The Poetry of Jazz

Photo Gallery

Pamlico osprey family

Near the mouth of Whitaker Creek, which is near the mouth of the Neuse River, which on clear days is in sight of the Neuse River’s junction with Pamlico Sound, three young osprey are stretching their wings in preparation for a life beyond their nest. They were photographed in the early morning hours of July 4. Common to the area, ospreys are occasionally mistaken to be eagles because of their white head feathers. But they have a dark stripe running from their yellow eyes to the back of their heads. Unlike eagles, ospreys do not have white tail feathers. They are also much smaller than eagles, weighing about 4 pounds.

Sometimes referred to as sea hawks because they are also birds of prey, ospreys dine almost exclusively on fish. Diving to the water from heights as much as 200 feet, they strike the water feet first to snare their prey. This “air fishing” is enhanced by reversible front toes which assist in clutching a slippery fish on the return flight to nests.

Like bald eagles, osprey often use the same nest after refurbishing them each season. Those 3 years or older generally mate for life. The female lays 2 -4 eggs about 3 days apart. The chicks hatch in the sequential order in which the eggs are laid, thus the first hatched grows faster than its siblings. The chicks fledge in about 55 days. The young birds are characterized by bright orange eyes.

A necklace of brown spots across the breast is more pronounced in females. The upper tails on males is dark brown with paler bands. Females have darker heads than males. Males and females share household duties while the eggs are incubating.

Willie E. Atkinson & The Transitional Jazz Quintet

Craven Community College

Exploration of the Arts Series

Willie Atkinson, veteran blues and jazz singer from New Bern, performed in concert at Orringer Auditorium on the Campus of Craven Community College, Friday, February 15, 2019. He was accompanied by the Transitional Jazz Quintet, Stephen Anderson, piano, Phil Owens, guitar, Doug Trammel, bass, Michael Hanson, percussion, and Jeff Bair, saxophone.

In a news release about the concert, reviewers of his work said, “Atkinson uses his talents as a jazz vocalist to provide audiences with a fluid interpretation of jazz and blues standards”

“Whether exploring the syncopated rhythms of a swing tune or telling the story of a lonesome wanting heart, Atkinson offers a fresh approach and seizes every moment in his performance to make the songs his own.”

Atkinson’s vocals were intertwined with several solos from each member of the Transitional Jazz Quintet.

Willie and his wife, Jacquelyn, are noted historians as well as musicians. They teach in the Lifetime Learning Continuing Education Program at Craven Comunity College. Willie is also the archivist for the NC Coastal Heritage Association.

Old fishing boats don't die

They just rust, and piece by piece, flake away …

From different perspectives, every photo can be a photo-essay ...

To purchase a high resolution print, email Ben, ben@towndock.net.

Elton John pleaded, “Don’t let the sun go down on me.” He lamented, “All my pictures seem to fade to black and white.”

For the greats, Alfred Stieglitz, Ansel Adams, Paul Strand, Minor White, Edward Weston, and others, color faded to become brilliant black and white.

A sunset, or sunrise, over the water is visual art in performance mode.

What if we could deposit cloud images in memory banks?

They may look all alone on the expansive Neuse River, but they are not lonely.

A ride on the creek along shores visited time and time again never fails to provide a new image.

Shrimp trawlers lead the observer to ponder many things – the creative names of the individual vessels, reflections on a way of life, and recipes for the tasty crustaceans

One could call it a packed harbor. It is – because the boats are waiting to “pack” their shrimp at one of the two fish houses on the Oriental harbor.

Mama said there’d be days like this.

Having been devoured by a chain saw, this Buckland Road tree near Arapahoe, NC is a memory, preserved in a memory bank.

Ever speculated what it would be like if humans changed their nature with the seasons.

Just as mountains, deserts, forests, rivers and oceans lure some to the great outdoors, there is another world away from the world, up above.

Nature created the awesome quiet of the great blue yonder. Man added the roar of pounding pistons and the machine gun staccato created by changing the pitch of the prop. An SNJ used to train warriors looks peaceful in the sky.

Edenton Bay

Upper Trent River, water hyacinth.

Afternoon delight.

The everlasting beauty of a man’s workboat is just that, everlasting.

Was it that long ago?

To purchase any high resolution print of a Ben casey photograph, contact Ben, ben@towndock.net

Barns on Don Lee Farms – near the Lee Cemetery – near Camp Don Lee – near the Neuse River – near Arapahoe – only a half century ago they were projecting the rich aroma of flue cured tobacco in late summer.