Let’s Do It Again
Happy New Year. I hope you had a nice Holiday. We did. Lots of family gatherings which was great, but we did make some time to get out and do some work in the field. The weather was nice for the most part and not terribly cold, till the last few days. That was very useful because of an ongoing project that has my attention, on the spiritual nature of the Quabbin Reservoir, or perhaps I should say, its spiritual impact. (If you’re new to the blog, click on the key words below and you’ll be guided to a few posts that will give you some background, or of course, just “google” Quabbin Reservoir.) As an accidental wilderness with historical as well as environmental importance, it has a way of bringing people into the fold. I happened to bump into another photographer at Gate 30 last week, a terrific wildlife shooter, who had gotten the bug a year or so back and now went out there whenever possible. I’m not just referring to photographers, though. Far from it. We’ve run into people from all walks of life who have been captivated by the experience of being there. They often have trouble putting that feeling into words it seems. But as a photographer, I approach the question visually of course.
While the ice can be a terrific subject, I’ve been focused more on the relationship between the water and the forest. Gate 37 in Petersham presents some wonderful opportunities to explore this relationship. Here Fever Brook, which runs through the Federated Women’s Club State Forest on its way to the Reservoir actually meets the Reservoir. The local engineering firm, Beaver and Beaver, has taken it upon themselves to create a rather large pond here.
The reflections are stunning and give one the sense that the water and the forest are conversing.
As I’ve mentioned a few times, I was unfortunately ill during part of 2014 and was far less active in the field than I had hoped. Things are better now and I hope to be a bit more productive. We have much to be grateful for. One of the spiritual tugs I feel when I visit the Quabbin is that of gratitude. I’m terribly appreciative of the fact that I get to go to such wonderful location, that the Reservoir not only provides us with both water and air, as if that wasn’t enough. It gives us an opportunity to be grateful for the sacrifices that others make on our behalf. We’re looking forward to 2015.