Faces of the Adirondacks

  Adirondacks NY

As promised in my blog last week, meet Doris and Dread, a somewhat happy couple of the Lake Region in the Adirondack Mountains.

Doris

Dread

The word Adirondack, started as "ratirontak" in the Mohawk language and denotes the Algonquins tribe in a derogatory manner, " bark eaters".  The Algonquins called the Mohawks "eaters of living things". Mohawks called themselves "people of the place of the flint".
So... this is  the first distinction in the new world that I know of vegan and non-vegan peoples. (I value the Native American culture and peoples but if we were to Anglicize the situation you could tell the meat eaters apart from the vegans by the hair cuts, dreads or mohawk, and loin cloths, camo or tie dyed.) 

The Story:
It's mid September and I had a late start in making the drive to Indian Lake, arriving around 7:00 pm. This was my second trip and I was familiar with the lake and surrounding area. I was hoping to arrive at camp and have a fire going, cooking dinner and maybe some reading before dark. But...

the sun has set and I am scrambling to load my boat and catch as much light as I can to make the two mile paddle. Not that far or time consuming.  By the time I have parked the van, loaded the boat and launched, it's dark and  I am able to see light grey ghosts, wisps of fog rising off the surface of a warm lake into the cooler air. I had not planned on the visibility being so low and it's getting darker each minute.  I am wearing my PFD (personal floatation devise). I realize it is not the safest way to travel, alone at night, on the water. The night is chilling down. Still... I love this.

The water is smooth, and silky. I can see the bow wake as I paddle towards my camp site on the distant horizon. Through the mist I can make out the rough outline of the trees and it gives me a hint of my destination.


Paddling seems like an endless task as I keep my head down and keep my arms moving. I am the only one on the lake that I know of. I see no lights or campfires, The fog thickens. As I near the island to find my camp I turn on my head lamp and look for a landing, The rock ledges stand out in my headlamp and I find a narrow ledge to slide my kayak upon the rocks. I get out and polk around the camp site looking for wood. The first thing I think of is get a fire going. I didn't think it would be necessary to pack in fire wood, why haul it in a limited space and add the weight? As I start to look around for dry deadfall to burn, I stumble about the forest kicking up anything that I can haul back to burn. Maybe I misinterpreted the word Adirondack the original meaning is actually"wet fire wood". Finally fire!

I'm here to do my work, to find the images of reflections, to discover, what has already been seen before, yet has never  been noticed.
My opinion is that these images communicate that there is more than we see in our day to day life. I wonder what else I have not appreciated or recognized due to viewing life and others in the same way?



This alone time is rich. It allows reflection of values, things, family. I value this solitude "If you can't stand solitude maybe others find you boring as well." Mark Twain                               
                                    


How does this image communicate to you? What would you name it?

More photos of the Adirondacks  next week.



Steve

Great history on the Wiki!

Mohawks   People of the place of flint


Adirondacks   Bark eaters

From Hibernation... 

                  A season of resting and dreaming

To Awakening ...

                       a season of plowing and planting...

The Recap

Art shows, travel, some great projects involving, books, craftsmanship and helping others. I would like to recap a years events in a few short posts.

The Book

January 2012 the book "Faces of the Susquehanna" A Photographic Study of Natural Water Reflections, was available. Check it out  HERE Amazon. com, Barnes and Noble or signed from me direct. email me stephenwpidcock@gmail.com

Book Signing at Midtown Scholar April 28th!  

Join me in Harrisburg at 1:00pm for a 30 minute presentation slide show. I will have books and posters of the Susquehanna available. A great place for coffee and a great collection of books. Directions

The Art shows

Last year we displayed at 10 juried art shows. It was a great experience and gave me the drive to continue with art shows and photography. We traveled to Silver Spring, MD, Frederick MD, Manayunk PA, Harrisburg, PA, York, PA, Syracuse, NY Long Island NJ, Wilmington DE, and  Albuquerque NM.

The 2012 schedule is coming together and I am getting invitations, I will list my locations and dates as soon as I get them together and finalized.

The Travel

Lisa ( my lovely assistant and wife) and I also did some kayaking, camping and photography on the Susquehanna River, the Adirondacks, NY area, a few lakes in Colorado and Lake Powell Utah. 

After the Syracuse show and all the talk about the Adirondacks from art show patrons, we ventured to a small lake in New York state.

A new "Faces of the Adirondacks" poster is in the works. The characters we met on the lake were very kind to allow us to take their portrait and tell a bit of their story.

The New Characters

This is "Shirley" the school secretary. or at least she reminds me of the secretary that would walk with me to the principles office in grade school, (and Jr High, ok and yes further education also). If Shirley reminds you of someone in authority, I would love to hear about it. 

Watch for more of my "friends" in my next post. Doris and Dread will join us. Maybe you can help by naming a few faces.

