Today anyone can become a published author. Numerous self publishing sites like Lulu, CreateSpace, Blurb, and others, allow someone with the patience to learn the format standards to produce a file, upload it to the site and voila! I’ve tried a few of them. Since these books are printed one at a time, as you might imagine, the cost is higher than books printed by a traditional publishing house.
El Camino Real
Faced with the threat of incursion by the Russians, and fueled by the desire to win souls for God, a soldier and a priest set off from Mexico City on an expedition to build two outposts in what was then known as Upper California. Between 1769 and 1823 twenty-one outposts were built along a 650 mile stretch of the California coast that would forever change the history of four countries and the ancient civilization that inhabited the land. El Camino Real, the Royal Highway, became the link that connected the string of mission churches founded by the Franciscans with the help of the Spanish and Mexican governments.
Today what remains of these outposts runs the gamut from crumbling ruins to beautifully restored buildings with thriving parish communities. Between 2005 and 2008 the El Camino Real project set about capturing images of each site, using a distinctive photographic style, presented here together with a brief history of each mission.
The Charles
A visitor to Boston might take away a single impression of the river and how it looked in the light of the moment. But the river puts on a new face for each season of the year. The face of the river has been changed significantly by the hand of man. Once a tidal estuary with mud flats and oyster beds, it has been transformed into something that resembles a lake in the middle of a city.
For most of my life I have lived or worked in Boston, near the Charles River. Being so close to the river it was easy to take it for granted. It was only after returning to the city following a prolonged absence that I grew to appreciate all that it brings to the people of Boston. This book is dedicated to my wife Evelyn, who helped me to see and appreciate my surroundings in ways I never could before we met.
Field of Verse
The images in this collection are all from the Lake Sunapee region of New Hampshire. Many portray the historic Muster Field Farm Museum in North Sutton. I posted messages in several poetry forums, hoping to find someone willing to offer thoughtful words to take the reader deeper into scene.
I am delighted that Marlene Simpson took on the challenge. Her words are clear and from the heart, and I encourage you to pause and consider each verse before moving on.