In case the dear reader has not noticed, the redesign of Walhydra's Porch and Walhydra's Back Porch has included the addition of some extra pages to the tabs along the top.
The Porch has an About page which explains—well, sort of—Walhydra's dubious origins (as well as Bright Crow's).
There is also a Mileposts page, which begins with the following introduction:
These are selected posts in chronological order, beginning in September 2006, which trace key themes and events in Walhydra's story.
Autobiographical storytelling is, of course, an ongoing exercise in self-reinvention. These stories are somewhat like a recurring dream which evolves over the years.
Finally, there is a Back Porch page which explains the beginnings of that blog and links to it.
The Back Porch blog itself also has a new About page. In addition, links to republished Walhydra Stories are now gathered on one page.
Crippled Wolf is a tyro with the camera. However, he's been taking pictures in his head for 40-50 years, so he has decided he should try showing someone else what he sees.
To do this he has created an account on RedBubble, a "marketplace, meeting place and learning place of people, art and writing from all over the place." The new slideshow under the Photography heading on the Walhydra's Porch sidebar introduces the few images Crippled Wolf has posted on RedBubble so far.
Actually, Crippled Wolf started taking pictures back in fifth grade, using a little Kodak Brownie. He still has the little wood-bound photo album, filled with carefully mounted and labeled photos like these:
When he looks at these pictures now, Crippled Wolf is first amused and then smitten by memory. So strange that one can travel in time so easily.
Ages later, in the late 1980s, using an old Nikon he bought from a friend, Crippled Wolf took a darkroom course. (You know, where you actually develop film in baths of chemicals and mess with burning and dodging?)
Here is his best image, one of a gorgeous, mysterious stranger (who happens still to be his hubby 22 years later).
Still ages later, Crippled Wolf now uses a baby Canon.
He actually bought this toy in order to take pictures of the mold which had grown on the bedroom and closet walls in the rental home he shares with JimJim. That forensic evidence successfully convinced their...how shall we say?...frugal landlady that she should actually hire a real contractor to do repairs. The bonus was the pocket-sized, digital point-and-shoot.
As he does on many birthdays, Crippled Wolf went for a day of solo hiking again this year, this time to a place he'd just learned of after eleven years in Jacksonville, the Jacksonville Arboretum and Gardens.
Lots of experimental shots of lots of plants, trees, stones, etc. Lots of duplicate shots to play around with composition and natural light. Several dozen photos—most of which he has deleted (digital is handy for that)—and a handful he feels good enough about to post to RedBubble.
Here is Crippled Wolf's favorite:
More to come.
Blessèd be.
