Author Archives: beth

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About beth

Ann Arbor-ite writes about enjoying life with all of its ironies and surprises.
Jul23

“photography is telling stories.” – jim spillane

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attending the annual ann arbor art fair

i had great luck and the honor of meeting

photographer/human rights advocate, jim spillane.

i happened by his stall

drawn in by the beauty and subjects of his photographs

especially taken with his pictures of children

after much thought

finally decided on one

a young tibetan child

tiny hands held together in hello.

i asked jim his story

how he had come to take these stunning pictures all over the world.

once a criminal defense attorney in the gerald ford white house

representing vietnam war draft resisters seeking amnesty

he got sick, had a horrible experience

 changed his life

trained with an ansel adams associate

began traveling the world

taking photographs of people

his subject is the human condition and the connections and responsibilities we have for each other.

using his pictures as a way to create interest, open discussion, communicate, call attention to a cause

he has worked taking photographs of workers at a nepalese brick factory for many years

created a photo book of the workers

to speak out and to tell their stories with his photographs

still seeking to help those in need and to be an effective advocate for them.

he is a natural artist, storyteller, teacher, advocate, and man.

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“in recognizing the humanity of our fellow beings, we pay ourselves the highest tribute.”

-thurgood marshall, former justice of supreme court of the united states

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link to his website: jimspillane.com

link to his book, ‘the face of bricks’: https://www.blurb.com/b/9897011-the-face-of-bricks

Jul22

sweet.

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sweet delivery

people helping in the community just because

 

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From the Humane Society:

The sweet and thoughtful Washtenaw Dairy drove up to HSHV today with pup cups for all the dogs!! They’d heard that we have a FULL shelter and brought enough for all the dogs to enjoy a cold treat on this hot day. Not to mention bringing donuts for the humans at HSHV! What a wonderful surprise, thank you Washtenaw Dairy 

Response from the Dairy:

Every day is a fun day working at Washtenaw Dairy but today was extra cool! Thanks so much to HSHV for allowing us to pop in today and treat all the dogs at the shelter with pup cups. We are excited to see these sweet dogs find their Forever homes! Their shelters are full right now. A lot of Covid puppies coming back.We wanted to do some thing to showcase their Empty the Shelter event and spoil all the pups that were there.

Thank you for all you do for all the animals in our community!

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“no single act of generosity remains in isolation. the ripples are many.” 

―sarah winman, author

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 credits: huron valley humane society, washtenaw dairy

Jul21

hot flash mob.

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(not me, but a trio that has my same musical style)

nothing better

on a sweltering hot day

than having a front row seat

belting out fan karaoke.

—

“i think there’s something strangely musical about noise.”

-trent reznor, nine inch nails

 

 

 

 

 

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image credit: google images

Jul20

slip ‘n slide.

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in this heat wave

thinking back to the time

when i decided to

slip ‘n slide with my daughters

waited my turn

zoomed up to it

head first, arms ahead

ready to slide for miles

balked at the last second

backside first, head followed

slammin’ instead of slidin’

 didn’t end up cooled down and filled with joy

did end up concussed and filled with regrets.

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“you always say, ‘i’ll quit when i start to slide,’ and then one morning you wake up and realize you’ve done slid.”

-sugar ray robinson (american professional boxing champion)

 

Jul19

resa.

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happy happy birthday to resa

https://artgowns.com/author/resamcconaghy/

costumer and designer extraordinaire

you are an amazing talent

telling stories with your styles

  making real life connections

between people in the realm of blogs

may you never stop creating art gowns, finding meaningful art in murals,

and being an incredibly creative and inspiring part of our story.

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hello too from our whimsical blog circle who keep crossing paths:

gigi, dale, and holly –

art, poetry, nature, animals, peace, kindness, love, humor, style, stories –

compassionate creatives all.

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“creative expression is not just a means of getting attention, although some have approached art that way. think of art as a way of connecting, of sharing your insights with others.”

-nita leland

 

Jul18

a look.

