deserted « WordPress.com Tag Feed

Once there was

rebelliousreading — Sun, 31 Mar 2013 02:59:54 +0000

An eleseal.

Once, but he left.

Daily Prompt: Five a Day

writinglikeastoner — Sat, 30 Mar 2013 16:28:38 +0000

You’ve being exiled to a private island, and your captors will only supply you with five foods. What do you pick?

I have been thinking about the 5 foods that i could use to survive on a island. To be honest I’ve never been thrown in some deserted island or pu through a position where i had to choose what kind of food there is, so i managed to actually find out more from the pro’s of survival, googled a few link’s but i think this was the most helpful.

http://www.livescience.com/11377-7-perfect-survival-foods.html

Food for Protein : Beans help out with protein, calcium and iron, all the basic things and now they can be easily canned beans available so it’s a fast and very helpful in case of emergencies. Just gulp these down and I believe I’m good to go. Check the expiration date though.

Food for Vitamin : I’m going to go for dried fruits. Though it might not be a full satisfying meal, i believe that dried fruits such as dates and berries go all out for the vitamins that I need in order to still survive long enough.

Food for Long life span – Brown Rice. Brown rice, doesn’t last longer than normal rice, but it can be kept for quite a long time. Brown rice contains lots of fibres, and based on experience, i don’t have to eat so much of brown rice to make myself full.

Food for Long time Survival : I don’t if anyone else agrees with me on this, but I’m going to go for seed potatoes. You can actually grow a potato from a potato but having a seed potato would be the best. The average growth of a potato that’s ready is about 6 weeks, which will take awhile, but definitely worth it because it takes really little care to grow them and yet they give a lot of yield.

Last but not least : Water, some good clean water will do good until i manage to figure out how to some filtration device that helps me do some good enough water to survive as well.

There’s so many other choices that i have wanted to make and decided to choose before, but i think these are my 5 choices.

How about you?

Washington Pastime Interviews This Guy About "Boiling Point"

patrickandersonjr — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 19:56:28 +0000

. The Washington Pastime (which originally published “Ace of Spades”, one of the stories

Boiling Point Released Today!!

patrickandersonjr — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 13:38:19 +0000

So, it’s official. My first short story collection, Boiling Point, has arrived. . Before I sta

Days Past

Lily — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 03:37:29 +0000

While I was out the other day with my mother to visit Galaxy (we are now boarding her since we’ll be moving in a few months), we decided to take some back roads and came across some rather desolate buildings and other things; these three stood out to me the most, and since I haven’t uploaded anything since February I decided to share them with you. I took some other photos as well, which I’ll be uploading over the next few days.

Lines and shadow

Derrick Birdsall — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 01:49:19 +0000

Exploring an old deserted adobe building in Big Bend country, I couldn’t help but wander inside. Once I got inside, all of the lines, shadows and contrasts inside lit up my eyes. I hope your eyes bounce around this scene as much as mine did!!!

just because

Eight Words

shawncornett — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 11:38:23 +0000

There are eight words in Matthew 26 that break my heart:

Then all the disciples deserted him and fled. – Matthew 26:56b (NIV)

Simon Peter? Fled (and denied!)

James son of Zebedee? Fled

John? Fled

Andrew? Fled

Philip? Fled

Bartholomew? Fled

Matthew? Fled (how hard must it have been to write these words about himself?)

Thomas? Fled

James son of Alphaeus? Fled

Thaddaeus? Fled

Simon the Zealot? Fled

Judas Iscariot? Fled (and betrayed!)

Could we add our names to this list? We who follow Him in the here and now have probably fled from time to time. We forget the mighty works He has done in our lives. We get scared of those who may poke fun at us or may persecute us in some small way. Have we deserted Him on occasion? Have we fled in fear? Maybe you have. I know that there have been occasions in my life when I have fled. There have been times when I have walked away and practically deserted my faith.

