BACK FROM PARADE – TIME TO REST AND EDIT
With some soul soothing music.
Author: Randy Wells
CHECK EACH BOX TWICE
That’s what I do for everything. “Never assume anything” is my motto. The reasons for doing that could fill a book, but it would be a depressing read. So, I’ll just add, “Don’t fall down.” That’s probably easier to relate to.
DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE
The Massachusetts colonists, or “patriots”, won the first major military campaign of the American Revolutionary War in Lexington and Concord on April 19, 1775, 250 years ago. Today is also the 250th time the signing of the Declearation of Independence will be celebrated (the official anniversary is next year). Here’s some reading material:
EVERYBODY’S TALKIN’
This song was played at Chuck Miller’s celebration of life that I attended near Malibu last week. I’ve kept hearing it ever since.
LIFE, LIBERTY, AND THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS
Words on a piece of paper. A document that used to have the same meaning for everyone. I remember a time in the USA when those words spoke of a dream that was attainable for all.
Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness seemed possible for those who worked hard and followed their passion. An achievement that was not just measured in monetary terms, but also in how WE THE PEOPLE felt about our nation. Continue reading “”
R.I.P BRIAN WILSON
The passing of the Beach Boy’s spiritual and musical leader Brian Wilson is the latest of society’s losses.
Sometimes, simpler is better, especially when it comes to day to day mental health. The songs he wrote reflected that.
No one is in a position to plan for what’s next in today’s world. Why not make your life simpler with a simple mantra? It is written.
Listening to Surf’s Up and Pet Sounds now
REMEMBERING OHIO
Injustice demonstration regression déjà vu. From Kent State 1970 to L.A. 2025: “I’m not a crook” to “I’m a crook, so what”.
Photograph: Mike Blake/Reuters
VISIT IRELAND – VAN’S HOMAGE TO INNOCENT DUBLIN
If I could choose one country to visit in June it would be Ireland. I’d listen to Van Morrison on the plane and look forward in eager anticipation to the photographs I could make in his hometown. If I could choose one state to visit in August it would be Alaska. I’d spend two weeks filming my home town of Cordova with the hopes of creating something as good as this video (song from his new album to be released soon).
TIME TO FLY A DRONE
As the weather in the Pacific Northwest continues to warm up and greenery is at their greenest, it’s time to capture some aerial images. The Palouse of eastern Washington is a great place to fly, as long as there are no crop dusters around.
(Photo of Randy and drone by Andrea Wells)
EXPERIENCING LOSS IS A PERSONAL JOURNEY
This is me on my way through.
AVOIDING THE CROWDS THIS MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND
The best way to do this is to avoid traveling during memorial day weekend altogether. I would say the same for most of the summer. However, we don’t all have that much flexibility in when we can get away.
There are a couple of spots I’ve found recently that are relatively free of tourists. That excludes all the National Parks BTW. That time in space is long gone. Yet, if you get up super early and get off the beaten trail (code for off-road), there are locations with incredible photography with no one around. Here’s one: Alabama Hills, CA.
BILL EVANS TRIO – MOONBEAMS – LP MUSIC REVIEW
Everybody Digs Bill Evans was a popular jazz album title in the late ’50s and 60s. I certainly would’ve dug it too, if my parents were listening to jazz back then. Today, Bill Evans is without a doubt my favorite jazz pianist, and has been for the last three decades. I just reviewed a poignant vinyl reissue by Craft Recordings of a 1962 record of his called Moon Beams. See links below for the full text and videos.
I was so inspired that I wrote the following:
“When I first discovered the music of Bill Evans had a sensitive approach and artistic sensibility that spoke to me. Later I learned that he was a gifted perfectionists, yet humble and aware of the importance of the music he was creating. He embraced his connection with the instrument and nurtured it with endless practice to the exclusion of pretty much everything else. In the process, he created art that overcame (some say destroyed) his mortal self. I suppose, whatever the genre, there will always be a need for contemplative and meditative music for healing the soul. Creation and destruction can make for strange bedfellows in the heart of the sensitive artist. Perhaps, by bravely going deep within themselves and playing only for their own redemption, these artists touch upon a universal chord that resonates within our collective consciousness.”
THE WORLDS MOST ORIGINAL ROTHMANS 911 SC/RS
It was my privilege to photograph and write about this remarkable 1984 Porsche rally car. Being used mostly for tarmac vs. off road rallying in period, it has survived with all panels intact. The underside looks like it has been through a war, but the rest of it has a well-lived in race car appearnce.
See more at my Instagram feed (@cars.randywells) and PCA’s Panorama magazine this month. Continue reading “”
5-18-25
CHUCK MILLER R.I.P.
By Randy Wells
To my Porsche friends and others who knew Chuck Miller, like you, I am reeling from the shock of the tragic news of yesterday. Chuck was one of my dearest friends, and knowing that he left with his boots on, doing what he most loved, driving his 911, it brings a tiny bit of solace to my heart.
Long a fixture in the early 911 and historic sports car community, Chuck and his metallic blue ’73 S exemplified enthusiastic Porsche ownership for many. To him, it was just as important to become a better driver of your car as it was to learn everything you can about the machine in order to maintain its appearance and functionality. Continue reading “”
PORSCHE’S 968 MODEL
The 968 is a rare car today, and the Club Sport edition (CS) is even rarer, especially in the color of Maritime Blue. Only 1,538 of the lightweight CS versions were made in total. Who knows how many were built in this stunning color?
Built for the Rest of the World (ROW) during the 1993 to 1995 model years, the 968 CS was aimed at the track enthusiast who wanted a lighter sports car. Porsche officially only exported the CS to Europe, UK, Japan, and Australia, although it ended up in fourteen ROW markets and is now eligible to be imported into the USA.
Check out the May 2025 issue of Porsche Club of America’s national magazine for more: PCA Panorama
CHOP WATER, CARRY WOOD
Yes, I know, it’s “chop wood carry water”, but this version could work too. Especially if it’s ice your chopping in winter to boil on a fire, fed by the wood you carried in.
Thinking outside the box is why I get hired. I don’t go in search of photographs I saw on somebody’s website or social media. That’s been done to death. I’m looking for backgrounds, weather, and vehicles that have never been composed together in one image. Or I’m looking for a series of images that tell a story that follows the original text I wrote to reinforce what I’m wanting to say. Continue reading “”