Early Spring 2013 Pix

[Jimbaux is almost fine again . . . or maybe not.]

May You Live In Interesting Times

Hi.  It’s been a few weeks.  Even though the condition with my back seems to be improving thanks to two epidurals, I’ve just been too busy to write here.  Times that I would normally have spent blogging and photographing in the last few weeks, I’ve spent playing guitar, learning new things musically in general and specific to that instrument.  This is a trend that I have foreseen for awhile now, that of the guitar overshadowing the camera in my creative life of self-pursuits, and I’ve surely had my hands on the former far more than the latter lately.  Since I’ve never been “known” for guitar like I am for photography, some of you may be wondering what’s up with this “new” thing, but it’s actually not new at all, as I picked up the guitar at age 14 or 15, whereas I didn’t start taking pictures until about age 19 or 20; I got so much into taking pictures, that the guitar was a thing of my past for many years.  So, instead of being a “new” thing for me, the guitar endeavors are more of a case of “what’s old is new again.”

Regret is indeed for chumps; so, I allay whatever regrets that I have for putting down the guitar years ago – and I do or would have big regrets about that – with the gratitude of my pursuits in photography, since they likely would not have been possible had I pursued the guitar passion like I’m tempted to regret not doing.  With effort, determination, and perhaps a little bit of luck, perhaps I’ll eventually have something in the musical realm that’s as shareable as my photography.  On that note, I’m looking for a Cajun fiddle player who wouldn’t mind doing a recording of a parody of a hit song from the 1980s.  (I haven’t been looking that hard, but I may soon step up my efforts.)  In the meantime, I’ll share some pictures here that I took in late March and early April, pictures that, as is often the case, I took while out on other errands instead of just being out just to take pictures – the exception being the last set of pictures shown here.

The Shadow of The Shadow Warrior

I was pleasantly humbled by the responses – both private and in the comments section – of the previous post describing the recently-deceased Shawn Levy, his life, and his legacy.  Expressing gratitude for those who have affected you – even if you’ve seen some nasty sides of them – is very important, but expressions of gratitude are hollow if you don’t actually feel gratitude; in that regard, Shawn’s death was a wake-up call as much as it was a metaphorical kick in the gut, as I have been thinking of others who have affected me throughout my life, even those with whom I no longer associate or whom I no longer even like.  We’re all going to die, but we’re not all meant to be friends all of the time and forever; still, acknowledging the effects that others have had on one is one of the keys to inner peace and to actually feeling gratitude as I have described.

Obligatory Terrorism Commentary

Words to accompany the below pictures basically wrote themselves in my head on the April 13-14 weekend, and I thought that I’d have a post out within days, but then the terror originating in Boston precluded my ability to remember it all and precludes now my ability to present it unstained by mention of the terror.  So, I really don’t feel like talking much about this, but I must get a few things out there.

First, we once again proved so willing to be the victims of terrorism, as an article entitled “We Are All Cowards Now” describes so well.  This comment below is quite spot-on:

“But we cannot keep [our children] safe. That is the new reality.”

Can someone please specify a year, date, or period of time in which it was possible to keep all children safe from all forms of violence, disease, poverty, hunger and accidents?

I remind you that people who die in terrorist attacks are not victims of terrorism.  They are victims of murder.  The victims of terrorism are those who are terrorized, and with suspected packages being called in in different parts of Louisiana days later, the terrorism spread to my home state.

Second, you may have already read my comments Wednesday evening about how the outcry over the “Miranda Rights” issue is much to do about nothing and how labeling Suspect #2 an “enemy combatant” when there is no evidence that he is one is about the most cowardly and foolish thing that we could do.

Third, the fact that I even feel obliged to comment about the incident – just like how so many else feel the need to say something about it – shows that we are indeed victims of terrorism.  To Keep Calm And Carry On is the best response you can make to the bombings.

Fourth, it’s okay if you can’t actually do anything to help the victims of the attacks, but please don’t claim that you are doing anything to help them.  Posting that you’re participating in a “Run for Boston” is quite shallow and self-serving, especially if it’s obvious that you enjoy running anyway.  Yes, it’s good to care, to want to help, to feel empathy, but what are you actually doing “for” Boston?  No, I’m really not doing anything “for Boston” either, but I’m not claiming that I’m doing anything for Boston!

That’s enough of that.

Picture Time

Contrary to customary fashion, I am not following the usual pattern of chronological presentation of images.  I don’t have much to say about these images, and I want to first present the ones about which I do have something technical and specific to say.  Remember that you can read caption information in the filenames, which can be read by holding the cursor over the images.

The New And Abbreviated Eastbound Z-train

Union Pacific’s eastbound hotshot domestic intermodal train to Atlanta via CSX no longer passes through New Orleans; it now passes through Memphis as a ZLAME.  So, what was the ZLAAT or ZLCAT coming through New Orleans is now a much shorter ZLAJX to Jacksonville with San Antonio traffic on some days.  The ZLAJX with what appears to be a dearth of a San Antonio pickup is seen below moving via the New Orleans Public Belt Railroad at Cooter Brown’s.

