Finally Fall

Fall is finally here!  I was so relieved to see the rains come right on time, like Mother Nature knew exactly what we needed.

The fire was extinguished and peace is restored!!

As is the norm, I have been spending Sept. and Oct. preparing for winter.  Getting the rest of the firewood in, cleaning the chimney and wood stove, gutters, and now raking leaves.  

I have pruned the trees and brush as well.

We've had some really nice days this late, 60 degrees and sunshine!  Unusual.  This week we're dipping down into the high 30's at night and waffling between the 40's and low 50's during the day.

The mold season didn't last long, thank goodness!  But I found that my air purifier that I purchased when it was so smokey came in real handy during that time.

I made my trek out to the Washington coast in mid Sept. and thoroughly enjoyed my short but very fulfilling stay out there.  The weather was fantastic, perfect clear mornings for shooting and way less people on the beaches.  I really enjoyed experimenting with my infrared filter and the film camera.  Shot over 300 images!

copyright 2018 All Rights Reserved Jeni Gray Photography

copyright 2018 All Rights Reserved Jeni Gray Photography

 When I got back I narrowed those down to about 60 for the website. You can view the rest of them at www.jenigrayphotography.com .

This will be my go to site for this year.  By early next year I'll have a stand alone site where I'll have more control over the printing process.

I changed the name of my facebook page from J Gray Design where I primarily promoted my jewelry creations, to Gray by Design so I could share all of my creative endeavors.  I don't get a lot of business from facebook, so it seems logical to invest less time there.

I did create an Instagram account, however, as I heard it was a great way to promote yourself.  So find me there @jenigrayphoto where I am posting one black and white image a day.

I didn't get as much done on the old house this summer as I wanted to that couldn't wait till next year.

This winter I might paint the kitchen, it's nearly time.   

I'll be working this winter on my newest blog Gray By Design where I'm writing about the creative process.  I'm still creating jewelry too.  So it will be great fun to have lots of projects on those long dark days of winter!

Hopefully by early next year I'll have LightRoom for editing photos on my new computer.  That had to be upgraded first, have I mentioned that I think I've been living in the dark ages?  LOL.  Artists should upgrade their equipment and skills from time to time I guess.

I turned 62 last month so I'm happy to report that I don't feel like it!  Or at least how the masses portray it.  I have very physical work, exercise, walk, eat healthy and sleep great.  I cannot financially "retire" until I'm 70, so I best keep up the great health!  I live simply, affordably and will even have my house paid off in six years!  

Thanks for following along this journey with me!

Till next time.

Blog Tune Up

The inspiration continues and the ideas are flowing!
I've been tweaking the blog today to ease navigation, organize and de-clutter!

I've added new pages:  Nature Cards and Books, and renamed others.  What used to be the Mission Statement page is now simply called About New Pioneer, and NP Styles is now About NP Styles.  

This makes it easier for newcomers and general reference.

The Nature Cards page is a big deal!  I first took the best of my recent images and created a new gallery on my artist website at Fine Art America (you can view it here ).  These images are only available as greeting cards at this time.  If you are interested in enlargements please contact me.

Then I created the new Nature Cards page on the blog (view here ) which is the full collection with several links for purchasing.

I have been with Fine Art America for almost three years and they do beautiful printing, timely shipping, and secure purchasing.

The Books page was a terrific way to get them all in one place!  I have several photo collection books available through MagCloud;  great coffee table books or gifts.  I also have my second poetry book and the Backyard Bird Sighting booklet available.  You can view that page here .

I'm gathering recent poems for a third book, coming soon, and I plan to reprint the first book from 2004 in this new format on MagCloud - so stay tuned for that!

Additionally, I have cleaned up the side bars on the blog.  The images to the left under the first house photo are all available as greeting cards and click-able to that page.

On the right side bar under recent posts I have added easy access links to the pages as well.

Other new surprises coming soon will be a Nature Kit, The Shift oracle cards, and several new ideas for quick downloadable guides!!

Whew!  What a great day for cleaning blog house.

Thanks for being here!

Poetry for the Soul

What is it about poetry that intrigues us?  Reading it, writing it, collecting it.  Fills our soul.

Poetry has been around as long as there has been speech.  There are famous poets whose words have touched us deeply, whose lines we memorize and often use for metaphors in life.

I was thinking about poetry after a conversation with a dear friend, and wondering how it might fit in with the New Pioneer blog.  Perhaps it is the slower pace of my lifestyle, the rhythmic flow of my relationship with nature.

I wonder if the lives of the masses have gotten too busy for poetry, if civilization has become too hardened by stresses and struggles to be able to appreciate the gentleness of poetry.

I have written verse and essays all my life, since I was six years old and reading Winnie the Pooh.  I especially love journaling and working things out on paper.

My first published piece was in a teachers magazine when I was around eleven, I think.  My English teacher was very supportive of my writing.

All through my teenage years I wrote poetry, mostly sorrowful and love-struck verse.  I wrote some poems for my newborn son in my late twenties.

But all in all I don't think I really took it seriously, it was always just a hobby and a much needed outlet to express myself.

Now in my midlife, I find myself returning to it.  Reading it, writing it, seeing it in my landscape.

Through a bizarre set of circumstances recently, (there are no accidents!), I was lead to read some of Mary Oliver's work, and I am surprised I never read her work before.  Divine!  It's all about nature.

I never thought about including my endless relationships with wildlife in my poetry - what a gift!

So I'm thinking from time to time I will include a poem or two here on New Pioneer and perhaps an accompanying photo -if the wildlife will stop long enough for a pose or two.

Meanwhile I will close this post with one I just wrote last week.  Untitled as yet.

The birds

welcome me

into their

sacred space

If I will

but be

like them

Gentle and peaceful

at one with all

Unsuspecting

and grateful

Friends

with the earth

and sky

Rejoicing

in the mystery

of that

which they call

home

Blog Remodel

While the house projects are on hold I decided to carry on with yesterdays goals to keep the blog up and running.  Mission accomplished!  I have remodeled the blog layout for a fresher more professional look.  Doing away with fluff and stuff you'll never miss.

Pleasant photos from here at Retro Retreat are now in the left side bar for you to enjoy while perusing the posts.  I changed the color scheme to brighten things up. 

If you like it let me know, if it still could use some work, let me know.  I'm open.

Thanks for being here!