Awesome

I don’t use the word awesome much. Or even amazing. I think they are over used.  Honestly though, it’s probably in part because I’m not paying enough attention. There are amazing things and awesome forces all around this beautiful place I live. Looking through the lens of a camera is helping me see so much more that amazes me, often, right in front of me. It also puts me in a position to see more of those things, getting me out of my routine, piquing my interest in things around me, paying more attention. The other day it gave me a truly AWESOME experience and because of the kindness of a friend (who let me borrow a great lens) I was able to capture it in pictures. I am so grateful.

I witnessed a Bald Eagle soaring high above me, circling, and flying to its nest. I know the eagle is an amazing bird. I know the symbolism. But I am here to tell you, this bird was awesome! Even at a distance, the wingspan is obviously massive. The tail and head look pure white. Talons went from being aerodynamically tucked to outstretched and terrifying. Speaking of aerodynamics: awesome! Then as he sat in the nest, he looked so regal, surveying the landscape. I could have stayed all day watching.

I can’t quite separate the excitement of the sight itself from the excitement of being able to actually get pictures of it. I have no illusions – okay I had illusions for a few seconds – that National Geographic will be calling me, but I can’t stop looking at these pictures and saying “wow,” “amazing” or, yes you guessed it, “awesome.”  It’s not just the pictures. I’ve seen beautiful pictures of eagles in flight before by great photographers. I’ve never experienced the sight before. Now I relive it every time I look at the pictures. Thanks to my photography habit, I was in a place I’d never have been in otherwise. Thanks to a good friend and a lot of luck, I have pictures to show for it and a story to tell. Now I just need a better vocabulary. I think I have officially over used my allotment of  “awesome.” 

The Blues Is More Than A Feeling

Until recently there was a poster on the wall above my computer here declaring “the blues is a feeling.” I just returned from the land of the Delta Blues and I can say with certainty that, yes, it’s a feeling, but it’s much more than that. 

The Hopson Plantation is the site of the Shack-Up Inn in Clarksdale, Mississippi.

The Shacks all have porches and bear names like "Pinetop" and "Crossroads".

It is a way of life that has been passed down through generations in music and lyrics and stories. The stories range from those of hard labor, hard times and hard drinking to those of the comforts of a Sunday service, a home-cooked meal or a big-legged woman, but together they make up a tapestry of Delta music and Delta lifestyle. Through these stories of how the people of the Delta have survived, it’s clear how its Blues has survived. It’s as integral today as ever, maybe more. It’s everywhere. Museums, art galleries, clubs, lodging – all based on the Blues. In a way it seems odd that the music itself has become the story. But the music does such a powerful job of telling its stories – sharing its feeling – that surely the culture and heritage, the way of life of the Delta will continue to survive through it. 

Bubba Sullivan owns Bubba's Blues Corner  in Helena, Arkansas
and has a story about every piece of memorabilia on the wall.

Based on my visit, I’m sure the stories of these places and people will be preserved for many more generations to come. 


As for that poster that used to be on my wall? I replaced it with one of the  photographs it took recently. One thing the 365 Project (a picture a day for a year) I took on last year forced me to do was to get out and explore more; and to pay attention more; and to experience more. I hope to follow up on that this year with photos and stories of my experiences; of the things I see. With a little luck, maybe they can evoke just a fraction of the feeling those Blues songs do. Maybe I’ll even work my way up to writing some Blues songs of my own . . . .

Po Monkey's in Merigold, Mississippi is legendary.

Wllie Seaberry owns Po Monkey's.

It's still all about the music.
Eric Hughes was performing at
Ground Zero Blues Club in Clarksdale, Mississippi
the night we were there.