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the description: “Ever wish you could just wrap yourself in a plush blanket scarf and pronounce it a look? Well, hello! This pale grey top is crafted with shawl-like wrap styling and features pleats at the shoulder and a crisscross bottom. But unlike your winter scarf, the lavishly soft piece has full-length sleeves.”

my reality:

i do love how comfortable and cozy

this ‘plush blanket scarf’ looks

yet

i wonder

if i can master

(the shawl, wrap, pleats, crisscross features)

 and put it on

without getting all tangled up in it

which would not be

a good look

or quite as comfortable.

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“simplicity is the keynote of all true elegance.”

– coco chanel

Jul17

rolling sculpture.

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this one shares my vintage

 

the return of

the rolling sculpture car show

where whimsical art and classic style share the road

 

this one shows its true colors

“whither goest thou, america, in thy shiny car in the night?”

-jack kerouac

Jul16

how now, brown cow?

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“This is our cow we lost. It’s actually a steer, but for simplicity, we called it a cow.”

My personal favorite neighborhood NextDoor conversation (a 6-day string) of the week!:

My neighbor’s cow (red and white) seems to have walked away sometime last night, and they can’t find him(or her?) 

Has anyone seen a cow ? Please let me know.  (My neighbor isn’t on Nextdoor )

Its a common problem here…one guy woke up to 4 cows in his yard! There are worse problems, lol

Is it utterly possible that cows are looking for new homes?

Did they find their cow yet?  Would they like some help looking?

So my husband and I both thought we heard a cow mooing early this morning while we were in bed. We live on ___. Not sure if a cow would come this far but….

Hi! This is __, the owner of the cow! We still haven’t found it! Could you tell me (or call me) whereabouts you heard the mooing?

 You can call me if you’d like at ___. There is a dairy farm east of us. Maybe it headed there?

Did they find the cow ?

 No we haven’t!

Has anyone lost a white duck?

I saw a cow in the 4th of July parade in Tawas City!  No, too far to go.

Red and white?

 Yes, mostly brownish red, with a little white.

Best of luck to you guys!! There is so much rural between here & there. A loose cow could have quite the adventure! I haven’t heard it again, but definitely will keep an eye out. I thought I was losing my marbles for sure.

We found it! It has been at a farmers place at _____! Whew! We are so relieved. It was in good hands. Thank you all for your concern and help!
My chicken ran away for almost 2 days maybe they are sick of our ___, just saying.
So glad you found it and no harm came to it.
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“moo may represent an idea, but only the cow knows.”

-mason cooley

Jul15

yamabushi.

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A Beautiful Documentary About the Yamabushi Monks in Japan Who Immerse Themselves In Nature

In the short documentary “Mountain Monks”, filmmaker Fritz Schumann has captured the quiet beauty of the ancient religion and the monks who climb mountains and traverse waterfalls in northern Japan, often without shoes on their feet in a meaningful ritual that symbolizes death and rebirth.

This once-forbidden ancient faith they follow is a combination of Shinto, Buddhism, Animism, Taoism, and mountain religions, and its mission is to help others strip away the excesses of modern life and regain their strength in nature. Schumann reveals the rarely seen side of the Yamabushi through personal interviews and gorgeous footage. While their tradition is at risk of disappearing, it offers a way for those seeking a different path in Japan‘s society.

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“my imagination is a monastery and I am its monk.”

-john keats

 

 

 

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credits: lori dorn, laughing squid, fritz schumann, youtube

 

Jul14

the french connection.

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Washington and Lafayette at Mt. Vernon

 

In honor of the anniversary of Bastille Day-

 The Marquis de Lafayette, 19, arrived in the new world to join America’s revolutionary cause in 1777. Right off the bat, he made a powerful friend: George Washington instantly took a liking to the Frenchman and within a month, Lafayette had effectively become the general’s adopted son. Their affection was mutual; when the younger man had a son of his own in 1779, he named him Georges Washington de Lafayette.

The day after the storming of the Bastille, the Marquis de Lafayette became the commander of the Paris National Guard. In the aftermath of the Bastille siege, he was given the key to the building. As a thank-you—and to symbolize the new revolution—Lafayette sent it to Washington’s Mount Vernon home, where the relic still resides today.

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“Rien.”

(nothing)

-Diary entry of Louis XVI on Bastille Day

 

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Bonne fête nationale! 

 

 

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Source credits: Mark Mancini, Mental Floss, Google Images