We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
each of us has turned to his own way;
and the LORD has laid on him
the iniquity of us all. – Isaiah 53:6 (NIV)

But you know what? Jesus welcomed the disciples back. In John 20, He appears to them twice and breathes the Holy Spirit on them. He welcomes them back with open arms. He does the same for us! Take a moment now to praise His holy name! For though we wander away, He welcomes us back home.

Matthew 26

New International Version (NIV)

The Plot Against Jesus

26 When Jesus had finished saying all these things, he said to his disciples, ²“As you know, the Passover is two days away—and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified.”

³Then the chief priests and the elders of the people assembled in the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas, ⁴and they schemed to arrest Jesus secretly and kill him.⁵“But not during the festival,” they said, “or there may be a riot among the people.”

Jesus Anointed at Bethany

⁶While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of Simon the Leper, ⁷a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table.

⁸When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. “Why this waste?” they asked. ⁹“This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor.”

¹⁰Aware of this, Jesus said to them, “Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me. ¹¹The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me. ¹²When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial.¹³Truly I tell you, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”

Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus

¹⁴Then one of the Twelve—the one called Judas Iscariot—went to the chief priests ¹⁵and asked, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver him over to you?” So they counted out for him thirty pieces of silver. ¹⁶From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over.

The Last Supper

¹⁷On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Where do you want us to make preparations for you to eat the Passover?”

¹⁸He replied, “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, ‘The Teacher says: My appointed time is near. I am going to celebrate the Passover with my disciples at your house.’” ¹⁹So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them and prepared the Passover.

²⁰When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the Twelve. ²¹And while they were eating, he said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.”

²²They were very sad and began to say to him one after the other, “Surely you don’t mean me, Lord?”

²³Jesus replied, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me.²⁴The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.”

²⁵Then Judas, the one who would betray him, said, “Surely you don’t mean me, Rabbi?”

Jesus answered, “You have said so.”

²⁶While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.”

²⁷Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. ²⁸This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. ²⁹I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”

³⁰When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial

³¹Then Jesus told them, “This very night you will all fall away on account of me, for it is written:

“‘I will strike the shepherd,
and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’

³²But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.”

³³Peter replied, “Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will.”

³⁴“Truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “this very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.”

³⁵But Peter declared, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” And all the other disciples said the same.

Gethsemane

³⁶Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them,“Sit here while I go over there and pray.” ³⁷He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. ³⁸Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”

³⁹Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”

⁴⁰Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. ⁴¹“Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

⁴²He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.”

⁴³When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. ⁴⁴So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing.

⁴⁵Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour has come, and the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. ⁴⁶Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!”

Jesus Arrested

⁴⁷While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived. With him was a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and the elders of the people.⁴⁸Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The one I kiss is the man; arrest him.” ⁴⁹Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed him.

⁵⁰Jesus replied, “Do what you came for, friend.”

Then the men stepped forward, seized Jesus and arrested him. ⁵¹With that, one of Jesus’ companions reached for his sword, drew it out and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear.

⁵²“Put your sword back in its place,” Jesus said to him, “for all who draw the sword will die by the sword. ⁵³Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? ⁵⁴But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?”

⁵⁵In that hour Jesus said to the crowd, “Am I leading a rebellion, that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me? Every day I sat in the temple courts teaching, and you did not arrest me. ⁵⁶But this has all taken place that the writings of the prophets might be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples deserted him and fled.

Jesus Before the Sanhedrin

⁵⁷Those who had arrested Jesus took him to Caiaphas the high priest, where the teachers of the law and the elders had assembled. ⁵⁸But Peter followed him at a distance, right up to the courtyard of the high priest. He entered and sat down with the guards to see the outcome.

⁵⁹The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for false evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death. ⁶⁰But they did not find any, though many false witnesses came forward.

Finally two came forward ⁶¹and declared, “This fellow said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.’”

⁶²Then the high priest stood up and said to Jesus, “Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?” ⁶³But Jesus remained silent.

The high priest said to him, “I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.”

