Red Leaf Diaries

NaturesCurls, originally uploaded by carolsLittleWorld.

It’s that time of year again! It’s time to start the Red Leaf Diaries.

What are the Red Leaf Diaries and how are they different from, say, the Green Leaf Diaries?

Well, that one’s easy. The Red Leaf Diaries are more a state of mind than a place to be. They are more about the hunt, more about the journey than the destination. They are zen and the art of autumn meets…oh, why don’t I just admit it? Austin really doesn’t get a true, honest-to-God “autumn” anymore than I could be mistaken for Pamela Anderson. The Red Leaf Diaries are just an excuse for me to run around outside for my camera looking for a red leaf, any red leaf, or any other sign that there might possibly be autumn somewhere out there, somewhere out in the great yonder of a universe. Seriously, the Red Leaf Diaries are all about finding just one little red leaf, out in a sea other otherwise autumn-less void.

So, this year, I’ve decided to start-up the hunt yet again. My travels today took me out in central Austin, out very near the 360 bridge, in the natural area I enjoy almost entirely by myself. Yes, it’s true. There’s a lot of nature to be found in the middle of River City and, sometimes, if you get lucky, people don’t even clutter up that special spot. Today, I was just so lucky. I went for a walk in the woods.

Now, it’s not quite autumn yet here, but the signs have started to come. It’s a little bit more “autumn-like” than, say, the middle of summer, that’s for certain. And the weather is nice. It’s not so hot. The light was a bit bright, the weather man has lied to us again, telling us how “clouds were moving in.” Yeah right. I don’t believe you, Mr. Weatherman, you’re lying so much your pants should be on fire! Even so, getting out for a walk in the woods was kind of fun on a nice day and all. I got to shoot some macro lens work with the baby Mark camera.

I am starting to really love that camera. Is loving a camera even allowed? Am I to be arrested for this or some such thing? At the risk of all that, I have to admit, I freaking love that thing. It’s like the best camera my hands have ever felt. It’s like butter in your hands only not as gooey. It’s like….well, it’s like a cold beer on a hot summer’s day. Yeah, it’s that good. It’s all that and a bag of chips, as they say these days. I seriously love that thing.

In other, more boring news, tomorrow brings two photo shoots, a charity thing, a show opening and I have to drop off some work at another gallery. Busy day and it only gets worse. No more red leaf hunting, no more glorious baby Mark for me. I’m going to be stuck running around like a funky chicken stuffed into crosstown traffic. Wish me luck with that.

I’ll be at the opening over at the REAL Gallery tomorrow evening, there for the show PHOTO FINISH. I hope to meet you there if you happen to be in Austin and can make it out for the show.

I hope to have a more quiet day on Sunday, maybe even sneaking in a studio day. Might be my last for a while too, as the big East Austin Studio Tour (EAST) events are starting to happen. Tomorrow night there is some kind of an EAST launch party/catalog release party and there’s also an event happening over at Bay 6. I might make it out that way if I can, don’t know yet on account of all that’s going on and all that I need to do.

Meanwhile, the leaves slowly turn from green to red. Do you think anybody else will notice? Do you think anybody else will care? (I hope the Red Leaf Diaries at least make you think about it, you know, think about it a little bit.)

Until next time…