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…
The 35th running of El Tour de Tucson offered the best thing a cyclist could ask for: Perfect weather. Sunny skies, light winds, and temperatures in the 80s. Which made it a great day for bicycle photography. However, I couldn’t help noticing that, as compared to a decade ago, participation was way down. I used…
INTRODUCTION: The Tucson Home Renovation series hits double digits! Enjoy post #10 … When it came to facilitating a grand entrance, my exterior doors left a lot to be desired. The previous owners had painted them a horrid shade of red, and the security doors were secure in name only. Matter of fact, one of…
INTRODUCTION: It’s time for post #9 in the Tucson Home Renovation series! Let’s take a look at what’s happening beneath my house. Plumbing is one of those things that we don’t pay attention to until it calls attention to itself. Ever heard those stories about people who left their house for an hour or so,…
INTRODUCTION: Happy fall and welcome to post #8 in the Tucson Home Renovation series! This one’s about saving water while cooling my back yard microclimate. So far, this home renovation journey has been all about the professionals. Licensed contractors, subcontractors, and all the fun that comes with overseeing their work. Then comes the quest to…
INTRODUCTION: It’s post #7 in the Tucson Home Renovation series! This one features a company that I’ve worked with before — Affordable Fence & Gates. This was one of those projects that made me feel like I was in charge of a construction site. The Crest Contracting crew that had done my roof and carport…