The Winter Fence 1

During the winter the city of Richmond decided to cut down wild brush that had overgrown a pathway on Iona Island, where the city airport is located. It seems that some areas were uncovered that for years could not be approached because of the Himalayan Blackberry bushes, an invasive plant the forms an absolutely impenetrable wall. The fence that protected the woodlands was finally revealed. Still the area looks like some massive environmental upheaval took place.

jim roche 2022 all rights reserved

Fence along the Hudson River.

The fence separates the picnic area for workers at the paper mill along the Hudson River. Just below is the falls that inspired the scene in The Last of the Mohegans. Even this early in the morning, just a few minutes after sunrise, the town is awake with lots of traffic crossing the small bridge from one side of the Hudson to the other. The cold was overwhelming, with the added dampness of the river fog coming and going, seemingly to hide from the morning sun. ©2022, all rights reserved. Jim Roche

Winter in the Garden

I arrived this morning at the gardens just as sunrise was taking place. Even two days after the heavy snowfall there was only a single set of human footprints and a few tracks of animals. No one seems to want to be out. Two large pheasants flew out of the garden. Hearing my footsteps on the crusted snow large black crows, a stark contrast to the white/grey snow and sky, flew away, took a look, found me harmless and returned in a flutter. The garden’s buildings, a set of semi-temporary structures which are my main interest are now seen in outline form. Colours muted, stature diminished. In my mind are images from the New Topographics movement, thinking how few were of winter…if any, and images from the Dusseldorf School which had photographers much more focused on landscapes, and you are more likely to see a winter image. I stayed as long as I could feel my toes. ©jim roche, all rights reserved.