⁶⁴“You have said so,” Jesus replied. “But I say to all of you: From now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.”

⁶⁵Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, “He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard the blasphemy. ⁶⁶What do you think?”

“He is worthy of death,” they answered.

⁶⁷Then they spit in his face and struck him with their fists. Others slapped him ⁶⁸and said, “Prophesy to us, Messiah. Who hit you?”

Peter Disowns Jesus

⁶⁹Now Peter was sitting out in the courtyard, and a servant girl came to him. “You also were with Jesus of Galilee,” she said.

⁷⁰But he denied it before them all. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said.

⁷¹Then he went out to the gateway, where another servant girl saw him and said to the people there, “This fellow was with Jesus of Nazareth.”

⁷²He denied it again, with an oath: “I don’t know the man!”

⁷³After a little while, those standing there went up to Peter and said, “Surely you are one of them; your accent gives you away.”

⁷⁴Then he began to call down curses, and he swore to them, “I don’t know the man!”

Immediately a rooster crowed. ⁷⁵Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: “Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly.

STILL LIFE IN WAREHOUSE

Wabi Sabi Photography — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 01:46:39 +0000

My wheelman, Kemo Sabi, went out with me on Sunday afternoon because I desperately needed to shoot some concrete and rebar and power lines and I was just not prepared to wander around the Hundred Acres Warehouse Park strictly solo. One semi came in, but no cars in a period of maybe an hour, so I would have been all kinds of jumpy by myself. I was amazed at the absence of security patrols, but we can assume that somewhere there now exists plenty of security cam footage of a camera-toting woman being tailed by a silver Camry.

I can’t identify most of the stuff I shot (besides wooden crates and an orphan tire) but I was pretty impressed with how everything was all artfully arranged like so many still life studies.

**** **** ****

“Hundred Acre Warehouse Park?” That sounds suspiciously like Pooh’s Hundred Acre Woods. I think it might be a good time (at least in Wisconsin) for the following words from our friends in the Hundred Acre Woods:

“It’s snowing still,” said Eeyore gloomily.
“So it is.”
“And freezing.”
“Is it?”
“Yes,” said Eeyore. “However,” he said, brightening up a little, “we haven’t had an earthquake lately.”

A.A.Milne

Wounded for Our Transgressions

faithfull4him — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 20:41:02 +0000

When I was photographing a wedding last fall, I saw this large cross hanging in the back of an old church in Erie, Pennsylvania, USA. Crosses hanging in churches, houses and from people’s necks never quite capture the horrific physical, emotional and spiritual experience Jesus Christ endured for us. During the time Jesus lived, crosses were a common symbol of execution. Today it might be the electric chair. It would seem strange to Christians back then to see people publicly display a cross like we do today. The Romans murdered Christians every single day on the cross as a way to say, “Don’t mess with Rome.” The bodies were left in place to rot and decompose. They were considered “food for the crows, scraps for the dogs.” The cross would be a just another symbol of history if it were not for Jesus Christ. He was the only innocent man to ever shed His blood on a cross.

No one in his right mind would ever be willing to die a torturous and shameful death if he was innocent. “Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die” Romans 5:7.

Jesus Christ died for everyone. “For there is no partiality with God” Romans 2:11. He died for all of those in generations past, present and future who were considered “good” or “decent” people in the world’s eyes, and He died for hardened criminals and outcasts of society.

Because of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, our sins are forgiven. “While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, ‘Take and eat; this is my body.’ Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins” Matthew 26:26-27

Obeying the Lord’s will, He drank the cup of wrath in the Garden of Gethsemane. “Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will” Mark 14:36. “‘My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done’” Matthew 26:42.

He was in anguish over this decision. “He began to be deeply distressed and troubled” Mark 14:33. “His sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground” Luke 22:44.

Jesus took upon Himself the sins of the world. “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” 2 Corinthians 5:21.

