My Letter to the Editor

Last week my editorial was published in the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel.

Our House in 1964

These are a couple photos taken by the Nicholsons in 1964 when they bought the house we now own. They lived here until 2006. Mrs. Nicholson wanted to put shutters on the windows, but I don’t think they ever got around to it.

In the photo above, there is a whole part of the house in the back with a sloping roof that is no longer there. I wonder what was in that part of the house? I do know that when it was remodeled in 2006, the kitchen was moved to a whole ‘nother room, and the laundry room and a bathroom were put where the original kitchen was.

In 2006, they also opened up the enclosed front porch seen in the photo above and it’s now much more welcoming. We’re going to get some big planters for the front porch and/or a nice porch swing.

Our House

This is our new house! It was built in 1905 and is in the historic district in Grand Junction. Next year we're going to work a little bit on the front yard to make it a little more homey.

Of course we love the historic style of the house most of all (I’ll post interior shots in another entry). But we’re continually surprised by luxuries we didn’t know we missed: a dishwasher, ice maker, washer and dryer, air conditioning. We’ve only been living here a week, and I think I’ve already washed almost everything we own. What a luxury to never have to scrounge for quarters or sit at a laundromat again!

The previous owners fixed up the back yard with a new patio and xeriscaping, which we love! Someday, we’d like to find a way to incorporate solar panels.

Another view of the back yard. My mom is going to give us her patio furniture, and we just got a beautiful fire pan so we can sit outside on chilly evenings.

Edward Burtynsky Documents Industrial Impacts & Pollution

A mine in Australia.

From time to time, I find images that tear at my soul in their depiction of the devastating effects of our industrialized civilization on the earth. These scars on the surface are only a hint at the destruction that flows from their epicenters. From the displacement of wildlife to the poisoning of groundwater, our consumer lifestyles have a dramatic impact on the planet. See my other posts about mining and its impacts: Amazing Aerials by Alexander Heilner and Strip Mining Conundrum.

Salt ponds in Australia.

Check out these images by Edward Burtynsky. Nicholas Metivier Gallery describes his work here: “Edward Burtynsky’s large-scale colour photographs reveal the many facets of nature as it is transformed through human industry. Exquisitely detailed and exactingly rendered, his images strike an intricate balance between a somber reportage and a powerfully seductive aesthetic.”

Nickel Tailings in Canada.

A rock quarry in Vermont.

An oilfield in California.