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NOT OF THIS EARTH Curated content by Duncan Miller Gallery, Your Daily Photograph

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Every year I feel a sense of wonder and dread upon the end of summer and the inevitable arrival of winter in Colorado. But what I do really look forward to is hearing the trees’ stories. They have shed most of their ‘outerwear’ and have exposed themselves (and nests!) to whomever will have a look. Like clouds and people, all their branches have individual personalities. I always wonder what they would say if they could speak my language. Since they don’t, I try to listen to theirs…

The Naked Life of Trees Every year I feel a sense of wonder and dread upon the end of summer and the inevitable arrival of winter in Colorado.

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This trip to Spain was a celebration of my 30th wedding anniversary, so of course I went with my hubby. Especially for him, it was a well-deserved vacation.

We began in Barcelona, then took a train to Valencia, on the Costa Blanca, on the Mediterranean. Then we drove down the coast, through Oliva and Dénia, to Alicante. I have a special fondness for Alicante, not exactly sure why, but it’s a beautiful little town with a walkable old city and a castle nearby. Also, the beaches are within walking distance…aah.

Finally, we took a train back to Barcelona and then returned to Denver. For me, it was a wonderful adventure in iPhone photography. I’m a photographer, and take pleasure in capturing slices of life that epitomize a place or experience. Please enjoy these images of  “Whimsical Spain” (Capricho Espańol)….

Capricho Espańol 2! This trip to Spain was a celebration of my 30th wedding anniversary, so of course I went with my hubby.

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Cuba Olé!

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Day of Reckoning {Denver Womens March} January 21, 2017

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Nature as Metaphor What DO I see in Nature?  Beauty...becoming my metaphor for melancholy.  Not depressing, rather, embracing the fullness of being fully present.

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Why We Do What We Do

Why We Do What We Do

In her words, this is the reason I do what I do for the POWER OF HOPE KIBERA:

The Reason Why

Kelly Fenson-Hood Executive Director, Power of Hope Kibera

People often ask me why I do this work. I’m not sure why, but I never give a very straightforward answer. I guess it’s because it’s personal and it makes me feel vulnerable somehow. Well, I’ve been working with Power of Hope Kibera for three…

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First stop on this Spain journey is Barcelona, capital city of Catalonia. It is an important cultural center, renowned especially for its architecture, particularly the works of Antoni Gaudí and Montaner, both of whose works have been designated World Heritage Sites. The people are friendly, the food is spectacular, and the beaches are bustling with activity.  And, it seems, everyone is an art lover!

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MOVING right along…we took the train to Pamplona, a wonderful little city in its own right, first stop in the Basque Country and home of the famous Iruña Café–in what’s known as Hemingway Corner–and the ancient Citadel with walls spread throughout. 

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Then, we boarded another train to the NEXT best city in the world…San Sebastián/Donostia (in Basque) !  This is truly my favorite place.  It is close to the region which my husband’s family hails from, which is another reason that we are here.  And I’m enjoying seeing familial similarities in the people here.

Honestly, San Sebastián seems to have it all.  Beautiful weather, beaches, ocean bay, picturesque marina, little mountains, a super clean and interesting old city.  The Basque museum is fabulous: San Telmo Museum, contains everything you need to know about Basque culture. It was here I learned about the “Construcción Vacía” (Empty Construction) movement and fell in love with its form, substance and simplicity. I’ve got two examples below, one by Eduardo Chillida, the other by Jorge Oteiza (both Basque artists).

Lastly, folks here are really into fitness, they run, bike, swim, hike–we would fit right in.  Maybe we will come back and stay someday…

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    #bestcityintheworld (Barcelona…or San Sebastián?) First stop on this Spain journey is Barcelona, capital city of Catalonia. It is an important cultural center, renowned especially for its architecture, particularly the works of…

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Thank you Photoawards.com for the Honorable Mention!

Kibera: A Slice of Heaven…see the highlights here…

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2014 Lucie Award: Deeper Perspective Thank you Photoawards.com for the Honorable Mention! Kibera: A Slice of Heaven...see the highlights here...

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GoPro Kibera!

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This is my third trip to Kibera, in Nairobi Area, Kenya, to do volunteer work as a photographer with Power of Hope Kibera (POHK.org).  As I’ve said before, there are many non-profits working in the slum here, but this one is unique in a number of ways.  First, it was started by local residents, several of whom remain key players in the organization.  Secondly, POHK merges private sector business approaches (micro-enterprises) with research-based behavior change strategies.  The ultimate goal here is to reduce diarrheal disease in children, which is the major cause of death in children under age 5. We would like to thank Toilet Hackers for funding this project. We would also like to thank Alfalfa’s and individual donors for their generous contributions.

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Colorful fabrics draped over the clotheslines make a perfect sun-shield for our class.

soap sellers and project assistants in a hygiene training session

Class shots

dogs and sheep just mosey along…

Our newest “soap-seller”!

He’s so attentive…

yoga stretches every so often help keep the mind and body alert.

yoga stretches every so often help keep the mind and body alert.

Mother writes notes while baby watches patiently.

These little guys wanted in on the ‘class’ action.

No words needed!

Participants are role-playing the hand washing intervention techniques.

The Team

Our evaluation teams sets out to collect household surveys…

The ‘bosses’ checking out the GPS map of this area of Kibera.

Some doorways are short like this for security purposes.

Kelly can’t help getting involved in a little ‘football’!

This soap seller now has a storefront where she sells soap, shoes, etc. and does hair-styling as well.

POHK Executive Director Kelly with some of the soap seller’s kids.

The girls love working with long hair…

That’s ME with the cute baby boy…

http://wp.me/p255hT-mE This is my third trip to Kibera, in Nairobi Area, Kenya, to do volunteer work as a photographer with Power of Hope Kibera (

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(via On My Way to Kibera!)

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Coming up very soon!

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latest post from beautiful Philly!