Jesus felt the sting of betrayal by one of those closest to Him. “While he was still speaking a crowd came up, and the man who was called Judas, one of the Twelve, was leading them. He approached Jesus to kiss him, but Jesus asked him, ‘Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?’” Luke 22:47-48

Jesus knew He would be arrested, yet He did not resist. “Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?” Matthew 26:53

As Jesus was arrested, His best friends abandoned Him in His time of need. “A time is coming and in fact has come when you will be scattered, each to your own home. You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me” Mark 16:32. “Then all the disciples deserted him and fled” Matthew 26:56.

One of Jesus’ beloved disciples, Peter, denied Jesus. “Peter replied, ‘Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about!’ Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed. The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: ‘Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times.’” Luke 22:60-61

Jesus told the chief priests who He is and what is still to come. “‘You have said so,’ Jesus replied. ‘But I say to all of you: From now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven’” Matthew 26:64.

Jesus was tried as a criminal before Herod and Pilate. ““We have found this man subverting our nation. He opposes payment of taxes to Caesar and claims to be Messiah, a king” Luke 23:1.

Pilate washed his hands of Jesus, and left it to the angry mob to determine Jesus’ fate. “With loud shouts they insistently demanded that he be crucified, and their shouts prevailed. So Pilate decided to grant their demand” Luke 23:23-24.

Jesus endured great suffering that was meant us. “Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed” Isaiah 53:4-5

Jesus’ body was badly beaten by soldiers as He was led like a lamb to the slaughter. “Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head. They clothed him in a purple robe and went up to him again and again, saying, ‘Hail, king of the Jews!’ And they slapped him in the face” John 19:1-2.

A man, whose life would be forever changed by his experience, carried the cross for Jesus. “A certain man from Cyrene, Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing by on his way in from the country, and they forced him to carry the cross” Mark 15:21.

Jesus, the only innocent man to have ever walked the Earth, was crucified between two criminals. “Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left” Luke 23:32-33.

Jesus became nothing as He was mocked and insulted while He was dying on our behalf. “But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by everyone, despised by the people. All who see me mock me; they hurl insults, shaking their heads” Psalm 22:6-7.

Jesus was scorned by the human race, whom He created and loved. “He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem” Isaiah 53:3.

The truth about Jesus was written on the cross. “And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, This Is The King Of The Jews” Luke 23:38.

The Father could not gaze upon His beloved Son. “Your eyes are too pure to look on evil; you cannot tolerate wrongdoing” Habakkuk 1:13.

Jesus Christ was separated from the Father. In Aramaic He cries out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Mark 15:34; Matthew 27:4.

Jesus felt alone and abandoned by God on the cross. “Why are you so far from saving me, so far from my cries of anguish?My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer by night, but I find no rest” Psalm 22:1-2.

Jesus endured temptation. “In the same way the chief priests and the teachers of the law mocked him among themselves. ‘He saved others,’ they said, ‘but he can’t save himself! Let this Messiah, this king of Israel, come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe’” Mark 15:31-32.

Jesus showed us the meaning of ultimate love and sacrifice on the cross. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” John 3:16.

It was God’s will for Jesus to die. “Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the Lord makes his life an offering for sin, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand” Isaiah 53:10.

What does the sacrifice and suffering of Jesus Christ mean to you? How does it impact your life today?

Wounded for Our Transgressions

faithfull4him — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 20:38:06 +0000

When I was photographing a wedding last fall, I saw this large cross hanging in the back of an old c

What Do I Do When I'm Not Exploring?

Olivia Wolfe — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 17:50:25 +0000

Well to be honest, although the opportunity to explore only presents itself every few months, my mind spends most of its time inside an abandonment somewhere. It’s a darkened wasteland of deserted corridors, twisting and turning in a confusing maze with slithering shadows and eerie sounds which resonate through the walls. It’s a cold and frightening place and the setting for the novel which I am currently working on. Writing within the Horror Genre suits me well and I have to admit, my never-ending supply of visual prompts have caused more than one or two sleepless nights as I work my way through. I just wanted to take the time to say hello to you all and thank you for supporting the blog. I’m happy to know that you love my stories, and I’m excited at the thought that one day I will have something more to offer you.

