Photographic meanderings

A one-eyed, grinning bull?

I have landed safely in Ellington, MO 63638. I’m in the heart of the Ozarks, and 11 miles of dirt road separate me and the nearest pavement. The landscape looks like a Sulamith Wulfing watercolor.

I’m warm and dry and have a good bed, food, the occasional beer. And I’ve been to Joplin, MO and back twice in the last week.

My friends Rick and Denise have opted to come off the road for a while, and last week I went to retrieve them when their truck went into the shop. Rick took a tumble and required stitches in his scalp. That meant a trip to St. John’s hospital, in the very heart of the destruction zone.

This California girl has never seen tornado damage before, and I will never forget just how bleak the town looked. Most of the debris has been cleared, but the occasional broken building remain standing, stark reminders of a tornado’s power.

On Tuesday of this week I returned, and found more pictures to make, and most importantly, I found people who are rebuilding their lives. I met Gene in the FEMA trailer camp, and Stacey who survived the tornado, and now works with Ozark Center Crisis, an NGO helping Joplin folks recover.

If you find yourself in Joplin, stop by Norma’s Kitchen just north of 20th Ave on S. Main st. They serve a great order of hashbrown potatoes. Also, the tiny trolly car on the corner of 22nd and Main serves a decent cup of coffee, and Chris and Scott are survivors, too. Their consignment shop was destroyed, and so they opted to go in another direction.

The image above is a wonderful bit of absurdist humor in a very bleak landscape. The whole building is covered with graffiti in the form of kind words and warm wishes to the people of Joplin. “Down but NOT OUT!”

No, this blog has not gone dead. I’m on the road to my winter home, and most of my photographic efforts are centered on the Occupy Las Vegas documentation. I’ll be making a rather long haul tomorrow to Santa Fe New Mexico. I don’t know if I will have access to internet while I am there, but if I do I will check in with you all, my gentle readers, right here.

Today’s picture is of Peace the pit bull getting some love from one of the folks at Area 99, the Occupy camp in Las Vegas.

Beautiful terrazzo floors with intricate designs grace the buildings of Hoover Dam. This one is found in the entry way to the women’s bathroom atop the dam.

Moonrise through a windmill tower near Tehachapi, CA. Special thanks to Lauren for her wonderful hospitality!

On the road, originally uploaded by E. Howe.

Coffee on the road

Yes, friends, I have joined the ranks of the eternally connected: I am now an iPhone-ographer. Taken today from Tunnel View. Expect more images from my iPhone while I am on the road!

Dear Readers;

I’m sitting in a room with bare walls. Most of my stuff has been shipped to Missouri. What remains will be loaded into my car tomorrow. I’ve lived in Yosemite for 6.5 years now, called it home. I’m making a big change this year, heading out of my own will.

I’m going to miss my beloved Sierra Nevada. I’ll miss the sound of Yosemite Falls outside my window. I’ll miss my road trips to the White Mountains, and I’ll miss my stunted, twisted Bristlecones.

But I’ll be working on some projects over the winter; My book about the Bristlecones, a photo essay about the recovery efforts in Joplin, MO, and I’ll be photographing the Occupy Wall Street protests of the midwest. Plus I’ll also be able to work on long-neglected cross stitch projects.

I’ve started a meta-blog; it will be where I’ll be reporting my activities, updates on my projects. You can find it here: EdieHowe.com

Soon I will be launching another blog: Unoccupy Yosemite. Watch for it here.

Yes, I’m nervous. I really, really hate moving. It sucks. But all things change or die, and thereby change. It’s time for a change.

I will be returning to Yosemite next spring. I’ve been awarded a position as a cashier at Glacier Point Gift Store again!

I’ll continue to update this blog, but most of the image will be from my archives.

Wish me luck!