Patricia Temples Photography

MAKE IT AN ADVENTURE! All rights reserved.

25 Mar 2014
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The Never-Ending Winter

Two years ago on this date I got images of trees leafing out, green grass at their bases, and beautiful blue skies.  Today, it’s snowing….again.  Now, don’t get me wrong.  I love snow.  I always have, always will.  But, I’ve about had enough. Today, though, was a bonus day for a photographer because the snow was pouring down, but the roads were clear, so I could go anywhere I wanted to go to get snow photos. Here are a few of my favorites from this morning.

First, Early Mountain Winery in Madison County. This farm was once owned by a family I know and when it sold, one of the family members and I rode around on a four-wheeler one morning among the grapevines. Then it sold again, this time to the folks at AOL, who came in and made changes that have created an amazing winery business. I’m so glad they spared these two barns on the property. The huge building which provides a wine-tasting venue, is also the location for music events, Sippin’ into Sunset, weddings, and a host of other fun events. In May they will host Derby Days, which is a fund-raiser for the Madison Boys and Girls Club.

Early Mountain Winery 1

Early Mountain Winery

After leaving Early Mountain I made my way to Graves Mill.  The Graves family has owned this mill for twelve generations, and in recent years it went into a sad state of deterioration.  Two cousins in the Graves family are restoring it and making wonderful progress toward saving this local landmark.

Graves Mill

 

Graves Mill

Posted in ADVENTURES and tagged , , , ,
10 Mar 2014
8 Comments

Central Academy in Patrick County

I recently learned of a Facebook page called “Abandoned in Virginia” and with some excitement I went to the page and discovered wonderful images of days gone by.  I had a thought about a month ago that I needed to narrow my focus in my photography.  At least that’s what a lot of the pros say.  Find your passion and specialize.  I have never done that because I find too many subjects of a variety of themes that draw me in depending upon my mood, or even where I might be on a given day.  So, as I went to my photography catalog and began looking for shots showing abandonment, I began to feel rejuvenated about my photography.  A trip back to my hometown a few days later gave me perfect opportunities.  Here are a few images of a place I didn’t know existed in the county where I spent the first seventeen years of my life.  This is Central Academy, a school operated by the Presbyterian Church from 1910-1932.  It was a boarding school with a main adminstration building, where classes were held, and  boys’ and girls’ dormitories.  It became a county elementary school until the mid-1950s and some of my friends recall their parents and siblings talking about attending school there. One friend reported that it must have been a good school because her parents studied Latin there, were on the debate team, and had told her the school had a marching band! Today it is a privately owned property. One dormitory has been restored and it is their residence.  The other is vacant.  The main building with classrooms burned in the late 1930s, and all that remains are four pillars under some huge pine trees. Thanks to my friends from the area for providing me with this information. Here are the photos from the property.

Academy Ivy Central Academy Dormitory Dormitory with pillars in background Pillars and Pine trees Grove of trees Remains of the admin building

Posted in HISTORY, REMEMBERING and tagged , ,
11 Feb 2014

An outing in Orange

Another recent adventure was to the little town of Orange, Virginia.  Another historic location.  This outing was with my two artist collaborators, and it was a scouting expedition for our next creation.  Since they had their cameras with “normal” lenses, I decided to take my wide angle lens along.  What a great idea that was.  I needed to do some shooting and I loved the perspective that lens gave me  It was another good day!  Here are my favorites.

Bookstore Ductwork to the Sky Grace Baptist Church window Lighting in a Store Orange Courthouse Tree at Waddill Church

Not so beautiful, but interesting to look at.

Not so beautiful, but interesting to look at.

 

Posted in ADVENTURES, Just for Fun and tagged , , , , | Leave a comment
11 Feb 2014

The University

In the early ’70s I was a student at The University of Virginia for a year of graduate school.  The grounds of the university are so beautiful, and photography there is always rewarding, if not redundant.  Everyone has taken the obligatory photos of the Rotunda, the Lawn, the Pavilions, and with good reason.  They make good images!  In early February, I took a young friend to the grounds who had never been in Charlottesville or at the University.  She flew in from Front Royal, Virginia, less than an hour by air.  She flew in, literally, as the pilot of a little Cessna.   She has taken me flying a couple of times, so now it was my turn to take her on an adventure.  Being on grounds with her, showing her the beauty and participating in photography with her was so much fun.  We walked to the Rotunda; engaged in conversation with a couple of students living on the Lawn;  saw the room that Edgar Allen Poe lived in while a student; ate at The Virginian, the oldest restaurant in Charlottesville; spent time at the UVA Cemetery and on BETA BRIDGE; and saw fraternity brothers delivering bids to their pledges.  It was a fun day.  Here are a few of my images from the day.

