What a Year

Tattered Cover Book Signing

As the title of this blog states, what a year. What an f-ing year. To think my January 2021 post was all about being happy that the wicked 2020 was over… That was good and everything, but 2021 socked me, sucker-punched me and almost knocked me out with surprising health issues and potential life changes that I didn’t see coming. 

At the end of 2020, I contracted Covid and was quite sick for over three weeks. It left me dealing with some long-hauler issues that have gotten much better, but still linger every once in a while, and followed me into the new year.  Then 2021 brought a series of MRIs, specialists, a lot of pain, cortisone injections, a skin biopsy, bloodwork re-checks, a diagnosis of osteoporosis and small fiber neuropathy. In October, I had my first annual Reclast Infusion for osteoporosis. Both vaccines, plus the booster, and always being masked in public are ways I continue doing my part. Fingers crossed that there are no more challenges, but I won’t assume or take anything for granted. 

Two big (really BIG or B-I-G) anniversaries in 2022…this blog will be a decade old. Then shortly afterward, I will enter the shocking decade, the OMG decade, the ‘I can’t believe it’ decade. Maybe I will have a party, or maybe not. After the last two years, I’m just living with gratitude, and trying to remain focused. Very little surprises me anymore. 

Small trips around Colorado, and then my first air travel in over two years: Thanksgiving in Chicago with family filled in the rest of the year. Many thanks to the Tattered Cover Book Store, one of the best independent book sellers in the country, for the invitation to participate in an in-store book signing in November. It felt as if normalcy is right around the corner. My best girl, Lily, remains part of my life.

Finally, an old friend of mine found a poem that I’d written for a high school publication when I was sixteen-years-old. I’ve been writing and drawing ever since I was old enough to use a pencil, and I’d like to share a bit of my teenaged thoughts below. Since titles and proper names can’t be copyrighted, I’ve done John Lennon no disservice with the title. 

In whatever way you choose to celebrate the season…enjoy the holidays. Put the jobs on the backburner and focus on the people in your life first. Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Happiest of New Year! Thanks for the reads. 

 

 

Imagine

By Veronica Randolph (©1978 Veronica Randolph)

 

Imagine soaring high into the sky

As a seagull gliding, spreading its wings to fly.

Imagine seeing the waves crashing onto the beach

Feeling the spray

Seeing the stars

Looking close enough to reach.

 

Imagine a seashell buried deep beneath the sand

Being worn away 

As the waters roll onto the land.

Imagine hearing the surf, its mighty great roar

Sometimes thunderous

Still peaceful upon the shore.

 

Imagine every evening

Seeing a different sunset,

Beautiful colors dancing on the sand, warm and wet.

Imagine the cool breeze during the night

With the moon in the sky

Large, friendly and bright.

 

Imagine sleeping, waking

And living by the sea.

      There being a sense of peace

       Feeling free.

       Imagine.

 

 

 

 

  

Upcoming Book Signing

 

I've been invited by the Tattered Cover Bookstore in Denver, Colorado to participate in a quick book signing on Sunday, November 28th at 3pm. This will be at the Aspen Grove location. Copies of my books, Williamsburg Hill and Daniel's Esperanza, will be available for purchase. I'm looking forward to getting things going again after this too-long hiatus, and appreciate the invitation from this great bookstore. 

Also, it wouldn't be the holidays with me trying to sell my work in a blog post, so here it goes again. In addition to the appearance on November 28th, my books and photographs/art are always available for purchase either in bookstores, big box retailers that sell books, my websites, or elsewhere online.  Below are some screenshots of recent photos I've added to my Fine Art America page; currently a 20% sale is running on all purchases. Check it out at www.veronica-batterson.pixels.com

Hopefully, all of this will push me into starting (or finally finishing) projects that have been hanging around. It has been tough to get motivated. Which brings up something else. If you enjoy a person's work, then say it, promote it, encourage it, give it open and high reviews, share it. By doing this, more people find out about it, more sales are made, more opportunities happen, and it gives the author (artist, photographer) encouragement and a reason to continue. Writing is a solitary business. Writing a book can take a very long time; getting a book published can take years. Knowing that something you've dedicated this much time to doing is actually getting read can be the instigator for creating the next one. If enough people gave it a public shout-out, the opportunities could be phenomenal...book deals, agents, and/or movie options come to mind. We all need a little help. Be kind. Thanks, as always, for reading.

