Basket Woven Buffalo

I made an extra trip to cover another of the artists from the MHAAA Spring Art Tour. She'd been at one of the locations I covered as a guest artist so I was unable to photograph her in her "element." Today we had a nice chat about all sort of things while she wove a new piece in her work station. She then had some new willow branches that needed added to the buffalo she'd created in their little patch of heaven. Even though it was very hot & humid I had a really nice time. I simply love seeing these beautiful locations where people are being creative. Each visit has reinforced my comfort at the life choices I've made that have allowed me to a chance to do this sort of work. I may not be getting rich monetarily, but the experiences are worth it.

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Rolling Through the Drifless Edge

Another photo from our local roadways. This one is just outside of town, south of our home.

#driftlessregion #driftless #driftlessarea #wisconsin #wisconsinart #wisconsinlife #discoverwisconsin #thedriftless #driftlessart #wisconsinphotographer #travelwisconsin #mounthoreb #mounthorearts #mthoreb #mthorebarts #mthorebartists

Dedication of Merit Prayer

Gewa diyi nyurdu dag
Lama sanggye drupgyur nay
Drowa chigkyang malu pa
Kyekyi sala go par shog


By this virtue may I quickly
Attain the state of Guru Buddha, and then
Lead every being without exception
To that very state!


#Shantideva #Bodhicaryavatara #Mahayana #dharma #buddhist #buddhism #learningthedharma #meditation #puja #soulsearching #training #findingmyself #monastery #meditation #holyplace #holy #peace #namaste #buddha #driftlessregion #driftlessarea #wisconsin #wisconsinlife #discoverwisconsin #thedriftless #driftlessart #wisconsinphotographer #martialartslife

Life Unfolds As it Will

Today life itself is giving me a lesson in patience. Last week I pushed my physical ability beyond my capacity a bit too much. Last Monday I ran through many different techniques that are required to pass the Blue Belt test in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu @riseupmartialartsacademywi. It was AWESOME and totally unexpected. I'd actually wanted to do something like that as it's been around 6 months since I did my own belt test. I'd partnered with a guy about my size who is getting ready to test for his Blue in a few weeks. We had so much fun running through it. I believe we did around 200 or more maneuvers in 60 minutes! At the time I felt GREAT! I also knew where many of the mistakes were in various techniques but was really pleased I recalled as many as I did. Unfortunately my upper arm didn't agree. Being stubborn, later that week I unloaded and stored over 820 pounds of scaffolding by myself. That too worked my right, upper arm. Then I did a three day photo expedition, that actually spilled over for five and into today, making six days in a row. My gear is very, very heavy so the constant manipulation of my camera really pushed my injury. This morning I had a session scheduled for physical therapy, followed by two photo sessions. When I went to leave I found my Jeep battery dead. My wife is in La Crosse, so I guess this means I'll HAVE to rest my arm. So it's a day of ice, an arm sling, and ibuprofen.

#dharma #buddhist #buddhism #learningthedharma #meditation #puja #soulsearching #training #findingmyself #monastery #meditation #holyplace #holy #peace #namaste #buddha #driftlessregion #driftlessarea #wisconsin #wisconsinlife #discoverwisconsin #thedriftless #driftlessart #wisconsinphotographer #martialartslife #bjj #brazilianjiujitsu #jiujitsulifestyle #jiujitsu

Left Jab!

My wife & I went on our daughter's field trip to the Mining & Rollow Jamison Museum in Platteville today. This time we were smart and drove ourselves instead of riding the school bus. Being that the weather was perfect we went on a cross country drive to get there. It ended up being more of a "date" sort of day. A scenic drive. Flirting at the back of the tour group, and then skipping out on the second half of it to pick up lunch in the small town. By the time we got back to the tour it was time for a picnic! The best part was making it home about an hour before the kid. She had to ride the bus back. ;-)

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Driftless Spring

The Driftless offers such a pastoral beauty. This is little rolling valley is on the outer edges of a region that the glaciers didn't bulldoze during the last Ice Age. I'd begun exploring the area on my own soon after arriving. Only now am I truly connecting to it. For instance, during my photo gig to cover the recent MHAAA's Spring Art Tour I had to drive past this location. What's not pictured is the house of my former fitness trainer which is just down the hill from where I took this. It was such a pretty spot to be forced to do burpies, coordination drills using a ladder on the ground, going up and down the hill holding plank, etc.. Fun times those!

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Summer Breezes

On Saturday while photographing the MHAAA Spring Art Tour we went to a studio on the edge of the Driftless Area. We enjoyed a perfect view and an an early summer breeze that kept the gnats off of us. I loved seeing the amazing studio locations. Granted, I only went to 8 of the 17, so I am hoping to get to visit the rest someday. I proposed to their organization a deal that would make it affordable for me to go to each creative space and take shots of the artists at work. I guess we'll see what happens?

#driftlessregion #driftless #driftlessarea #wisconsin #wisconsinart #wisconsinlife #discoverwisconsin #fineart #finaeartphotography #contemporaryart #art #modernart #ig_mood #featuredpalette #artlovers #artlover #installationart #steelsculpture #thedriftless #driftlessart #wisconsinphotographer #travelwisconsin #mounthoreb #springarttour #mounthorearts #mthoreb #mthorebarts #mthorebartists #driftlesshistorium #danecounty