Water Reflections

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I feel like sharing my joy of the completion of my private book WATER REFLECTIONS - about 200 water images and 50 reflections - a most satisfying project. I hit the limit of pages on Blurb… and I was ready to finish anyway - good timing….. It reminds me of the comedian who said he was glad there was a climax, otherwise he would hurt himself!

If you are interested in seeing WATER REFLECTIONS, send me an email and I will share my Dropbox file of the book with you.

Contemplating Cove

Contemplating Cove

Seventy Fifth birthday thoughts

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Seventy Five is a milestone for me - I feel an end of an era. I have never felt my future to be so uncertain. It’s okay - just what is - day to day living. Actually, it helps me live my mantra - Love in the moment.

Alzheimer’s is taking it’s toll. I’ve avoided the caregiver’s note in their file - combative - but I feel it now. The other day my three year old granddaughter showed me a fingernail imprint on her arm, and said, you need to talk to Bama, and I said, I will, and she said No, Now.

With no memory, talking to Patty was, of course, a futile exercise, but a telling experience - an experience noteworthy for my Alzheimer’s journal. I have two other ‘too physical’ episodes noted in my, now, twenty five page journal.

My adult children are now saying it is time for heavy sedation or a memory care unit - I have a call into the doctor. The memory care unit is too much for me to handle, right now, but the heavy sedative may be a good transition for all of us?

Anyway, I pause to reflect on a few things I have learned over the last 75 years!

  1. No matter how much crap I go through, family is my highest priority.

  2. All is Gift.

  3. My biggest goal is love.

  4. My best way to love is SCG - Self-realizing, Connecting and Giving.

  5. My passions are the route to optimizing SCG

  6. My passions give me the most satisfaction

  7. I do what I prioritize.

  8. The Simple Prayer is not so simple

  9. Water is a wonder

  10. You can teach an old dog new tricks

75th family diner

75th family diner

A 75th BD day sail

A 75th BD day sail

ALZHEIMER'S

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I feel like a lifetime Alzheimer’s association member. I named our fundraising team for Alzheimer's, the WHICHWAYERS, many years ago, when it personally touched our lives, and they still haven’t found a cure - what’s taking so long? It is too late for us, but without a cure, many will die from this dreadful disease.

Working on finding a cure is not all that the fine Alzheimer's association does. I have received a lot of good counseling from our local office, and there are offices for help all over the country.

We’ll be walking again to support Alzheimer's on September 19th in Burlington. I invite you to walk with the WHICHWAYERS. If you don’t walk, you can still donate. .

My local Alzheimer’s office recommends: There are two ways you can help:

  1. Join my team, Whichwayers, and walk with me on 09/19/2021.

  2. Donate on my fundraising page.

  3. I’ll add this one - donate to the cause, anywhere. See alz.org.

I am grateful to have your support - all kinds.

Twilight Alzheimer’s

Twilight Alzheimer’s

Character Counts

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My mother said her career was building Character. She was a wise woman, with an eighth grade education, who was the “birthing person” for ten well adjusted achievers.

Character Counts - MLK addressed character - “I look to a day when people will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.”

I am reminded of the iconic movie, Guess who is Coming to Diner? with Sidney Poitier, where Sidney’s accomplished character said something like, Dad, I don’t see myself as a Black man, I see myself as a man.

Please don’t judge me by the color of my skin. In fact, don’t judge me at all - negatively, that is . You have not walked in my shoes, nor lived in my skin. Why do you think you have a basis to judge me? There are well thought out processes for judges and juries.

The one thing I remember about Peter Seger’s book The Fifth Dimension is his opinion that a human nature trait is, to get a few facts and leap to an abstraction. I see it all the time. It results in conjecture and is not nice, when it results in unfounded negative judgement.

You have heard the saying, Two Steps Forward, One Step Back, I think we are stepping back at this point in time..

Steps

Steps

Meach Cove and ASIG

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June 2021 marks my official membership with All Souls Interfaith Gathering (ASIG), located on breathtaking Meach Cove, along acres of prime property on Lake Champlain. The group’s mission indicates: “All Souls is an interfaith spiritual center in Shelburne, Vermont, cultivating inner peace and inspiring connection with Divine Source.”

ASIG vision connects with me - “We envision a just, peaceful, and loving world, respectful of difference and united by common humanity, in which people live purposeful lives in harmony with one another, other creatures, and the Earth itself.”

Trevien Stanger and I introduced OUR BASIN OF RELATIONS to All Souls Sacred Earth group as part of WATER MONTH. My opening remark was “You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make her drink.”

The ensuing thought is, government regulation will only result in clean water to a certain extent. The job will best be accomplished with education and inspiration - a paradigm swift in personal consciousness. We protect what we love! The intent of OUR BASIN OF RELATIONS is inspiration and education.