Thank you once again for all your support,

~ Olivia

blue

mjustavoice — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 17:41:18 +0000

Every time I open my eyes I find myself locked in a dark room I hope a ray of light to pierce my hea

Film photography (film roll #76)

Cristian Brustur — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 21:26:39 +0000

• Camera: Vivitar V3800N • Lens: Vivitar 50mm 1:1.7 • Film: Kodak Ektar 100 •

"Trapped"

Andrew Ryan Duckworth — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 17:30:58 +0000

“Trapped”

By Andrew Ryan Duckworth

The darkness creeps inside my head,

Leaving any pleasant thoughts dead.

Once happiness has been devoured

My sanity it tries to shed,

As I lay chained to desert lands.

No one around and I can’t move

And there is nothing I can do,

But I stay trapped inside my head.

Boiling Point Releases March 29th

patrickandersonjr — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 14:54:38 +0000

So, once again, been a while since I posted on here. Busy as hell with life and writing and general

Beyond The Corridors

Olivia Wolfe — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 14:53:19 +0000

Beyond the intrigue of the corridors and empty rooms lie another aspect to your explore. The very buildings and ground you sneak around in hold a story filled with history from an era long since passed and most are accompanied by a darker, more sinister side to the tale with mysterious urban legands which have formed throughout time. Both lie in eternal wait for those inclined to listen.

Built in 1934, this collective group of 23 buildings were constructed in the Colonial Revival Style, offering beautiful woodwork detailing both the columned porches with their elaborate doors and the sunrooms extending the length of the buildings for a relaxed experience reminiscent of the period during the Revolutionary War. Resting on 216 acres, the now crumbling bricks and dilapidated buildings were introduced as a Tuberculosis Sanatorium and although nearly all remnants of furnishings and equipment have been stricken from the premises, one can easily slip back in time imagining the halls alive with the daily hustle and bustle of the nurses in their starch white uniforms as they made their way through the patients and orderlies who occupied these once active vestibules and work stations.

With Tuberculosis being a highly contagious disease which few were fortunate enough to recover from, the men and women who cared for the infected were kept away from society as well, residing in Nurses and Doctors cottages which are scattered throughout the grounds, returning to work every day in one of two monstrous hospitals seperating the children from the adults. Although these buildings sit almost 100 yards apart, they all remained accessible through a spiderweb of underground tunnels invisible to those topside. These tunnels were used for many things including maintanance, storage, fallout shelters and the transfer of patients. It is this last use that has stirred one of many urban legands surrounding this location.

It’s said that the dead were transferred underground so as not to upset the residents with the sight of death passing them in the halls and with this knowledge a trip through the pitch black tunnel system warrants an occassional look back over your shoulder as you try to cast off the chill brought on by a cool breeze and dismissing the echoes from behind becomes impossible as you move just a little quicker to get to the other end where it feels safe to enter the light once again. But if you’ve done your research, your brightly lit safe haven of medical stations and isolation rooms dissolves into another feeling of tension as more to the legand surfaces in your mind. The clouded history on the care of the residents has allowed suspicion to form in just what went on behind closed doors. Rumors can be heard pertaining to the mistreatment of the facility’s patients and even go as far to speculate on the validity of the claims at medical staff performing human experiments on those vulnerable to their hidden agendas.

Years later when it sought to make renovations on the aging buildings, the hospital was sited for countless fire hazards and the presence of asbestos which forced the doors closed in 1981. The legand goes on to state that near the end of its days of operation, the hospital was used to house the criminally insane. With no family and nowhere else to go, it is said that the patients were simply released from the grounds when the hospital locked its doors, and that the insane made their way back inside the eerie walls to live out their days in abandoned solitude, hiding in the shadows and wandering the decay. Are these stories true accounts, or are they just…stories? That’s for you to decide. So the next time you’re feeling adventurous and find yourself on the outskirts of any abandonment, remember that there’s more to a place than just its sweeping views and deteriorating passageways. These places are saturted with history, both real and conjured up and the other side to the physical explore is when one takes the time to explore its past.

