Jen and Chris

Jen and Chris
Originally uploaded by Brina Bat (Sabrina Simon)

A photo I took from Jen and Chris' wedding day.

New Nat Geo video!

Video on one of the discoveries that was made in the Yucatan expedition i was on:


http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/news/latest-news/maya-zenith-passage-vin/

Ah a christmas tradition

Acorn Squash Recipe

These are so sweet and tasty they can even be served as dessert!

Wash, cut in half, remove seeds and strings, make foil ring so halves will stand upright. Place inside cavity 1tbsp of butter, and one box of raisins- sprinkle one tbsp of natural sugar over the surface and cavity of the squash, gentle sprinkle pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon over all. Wrap entire squash half and foil ring and place on hot grill for approx an hour- or till tender when tested with fork.

You can also cut and place the halves cut side down in an inch of water at 350degrees for 45 min, then do the foil ring and and butter and sugar and raisin- place back in oven for 15 to 20 min uncovered.

Its been way too long hasnt it? The past four months (May-August 2012) has seen me living out the dead of summer in a little tent in Mississippi working as an archaeological photographer for my continuing job with  TVAR.

Ancient Maya Cava Exploration Photos -- National Geographic

Ancient Maya Cava Exploration Photos -- National Geographic

The project I've been on for the last three summers... comes to NatGeo!

In the Field

In the Field
Originally uploaded by Brina Bat (Sabrina Simon)

This past Thursday was a gorgeous day to be working outside in the field! Here we are all screening one of the numerous auger tests needed for this project.

A Cavers Christmas

A Cavers Christmas
Originally uploaded by Realms(Nathan Williams)

Merry Christmas Everyone! If youre in the area to see the TR tree it will be up all the way through new years. We had a great set of folks come out and decorate this year. Thank you to all that helped. And may your season be merry and bright.

Foggy Work Morning

So I have a new job! I am working for a great company doing archaeology and graphic design... pretty much a meld of two of my most favorite things (besides caving - which i even got to do a bit of that too to check a cave on a sight). So far my time has been about equally split between lab and field. I got to spend all last week up in TN helping with a phase 1. On morning when we all went out into the field we were greeted with really thick beautiful but very cold fog. Walking out through it people would disappear and appear in front of you so ghost-like.... like the grand tree that kept us company.

Doggy Cave Trip

Just a little photo to play catch up with some of my photos. This is from the beginning of the this summer in May when i got to take my 11-year old pup on her very first caving trip!

More from what was Panoply

Just a few more photos of some work i did for the Panoply that wasn't. I have an opportunity coming up to try the Polly Crockett Festival in a couple weeks - hoping to try it out!

Did You Know Cave Photographer

Did You Know Cave Photographer

Panoply Tailings

So i have a few little photos of some of my artwork... my Panoply leftovers that I never got to show. I tended toward several different styles over the course of working. These are some of the more abstract pieces i did. Collage background, nice bright fabric colors and ceramic detailing.

For the world's more full of weeping...

Such a beautiful poem Mr. Yeats.
Thank you for writing it! Enjoy everyone!


Where dips the rocky highland
Of Sleuth Wood in the lake,
There lies a leafy island
Where flapping herons wake
The drowsy water rats;
There we've hid our faery vats,
Full of berrys
And of reddest stolen cherries.
Come away, O human child!
To the waters and the wild
With a faery, hand in hand,
For the world's more full of weeping than you can understand.

Where the wave of moonlight glosses
The dim gray sands with light,
Far off by furthest Rosses
We foot it all the night,
Weaving olden dances
Mingling hands and mingling glances
Till the moon has taken flight;
To and fro we leap
And chase the frothy bubbles,
While the world is full of troubles
And anxious in its sleep.
Come away, O human child!
To the waters and the wild
With a faery, hand in hand,
For the world's more full of weeping than you can understand.

Where the wandering water gushes
From the hills above Glen-Car,
In pools among the rushes
That scarce could bathe a star,
We seek for slumbering trout
And whispering in their ears
Give them unquiet dreams;
Leaning softly out
From ferns that drop their tears
Over the young streams.
Come away, O human child!
To the waters and the wild
With a faery, hand in hand,
For the world's more full of weeping than you can understand.

Away with us he's going,
The solemn-eyed:
He'll hear no more the lowing
Of the calves on the warm hillside
Or the kettle on the hob
Sing peace into his breast,
Or see the brown mice bob
Round and round the oatmeal chest.
For he comes, the human child,
To the waters and the wild
With a faery, hand in hand,
For the world's more full of weeping than he can understand.

~William Butler Yeats

Back But Not Back.

So I'm back. Back in the land of shopping malls, cable TV, air-conditioning, hot showers, bath tubs, wall to wall carpeting, washers, dryers, phones, grocery stores, running water, paved roads, yards with grass, trash pick up, firefighters, computers, internet, cell service, closets full of clothes, shelves full of books and odds and ends and stuff.... so so so much stuff.

But... i'm not back. I can still close my eyes and exist in that other world. - still enjoy the Milky Way, the sounds of the birds and frogs and crickets and Mot-mots as i fall asleep and wake and all through the day, bike rides to the pyramids, sketching and mapping caves simply oozing with history, walks to the tienda for a strawberry soda, fixing everyone pancakes on the weekend, hiking out thru the monte, stretching out in my hammock after a hard days work, lessons for words in Spanish and Maya, people and kids that smile and wave and invite you into their homes for no other reason than to be friendly.