It's been a Helena time

Finally, I am able to post something while I have wifi access at a Verizon Hotspot in downtown Asheville. You have no doubt seen some awful images of the destruction in Western NC. While I live about 5 miles N of Asheville, and not in a flood zone, we did get hammered with the winds last week. It's been 11 days without power and running water. Other than one pine hitting our roof, we sustained little damage to our home. I can't say that the rest of the county and surrounding region has been that lucky. The River Arts District of AVL has been largely obliterated, with only some buildings standing - all of which are brick, and not cinder blocks. The 1916 flood was the lasert one to compare to, and it reached 21 ft. This one reached 25 feet. Before Helene struck us, we'd already had 11" of rainfall from another weather system. People that have lived here a long time cannot remember a hurricane hitting the mountains. I have taken a lot of images, and none of them do justice to the vast amount of devastation suffered by some areas. I'll post some when I have a good upload capability. There is a lot going on with relief and supplies, and I am hopeful that we will soon have our power restored. Take care, Mark 

 UPDATE OCTOBER 9 

 Our power came on Monday night around 8:30, and what a surprise. It's amazing how having lights on makes a big psychological difference. Shortly thereafter, our internet was also available. One good thing is that we are incrementally getting more services, etc. The weather has also been sunny and glorious, which is good for the first responders, cleaning up, etc.  I'll be posting images of some of the devastation in another post.  For now, enjoy the beauty from yesterday morning.

Looking to the NE from our neighborhood.  You can't see anything amiss at this perspective.

One Year

It's been a year since we moved to Weaverville, NC from Ann Arbor, MI.  We feel very comfortable here, and are very happy in our new home. If you had  asked me three years ago, where I might be living in 2020, I don't think that NC would have been on my radar at the time.  Life is funny, in how things can quickly change in ways that one does not foresee.  But, at the age of 62, one does not often make big changes, and moving here was certainly a big change.  To be honest, I was getting in a rut in Ann Arbor, and while I did like our old home, the neighborhood, and my friends, nothing much had changed, except that I was retired.  The ugly politics at work hastened my retirement, and I had no reason for emotional ties to the place I worked for almost 37 years.    It was time to reinvent myself, and in a way, I did.  I'm no longer a retired entomologist. I'm a retired man that is passionate about photography, loves living in the mountains, and having a relatively stress-free life. 

Vance Birthplace, State Historic Site. Nikon F2S, FPP Infrapan.

I have fallen in love with Western North Carolina - the mountains, the rivers and creeks, nature's abundance, and  the people here are genuinely welcoming and friendly.  I grew up at the NW edge of the Adirondacks in New York State, and love being in the mountains once again.  We are very close to the Blue Ridge Parkway, and getting into the higher elevations is a really quick trip.  There are so many streams and waterfalls that are within 30 miles, it seems almost too good to be true to be living here.   We had plans for some trips to the coast, but then COVID-19 happened, and of course, those were put aside for the time being.  Despite that, I have been doing a lot of day trips in the area, and it's helped familiarize me with the best routes and natural features. 

View from Mt. Mitchell.  Nikon FM3a, Rollei Retro 80s

I still have not gotten my darkroom put in, and the new space will be smaller than my old one, but will be adequate for what I do.  For now, the downstairs bathroom is where I develop film, and it's worked out pretty well.  Unfortunately, with the current situation, there have been no photography meetups or gatherings.  I'd really like to do a Western NC film-shooters' meetup, but that will have to wait.

Biltmore Estate, Tasma Mikrat 200, Nikon FM2N

One other thing that is new for me is that I am trying to learn to paint with Acrylics.  The landscapes here are inspiring, and maybe I will find my style and see where I go with it.  It's definitely a challenge.

Walker falls, Nikon FM3a, Ilford Pan-F

Of course, if you have been following this blog, then you already know the things that I  have been doing over the past 12 months.  I am currently testing a bunch of other films, and hope to have some reviews ready  in August.

Stay healthy, my friends.