Fall in the Pennsylvania Woods

The invasive Burning Bush still has its leaves, above, which are still red. Deer often lead to a lack of understory.

Fall Pictures From Philadelphia

The Head of the Schuylkill Regatta.

After the Fall: Remnants of Urban Philadelpia

This is a very large redevelopment project on the west side of the Penn campus, with center city visible to the east.

Visit to Hollywood Cemetary in Richmond VA

A fresh site with Virginia clay above and Crepe Myrtles with Boxwood below.

Thanksgiving With Family in Richmond

There is hardly space in the house to visit.

On Returning to America After Being Away

There is no way to put it nicely: coming back to American has been hard.
The reduction in blogging reflects that.

The 2009 summer trip through Belgium and France to Switzerland was great.

You can view the best photos on this blog by scrolling down to go back in time. When you get to the end of this month's "chapters," just click on the "Older Posts" button in the lower right to bring up last month's postings. You can go back month by month that way.

Or, you can just click on the month you want at any time from the menu on the right. The summer 2009 trip began in June and ended in September.

Cyane, at least, had been looking forward to returning to the end of the trip, returning to America, and taking care of business. Alan would probably have liked to travel longer.

So, what has been so hard to take, coming back to America?

Well, the level of public discourse and political dialogue, reflected in the first photo, is strident.

Having to drive is a shock. Not only are distances great, public transportation rare, but also one often does not feel safe when not in a car.

Financial anxiety and even outright poverty are rampant.

Exploitation of workers seems the American norm - if one can find a job.

The public world is so often disappointingly ugly.

On the other hand, there are many kind people, who are reflected in other entries here, who create beauty where and when they can.

Rich the Climber

This man has been rock climbing for 18 years and you can see it in his arms and hands.

He takes a break from his new house and family to do a little climbing on the boulders above Wissahickon Creek in Philadelphia.

Check out the moves below.

Some Photos of Food in America

The American model promises lots of choices and low prices.

People tend to buy a lot at warehouse-like stores and not shop as often.

Food tends to be more packaged, more processed, and less fresh.

But very cheap rekatively.

The labor in the food industry is also not paid very much.

Walmart Visit: Isolation

We visited a Walmart Huntingdon, PA.

It makes you feel lonely just to go in.

Walmart: Too Many Products, Too Little Quality

'Big Box' stores are warehouses displaying lots of product.
Wide aisles mean that skidloaders can directly bring in skids filled with boxes (mostly from China).
There are remarkably cheap prices.

Walmart has automotive products, food, and guns, along with everything else.

Even though there are lots of bicycles, Alan could not find any good quality ones.

Making choices can be hard.