Time Marches On

Time Marches On

Time Marches On © 2008 Bo Mackison

Today I was sitting in the Apple Store waiting for a 1-on-1 lesson on how to promote my long-planned-for, new website when I decided to pop open my blog and see what was going on. It was 2:58 pm CDT and my eye caught my blog visitors counter-50,001 visits. Wow! That’s a lotta clicks. Seems like a milestone to blog about…

I started posting on this photoblog on October 5, 2007. My intention when I began was to post a photo a day for a year. I wasn’t sure who would look at the photographs-I was just learning how to use my Olympus E- 500 and didn’t know much about photography-or who would want to read my rambling words. But it was something I needed to do for myself. I needed to set a goal for myself and then work hard until I achieved it. Prove something to myself, in a way.

I’ve not quite finished the year-I still have another 50 days to make that goal. But I’ve been pleased with my attempt at blogging. I’ve learned an amazing amount of stuff about WordPress and all that techie stuff I always claimed I would never need to bother with. And I’ve got a website – Seeded Earth Photography – that I’m planning on unveiling on October 1st in response to the kind visitors who have asked how to purchase my photographs. (more on that coming soon)

I’ve taken thousands of photos and written nearly 400 posts and I’ve had 3,126 comments. Some of you who comment now have been commenting since the first weeks. I’m rather proud of that. You guys who have been hanging around a long time include Montucky at Montana Outdoors, Chrisy at visuallens, Ron at rtd13, Bernie at BFK Photography, nouveau fauves, Ankush at Ankush Vimawala Photography, Mon@rch at Mon@rch’s Nature Blog, amuirin at Stop and Wander, Robin at Bountiful Healing. How awesome! I didn’t even know that happened in blogland!

I also read and hear from other bloggers regularly, including Anna and Preston at Surface and Surface Photography, Gypsy-Heart at Gypsy-Heart I Am, Marcie at Daily Practice, ybonesy at red Ravine, Jules at The Way I See It , Grace at The Wild Pomegranate, Laurie at Capture This Photography, Richard at Capturing Light, Pat at Wandering Wonderings, and Joanna at Confident Writing. If I’ve missed you, sorry-check my sidebar for more of my favorites places and people. I love all of you!

So – thanks everyone. I don’t know what will happen on October 5. I’m writing for a Wisconsin website now, WisconsinNative.com, and with the launch of Seeded Earth Photography, I don’t know quite what I will do with this original blog. But I’ve learned a lot and have climbed mountains and swum oceans, as the saying goes. So thanks again. Your presence has been an important part of these last 10 months for me.

Pink Train

The El in Chicagos Loop

The El in Chicago’s Loop © 2008 Bo Mackison

We took a trip down memory lane on Sunday, drove down to Chicago, and did the “tourist” bit – but from the view as students when we lived here 30+ years ago. We traipsed through the halls of the law school on Northwestern’s downtown campus, ate at Gino’s East, sampling the “authentic” Chicago-style pizza–the same pizza recipe, I swear, we ate several times a week as students in the mid 70’s. Then we walked around the downtown loop area, and I caught a snap of the “el” – the elevated trains that cruise above ground and also dip under Chicago on underground tracks.

Funny though, how I don’t remember ever differentiating between the two. I caught the “el” whether I had to climb up steps and wait on a windy platform or trudge deep within the bowels of Chicago and take what people from different cities would call the subway. I could get anywhere on public transportation when I was in my twenties – and did. I routinely visited hospitals and clinics for internships throughout the entire Chicago area and a few of the suburbs, too. Sometimes my travel would require two trains and two busses, and a two hour commute each way. I’m glad I don’t have to travel to such extremes now to get where I need to go.

Hey, and I sure don’t remember the trains being decorated in pink paint! iPod? What’s an iPod?

Hanging Heart

Hanging Heart by contemporary artist Jeff Koons

Hanging Heart by contemporary artist Jeff Koons © 2008 Bo Mackison

We went to Chicago this weekend and visited the Museum of Contemporary Art which is running a Jeff Koons’ exhibit. It began May 31 and runs through September 21.

Hanging Heart, which is fabricated from stainless steel, has a transparent blue coating and a silver ribbon, and hangs in the entrance hallway of the museum. Unfortunately, it was the only photo I could take as there is a no photography restriction in the galleries themselves. But I loved the exhibit – it was bold and bright and sent a clear message on Koons’ take on society. The tour was certainly well worth the 45 minutes it took, and free so the cost was right.

The heart is made in 5 unique versions (red/gold, magenta/gold, silver/blue, violet/gold, gold/red). The sculptures were fabricated between the years 1994-2006 and each one measures 106 x 85 x 40 inches. It also weighs one and a half tons so I chose not to stand directly underneath it. Yep, cowardly. That’s me!

The blue heart recently sold for a cool 23 million dollars.

Billboard featuring Jeff Koons Baloon Dog

Billboard featuring Jeff Koon’s Balloon Dog

Sixty pieces fill two huge exhibit halls and include works from all of his major series.

Koons’ site features his work, biography and artist’s statement.

Early Apples in a Crate

Crate of Apples

Crate of Apples © 2008 Bo Mackison

It seems early for apples, but the first organic fruits are taking their places in the area farmers’ markets. These are on the smaller side, but so juicy and sweet. I liked the simple fruit framed in the crate and tried it in black and white.

Early Apples

Early Apples © 2008 Bo Mackison

But I like the photo is a soft color, too. Sometimes it’s fun to just play with a photograph and see all the different techniques that speak in different ways.

Farmers’ Market Lunch

Cow Cookies from Wisconsin

Cow Cookies from Wisconsin © 2008 Bo Mackison

Dane County Farmers’ Market was in full swing this morning. I came home with vine-ripened tomatoes, corn on the cob picked at dawn this morning, green and yellow and red peppers, eight different varietals of garlic, pumpkin bread, cheese bread, ostrich burgers, and a huge bouquet of lilies and calendula. But the highlight was the purchase of pumpkin blossoms. We dipped them in egg and seasoned flour, then fried them. To round out lunch, we had grilled cheese and tomato sandwiches followed by fresh peaches.

Summer eating at its best. I’m saving my dessert-half a cow cookie-for later.