The Continuation...

We have a bit of catching up to do before I drag you on to my next views of the water.

Doing my best to paddle a straight line!

Steve

Last Words

NO...! NO... ! I 'm not quitting. In fact I am more resolved to write and find and express myself more now than ever. This ride could end at any moment and I don't want to leave with anything that still needs to be started or finished.  The last words were ones spoken to me that went deep and gave some footing to a path I'm already on.

Westport, WA, Pacific Ocean Path

 Wes "died" quite unexpectedly last week. Didn't mean to shock you, it's just the way it is. After knowing Wes I think he may have said it that way also.  He said it the way he saw it. I had some training with hospice and they said don't use the word passed. The word is died. Sounds pretty final..., but what he left me will last a life time. I will miss him.

 Wes wasn't even sick. I had been with him the day before and had been privileged to help him with his garden. He had done so much for me that I told him that if he needed anything done around his home I would be glad to help out. He called and asked if I meant it, " Of course I am Wes. You don't realize what you've done for me, I am thankful for the opportunity to give back." I stopped by to see what it was we were going to do. He told me several times that I didn't have to and he didn't want to inconvenience me. He even told me come back next week when I have more time. I am so grateful that I didn't  listen to that one. It  didn't take that much time to build his raised bed for vegetables.

Golden Light Stephen W Pidcock2010

      
  My first visit to see Wes was by referral of a friend who told me Wes could help with the presentation of my photos for a show. I walked into Wes's basement and met Vicki. We unwrapped the 12x18 photos of the Susquehanna River reflections. As she was figuring out what I wanted to present she saw the faces and then called Wes.
Wes shuffled over to the table and watched as I turned the photos from landscape to portrait and back again. He told me that he hadn't seen "real"art like that in along time. I thought he was just being kind, which Wes was, but also truthful. Sometimes more truth than you wanted kind of truthful.  They matted and framed my photos and I entered them into an art show at an art museum. After my first sale I was excited and told Wes. He wasn't surprised, he just said keep going, do more.


When I applied for my first juried art show I wasn't sure how I could come up with the equipment and inventory, taking credit cards and even selling art. Wes offered his tent ,took away my excuses and then told me of other shows that I should apply for. I stepped off the edge and took the risk. The day came to pick up my inventory and the tent from the frame shop. I was loading things up and some other ladies came to Wes for framing also. Wes sold one of my pieces before I got it out the door. The horses photo called " One in every Crowd" which he had on his wall in the frame shop.





Wes believed in me.  I knew he wasn't just being kind because he would tell me that he wouldn't mat a few of the prints that I had brought in, some random photo not in my main body of work. "Don't even bother with that one Steve, it's not worth doing. I'm not even going to mat it get it out a here,"

Most of the time he would just do what customers would ask, but he was coaching me, mentoring me and I listened. He and his wife were successful. They traveled to shows for years and he told me they did as many as 40 shows a year for a few years. He knew what he was talking about. He gave me the direction, the tools and the words. I had just a short  amount of time  to get to know Wes. He gave so much with so little effort.

Easter Sunday Morning

Thanks Wes, you gave me a boost, more foundation, and something to build on.   I am a self made man with the help of many fine folks and friends. His last words to me were" Steve be persistent, persevere, don't quit. You can do it, and thanks for the help in the garden." Words I value and can't help but follow somehow.  I won't quit.

"Less Bark More Wag"?

Many thanks for taking the time to read this blog.

I do plan on continuing with writing. 

A little more feed back would be great. 

Ok my command of the english language is not that good.

My grammatical knowledge, punctuation, and rhetorical analysis, could leave something to be desired. (Although I do self analyze the way I talk to myself.) 

More photos and less writing?

Leave it the way it is?

Add more writing?

Take some classes on writing, and then write?

Just photos? 

Call it good and just kayak?

I have not blogged during this time due to the high volume of Christmas cheer and family visits. Wonderfully overwhelmed with family from Colorado, and South Dakota since we don't get that much time with them.

Getting them used to the seat at a young age

Of Course we did get out and kayak some this fall and I got some great shots of reflections as well as other photos.

There have been changes in the work flow and projects that have taken the time necessary to keep on writing.

In the Art Arena

I have set up three different locations in galleries in the area for the month.

Shanks Mare in Marietta, Annex 24 in Lancaster, Artisians Market Places in York.

Also processing some larger 30x40 prints on canvas this month that I am excited to show.

I had the wonderful opportunity to meet with Jay and Cheryl who have been in the area and on the river for many years. We met over coffee and I  got some missing details of the river history and some local knowledge. Such as Foreman rock where the Foreman family had their fishing outpost and shad weirs. 

