During a 1958 interview with George Plimpton, Ernest Hemingway talked about writing — and rewriting. Plimpton asked Hemingway about the amount of rewriting he did, and Hemingway replied, “It depends.” Hemingway went on to explain that he took the ending of A Farewell to Arms through 39 rewrites before he was satisfied. What was the…
There’s nothing like being a first-time buyer during a housing bubble. That was the challenge I faced when I started house hunting in June 2003. A severe inventory shortage – combined with skyrocketing prices – turned my search into an ongoing series of frustrations. Then, in October 2004, I found a cute little brick house…
When I was in my early twenties, I set the goal of bicycling through all 50 of the United States. It only took 12 years – and more than 15,000 miles – to reach the finish line. That happened during a predawn thunderstorm outside Las Vegas, Nevada. Along the way, I met such on-the-road challenges…
While I was in high school, I made a discovery that would change my artistic life. Simply put, I just wasn’t good at drawing or painting. Sculpture? Forget it. Ceramics? Meh. Printmaking? Nope. Photography was a different story. Almost immediately, I felt like I was born to do it. In photography class, I was introduced…
In my previous post, I noted my family’s move to the woods when I was eight years old. Our house was just two doors away from the neighborhood elementary school, and I went there for three years. Unfortunately, I quickly ran into the same problem I experienced at my previous school. I was a smart…
When I was eight years old, my family moved to the woods. Although we were an hour’s drive from Philadelphia, the city seemed like it was light years away. And light, what was that? The interior of our new house was so dark, we had to keep the lights on during the daytime. No sense…
In my previous post, I noted the nature that I experience at my place – the ornery landscape plants, opinionated birds, and gardening triumphs and tragedies. So, will this be book that stays home? And this going to be another one of those “pretty picture, worship nature” books? No to the second power! Early in…
This publishing adventure began as an effort to master the intricacies of camera equipment I purchased in June 2018. Since it was too hot to leave home and practice in public, it was time for a self-assignment. Open the doors to Martha’s Back-Yard Photography School, because class is now in session! I figured that my…
Pigeons. They look so innocent on the utility wire above my back-yard. Closer to the ground, it’s a different story. Pigeons are the messiest birds I’ve ever dealt with. What’s worse, they recently decided that my porch roof beam was the perfect place to roost. Since I’m less than enthusiastic about having to climb a…
I have a confession to make: I don’t have a car and I don’t drive. But I love car shows. Must be part of my DNA, because my father was an antique car buff. He kept telling Mom and me that he wanted to buy one to restore, but he never got around to it….
On Saturday, December 5, I participated in the Arts Foundation for Tucson and Southern Arizona’s Open Studio Tours Online. During my 30-minute presentation, I showed examples of my work in three genres: Nature photography Bicycle photography Construction photography I also offered examples of one of my side projects — upcycling. That’s the process of re-purposing…
It’s been a decade since the Watershed Management Group (WMG) did any work in my front yard. Then came this past summer. WMG was here for a cistern workshop, and that included the installation of rain gutters. Funny thing about rain gutters. When it rains, they drain copious quantities of rain from my south-facing roof….
During World War II, Victory Gardens accounted for one third of American vegetable production. This was a government-led effort that aimed to lower the price of vegetables that were needed to feed the troops. Among the millions of Victory Gardeners was my Great Grandmother Martha. From her plot in Buffalo, New York, she raised enough…
Part 1: Finding Treasure When the Grant Road widening project came through my neighborhood, I saw an opportunity: Rubble. And lots of it. The pre-construction building demolitions did not disappoint. A quarter mile away from home, I found a treasure. It was one of those metal grid walls that had been used in a store…
After the middle of March, Tucson’s event calendar imploded. Iconic local events cancelled right and left. Will they be back in the fall? Or next spring? No one knows. I’ll repeat what has been said elsewhere and say that the Coronavirus is in charge. Let’s take a moment to look back on events that happened…
This post summarizes five lessons learned during the renovation of my 1956-vintage home in Tucson, Arizona. The renovation project began in spring 2017 and ended in fall 2019. Lesson #1: Add “Project Manager” To Your Resume Doesn’t matter what your day job is. If you’re having your house fixed up, the project manager will be…
November 23 was one of those days that cyclists dream about. Warm, sunny, and delightfully lacking in headwinds that could slow you down — and get you down. For me, it was a great day for a bike-tographic expedition to the last mile of El Tour de Tucson 2019. The 100-mile race winner, Ulises Alfredo…
INTRODUCTION: Welcome to post #13 in my Tucson Home Renovation series! This post features the return of one of my favorite contractors, this time for the installation of a fence top screen. In May 2017, I hired Affordable Fence & Gates for the first time. Their mission: To replace my falling down (and termite-infested) wooden…
Okay, it’s confession time: I’ve been away from the bike-tography game for a while. I started my comeback at Sunday’s Cyclovia Tucson. If you’re not familiar with the global Cyclovia movement, it’s a celebration of streets for everyone, not just cars. Held in Tucson since 2010, Cyclovia inspires tens of thousands of people to bicycle,…
INTRODUCTION: Welcome to post #12 in my Tucson Home Renovation series! This one moves us into the final phase of the exterior work, and it’s all about careful preparation. When it comes to home improvement jobs, painting is one of those things that a lot of people think they can do. You’ve probably seen the…
INTRODUCTION: Welcome to post #11 in my Tucson Home Renovation series! This one addresses a major safety issue at my place. Before I got too far into my home renovation adventures, I asked a home inspector to take a good, hard look around my property. He flagged a lot of things, and I’m glad he…