Good Friday Afternoon!
When I was a youngster, I'd go somewhere beautiful, or that I thought was cool - and I'd have the thought about whether those trees over there, or that rock over there ever got lonely. Did they look forward to me, or other folks, coming to visit? There are places so "Warm", so inviting out there, that it always felt like they were waiting for my return. The "Cave" (a big rock overhang down in woods behind my house); a particular little hemlock stand along the local stream that had given me shelter in both summer and winter from the heat or the wind; finding the remnants of some old farm house - usually marked with a line of flowers in the middle of the woods, or a fruit tree standing in a small clearing, and wondering if they missed me, or the people that had been there and tended the place before.
I got older, and learned that all of our history here wasn't about tending, or visiting - and maybe, even if they did feel something, that it wasn't a loneliness for our return. Call it the cynicism of adolescence.
I was reminded of this on a recent hike, walking a very old railroad grade, in the middle of the beautiful West Virginia mountains - because I had that old feeling and thought - I wonder if this place is glad that the snow is melting, and the people can come back.
I've been wallering you fine folks with grumpy social media posts, tense enviro-political posts, so today I decided I'd do a bit of reminiscing, and let you guys know about some upcoming stuff. First up, I hope to get a good-old travel-blog post of that hike up next week. Secondly, I wanted to make a quick note about my upcoming exhibition at the Apothecary Ale House, "This Is Normal". As for today's image, this is one of those places that I often think about as being lonely, and wondering when the farmer that lived here might be coming back to cut the hay, and rest in the shade.
Hope folks have a great weekend, and maybe have the chance to visit one of these old (sometimes, very old!) friends.
I've Seen This Once, In A Dream - West Virginia