Love Letter

The little old men at the Redwood Tavern agree: the Winchester Model 12 is the greatest shotgun ever made.

When the cows come home, pigs fly, Hell freezes over, and the music dies, you can bet there will be a handful of old coots parked in rocking chairs on front porches holding their Winchester Model 12s across their laps. These guns are going to be Redwood’s ticket out of the apocalypse, I’m told: Oil spills in the Gulf, terrorist attacks, alien invasions, plagues—you bring it, the Winchester Model 12 will smite it.

Interview with Mad Men's Bryan Batt

Bryan Batt is an actor, designer, civic activist, and author most widely known for his two-time Screen Actors Guild Award-winning performance as Salvatore “Sal” Romano on “Mad Men”. Bryan played Sal, the Italian-American head art director at Sterling Cooper, for the show's first three seasons.

AMC's critically acclaimed dramatic series has been lauded with awards including Emmys, Golden Globes, the Screen Actors Guild, and the Peabody award. Between his days traveling between New York, New Orleans and Los Angeles, he sat down with Playgirl to discuss his theater career, love life, and perspectives his “Mad Men” character.

Busking with Old Crow Medicine Show's Ketch Secor

From their days of busking in the streets to receiving a gold record for their recording of the iconic song “Wagon Wheel”, the men of Old Crow Medicine Show have charmed the pants off bluegrass, Americana, folk, and alt-country fans alike. After getting their start in 1998 in Upstate New York, fiddle player Ketch Secor and his merry band of musicians hit the road; playing music on street corners to whoever would lend an ear. They were “discovered” in North Carolina by none other than Doc Watson's daughter, who took her father over to the curb they played on. He offered the guys a gig at his MerleFest and the rest, as they say, is history. With their fourth studio album out this past July and another tour to boot, Ketch Secor, Critter Fuqua, Kevin Hayes, Morgan Jahnig, Gill Landry, and Chance McCoy are at the top of their games. We caught up with frontman Ketch Secor (fiddle, harmonica, banjo, and vocals) to chat about his band, family, and musical beginnings.

On Loving

What has happened twice, will happen once more. It's true. But hopefully it ends after the trifecta.

It's been three years since the last searing pain, and Princess' subsequent retreat to a castle far far away. How can more licked wounds seem so fresh, like she's never gone through it before? There were many things she missed. The warm curve of his back under her right arm as they slept. The feel of his perfect ears between her fingers. The heavy strength of his arms encircling her as they lay on the couch. The butterflies in her belly when they locked eyes while he played his guitar. The rhythm of his steps as he moved across wooden floors, the tingling of her skin when he watched her, the sounds he made when he slept. His chubby fingers. The empathy she felt when he crumpled his face up to cry. The way his skin felt under water. The safety of the honey he stirred into tea for her.

Photo Series Sells at Winter Art Show

Mac sherry Library's Ninth Annual Heart of Winter Art Show & Chocolate Festival was held Feb. 11 at the Macsherry Library Community Gallery in Alexandria Bay, N.Y.

I hung one photo from a three-part series at that show, where River Hospital Foundation's Director of Development Andrea Bates saw it. She expressed interest in the piece:

So Cecilia Thompson, who is a great artist, member of Macsherry Library's board, and active member in the North Country Arts Council, shared with Andrea the rest of the prints from the set:

The foundation bought all three matted, framed prints to display at their new offices at 3 James Street in downtown Alexandria Bay. Big thanks to Cecilia for securing the deal for me, and to Andrea Bates for taking an interest in my work!

See more of my photography portfolio here.

The Bricks of Oz

The Bricks of Oz

L . Frank Baum was born in 1856 in Chittenango, NY. Inspired by his lush natural surroundings, Baum became a writer who would throughout his life pen 59 novels, 82 short stories, more than 200 poems, an unknown number of scripts, and many miscellaneous writings. But most famous of all Baum's works was his 1900 novel, “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” which would, of course, in 1939 inspire the MGM classic, The Wizard of Oz.

Redwood Happenings: Jan. 11, 2012

Todmorden, a small mill town in England, has figured out a way to feed its residents without relying on the government—or supermarket. The 15,000-person community took the initiative and built 70 raised beds throughout town, then grew as many different vegetables and herbs as they could fit. A small volunteer group called “Incredible Edible” then contacted public entities such as the fire and railway stations about using public land for planting additional crops