Eskimo Pie Rock, never heard of it but i know where it is now. Jay said he would search the river for the location of the different faces on the poster. I'm sure I will be stopping to visit their cabin this coming summer and check out his totem pole carvings.

 I will resume the final writing of the Georgian Bay trip later in Janurary with more photos.

Wishing you the best of life in  the New Year to come.

Keeping my head above water.

Steve

Snake Island

The waves were a bit rough on the windward side of the island, so I paddled around to the back side and a small cove where the water was still and landing was easy. Snake Island is a rather large island in the midst of the many islands in the area.

Crossing the channel from the main land to Snake Island

I walked around the cove noticing the fire rings on the rocks and away from the tree areas. Some great camping spots with mossy ground. It looked inviting for setting up a tent and comfortable  for sleeping. The top of the island had a wonderful view of the bay.

The lee side of Snake Island

I took a swim and enjoyed the windless north side on the hot rocks. Just like a pool, the slabs of stone were large and warm after a swim. Looking at the map, I discovered the island was called Snake Island, so I thought I would look around a bit for snakes.

There were juniper trees and low-lying bushes, grassy areas and large rocky areas.  Fortunately I didn't find any snakes, but there must have been a good reason to name this island after them. Since this was the Killarney area,  St Patrick came to mind and I figured he cleaned out this area also. 

Mike and Anna crossing Collins Inlet

 I watched two other kayakers cross and land on the island, hike up the hill to the small peak where I was standing.

Looking South towards Killarney

After they saw the cove where I had landed they moved their gear to the lee side and started to set up camp. I would think that after exerting so much energy paddling that I would be hungry and ready for an evening meal. Food didn't cross my mind until Mike offered me an apple.  I stuck it away for later. That evening as I did finally camp, I found a simple thing like an apple was amazing. That was a whole meal for me that night. 

I loaded up again and headed out for Solomon Islands farther east. I was used to afternoon and evening wind dying down and expected the waters would be still in the coves behind the islands. I took some more photos of the island, said good by to Mike and Anna and headed east along the coast. I was looking forward to evening golden light and reflections of stone faces. It was about 7:00 pm and it didn't get dark till about 9:30. Plenty of time to do photograph and still set camp.
I paddled past some small rock out cropings and headed northeast along the coast still sheltered by the island.

I floated past some great campsites with more campers on other islands.  It wasn't overly isolated nor was it crowded. It was good to see some people in the area yet not too close.


The only noise were the waves and wind. I could see Solomon Island in the distant and set course for the pine tops.




Continued....  Solomon Islands?

Cerulean Waters of Killarney

 I was in Wolf Country, a billboard caught my eye and told me so. I would love to see a wolf in the timbers. I drove north out of Britt and towards Killarney, a two hour drive.  I turned onto Hwy 69,  the only road to Killarney.  I wanted to see the landscape, but the silhouette of pine trees at dusk was all I could catch of the area. Arriving in Killarney after dark I knew there were camp grounds around there some where, but I was dog tired and pulled into a pay parking lot behind a church to sleep in the van.
The evening was still hot at 11:00pm, as I tried to figure out how to set the tent up in the van for the mosquito net. I stretched the netting between the clothes hangers in the van, crawled in, zipped the net shut and slept to  the drone of bugs. A great source of white noise.
Sounds miserable, but I slept well and it wasn't that bad, The bugs didn't arrive until after dark .

The next morning I walked about Killarney to find a place for breakfast. I wanted to get acquainted with the area and the people of this little town.There were no traffic lights.  There was one grocery / dry goods store under renovations, three marina's, three or four restaurant / bars, A fishing business that ships fish out as well as offers fish and chips on the dock, It fills up on the weekends with travelers and boaters.

Killarney Church on Main St

I met John, a sailboat owner who was repairing his boat after a winter in drydock and launching that day. He was looking for a buyer for his sailboat and an adventurous type to join him on a trimaran sailboat that he would sail from Florida to Cuba to Cancun Mexico. Actually it was his wife looking for some other person to join him in his trip. He was going to go alone. I considered it for about two seconds and thought about the last time I was out on the ocean. a captain kept asking me "What ya looking for down there? I was leaning over the edge all day LONG.

I drove out to the view the light house on the edge of town looking for a launching place.

Area around the light house

Light house view from land

Parking is a premium in Killarney. The state park wanted $14/ day to leave your car overnight,and there weren't too many access points to the bay close by. A Marina owner, Dutch allowed me to park on his property and launch from the public park next door. Dutch also had some great bear stories. One mother had crossed the channel with her two cubs in tow. The smallest lagged behind and started to cry out. With out missing a beat the mom and the other cub circled around and got behind the lagger and stuck with him till they reached the other side. Another time a cub walked into Dutched marina looking hungry, Dutch put some dog food down, and the cub ate it, and left only to return and leave some scat on the floor. Of course he wasn't welcome anymore.