FULL COLOR WABI JOY DOOR

Wabi Sabi Photography — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 02:14:59 +0000

I think the lock is there to keep this door from twirling skyward, belting out happy door songs till it disappears from our sight.

Welcome to Earth

Matthew A Bennett — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 09:05:05 +0000

We’re glad you’re here.

WABI SABI WAUSAU

Wabi Sabi Photography — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 02:44:05 +0000

On Friday I had to drive to the CVA gallery in Wausau in order to retrieve one of my pictures and my friend, Gina, graciously agreed to come along to serve as both Master Navigator and Shotgun. Gina’s job as Master Navigator was mostly to talk Siri down from Defcon 4 every time Siri realized we were ignoring her. Her job as Shotgun consisted of providing snacks and keeping her eyes peeled for a Starbucks. She acquitted herself admirably on all fronts.

Post-gallery and pre-coffee, we found ourselves on a narrow sidestreet (with Siri having yet another meltdown) where the following treasure presented itself.

No clue what the story is here, but the whole building is a wabi sabi hoedown. The first picture was taken by Gina with her phone from the comfort of her (heated) seat.

This next one is mine which I achieved by nosing my car into half a parking space, clamboring through a snowbank toting all my equipment and risking life and limb on an ice-glazed parking lot for the sake of my art.

Just saying.

That wierd bow to the double line of blocks is not a lens-based distortion. It seriously curves in just as it looks. And while I do not undertand what I am looking at, I do love the whole random effect here. Is this wall going back up with repairs or coming down for good? (Once again I suggest that you click on the picture for a larger view. It looks far better that way.)

While on the general topic of lenses, let me mention that if you are checking your LCD screen after your initial shot to determine if you need to change settings and things are horribly dark, don’t necessarily start cranking up your ISO or otherwise try to improve the quality of available light. First, you should recall that you are wearing your brand new glasses with transition lenses and you are essentially trying to read the screen through sunglasses.

Not that this happened to me.

Gone Exploring

Olivia Wolfe — Sat, 16 Mar 2013 01:48:02 +0000

A bit more intriguing than the Gone Fishing signs, don’t you think? I’ve gotten out from behind my keyboard, away from my writing projects and I’m out with my girls as we carry out as many explores as we can fit into our time with each other. Have a great week everyone, and I’ll be back soon with many more stories to share

~ O

Caring & sharing #111

Rhino House — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 06:57:18 +0000

Dear Agony Aunts

My wife has run-off with the window cleaner.

Any suggestions?

“Dave”

Dear “Dave”

Don’t worry because things are not as bad as they seem. We find that a large sponge, a bucket of warm water with just a dash of washing-up liquid & a good quality chamois-leather will give you a nearly professional finish that you can be proud of.

Hope we’ve been able to help.

Aunts

Love can get no tougher….

Daily Photo Number 22: Free with All the Time

dustin909 — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 01:20:16 +0000

Hey guys! This is a photo I took when I went back to Maui to visit family and friends over the summer! We chose to spend a day on the other side of the island in Hana! Hana is one of the coolest and beautiful places I have ever been too. Tropical rainforests and turquoise ocean, best place to be! A lot of the roads you turn off on are empty which makes the experience twice as much better! And this is a picture of one of the roads that have hills on them and you go up and down. I love this photo because it reminds me of cartoons and how the roads look the same. I like to be in places with very little people because you can have a whole different expereience rather than if there were ten friends there. If you ever go to visit Maui you should definitley check out Hana because it will change your life!

