More and more snow

Being as I am not a big fan of cold and snow, I don't usually go outside when and if I'm around the white stuff. However, I couldn't resist going out during the storm Tuesday, and I walked around the block a number of times during the morning and afternoon. I took this shot at the corner of Fourth and Union in London.

Edited around 9 am Saturday: I do like this photo next to the one of us in Antigua. . . .such parallel worlds! ;-)

Snowbound

I apologize, everyone, for not having posted for a week. One of my cousins passed away last week, and we went to Cleveland, Ohio for his memorial service.

We stayed in London, Ohio for a couple of days and enjoyed 10-12 inches of snow that fell between Tuesday and Wednesday. I took this photo of the the back of our house in London on Wednesday after the snow finally stopped. For about 15 minutes, we actually saw a little sun and blue skies. It didn't last. When the clouds moved back in, the snow started again, finally stopping around 5 PM.

We stay in the apartment that is on the right side of the house when we're there.

Ball Jars

Does anyone can anymore? Seriously. . . .

Hay, Baby!

While many of the cows are eating the bales of hay, others are dropping calves and then resting with them on the "leftovers" in order to keep warm. The little black lump in front of the mom is a newly-born calf.

The afternoon I took this photo, two of the cows had calves. There are a bunch of babies out in the back right now.

Hay, Girls!

The farmer who owns the pasture behind our house has put a bunch of bales of hay in the field lately, and the "girls" are quick to chomp down on the goods. When I went out to take a few photos today, a lot were chewing intently on the goods, although a few others were using the hay for something completely different. Tomorrow, I'll show you another use for the hay bales.

FREEDOM!!

It took a lot of blood, sweat
& tears to get where we are
today, but we have just begun.
Today we begin in earnest the
work of making sure the world
we leave our children is just a
little bit better than the one
we inhabit today.
~ Barack Obama

You may have noticed the Countdown to Freedom that has adorned my blog for about a year. It has been counting down to today, Inauguration Day. In the spirit of the day, I will hold my tongue and not write anything disparaging about the past eight years. I am so overwhelmed with the enormity of Obama's inauguration that I am basically speechless with excitement, pride and happiness.

We have a long road to travel to get this country on the right track, again. I think we are heading in the right direction, and I think Mr. Obama and the men and women he has chosen to work with him are the right people to guide us down that path. Let us hope that the men and women in the House and Senate can forget their partisan differences and work together and with the administration. And, mostly, let's all work together so that we can leave our children a better world.

Skyward Silo

This is a large grain silo on a dairy/soy bean farm.

ONE DAY and counting. . . . . . . .

Crape Myrtle in Winter

These lovely, dry blossoms adorn crape myrtles in the winter.

TWO DAYS and counting. . . . . .

Readings

Each evening during our 10-day residency, we attend readings by visiting writers and faculty members. Karen McElmurray, who is a nonfiction mentor at Murray State, read from her newest novel, Motel of the Stars. Karen is on the faculty of Georgia College and State University in Milledgeville, Georgia.

McElmurray's second novel, Motel of the Stars is the story of Jason Sanderson and Lori Llewellyn, the father and lover of Sam Sanderson, who was killed 10 years earlier during a military training exercise, and their coming to terms with Sam's death. Set in Kentucky and North Carolina, Motel of the Stars takes place in 1997 around the 10th anniversary of the Harmonic Convergence, a world-wide, mystic event marked by the aligning of the planets.

I loved the book. As I said in my review (which you can read by clicking here), there are so many layers in this book, and they all combine to make one fabulous read.

In the spirit of fair disclosure, I do want to point out that Karen in my mentor in the nonfiction program. That being said, it had no influence on whether I liked the book or not.

THREE DAYS . . . . . . . .

Two Guys

Steve Vest (L) and Roger Stanley (R) are the two guys in the nonfiction section of our MFA program. Roger, who teaches at Union University in Jackson, is in his final semester while Steve, publisher/editor of Kentucky Monthly magazine, is in his first. (Note that Roger has a wonderful Fidalgo Bay coffee in hand.) When we are in "workshop," we sit in a semi-circle so that we can see each other.

FOUR DAYS and counting. . . . .

A View From My Room

While I was at Murray last week, I was lucky enough to see the sun rise from my hotel room window every morning.

My Work

I survived the morning classes with a cup of coffee (actually a non-fat, sugar-free cafe mocha) from Fidalgo Bay, a local coffee house in Murray, KY. I really like their sugar-free mochas because they use a real, sugar-free chocolate syrup to make them, unlike Starbucks that used (They no longer offer the sugar-free option.) an artificial syrup to make theirs.

I pixelated the writing on my computer, by the way.

P.S. Minus SIX days and counting. . . . .

1/2 of the Murray State MFA Nonfiction Posse

If you follow this blog, you know I have just returned from spending 10 days at Murray State University in Murray, KY, where I'm working on an MFA in Creative Writing.