Taking personal responsibility for clean water is not a forced action, a government requiment. It is a personal choice that rewards with the wonderful feeling of doing good for all, present and future, with enlightment and involvement with protecting a precious resourse - WATER.

Meach Cove Sunlight

Open Studio June 19th and 20th

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Visit Bilder Studio next weekend. It’s part of the twice a year Vermont Open Studio event, including 71 stops through out Vermont, sponsored by vemontcrafts.com. See the latest large canvas images. We are gifting copies of the recent book release, OUR BASIN OF RELATIONS, The Art and Science of Living with Water. Images will be discounted, and contributions will be made to Clean Water Advocates, Inc - a Vermont nonprofit, to educate and inspire clean water.

If nothing else you can rest with us, between stops!

We are number 10 in the booklet - 16 Wild Apple Ln or 60 Wolf Ln., Richmond - The White building, just off Hinesburg Road, two miles from Richmond Village.

Print Room

Preserve

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Processing two images in one is rare for me. It made sense for Preserve to be included in OUR BASIN OF RELATIONS, The Art and Science of Living with water.

PhotoShop is a great tool for the creative - a want-a-be for me. I dip my toe in a bit, with manipulation, but prefer to create beauty, or the message I wish to make, with all the elements existing in nature - well, maybe I add a little enhancement to create what I feel is attractive.

The other afternoon (June 8th, 2021) Patty asked 3 year old grand daughter, Olive, if she wanted the water that sat on the kitchen table. I said, no..... that’s Emmett’s. Patty got frustrated and slammed the glass of water on the table - nearly breaking the glass. Water flew all over the place. I popped my lower lip and shrugged my shoulders. Olive followed, popping her lower lip and shrugging her shoulders. The mysteriousness of Patty’s reaction caught both of our attention in the same way. I had to smile.

My mind reenacted the incident at three am, that night. Patty is used to the grandkids running past me to her arms - she kept their attention and connected at their level. Things are different now. We all know something is wrong, even Patty. How frustrating it must be for Patty. I wish we could preserve the way it used to be.

Peserve

Kripalu

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Kripalu is a former Jesuit retreat center, a respite spot from Alzheimer’s, for me - yoga and Ayurveda for most - nestled in nature in Stockbridge, Massachusetts - part of the Berkshires.

I was introduced to Kripalu when Bridget attended their Mindfulness Outdoor Leadership training. I thought this might be a great place to get away and do some nature image reflecting, eat some healthy food, try a little yoga, and have a couple massages. I went in October 2019. It rained quite a bit, but it was effective in meeting my expectations. The rain added an element of influence, that was actually photographicly challenging and fun to be in. I expect to experience Kripalu again, this October (2021), when my sister Rosie and brother John will sub in the ring with Patty.

Alzheimer’s is mean! It is probably playing a mind game with me, that unknowingly, Kripalu is the strsss relief needed - I seem oblivious to the big A’s meanness on me.

I can’t imagine having brain bllight. It’s a long wasting illness - a slow death - a slow grieving process, to be repeated again, after the inevitable . It’s like incremental worsening lobotomies that torture to the end, slow but sure. Where is the Patty I know?

Monk’s Pond

Contemplating Cove

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Contemplating Cove is a special place for me. I meditate there - let thoughts freely flow, and contemplate ones I wish to beat up. There is a brick perch at the end of the point that fits my structure. At sunrise I am there alone. The waves lap at my feet - a soothing sound. The view to the Adirondacks is one of my favorites. I love it.

It has been a few years since I sat at sunrise in Contemplating Cove. Now it is the Birch Bowl, at our home in Richmond, I wish to sit and meditate, contemplate. The delightful spot is just a stones throw from my bedroom, where I do most of my meditaing and contemplating these days.

Actually, my meditation and contemplation is most pure presently, around 3 - 5am, most mornings, as I lay beside Patty in bed. Most recently, I on my side, Patty on her back, early morning sunrays rimmed her profile face. As I viewed her chin, mouth, and nose, I saw a beautiful young woman, peacefully asleep. I thought, no, Patty is 75. I looked again and I saw the same - a beautiful young woman, peacefully asleep.

Contemplating Cove

Split Rock

Open Studio June 19th and 20th

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Vermont Crafts Council presents it’s semi-annual Open Studio event June 19th and 20th. 71 artists, around Vermont, will be opening their work space to all comers. Vertmontcrafts.com.

This is the first time the Bilder Studio will be open to the public. I will have a number of my images presented through out the studio. Bilder Studio is primarily a working space for high end commercial photography by my son, Michael, and daughter-in-law, Jessica. I have a 44 inch printer and production space in one corner, and will be spreading out my passion work during the two days of the open house.