Deserted beaches, tropical fruits and a natural jacuzzi; Bahia Sul

hannacopini — Sun, 10 Mar 2013 22:38:38 +0000

Via het prachtige koloniale stadje Ouro Preto verlaten we Zuidelijk Brazilië voor het tranquillo Bahia, een regio ten Noordoosten van Rio. We stoppen kort in Belo Horizonte om de ‘hostfamilie’ van mijn schoonzus (van 16 jaar geleden) te bezoeken. We worden warm onthaald door de ‘zussen’ die ons het hemd van het lijf vragen over Marie. Ze zien de familiegelijkenis meteen. We hebben twee gezellige dagen en Julia vertelt enthousiast over Bahia; het wordt onze volgende bestemming. Na twee lange busritten van in totaal 24 uur (het valt ons zowaar mee) bereiken we Porto Seguro, een vissersdorpje waar we volgens velen niet hoeven te blijven. We boeken een ticket voor de ferry om naar de overkant van de rivier te gaan waar zich Arraial d’Ajuda bevind.

Arraial is een leuk klein dorpje wat enorm opleeft in de avonden, met een lokale markt en allerlei kleine winkeltjes in gezellige straatjes. Heel gemoedelijk allemaal. Er hangt een bohemian sfeertje. We logeren in Pausada Azul, een klein hostel gerund door Marcello en Sara; die ons meteen een Caipirinha van het huis aanbieden! Daar hebben we zin in na onze enorme trip. Verder genieten we hier van de stranden en het heerlijk eten van Ajuda (een echte ‘big mama’) die heerlijke arroz & feijão maakt (rijst met bonen dekt de lading simpelweg niet). Dit is hét traditionele Braziliaans gerecht dat ons steeds weer uitstekend smaakt en daarbij ook zeer gunstig is voor de portemonnee.

Trancoso, het volgende sfeervolle dorpje, is iets minder druk, maar verandert in de avonden in een sprookje; verlichte bomen, idyllische terrasjes en luxe restaurants, veel ateliers en mooie dure winkeltjes. Het uitzicht achter het zeer oude Baptisten kerkje (men zegt één van de oudste in Brazilië, maar soms moeten dingen hier wel met een korreltje zout worden genomen) is fenomenaal. De stranden worden steeds mooier en ongeduldig maken we ons op voor het summum van Zuidelijk Bahia: Caraiva en Praia Espelho.

Onze host in Caraiva, die voortdurend onder invloed is van “something stronger” zoals Barra zijn ‘pretsigaretten’ zelf noemt, is een kersverse vader van achter in de 40. Vrouw en kind zijn elders bij familie in Sao Paolo. Hij ontvangt ons hartelijk in zijn mini pausada met twee kamers inclusief zeezicht (want waar moet je anders heen kijken). De zonsopkomst (wij hebben de wekker er voor gezet) is ongekend, maar de opkomst van de maan (hij komt echt op van achter de zeespiegel) is zeker ook de moeite waard en dit gebeurt bovendien vroeg in de avonden, dus kunnen we hiervan genieten met een drankje erbij! Barra serveert iedere ochtend een regionaal en stevig ontbijt met lokale sappen; we zijn gek op passievrucht en verse rietsuiker sap. We kayakken in de rivier boven Caraiva en genieten volop van het ‘Adventure centre’ dat Barra 16 jaar geleden is begonnen in een beschermd natuurgebied, waar louter Indianenstammen wonen. Het transport geschiedde in een stoere buggy, op zich al een ervaring! We hebben onbewust kennis gemaakt met het opperhoofd van deze stam; we missen even de tooi. De medicijnmannen en vrouwen zijn allen boven de 60 terwijl de jonge generatie ‘gewoon’ IT studeert in de steden. We vragen ons af wie nou straks de stam in stand houdt; de IT-er die techniek optimaliseert in het dorp of de 100-jarige medicijnman die met tropische planten lokale epidemieën bestrijdt.

