Welcome to my photo gallery displaying images of prairie fauna, road trips, selfies, family, friends, and my beloved Aussie, Avy.
Thank you for visiting. I’m glad you are here.
Photos from my Instagram feed
In the path of eclipse totality 2024. Cape Girardeau, MO. Thank you Baumstark’s for the invitation to join another eclipse family reunion. Feeling lucky to see two from this fabulous spot.
Apr 8
In the path of eclipse totality 2024. Cape Girardeau, MO. Thank you Baumstark’s for the invitation to join another eclipse family reunion. Feeling lucky to see two from this fabulous spot.
Sunday Post 1:
Our day began with a bus ride to the Cojinar, the local fishing village that inspired Hemingway’s Old Man and the Sea. We didn’t see that part of Conjimar. We did see a community herb garden, before a cooking and mojito lesson and a local restaurant. Next post. What fascinated me, were the upside down bottles used for irrigation. During the day, the sun creates condensation and at night the condensation drains.
Mar 18
Sunday Post 1:
Our day began with a bus ride to the Cojinar, the local fishing village that inspired Hemingway’s Old Man and the Sea. We didn’t see that part of Conjimar. We did see a community herb garden, before a cooking and mojito lesson and a local restaurant. Next post. What fascinated me, were the upside down bottles used for irrigation. During the day, the sun creates condensation and at night the condensation drains.
Today our walking tour of Old Havana included a lot of walking with some stops to glance at the oldest bookstore in Havana, Clandestina, a small trendy T-shirt and high-end souvenir shop that is allowed to sell outside of Cuba, salsa lessons, and before that my favorite stop at the photography gallery of Raúl Corrales.
Corrales “specialized in going to the remote parts of Cuba to photograph the everyday lives of poor peasants and workers. During a police raid in the late 1950s, almost all of Corrales photographic work was destroyed.
“After the Revolution of 1959 against the Batista Government, Raúl Corrales joined the Communist Party of Cuba. He was one of Fidel Castro`s official photographers for many years. Corrales worked for almost three decades in the Office of Historical Affairs, helping to preserve and organize the Castro government`s documentary and photographic legacy.” (Wikipedia)
As luck would have it, Corralles’ eldest son, Raúl Corrales, Jr. was in the gallery and regaled our group with stories about his father, who became Castro’s official photographer by being bold. A short man, Corrales ducked under the taller photographers to get close to Castro, and noticed by Castro was given audience. Corrales’ photo titled, La pesidilla is considered among the one hundred best images in the history of photography. He was also well acquainted with Ernest Hemingway.
Standing in the gallery considering lives and a time I can only imagine, I was reminded of images captured by photographers such as Walker Evans, Dorothea Lange, and Arthur Rothstein.
And, as a writer, I took the opportunity to purchase a small book, Raúl Corrales, Jr. to sign it. Can anyone translate his inscription?
Mar 17
Today our walking tour of Old Havana included a lot of walking with some stops to glance at the oldest bookstore in Havana, Clandestina, a small trendy T-shirt and high-end souvenir shop that is allowed to sell outside of Cuba, salsa lessons, and before that my favorite stop at the photography gallery of Raúl Corrales.
Corrales “specialized in going to the remote parts of Cuba to photograph the everyday lives of poor peasants and workers. During a police raid in the late 1950s, almost all of Corrales photographic work was destroyed.
“After the Revolution of 1959 against the Batista Government, Raúl Corrales joined the Communist Party of Cuba. He was one of Fidel Castro`s official photographers for many years. Corrales worked for almost three decades in the Office of Historical Affairs, helping to preserve and organize the Castro government`s documentary and photographic legacy.” (Wikipedia)
As luck would have it, Corralles’ eldest son, Raúl Corrales, Jr. was in the gallery and regaled our group with stories about his father, who became Castro’s official photographer by being bold. A short man, Corrales ducked under the taller photographers to get close to Castro, and noticed by Castro was given audience. Corrales’ photo titled, La pesidilla is considered among the one hundred best images in the history of photography. He was also well acquainted with Ernest Hemingway.
Standing in the gallery considering lives and a time I can only imagine, I was reminded of images captured by photographers such as Walker Evans, Dorothea Lange, and Arthur Rothstein.
And, as a writer, I took the opportunity to purchase a small book, Raúl Corrales, Jr. to sign it. Can anyone translate his inscription?
Cuban cats & puppies.
Miami South Beach highlights. The weather was the perfect temp. Glad I don’t live here in the summer.
And, can anyone explain the need to wear black Lycra / leggings in heat and humidity? 😳 Fashion? Ummm… think not. I decided not to post the unflattering photos. 😂
Mar 15
Miami South Beach highlights. The weather was the perfect temp. Glad I don’t live here in the summer.
And, can anyone explain the need to wear black Lycra / leggings in heat and humidity? 😳 Fashion? Ummm… think not. I decided not to post the unflattering photos. 😂
Last day in San Miguel Allende. Having a leisurely lunch and, of course, a freewrite at the cafe at the Bíblico Pública, and then off to shop.
Feb 23
Last day in San Miguel Allende. Having a leisurely lunch and, of course, a freewrite at the cafe at the Bíblico Pública, and then off to shop.
