causeffect.

the short of it comes down to causes and effects. cause: strip mining in appalachia has drawn opposition from both locals and environmentalists afar. effect: they've decided to step up their opposition by more intense protests. effect from the effect: miners feel as if their livelihood and the well being of their families are at stake so they are showing their own opposition. things are heating up to say the least. this was the scene at kayford mountain on the fourth of july.

rain.

eastern kentucky has been getting hit hard with rain lately as i'm sure most of the state has. got a call monday morning to check out the flooding that had occurred in the neighboring towns of Bulan and Hardburly. almost everyone i talked to mentioned that the area never used to flood until they started strip mining the surrounding mountains. had a guy explain to me how the creeks in the area are wider yet more shallow now due to the build up of silt from surface mine erosion.

blind tiger string band.

blind tiger n. - Chiefly Southern & Midland US, A place where alcoholic beverages are sold illegally; a speakeasy.

nuptials

boston was amazing and the wedding was so casual yet very elegant. thank you to channing and brooke and their families for allowing me to be a part of it all. to the spectators of this here contraption, no my camera didn't fall into a mud puddle, but i have been working loooooong hours. sorry for the absence.

mardis gras (the dirty half dozen).

my first mardis gras experience actually occurred in covington kentucky about eight years ago. it included all of the stereotypical things you hear about, beads, flashing, drunken nonsense. last week a crew of folks from whitesburg and formerly of whitesburg headed south on a journey to experience the "real" mardis gras. after visiting some peeps in knoxville and spending 13 hours in the car we arrived in lafayette louisiana. wonderful music and chaos ensued shortly there after. sara traveled from mississippi join in the fun and after hours of costume preparation we found ourselves amongst a rather large crowd of strangers dressed in costumes more elaborate than our own and half drunk by 9 in the morning. a five hour trek followed and the ruckus escalated. the was a great deal of urinating in public, wrestling in sewage smelling ditches, dancing, and yes more walking. in all the trip was incredible. thank you brett ratliff for the scoop. thank you to lora's family for the denali, thanks to sara for making the solo trip over, thank you to my co-travelers for keepin it rural, and to those who couldn't make the trip. you were all missed greatly and i hope that we can all make the trip together next year.

mardis gras (who in the hell).

this is a collection of pictures of people who i have absolutely no clue who they are. chickens played a big role in the march through the country. they would be thrown from rooftops or horseback, stampeded after by herds of drunk people, rolled on by the same, and finally caught only to occasionally flee again setting the whole chain of events in motion once more.
ps. that guy in the last frame playing guitar is actually peeing at the same time. that's talent i guess.

penelope keefe lemon.

seven pounds two ounces, penelope sprang to life nine and a half weeks ago and has given a whole new light to the keefe lemon house. baby talk is the new fad and parenthood seems to have come naturally. congratulations buford and mindy on your adorable baby girl.