Barra heeft alles wat er staat (van koelkast tot enorme oven) met kayak over de rivier weten te transporteren. Tot 2007 was er überhaupt geen stroom in heel het dorp. Hij heeft er 16 jaar op deze wijze weten te ‘overleven’ en bouwt al die jaren zelf aan zijn Adventure centre. Onvoorstelbaar voor iemand die geboren is in Sao Paulo, een stad van ruim 22 miljoen inwoners! We realiseren ons het nut van de dagelijkse dosis verdovende middelen. Hij wijst ons geïrriteerd of bijna met meelij op de buurman, die bruut een helikopter bovenop het natuurgebied heeft geplant en bovendien een enorme speedboot met 250 pk motor in de rivier heeft liggen (puur voor de show want 5 pk is sowieso het maximaal haalbare in dit natuurgebied, of beter een peddel). Het is een schande.

Wat we hebben geleerd is dat de aanwijzingen voor toeristische bezienswaardigheden minimaal zijn. Ok, het heeft ook zo zijn charme, maar tijdens onze enorme wandeltocht langs het strand (betoverend mooi) hield de gedachte over onze terugreis (motortaxi en streekbus), ons goed op de been. We hadden te weinig water, te weinig zonnebrand en zeker ook te weinig eten mee om het hele eind terug te lopen (12 km ongeveer). Maar helaas! Het laatste bleek onvermijdelijk, er was geen motor, geen bus, helemaal niemand. En hadden we überhaupt ons doel bereikt? Alles is mooi dus op een bepaald moment weet je niet meer of je het mooiste al gehad hebt (luxeprobleem).

After visiting Ouro Preto, a beautiful colonial town above Rio, we met with the host family of my sister in law in Belo Horizonte (she stayed here 16 years ago, but they still treated us like family). On itself not worth traveling to if not with a specific reason. After two fun day’s we continued our journey to Bahia, a more northern state on the East coast. We stayed in Arraial d’Ajuda, Trancoso and Caraiva. What a fantastic cocktail those three villages. The people are very open and warm, the hostels are nice (if well chosen) and not that expensive (for European way of traveling). The pictures speak for themselves. Arrial has a bohemian atmosphere, with nice markets, bars and shops. Trancoso has a fantastic view, is more romantic and quiet but also very expensive. Caraiva is a 2 hour durt road away (but so worth it) and is a sleepy village that dind’t have electricity until 2007! All very much worth going to.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Western Ghost Town

DT — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 21:08:44 +0000

No More 3x5's

beareroflight54448 — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 16:24:59 +0000

Hey you guys, I’ve been wanting to post this for a few days now.

I finally found the right way to tell you what is to become of my blog. Ironically enough, it isn’t in my own words!

It’s really hard to rephrase something that’s already so beautifully and concisely written, so here goes:

I’m writing you to
catch you up on places I’ve been
You held this letter
probably got excited, but there’s nothing else inside it

didn’t have a camera by my side this time
hopping I would see the world with both my eyes
maybe I will tell you all about it when I’m
in the mood to lose my way with words

Today skies are painted colors of a cowboy’s cliché’
And strange how clouds that look like mountains in the sky
are next to mountains anyway

Didn’t have a camera by my side this time
Hoping I would see the world with both my eyes
Maybe I will tell you all about it when I’m
in the mood to lose my way

but let me say
You should have seen that sunrise with your own eyes
it brought me back to life
You’ll be with me next time I go outside
just no more 3×5′s

Guess you had to be there
Guess you had to be with me Today I finally overcame
tryin’ to fit the world inside a picture frame
Maybe I will tell you all about it when I’m in the mood to
lose my way

but let me say
You should have seen that sunrise with your own eyes
it brought me back to life
You’ll be with me next time I go outside
no more 3×5′s
just no more 3×5′s

That there is another pretty song by John Mayer, listen to it here for the full impact.

So yeh… See you when I’m in the mood to lose myself with words..

Which reminds me, I haven’t got any other words to share with you for now… Been kinda speechless for a while and what I do have to say can’t even be said here, which is why I’ve decided to find another spot for myself, away from even you guys.

War.

-B.O.L.