Sept. 27, 2003 North Slope AK

This one has always been one of my favorites.

Temple close up

The hand work that went into the creation of this temple in Bangkok amazes me to no end. I really loved that place!

RJ

Journey

This is a creation from my second trip to Thailand. We were at a resort at Hue Hin on the Gulf of Thailand. You may have to click it to read it. It was a poster I sold through random Stone Productions.
The colors are real and untouched. The back ground was a cement wall. The flower is a Bird of Paradise.


Randy

Vermont Color

A bit of contrast from the last. This photo is from 2004 on one of my trips to the east coast. It was a great trip and this photo is one of my favorites.

Randy

Iron Horse Series

Speaking of black and white photos. These are a few I took in Snoqualmie WA a few years back. Makes you wonder what people will be photographing 100 years from now.

Crapper in a Wrapper

About four years ago I snapped this shot of a porta-potty that had been delivered to the Central Check Point on Prudhoe Bay. The toilet inside the check point was in-op at the time. So, the mystery is solved about where one might do a nature call in 60 below zero weather in the Arctic.

Ignite The Nites

Ignite the Nites is a great way to spend the hot summer nights in Libby, if you are at all a person who enjoys automobiles. This celebration is sponsored by a local car club called the Igniters. Friday afternoon the fun begins at 5 p.m. when Mineral Ave. is shut down and turned over to the 130 some collector cars and their owners. They spend a few hours driving back and fourth displaying their machines. The ones that can do so are allowed to burn off the tires. It was interesting and provided a glimpse into a world in which $4.00 a gallon gas has got to take some of the fun out of celebration. The celebration goes through the weekend and includes numerous activities.

The Reach

I have been so busy while at home. Not a lot of time to do much with the blog. I thought I would throw some of my past photo work at you for now. This is one of my sons. This photo was untouched. Hey launched into his rendition of Some Where Over The Rainbow.

Just a photo

Thought I would throw this photo up for you. I was going through one of my desk top folders and located this. I took this photo exactly four years ago today. The facility in the back ground is Gathering Center 1 on the Prudhoe Bay Oil Feild.

Wrapped Around Your Finger

I had been out of the hospital for a short time and the pain was still significant in the upper abdomen. It was the first body part that I had lost since the removal of my foreskin shortly after my birth. Thinking about it, if at my age I was to have a choice of having my foreskin removed or my gallbladder I would go with the gallbladder. I hated the removal of my gallbladder, but just the thought of the other one really gets to me.
My wonderful girlfriend spent the night in the hospital with me; this was big because she has a very strong dislike of hospitals. It was comforting knowing that she had made the sacrifice on my behalf.
Chaniya’s stay had been really wonderful and we decided that we got along very well as a couple. The hospital stay was the closing deal. I loved her and she loved me. The only thing that gave us both a worry was our financial situation. I had a huge mortgage, child support, and cost of everyday living and some bad investments on my part. Not a great start but we were convinced that we would overcome. Now looking at the mystery of hospital bills that may not be covered by my insurance, it was worth the risk and we decided to take it.
The darkness of the place consumed the would be shadows of a couple seated near the fireplace. The sound of others immersed in their own conversations about life in Libby, Montana. The place is called The MK Steakhouse just out of town. It has been a fixture in our community for many years and is what you would expect from an upper crust steakhouse in a small town. Blue jeans and no ties, well once and a while, maybe a tie. This is a place that means a lot to me. Built by the guy, Ed Lewis, or better known as, The Montana Kid, who was the original trainer for the television horses, Flicka and Fury. It is also the place where I was seated enjoying a fillet minion with my ex-wife. As I shoved a big tender piece of meat into my face, a beautiful blond with the lowest cut blue jeans I have ever seen stopped and looked at the cut of beef on my plate and said, “My gosh, that looks really good.” I answered, but I am sure she did not understand what I had said, how embarrassing. The blond was Hollywood party girl, Tara Reid. She was in town filming a independent film at one of our local lakes.
But on the night that I sat with Chaniya, I forgot about the other times I spent in the MK. I was focused on the black haired Asian beauty that sat across from me. A small basket of dark bread had been served to our table. The bread had been accompanied by little blocks of butter, wrapped in gold foil. Before the dinner course could be served I made my move. In the darkness I dropped to one of my knees before this woman that I loved. The words came out clear, “Chaniya, I love you and I would very much like you to be my wife.” I took her long beautiful fingers and singled out the ring finger on her left hand. As she smiled and said yes, I carefully guided the gold ring fashioned out of the foil from a Medowgold butter chunk smoothly over the first joint and the second as if it had been made for her finger. It also could have been the butter. We laughed about it at the time as she made adjustments to its imperfect shape.
I can only speak for myself, although I am sure that Chaniya would agree, when I say that the silly little foil ring fashioned from a cover for a stick of butter, means more to us then any other material possession that we hold. It is a true symbol of a love that is real and the day by day struggles we need to overcome and even more importantly the ones behind us.
I am sure in my heart, that one day; I will leave her alone on this earth. I have an image of Chaniya many years after I am gone preparing for her own journey. She will reach into a special place and remove the yellowed little box. She will explain to her daughter the importance of the gold foil ring. Her daughter will understand and Chaniya will carry it with her on her journey. In that respect, Chaniya and I are the richest people on this earth.

Honey I love you!
Randy

Images by Chaniya Ninbanphot Cole

Thoughts

I love candid shots. This one, taken back in 2005, means a great deal to me. My grandson looks on as a video plays in the visitor’s area, under the Lincoln Memorial. The video that was playing was Martin Luther Kings great speech, “I have a Dream,” which took place on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, just above where we were standing. My Grandson has experienced the dislike and contempt from ignorant people that pass judgment on others because of the color of their skin. What a shame!

Randy J. Cole

The Blind