Happy birthday to me! I’m eleven today and my mommy can’t believe it,
Last night, Julie Gammack hosted a fabulous gathering of writers from the Iowa Writers` Collaborative to thank paid Substack subscribers. The sparkling event was held at the Witmer House, the former governor`s mansion in Des Moines. We mingled with the writers and Julie Gammack, also founder of the Okoboji Writers Conference, encouraged us to take selfies, so I did.
If you haven`t yet joined the substack for Iowa Writers` Collaborative, I highly recommend it. Such talented writers across Iowa writing on a wide variety of topics! Check them out and please support them. https://iowawriters.substack.com.
#iowawriterscollaborative #ameswriterscollective #bethhoffman #chuckoffenburger #juliegammack #anahaysmccracken
Dec 8
Last night, Julie Gammack hosted a fabulous gathering of writers from the Iowa Writers` Collaborative to thank paid Substack subscribers. The sparkling event was held at the Witmer House, the former governor`s mansion in Des Moines. We mingled with the writers and Julie Gammack, also founder of the Okoboji Writers Conference, encouraged us to take selfies, so I did.
If you haven`t yet joined the substack for Iowa Writers` Collaborative, I highly recommend it. Such talented writers across Iowa writing on a wide variety of topics! Check them out and please support them. https://iowawriters.substack.com.
#iowawriterscollaborative #ameswriterscollective #bethhoffman #chuckoffenburger #juliegammack #anahaysmccracken
Why this girl loves the cold. Her DNA’s from the North Country.
Happy belated 10th wedding anniversary celebration, Ed McCracken. Thirteen years of life and travel: (Italy, Shanghai, Singapore, Bali, Hong Kong, Scotland, Ireland, France, Germany, Hungary, Czech Republic, Bratislava, Austria, New Zealand, Australia). Four moves: (San Francisco to Menlo Park to San Francisco to Ames, Iowa). Countless Iowa State Cyclone basketball and football wins and losses. An MFA degree. A rambunctious sassy Australian shepherd named Avy.
To celebrate, we dined at The Webster in Iowa City—a restaurant the New York Times called ‘compelling.’ Thank you, Ed for a life together that is sweeter because you are in it.
Nov 8
Happy belated 10th wedding anniversary celebration, Ed McCracken. Thirteen years of life and travel: (Italy, Shanghai, Singapore, Bali, Hong Kong, Scotland, Ireland, France, Germany, Hungary, Czech Republic, Bratislava, Austria, New Zealand, Australia). Four moves: (San Francisco to Menlo Park to San Francisco to Ames, Iowa). Countless Iowa State Cyclone basketball and football wins and losses. An MFA degree. A rambunctious sassy Australian shepherd named Avy.
To celebrate, we dined at The Webster in Iowa City—a restaurant the New York Times called ‘compelling.’ Thank you, Ed for a life together that is sweeter because you are in it.
Trick or Treat.
OMG! Over 24-hours getting home from Edinburgh today, yesterday. And I couldn’t just go to bed. Had to check my mail. Look who wrote me back. Squeal!
Sep 9
OMG! Over 24-hours getting home from Edinburgh today, yesterday. And I couldn’t just go to bed. Had to check my mail. Look who wrote me back. Squeal!
While I could have scheduled a fancier tea on my last day in Edinburgh, I decided to have a “breakfast” and scone on the cafeteria patio at Holyrood Palace Edinburgh. It’s the best place I could think of to sit and reflect on the year since HRH Queen Elizabeth’s passing, which was a year ago tomorrow. Little did I know that she died at 15:10 BST, which is the approximate time I arrived at the castle today. Queen Elizabeth died at Balmoral Castle in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, at the age of 96. Her death was publicly announced at 18:30.
Sep 7
While I could have scheduled a fancier tea on my last day in Edinburgh, I decided to have a “breakfast” and scone on the cafeteria patio at Holyrood Palace Edinburgh. It’s the best place I could think of to sit and reflect on the year since HRH Queen Elizabeth’s passing, which was a year ago tomorrow. Little did I know that she died at 15:10 BST, which is the approximate time I arrived at the castle today. Queen Elizabeth died at Balmoral Castle in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, at the age of 96. Her death was publicly announced at 18:30.
London Fact: While most call the tower under Winston Churchill’s arm Big Ben. Big Ben is actually the bell. The tower itself was previously known as `The Clock Tower`, but in 2012 it was renamed Elizabeth Tower to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II`s Diamond Jubilee.
Aug 30
London Fact: While most call the tower under Winston Churchill’s arm Big Ben. Big Ben is actually the bell. The tower itself was previously known as `The Clock Tower`, but in 2012 it was renamed Elizabeth Tower to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II`s Diamond Jubilee.
Thought I’d break my posting-fast to post our fun outfits for the Ames History Myseum party tonight. My dress is a knock-off 1950s Bishop-Sleeves Belted-Shirt dress. The actress who made it famous slips my mind. I purchased it earlier this year from a street-vendor dress-designer in in Sydney, Australia. Ed is wearing a bubble-gum pink polo shirt, which he said he’d have worn back in the 50s as a kid. I snagged the glasses from the decorations.
Aug 25
Thought I’d break my posting-fast to post our fun outfits for the Ames History Myseum party tonight. My dress is a knock-off 1950s Bishop-Sleeves Belted-Shirt dress. The actress who made it famous slips my mind. I purchased it earlier this year from a street-vendor dress-designer in in Sydney, Australia. Ed is wearing a bubble-gum pink polo shirt, which he said he’d have worn back in the 50s as a kid. I snagged the glasses from the decorations.