The open studio is good timing for me. Our book on clean water, in conjunction with Clean Water Advocates, Inc., a Vermont nonprofit, has just release it’s educational and inspirational book, OUR BASIN OF RELATIONS, The Art and Science of Living with Water. It is a book created by nearly twenty area, passionate environmentalists. We will be gifting twenty books on the 19th and 20th to visitors to our open studio.

Stop in: 16 Wild Apple Lane, Richmond (White building on Hinesburg Road) This is part of our home property - 60 Wolf Lane, Richmond. (the address in Open Studio booklet)

Open Studio images--2.jpg

Noble Servant

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Servant connotes indenture. But, given free-will, being a servant is noble. I am beginning to believe, at my old age, that being of service to others is purpose, and all that matters. And, the thing is, it feels good.

Being forced, required, obviates the fulfilling feel of helping. Take for example paying taxes that go to good causes, versus making contributions to your favorite charity. Or, being drafted to military service versus volunteering, Or wearing a mask because you are required, versus deciding to wear a mask because you want to protect others.

People are good. The more one is given the power to choose - free of intervention - the more they are emotionally healthy, make decisions that are for the ‘greater good’, and have that great feel of helping others. And, the fact is - it seldom works when controlling governance treat individuals as subjects, not individuals, where well-intended generalizations just don’t cut it.

It is time for a wake up call, and understand that most people are responsible, kind, and want to help. We do not need to deaden the good to control the minuscule irresponsible. The Golden Rule rules!

Wake Up Call

Fifty Shades of Gray

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The naked eye has a capacity to see more shades of gray than a camera. Ansel Adams identified nine shades of gray with his zone system creation. PhaseOne boasts of thirteen tones with their high end cameras. The naked eye can distinguish more than fifteen, if one pays attention.

I love black and white, and all shades of gray in between. The integration, blend, makes for a beautiful image, especially when all the shades are represented - enhancing the impression - the total greater than the sum of the parts.

When shades blend and compliment, it’s joyful - the differences delight, reflects the truth, oneness - different is beautiful.

Uncertain Weather

White and Blue

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My mind wonders, attracted to the two beached boats on Positano’s beach. I think of companionship, advocacy, guardian angels, God’s guiding spirit. The white - the guide - support, not needing motorization. The blue - me, comforted, knowing there is more than me alone, to walk, sail, the course.

YOU’LL NEVER WALK ALONE from the Sound of Music resonates a note for me to ruminate: “Walk on through the wind, Walk on through the rain, Though your dreams be tossed And blown. Walk on, walk on, With hope in your heart, and you’ll never walk alone.”

In 2014, I put my strong feelings about the importance of having a personal advocate, in my client gift book, ADVOCATE PLANNING, TO DO WHAT YOU LOVE TO DO. The book discusses revelations, late to my professional career, including three principles intregral to living with purpose - Self-realizating, Connecting and Giving, (SCG). These principles are most effectively accomplished with you listening to your Inner Wisdom and having a personal, and a professional advocate, who know you better than you know yourself. My personal advocate - Patty, was a great advocate for me for over fifty years.

My 2014 dissertation fell short of expressing my strong feelings about the importance of SCG. I plan now to write an extensive preface to ADVOCATE PLANNING, and promote it to the fianancial planning profession. I tentatively call the script THREE PRINCIPLES TO LIVE WITH PURPOSE, a preface to ADVOCATE PLANNING, To Do What You Love To D

White and Blue

Alzheimer's

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Twilight Positano was captured in March of 2017. It is hard to believe it was four years ago already. The image pulls me into thoughts and feelings about Alzheimer’s. I didn’t take the picture with Alzheimer’s in mind, but since the capture, I think of nothing else when I reflect, as I view the scene.

Why do I go to Alzheimer’s with my thoughts when I reflect on Twilight Positano? The overwhelming color is purple - Alzheimer’s organization’s color.... and, a good color for the lingering loss - daunting. dark. ominous. end of day. heavy.

The prominent positioned readied float is warm hued, welcoming to a world beyond, with hope of peace and passion.

Patty is in the image, not recognizable. Family are standing by, with love and support. Others looking on to guide - research, longing for a cure, and assisting with tolerating.

We are in the tenth year now. The deterioration is incremental, but seemingly certain. No short term memory. Confusion - mislabeling a wall for a room, a shoe for a sock. Seaching for words once readily available.

But... we breakfast out every morning, listen to 50’s music, watch a movie, and walk, when we can. Soon Patty anticipating words from the 50’s will leave her singing lips. She sits through the movies, but doesn’t really follow, and of course doesn’t remember (watching repeats is not a problem for me either).

I dread the day we can’t do the daily routine. God speed.

