There's Magic in the Mountains
Isolation can be great.
One of the positive things I get out of social media is seeing my mother’s almost daily posts of nature photography, either done from the porch of my childhood home, or from one of many beautiful and hidden places back in the hollers of Eastern Kentucky.
She’ll call me for advice on shutter speed, aperture, ISO settings to get the images in perfect clarity - to get that crisp sharpness of a hummingbird’s wings mid-flight, or to capture the contrast of a squirrels’ dusty fur. To her, the images are imperfect - she is a visual artist after all. She desires technical perfection when she captures these brief moments with her eye.
However to my eyes, the images are perfect. I don’t get to travel home much, save for the occasional holiday or other special occasion. When I was a little bit younger, I would get a bit tired after being back home for a few days - thirsty for the hustle and bustle of the big city; needing to get back to my music and my routine.
I think about how little I would pay attention to nature in my day-to-day life working and living in a metropolitan area. My mind was mostly occupied by what task I had to take care of next - where I’ve got to drive to; what time is soundcheck; when do I need to pick up my daughter from daycare; need to reschedule a lesson.
The speed of life in the mountains is now something I see as a necessity for progress. It’s a part of why when we bought a house a few years ago, I wanted to get out of downtown and into a more secluded area. I work in noise; I don’t need it around me 24/7.
Now, I make sure to stop and admire the geese crossing the street, the families of deer in the morning fog, and the occasional baby bunny in the backyard. Nature is beautiful.
UPCOMING PERFORMANCES
2/25 - w/Ben Sollee - The Parthenon - Nashville, TN (Tickets)
2/29 - special guest w/A to Omega - Stanley’s Pub - Cincinnati, OH
3/1 - Mason Daugherty Trio - Kennedy Heights Arts Center - Cincinnati, OH
3/2 - Rusty Burge Quartet - Schwartz’s Point - Cincinnati, OH (Reservations recommended)
3/14 - Sam Blakeslee/Bobby Selvaggio Quintet - BluJazz+ - Akron, OH (Tickets)
3/15 - Sam Blakeslee Quartet - The Bop Stop - Cleveland, OH (Tickets)