I had not shot here in a really long time, like about a year, when I shot the KCS #53 here one Sunday morning.

Of those three locomotives, only the first one was running.

Holy Saturday

The only thing noteworthily holy about it was that I was for the first time in a month well enough to drive to Bayouland, and I had the good sense to stop and walk around – and take pictures – on the way.

The epidural must have helped.

Raceland Mediocrity

While we’re talking about intermodal trains, let’s look at the what apparently is Union Pacific’s IAVLB.  The train symbol means “Intermodal” train from Avondale, La., to Long Beach, Ca.

I don’t like how the dark containers blend in with the trees; I guess it really was the thought that counted.

Lumbering and Lumber

What do the markings on these pieces of lumber mean?  I know the date and the dimensions, but the rest of that stuff I don’t understand.

I wonder as I lumber.

Is It Really Worth It To Shoot In RAW?

I had the camera still set on small jpeg from the lumber picture when, on the way from Bayouland to back to Woadieville, I shot this train at Paradís with no time at all to spare.

For being shot under cloudy skies as a jpeg, it surely cleaned up well in Photoshop.  Is shooting in RAW really necessary?  If not, is it because I’m getting better in Photoshop?

More Following of Predictable Patterns

And, in and of only itself, is that really so bad?  Or does one need to be more ambitious?  But what is ambition, anyway?  Is ambition more or less important than relationships?

I just don’t know.  I have far more answers than questions.  I search, I seek, and I sometimes find.  I try to present some of all of it – the searching, the seeking, and the finding – here.

I am asking that perennial question: what is the best use of my talents?  How do I balance my own desires with what I am good at doing for others?  Can I fuse the doing of both of them?  I suppose that we all ask these questions.

Here is a trio of telephone pictures for you.

The water level in Bayou Lafourche was high on the 7th.

It was even higher on the 12th!

Here’s a 1949 Ford F1 owned and being restored by Earl over at Earl’s Transmissions in Raceland, where I had to visit and spend more money yet again.

Earl said that he plans to eventually sell this beauty; so, if you’re interested, shoot me a message, and I’ll make sure that Earl knows that you’re interested.

Saturday, On The Bayou, I Think It Was  . . .

. . . the 13th of April.  Another day ’twas.  Anyway, I actually sort of did get out on this particular afternoon just to get out.  There were no trains running; so, I decided to diverge and visit some places that I had not visited in a great many moons, and there is even some ancient railroad rolling stock to be seen here.

First, we see Lafourche, a view of it that we have not heretofore seen here.

I surely wish that my back would heal.  I’ve actually slightly regressed, the reason why I’m able to actually get this post done.  There’s only so much that one can do when lying down, but, then again, as I’ve said before, were I fully functional, I’d be doing some other things too.

What’s that?  Please don’t tell me that it’s an old farm truck.

Let’s stop by the White Plantation where we will see something somewhat out-of-place in the bayous on southern Louisiana: pine trees.

Our next stop is the site of the former Caldwell Sugars.  This mill ceased operation sometime I think in the 1990s or before, but I really don’t remember.  Perhaps it was earlier than that, and perhaps its closure was the reason that the former Texas & Pacific Railway branch to Thibodaux was abandoned to that point.

In the above image, the T&P track would have been across the frame about where those trees are.

I’m getting nostalgic.  Let’s have a closer look.

Do you see those two dark circular things at the bottom left?  Let’s have a closer look.

Wow!  These are riveted former tank cars that still show UTLX markings!  The mill has been closed for probably more than two decades, and these cars probably came here a few decades before that.

Below is Leighton Sugars, which is still active.  It’s just a crying shame that there are no more railroad tracks here.  The Southern Pacific’s Napoleonville Branch passed here, off in the distance in front of the mill, but those tracks were removed 15 years ago.

Through the cool, crisp fall air in the late 1980s was often heard a steam whistle from this mill, and, oh, I remember that sweet sound so well.

Anyway, like I said, I had something special, perhaps profound, to write with these pictures, but I got distracted.  Such is life.

This may be my last post of the month, and with only two posts this month, this may be the least active month in the more-than-two-year history of Jimbaux’s Journal.  Like I said, I’ve just had other priorities.  I’m also thinking of selling my 15-85mm/f3.5-5.6 Canon lens.  It’s good for indoor photography, as you can see from the pictures that I took on the day that I bought it, but my needs have shifted, and I would like to eventually acquire once-again a 17-40mm/f4 lens for outdoor work; I’m in no rush, though, and I can get by with the kit lens for a few months, especially as I might not take as many pictures anymore.  If you make me an offer for the 15-85mm lens for about 80% of retail price, you will probably have a deal.

Thank you for taking part in this little photographic journey with me.

Jimbaux