getaway

In Black and White, Inspiration, Travel
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I want to get away
I want to fly away…

My husband and I took a short, in-state, COVID-safe road trip last weekend — our first getaway since last February. Driving, exploring nature and history, exchanging our Cape Cod ocean views for Berkshire mountain views. It was a lovely renewal of sorts.

And yet as we drove west, we listened to the news of the horrifying assault on the Capitol, impending impeachment proceedings, rising COVID numbers, and other news of the country and the world. We had phone calls from home about a medical emergency with my mother, and issues at both of our jobs.

So while you can get away, and try to fly away, you can’t escape real life. You can’t choose only the beautiful, but must embrace the whole of this sometimes daunting “wild and precious life.”

Luckily, as photographers, we can document the moments of escape, to revisit during the hard times:

The view from Herman Melville’s porch at his home, Arrowhead, in Pittsfield.
The dining room at Ventfort Hall in Lenox.
The doors of sculptor Daniel Chester French’s studio at Chesterwood. He worked on such a massive scale (on pieces like the Lincoln Memorial and the Minuteman statue in Concord) that he needed the train tracks to help get his work out of the building.

Much love in this new year. It’s what we need most of all.

–lucy

PS: These images were edited with the PicTapGo app using the Accupan preset.

7 Comments

  1. I love a good road trip! And this one has all the hallmarks – windows, columns, scenic views, and train tracks! Thanks for the interpretive journey.

  2. Your pics remind me how much I miss the Berkshires. Adding Melville’s house to my list of places to visit. Did you get a chance to visit Wharton’s house? That’s beautiful too. Hope your Mom is ok and hope you can return during calmer circumstances. xo

    • Thanks Susan. Wharton’s house The Mount wasn’t open, but I visited there about 5 years ago — a lovely spot. Mom is on the mend. xo

  3. I do so love your black and white images. And these are no exception. But more so because of all the literary connections.
    And so glad to hear your mother is better. x

  4. I can only imagine how good this change of scene was for your soul, and I love the bits and pieces of historical detail you share with us. Good news about your mom!

  5. Such an important lesson accompanied with beautiful imagery. It seems less and less like we can “escape” the real world and instead have to find a way not to let it prevent us from living. Your trip looks wonderful and makes me long to travel in that area.

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