THREW Mikes EyEz

Original Writings, Images, Video and Artworks of Mike Hartley


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Kicking Friday

Shave and a haircut, makes a man feel good. Well in my case a beard trim and haircut. What didn’t feel good was that trunk lid hitting me in the back of the head when it fell unexpectedly.

Photography Journey Day 57 – 12/27/24

I may have underestimated the effort to go through over a decade’s worth of images in a short amount of time. Select, edit, upload and sometimes make some prints. I just have to keep plugging away each day. It could take the month of January.

While trying to upload new images I’m still organizing portfolios and moving about 500 images to new spots that made more sense.

I did get out to the Patapsco River today near Grist Mill Trail and what I thought was the old Simpkins Industry’s building.

Standing on the Grist Mill walking bridge at the start of the trail. Photo by Mike Hartley

My better half’s family and I used to walk that trail together, and I’m going to come back down here and do that walk on the next nice day.

Flood control, also shot from the same bridge. Photo by Mike Hartley

I remember loading Simpkins flatbed trucks up with bail’s of paper to be processed from the Times building in the 1970s.

There are always people who will make the wrong decisions. Photo by Mike Hartley

Unfortunately people have turned this old site into a dumping ground right along a beautiful river. I think I’ll start taking a trash bag along with me on walks and do some cleanup.

Hopefully one of these days one of these peckerwoods dumping illegally will back their truck too close to the edge and I’ll find it down there next time. Photo by Mike Hartley

It had been a good while since driving River Road just outside Ellicott City in Baltimore County. When I worked at The Times Newspapers, I would sometimes drive down by the river and sit there and have my lunch.

Not the ideal place for a foundation. Photo by Mike Hartley

There is no parking along River Road now for a long stretch where there used to be several spots to pull over and sit and listen to the water and woods.

Part of the paper processing foundation. Photo by Mike Hartley

And where there is spots to pull over, look out for broken glass. There are a few spots as River Road goes over the bridge and becomes Ilchester Road on the right that have legal parking.

Impressive tunnel. Photo by Mike Hartley

It was nice to get out for a few minutes this morning. Something I should make a habit of every morning.

We keep passing the infrastructure issues down the road. Photo by Mike Hartley.

Were going to get a soaking rain it appears the next two days. Where’s my raincoat?


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Worth a thousand words

That is the old saying, right? A picture is worth a thousand words. And I’ve been using too many words and not enough new pictures so it’s time to start changing that equation. And while I didn’t get anything close to that thousand-word shot today I did get out with the Nikon and did a few minutes between the emissions test for the old Chevy and a trip to the hardware for supplies.

And the more I shoot maybe one day I’ll find that picture worth a thousand words and more.

Daniels Dam. Photo by Mike Hartle

Well, it’s a start and there are even a few hours left in today and tomorrow is another day and opportunity to raise that viewfinder to my eye. Maybe it’s the warm weather or just feeling a little better but it felt good to get outside again today and walk a bit. I think I’ll walk down another stretch of the Patapsco River near my home tomorrow by Woodstock Road.

Above Daniels Dam. Photo by Mike Hartley

I’m more of a summer person but in the winter months before foliage appears you get the size of trees and the depth and density of woods much clearer.


Random Thoughts of the Day

  • If you’re not being paid, that is when sports are being played.
  • I feel the need to make each day more special in some way.
  • Guns are a plague of our own making. Shoot with a camera.
  • The goal, more time and effort into my priorities tomorrow.