René Bolduc, photographer

This photo was taken by a fellow named René Bolduc. 

He shoots with a big box camera on a wet metal plate. 

Travels with his darkroom in the back of his van. 

He only gets one image, that negative becomes the positive. 

Very interesting stuff that civil war technology.

Denis

Mailin Blair

September 13, 2009

                           Bin usin' a chainsaw

                           since I was 14 years old.

                           Kin hardly lift muh arms

                           above muh shoulders.

                           In th' evenin'

                           knees, legs, sometimes in knots

                           after climbin' through snow

                           in th' woods.

                           But if I walk up th' road aways

                           when I git home,

                           they're alright.

                           Muh mother says

                           t' put a bar 'a soap

                           under muh bed at night

                           an' I won't git them knots.

                                                                            - Mailin Blair

Loading Hardwood

This is Mailin and Bob Blair of High Forest and East Clifton.  These places won’t be found on many maps anymore, but people in this corner of Quebec know where they are.  In the ten years since 2000, these two fellas cut trees in the woods on Myrtle Rowell’s farm, harvesting logs, pulpwood, and four foot hardwood. 

In the months of February and March, I would draw them at work, Mailin falling the trees and Bob winching them out to a clearing where he would buck them into manageable lengths.  In the times I spent with them, I never heard a cross word spoken between them and I witnessed a calm, patient and orderly approach to all that they did.  And when they left the woods, a forest still remained.

40 Cord

                            February 28, 2004

                            I usta cut some for Ronnie Bell

                            but the last few years

                            it's just on my place.

                            Cut a strip,

                            thin a place,

                            move on.

                            It grows,

                            reseeds itself.

                           Ya always got wood ta cut.

                           Ya always got work.

  

                                                       -- Bob Blair of East Clifton

Welcome

Homage to a Rural Life     YouTube video in English

Hommage à la vie rurale   YouTube video en français

Contact me, Denis Palmer, at 1149 Route 210, Sawyerville, QC, J0B 3A0, telephone 819-889-2549