In October I moved from Illinois to Washington.  

My journey was over 3500 miles and I took an entire month to get there. I stayed with several friends along the way. Each of which gifted me a place to stay, their very good company, wonderful feasts and personally guided tours of the places that they call home. As I left to tackle yet another leg of my journey I felt encouraged with wishes of all things best and next for my life and well being.

I thought it would be easier to journal the photographs I took each day.  The truth was there were so many, and often I was just wore out.  Add that when staying with friends, it really would have been rude to hole away in my room writing. I amassed over 1600 photographs. A reduced version is over at my PHOTOGRAPHY page over on Facebook. You are more than welcome to click on over there and check those out if you like. 

The move to Washington wasn't planned. It was a huge leap of faith to just pick up and go. Had I thought more about it I might have lost my gumption. The move was funded by donations and selling my belongings.  As folks found out what I was doing many donated to the cause.  I can't begin to say how humbling that was.  

While driving, I often was quite taken by the nature that was in front of me. Many a view took my breath away, and many a moment I was moved to tears by its beauty.  I have described my arrival here as feeling like a stranger in a strange land. Illinois is all that I have ever known. Here I am surrounded by mountains, richly wooded areas and I am right near the ocean.  Excuse me, the ocean!  It is gorgeous!! The being new here feels like a larger new somehow. Upon my arrival, I found out that my living circumstances is not for as long as I had anticipated, instead of building a nest, grounding myself and cultivating a network I am now actively searching for a different place to live.  It has me feeling like i am very much still in the shadows.

One of the signatures of my photography work is taking an image of myself or others in shadow.  To me it is a gesture that represents that I was present at a project or a shoot. Or a way of taking someones image and respecting their privacy.  I noticed that there were very few shots taken of me on this solo journey, yet quite a few taken in shadow.  I like the way when all together they tell a story of where I have been. With many photo projects that have a large volume of images. I am beginning to wonder if perhaps the smaller stories within are the stronger pictoral message.

A  creative I know recently launched a new project.  In her about section she spoke to being an introvert. In recent years I have begun to acknowledge my need for gatherings, people and events in smaller doses. A lifetime of feelings of overstimulation, angst and feeling a crowd with every part of me finally makes sense. The need for home, to be grounded, and for alone time to recharge is something that I now give heed to.  

and so the journey continues.