Twilight Positano

In Neutral

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Patty and I spent time in late 80’s and early 90’s learning about the principles of Mind, Consciousness, and Thought, as originally espoused by Sydney Banks. Joe Bailey is the Minneapolis based psychologist that guided us through the principles. I think I read all the books, available at the time, on the subject.

The concepts were particularly productive for both of us - simple ideas - very effective. One idea that hit home with me was: “Notice the feeling and do nothing”. The idea is clear your mind... put it in neutral... let your thoughts pass through, no fixating. The consequence is a return to the natural state of well being. Like the New England weather - wait fifteen minutes and it will pass.

I had an image of a lone-standing chair, taken at the time, looking out on Green Bay. It was a favorite image, and reminded me of the concept IN NEUTRAL. While meandering the Oregon coast in 2015, I captured another image, I again call, In Neutral.

In Neutal

Color of Water

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I know big water is generally blue. Technically that is because water absorbs red, orange, green and yellow, leaving blue and violet photons to reflect to our eyes. I look, though, at my images, captured mostly at low light - sunrise, sunset - and I see a rainbow of colors. I love it.

Water reciprocates, affected beautifully by what is Near, On, In, and Under it. I pour a glass of water to drink and I don’t want to see a color. I want it to be pure and translucent. In the big picture though, I love interesting skies and light, reflected beautifully on the surface of water. And, I am fascinated by particle impact from water bottoms and particles in and on water.

I started counting the colors in my image I call Color of Water, captured during the drought of 2012 on Lake Champlain, and I gave up - too many subtle shades to count. Usually my images are more monochromatic, but this unusual site captivates me - I feel something different each time I view the jumble of color - I try to make order of the chaos - I see as my imagination allows.

Dwelling a moment on the color of water recalls to me, the beautiful translucent aqua water off Cayman Islands in the Caribbean and the deep waters of Trout lake near our cabin on Lower White Fish lake, both are experienced delights in the 80’s.

Color of Water

Social Distancing

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I’ve been trying to make sense out of wearing masks after being vaccinated with a ‘very effective’ medicine against this awful flu, which allegedly, unnaturally, started in a lab in China.

Maybe it’s a fight of life’s driving forces of fear and risk taking - are we Evil Knievel or Howard Hughes? - Likely in between, with a lean one way or another.

I suspect I lean to risk taking, but at this time I am driven to making others comfortable and being light about it. I laugh at remembering my dad making light of my frequent comment to him when he had an accounting challenge - I’d say, No Problem.

There is a new verse to the song - What a Wonderful World: I see vaccinated friends wearing masks, Saying, how do you do? They’re really saying I love you.

Social Distancing

Smooth Sailing?

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OUR BASIN OF RELATIONS, The Art and Science of Living with Water is now in Vermont local book stores and can be purchased directly from me by clicking here. Just click on image of book and follow prompts. All proceeds go to Clean Water Advocates, Inc. a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

Fun in the sun on Lake Champlain, and for that matter, on any water basin, can’t be taken for granted. Crap flows into lakes many ways - I can’t image waste water treatment systems allowing sewage overflows multiple times every year.

Following is an excerpt from OUR BASIN, from the article entitled TEN INVITATIONS INTO THE WATERSHED , FOR MY DAUGHTER, FERN written by Trevien Stanger.

Gratitude. This is a world of water and wonder, my baby daughter, and you’re invited. Your first home was in the amniotic water of your mother, and ever since you’ve emerged from that first mysterious ocean almost two years ago now, you’ve never been far from water. While there are always going to be ten thousand things to pay attention to on any given day, water can be a constant presence in your awareness, a wellspring of appreciation. Notice this fact: every day of your life, regardless of season or mood, water will make at least one appearance into your perceptual field that will invite wonder. Might be a waterfall, might be a rolling fog, might be the light striking the streaming faucet just right - water talks to us as Beauty, and you’re invited to share in it.

The only piece of advice I could ever give you with total clarity is this: accept these daily invitations with gratitude and grace.

Saturday Sail



TRANQUILLITY

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TRANQUILLITY

Tranquillity is hiding - unnoticed amongst 25,000 reflections in my library of images. It now speaks loudly to me. Why it didn’t mesmerize in 2015, at the time of capture, befuddles me. I suspect I am now more emotionally needy of the evocation.

I could call it AtlanticLight15 - pre - Stroke16, the prolonged COVID19, Alzheimer's10 - a longing for less stress - simplicity, calm, quiet; nature’s promise - hope. The Simple prayer of Francis comes to mind - an instrument of peace - where there is darkness - light.

I reflect on Francis of Assisi - he forgoes wealth and material power, and is absorbed in the purity of nature’s creation. I can only imagine the eternal rewards of his words and actions. “Where there is hatred, sow love, injury - pardon… it is in giving we receive”.