A bridge over the railroad tracks on Rugby Road is repeatedly painted by students to honor any current event. It has layers and layers of paint.

A bridge over the railroad tracks on Rugby Road is repeatedly painted by students to honor any current event. It has layers and layers of paint.

Seeing students in khakis and blue blazers took me back to the 70s when everyone dressed this way.

Seeing students in khakis and blue blazers took me back to the 70s when everyone dressed this way.

The historic UVA Cemetery is so beautiful with the ancient headstones.

The historic UVA Cemetery is so beautiful with the ancient headstones.

The UVA Chapel where I was married in 1982.

The UVA Chapel where I was married in 1982.

One section of the UVA Cemetery is dedicated to Confederate soldiers.

One section of the UVA Cemetery is dedicated to Confederate soldiers.

THE student store on the Corner at UVA. All things orange and blue.

THE student store on the Corner at UVA. All things orange and blue.

Posted in ADVENTURES and tagged , , | Leave a comment
19 Jan 2014
4 Comments

Voices of the Land

I’ve been away from my blog for several months as I completed a project for the Blue Ridge Foothills Conservancy.  Called “Voices of the Land,” it is a mini-documentary of the last working dairy farm in Greene County, Virginia.  Photographs of the farm, both from a distance and from within, provide viewers with an opportunity to see how a dairy operates and to experience the beauty of the land that supports the dairy operation.  Originally the project was designed to be twelve aesthetic photographs, but with the title “Voices of the Land” I felt that there needed to be accompanying audio recordings by the brothers who own the farm. Interviews with the brothers revealed their love of the farm and the animals, and their great memories as children of growing up in an environment where hard work was the norm.  Milking cows cannot be done “when you feel like it.”  It is done twice a day on a regular schedule.  As children, the brothers went to work at dawn, then went to school (where sometimes they fell asleep at their desks), and in the afternoon, they returned to the farm to work past sunset.  If there was time and energy left, schoolwork was completed.  Commitment is the operative word of a dairy farmer.

As the project took shape, a slideshow emerged.  Using the (now) thirteen original photographs as the foundation, the voices of the farmers were added, then supplemental photographs completed the story.  The final product was a 25-minute slideshow with a history of the farm and descriptions of how the farm operates, as told by the brothers who have lived on the farm for over sixty years.  An additional feature of the project are QR codes that accompany each of the thirteen printed and displayed photographs, which allows access to a short clip by using a QR reader on a smart phone.  Below is the first image in the slideshow, and the QR code which accompanies it.  In this clip you will hear the history of Fairview Farm as told by one of the brothers.  Prints of ten of the images and copies of the DVD are available for purchase via the Blue Ridge Foothills Conservancy website:  www.blueridgefoothillsconservancy.org.

Fog over Fairview Farm qrcode.photo10

Posted in ADVENTURES, ART, HISTORY and tagged , , , , , , ,
27 Sep 2013
2 Comments

A Little Getaway

My husband and I went on a little vacation this week to the beautiful mountains of Bath County, Virginia.   We stayed at Fort Lewis Lodge, an out of the way place that surpassed all expectations for beauty, peace, and gourmet meals.  There are 3200 acres on this property, which has hiking trails, fishing, and swimming spots along the Cowpasture River, or the more sedate pavilion with comfy seating to look out over the valley or to watch the cows grazing.  Rooms are available in a lodge, in a silo, or in log cabins scattered nearby. There is also a Riverside Manor House a mile or so down the road.  In the view from the overlook, you can see red barns in the distance.  Those are across the road from the Manor House, and the best fishing is nearby.  What most people tell you about Fort Lewis Lodge is the amazing food you are served at breakfast and dinner. Caryl is a gourmet cook and her food is the highlight of the day. Anyone who wants to reserve a space at the lodge better think well ahead.  Most people are repeat lodgers, and some have been going there for twenty years.  What a wonderful mid-week retreat we had.By the River

A one-mile hike takes you to this view of the farm with lodging in the foreground.

We sat by a cozy fire after dinner. The air was cool, and the fire was perfect.

We sat by a cozy fire after dinner. The air was cool, and the fire was perfect.

Sunrise behind the Silo Beside the Cowpasture River Silo

Posted in ADVENTURES, TRAVELS and tagged , , , , , , ,

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