May 3, 2010| 3 Comments »
The Kentucky Derby happened 24 hours a go, but the bigger regional story was all the rain we received. I’ve said this before in this blog, the gentle spring rains of yesteryear seem like a thing from the past. Now every storm is charged with energy and abundant water. In the Louisville area totals for the last two days are 5 to 7 inches ( 12 to 17.75 cms). In Nashville, TN there is wide spread flooding. There was one period of a few hours on Saturday that things were just misty. That was as good as our luck ran this weekend. I took that opportunity to get my river fix and it was good for my peace of mind!
Since I fully expected the rain to just pound me at any moment, I kept my eyes open as I moved along the river. I had the place nearly to myself which helped make the Falls seem larger. The willow trees were in bloom and there were even a few nice birds around. I quickly made a figure from available Styrofoam and sticks and I will now turn the narrative over to him.
Yeah…we moved as fast as my beaver-chewed willow legs would carry me over the wet and packed sand. We checked out the various debris fields near the river and took pictures of the things that caught our attention. We came across a lost arm lying next to a plastic bottle and I wondered who would lose an arm and not miss it? I picked it up and examined it.
It’s a perfectly good arm, but I don’t want to carry it around and so I left it where it was found. If I find out later that I have a need for it…I think I can remember where this spot is provided the river doesn’t rise and rearrange things again. Certainly looks a lot greener now than the last time I dropped by.
Of late, I’ve taken an interest in the remains of old fires and camp sites. It’s a test of observation and I like to learn what I can from the charcoal and ashes, but this one has been hit hard by the rain and we learn little.
A colorful, but ruined soccer ball lay before us. The leading edge of the river usually has a few balls of one kind or another in the mix. We stopped for a few snapshots than went our merry way. There were more things we could see laying on the sand a head of us that looked worth checking out.
I traded the blue ring around my neck for a larger one I could wear around my waist. It could be used as a flotation device if necessary! Walking the shoreline we came across this vignette…a still life of tulips. It’s a partially buried plastic watering can and the river has revealed this picture for us!
Oh man! We found that awful jar of baloney again. Even the river doesn’t want this thing and keeps casting it back upon the shore. The thought crosses my mind that this might make good catfish bait if I could stomach running a hook through this mystery meat. I wonder if that giant bug-thing is around?
Like I mentioned earlier…we saw a few birds too! Some of our warmer weather birds have returned. I thought we had some better pictures, but I guess there was just too much water in the air. We did come across a pair of Canada Geese with three goslings doing the same thing we were…namely investigating the riverbank. Their young are very cute!
And, we saw three of our favorite bird species! The Yellow Warblers have returned and we tried like crazy to get a decent shot of this bird singing away, but the images were kind of gray. Also saw a Spotted Sandpiper (but missing its spots) heading north. We will see those spots upon its return migration from near the Arctic circle. Indigo Buntings seem plentiful and we were fortunate to watch Baltimore Orioles chasing one another through the trees. Here’s a picture of a male oriole who was watching a female among the branches and not intent on us.
With hope, the Scarlet Tanagers and Rose-breasted Grosbeaks will be passing through soon. I decided to hang out longer while that artist-guy went home. I’ll be right here, unless someone else finds me first.
Well, that’s how our Derby Day went. The rain stayed away long enough for the race to be run and by all reports the festival was an overall success. I’m glad people had a good time, but I’m getting a little event weary and feeling the need to be more contemplative…and dry!
Posted in Absurd, Art, art and environment, collections, creativity, ecosytem, environmental art, Falls of the Ohio, fresh water, Louisville, Kentucky, nature, Ohio River, recycled art, unusual collection, watershed, tagged Art, found objects, lost toys, Ohio River, oil spill, plastic on April 29, 2010| 2 Comments »
I am always photographing the junk I find at the Falls of the Ohio. Looking through my newer images I was amazed by all the toys I have come across recently. Now these are just the tip of the proverbial iceberg. All time, this would be an immense category on its own. When I’m doing my usual posts, I’ll throw in an odd find if I think it contributes to the story. Otherwise, this stuff just gets buried in my computer. Maybe when I’m an old man, I’ll come back and revisit this stuff. By then, a lot of this junk will appear dated and nostalgic. I’ll probably look that way too!
All the stuff I’m about to present is made of plastic, which is made from resins derived mostly from crude oil. I remember seeing a picture of a middle class American home with all its plastic contents arranged in the front yard. It looked like just about everything this house contained was made from plastic and it was shocking!
I have been following the news lately about that oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and it has me feeling very anxious. I don’t know why more people aren’t getting freaked out about this? Essentially, you have a hole drilled deep into the ocean’s floor that’s hemorrhaging oil and the attempts to plug this hole haven’t worked. The slick is already hundreds of miles long and will soon come into contact with the Gulf Coast’s rich estuaries. A couple of years a go, my family vacationed in Gulf Shores, Alabama and it was fun and beautiful. I don’t want to imagine those white beaches fouled with oil.
I debate with myself about whether something like this event can be considered a “natural disaster”? Granted it probably doesn’t fit the usual definition, however, haven’t we (as a species of animal) that originated here make us “natural” as well? Isn’t a big part of the problem that we have successfully convinced ourselves that we are on some other plane and that life’s rules don’t apply to us? Aren’t all man-made disasters in effect natural disasters?
Often it seems more convenient to bury our heads in the sand and pretend events like this oil spill have no long-term effects. Where is the outrage and our will to do the right thing?
Life is interconnected to life and it is ridiculous to think our mistakes don’t affect other organisms that have a right to exist in their own right.
Everywhere life is under pressure from the global scale of our activities.
The sad truth is unless we find ways to reconnect and revere nature…we will eventually will be hammered by it. One thing I see over and over at the Falls is that life is indifferent and doesn’t play favorites. Will we be the architects of our own undoing?
If crude oil is a disappearing resource, doesn’t it make sense to use it for things that really matter? Do we truly need to lock so much of it up in uses that are this disposable and forgettable?
Often it seems to me that we are in a big rush to go nowhere as fast as we can. Why the big hurry? Life is short enough and consuming everything we come into contact with isn’t going to make the experience more meaningful. It’s past time to slow down and rearrange our priorities.
Artist at Exit 0 Riverblog 