The MFA in Creative Writing at Murray State is a low residency program, meaning we spend 10 days on campus at the beginning of each semester, and the rest of the semester, we do the work on our own at home and either email or mail packages to our professor/mentors. To complete the program, one must earn 48 credit hours and write and defend a thesis. Students choose a genre (There are four: nonfiction, fiction, poetry and writing for children.) in which to specialize. During the residency, we attend classes with others in our genre and discuss both our work and the work of established authors, attend readings by visiting writers (We heard Scott Russell Sanders, Heather Sellars and Linda Bierds this semester.), attend craft and genre seminars, write and network with other writers/students. During the semester, we read (about eight books) and write a lot, sending at least 3 packets of work to our individual mentors.

Eleven of us worked in the nonfiction group this residency. The six of us above, were with one mentor (Karen McElmurray), and there were five others with Chris Hale, the other mentor. Left to right, we are Jacque Pallone, Caitlin Chester, Moi, Rachel Rinehart-Johnson, Jackee Marceau and Jacqueline Howe.

Time for Yet Another Cute Dog Photo

Oh, those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer!

Hay, there!

The field behind our house was full of bales of hay on New Year's Day.

By the time you read this, I'm most likely either home or on my way back from Murray State University after the Winter Residency.  It's been a long and rewarding 10 days!

Magnolia Leaves in Winter

Please note:  I am in my last two days of the winter residency for my MFA program.  Until Monday, NDP remains on auto-pilot.  

Another Barn

Please Note: I'm on the downside of my 10 days on the Murray State Campus, but NDP is still on autopilot. I'll be back next week!

Creek #2

This creek was on the close to the horses and barn shown earlier this week.

Please note: I'm on the downside of my winter residency at Murray State this week. While I'm attending classes, lectures, workshops, readings, seminars and doing homework (argh!), NDP is on auto-pilot.

Fence by the Road

Something about this fence by the road attracted my attention. . .

Please note: While I am at Murray State attending classes, workshops, readings, lectures, seminars and doing homework, NDP is on auto-pilot. I'll be back next Monday.

Covered Bridge

This covered bridge traverses a creek that flows beneath the driveway of one of the horse farms I showed you earlier this week.  You can't see it in this photo, but hanging below the windows are flower pots which, I imagine, are in full bloom in the spring and summer.  I'll have to show you how it looks when the world starts to blossom again.

Please note:  I am currently on the Murray State campus.  Because we are busy with classes, seminars, workshops, readings, writing, and homework (AUGH), NDP is on autopilot until next week.

Horse Farm #2

When I got out of the car to take a couple of photos of these horses, the red one in front was close to the barn. Watching as I walked toward him, he matched me step-by-step by walking toward me. When I stopped at the fence, he stopped at that pile of rocks, still watching me. I'm in love! :-)

Please note: I'm attending classes at Murray State this week. For the next week, NDP will be on autopilot as I write and attend classes, lectures, readings, workshops and seminars.

Horse Farm #1

We found a number of horse farms while we drove around the area the other day. Funny that we discovered them after having lived here about 4 miles away for 13 years!

Please note: I am currently at Murray State for on-campus, winter residency classes. For the next 9 days, NDP is on auto-pilot while I attend classes, workshops, readings and lectures.

Country Mailboxes

As I mentioned in yesterday's post, my husband and I found a number of interesting sites within a few miles of our house.  On one road, we found these wonderful country mailboxes.

Is your mail delivered to your door, to a box at the end of your driveway, to a box in the lobby or your building, or somewhere else?

Please note:  I am at Murray State for our winter semester, on-campus classes.  NDP is on auto-pilot for the next 10 days because our days are filled with classes, workshops, readings, homework, and writing.  :-)

Creek in the Winter

While driving around the area yesterday, we happened to find a few roads that are no more than two-to-four miles from our house.  We had not ever driven down those roads before . . . didn't even know they existed, to tell the truth.  Over the next several days, I'll show you some of what we saw.

For the next 10 days, I'll be on the Murray State University campus for our Winter Residency. Thanks to the "new" feature on blogspot, Nashville Daily Photo will be on autopilot during that time.

I am halfway through my MFA and can't believe that:  a) I started this program a mere 12 months ago; and b) I will be done in another 12 months.  

Happy New Year! Theme Day: Best Photo

Be always at war
with your vices,
at peace with
your neighbors,
& let each new year
find you a better man.
~ Benjamin Franklin

Our wish for everyone on this New Year's Day is that we can find peace with our neighbors both here and abroad, and that good things will once again come our way.
Cheers!

THEME DAY:
Today is Theme Day in the City Daily Photo family. Our theme this month is "BEST PHOTO." I chose this photo because, quite frankly, I like it a lot. I took it on a morning last February when we had a light dusting of snow hit the Nashville area. There was very little contrast because the light was so hazy.

There are always over 100 other blogs that participate in theme day.
Click here to view thumbnails for all participants