Keep up with my work here, or on my website at www.veronicabatterson.com.

More Photos on Fine Art America

As I wait indefinitely to hear from agents and publishers regarding the status of my latest book, Williamsburg Hill, I've been editing and adding photographs to my Fine Art America account at www.veronica-batterson.pixels.com.

The most current image is shown here.  I took this photograph last week at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge in Commerce City, Colorado.  Near Denver, this 15,000 acre urban refuge is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and is home to over 300 species of wildlife. I would highly recommend a visit to this wonderful place, and for more information check out the website at http://www.fws.gov/refuge/rocky_mountain_arsenal.

Thanks for reading this blog and for viewing my photographs.

Independence Pass - Take a Pass if You're Squeamish

There is a road in Colorado that has earned its name.  Officially called the Virginia Canyon Road, its more famous moniker expresses a person’s state of mind when traveling it.  The “Oh-My-God-Road” (yes, it is listed on maps and found on the web as such), runs from Idaho Springs to Central City in Clear Creek County, passing through historic mining areas and Russell Gulch Ghost Town.  As I’ve never traveled this scenic route, I can only assume the endearment flies from the mouths of passengers as they encounter 12% grade sections along a graveled two-way road (not quite wide enough for two cars), with guardrail-free drop-offs, washed-out shoulders and no winter maintenance.  Not for the faint of heart.

The section of Colorado State Highway 82 that is Independence Pass serves as my own, personal “Oh-My-God-Road”.  Traveling from Denver to Aspen, my husband and I took this scenic stretch of highway recently.  Scenic it is, but if the word “precipice” causes sudden clamminess or the urge to utter things you wouldn’t normally say in polite company, perhaps taking Interstate 70 is the better option. 

Independence Pass, elevation 12,095 feet, is the highest paved pass in Colorado and the highest paved crossing of the Continental Divide.  There are higher paved roads, but not mountain passes.  It is a two-lane road with a series of switchback turns, hairpin curves, steep drop-offs, and sections that are minus guardrails. The Colorado Department of Transportation states that tight curves and single lane segments of the highway require heightened attention by drivers.  Yes, single lane segments…for two-way traffic.  Never mind the warnings about rock falls, wildlife and cyclists (we saw a few hearty souls).  Apparently there are avalanches, too, although the pass is closed to traffic from late October/early November until Memorial Day, so that was one less thing to worry about when we crossed.

There is a place to stop once you reach the summit.  We did and I jumped out of the car, camera in hand, eager to get some photos and thankful I’d survived the ascent.  However, at over 12,000 feet, the altitude made it a little difficult for me, and being asthmatic made it tougher.  The frenzy from the drive up probably didn’t help.

I took as many photographs as I could stand without getting lightheaded, of a terrain that was so different from what we’d seen prior to stopping.  It was desolate and barren with sparse growth and small bodies of water.  It was still beautiful.

I’ve read reviews and comments about Independence Pass and the Oh-My-God-Road, and they are mixed.  Seasoned drivers and adventurers tend to think people like me are wimps and there’s nothing scary about either of the routes.  Well, I am a wimp.  And there are others, perhaps in the minority, who agree with me.  Some of those “faint at heart” had some amusing phrases about the pass:  “Hella dangerous”, “Hit the head before you hit the road”, “Death trap”, “Scared spitless”, “The CDOT just lets you kind of figure it out on your own” (about the single lanes).  One woman even described how she’d played her Garmin in different languages repeatedly (to distract her) as her husband drove the curves.  I had my white-knuckle, squirming/muttering/swearing/sweating moments, too, and my husband (who was behind the wheel) said that made things worse for him.  He also proudly claimed the drive didn’t bother him.  I don’t believe him.

When we finally reached Aspen, I was happy.  Happy that we’d arrived, happy we had taken the route we did (it was an accomplishment, after all), happy to see such incredible scenery.  Happiness fostered by relief.  I was more than happy to take I-70 from Glenwood Springs (the alternate route) back to Denver when the time came to leave, which provided beautiful scenery, too, but offered a less than thrilling adventure.  I’m also happy to say about Independence Pass: once is enough for this wimp.