Across the channel from Killarney

Across the small bay from the lighthouse

I launched from the mid town area about 2:00 pm. There was still about 8 hours of light left. I paddled through the channel that leads out into the northern part of Georgian Bay. I followed the coast towards the light house.

View of the light house from the water, turning the point

I paddled north following the coast through some of the most beautiful water I have ever had the chance to paddle in. and on up to another channel crossing to the islands.

From the wind protected West side of the main land I paddled the coast and towards the channel crossing the narrowest point of the inlet. The crossing was large waves and very windy. I like paddling into the wind and waves, water crashing over the pointy bow of the boat. I was not used to paddling with the waves coming at me from the side lifting me up on the peak and dropping me into the trough. I was not experienced in these conditions, a loaded boat made for a more stable boat. I caught on but was still on alert.  My original course was for Solomon Island, but with the wind and waves I headed towards the lee side of the first island I came too.

Continued  Snake Island

The Storm

continued from Telluris Vultus II

A light breeze had risen as I paddled on the edge of the Canadian Shield of granite. To my right was open water and the left were the smooth rocky islands. I left Norgate Inlet and moved south towards Nasicoot River. Passing tree covered rocky shores.

I spotted a cottage in the trees on the edge of the open water and thought of storms that may have cast waves large enough to hit the home. The trees all leaned towards the east. Winds could be a constant at certain times of the year. Next to the home there stood a large rock carin as I called it but the Canadians called them Inuksuk. Markers on the trail.

Three canoes emerged from behind and island moving in the same direction I was headed. The water in front of me started to get choppy as I made my way towards the canoes. I was hoping to get a clear idea of my exact location, as there were no sign posts or named areas. I paddled over very shallow water that would rise and fall on the flat rocky area I was crossing. The rough water would lift me up and drop me to the rocks and I hit the rock shelf a few times.  I was a bit puzzled because there was only blue sky and a slight wind in my face. Turning around I saw a white sheet of cloud surrounded by a dark grey sky that engulf the island I had just passed. It was barely visible as the rain started churning towards me.

This squall was moving fast, over taking me and I decided to get to land. There was some thunder, but I didn't turn around to look for lightening. I was the high point on the water and I didn't want to get fried.  I paddled towards the canoers who had landed and were now taking cover in the low trees. I paddled after them and landed.







I thought I may be there for the rest of the day so after pulling the boat up to high ground I grabbed the tent and other gear from the boat to set camp. I ran across a swampy area, the kind I had been warned about. Tall grasses, low lying juniper trees, and water. Hearing the sound of fast rustling and feeling something hit the back of my leg I jumped straight up and turned around, thinking I had been snake bit. The self rescue air bag had unfurled and made the noise and hit my leg. Even in the rain I had to stop and laugh at how comical it must have looked like to see me jumping up and turning around trying to find a snake. I continued on to the trees to wait out the storm. I found the canoners sitting on the soft mossy ground under a blue tarp. A group of 9 boys from Camp Huron, on a five day trip. As we waited out the storm,  Killareny ON came up in our conversations and the rocky areas there. I had heard how different it was compared to the Britt and Bayfield areas. The islands were rougher, larger,  and the water deeper.

I thought about staying where we were for the night, but then I remembered the mosquitoes and changed my mind. They aren't as bad out on the rocky openings, but in the trees they can be ferocious. We waited out the storm for about an hour, then they went on south and I continued my search for faces and thought about Killareny.

The storm wind was still blowing and the water was still churning. The reflections seemed to be gone for the day. I discovered some basalt streaks running through the granite. I paddled around them  marveling at the forces that had put them in place. Heat, molten rock that at one time must have swirled. Metamorphic rock.

 I decided to paddle back to Britt and drive north, The wind and waves still kicking a bit, but not intolerable. Behind the islands there were sporadic winds and small gusts. Occasionally I would find some reflections.

Paddling by a smaller group of islands, I came across some boulders lined up in a trough.  I wondered who had rolled these stones into place and propped little stones at their base. I figured a group of people had spent an afternoon using some pry bars and a few beers to make this arrangement.
Later in the tip I met some local folks who talked of storms waves large enough to move boulders larger than these.






I paddled through some other small canyons
on the way back, past the outer light house,
and continued on to Britt.

I carried a small transponder called a "SPOT". A Spot is a small locater and communicator letting those know on your call list where you are and giving them updates on your location. In an emergency there is a call for rescue to the Canadian Coast Guard in this case.  I checked in home to let them know I had decide to head to Killarney. I didn't realize the number of hours in the boat or the miles covered until I called in. 

I was beat. The marina had a shower for a dollar.  Oh ya! 

The boat loaded I headed to Killarney,

next week "Cerulean Waters of  Killarney ON"