Editors’ note: Christopher (or as I like to call him “CJA”) has provided us with another fine collection of pictures. We believe that the beholders will agree to the excellence in and of CJA’s eye.
(On some services the header image is not included–for those of you who are unfortunate that way, I include the train a second time because it should not be missed–Leila)
Saragun Springs 
Clever images and that one of the apple reminded me of my story The Black Banana – must see if I can find it?
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Hi Diane
Glad you like the pictures!
CJA
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ah! there it is https://dianemdickson.wordpress.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=7924&action=edit
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Hi Diane
Thank you for the story!
Leila
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Thanks. I’ll check out your story. The apple struck me as some kind of art subject–gone bad–literally.
C
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Hi Diane
I hit the link but all I get is “sorry you are not allowed to edit” instead of going to it. Of course I am subscribed to your site so I imagine I can get in that way, but for the others I’m not sure if they are blocked the same way. Darn WP!
Leila
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CJA
The group is remarkable, but for me it is the train in the header–black and white make it mythic!
Leila
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Hi Leila
Thanks! Glad you’re all about the pictures! I’m fascinated with trains and railroads. I like the way they don’t use up a lot of space transporting goods.
CJA
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Greetings, Ananias!
These brilliant photos could be used as a kind of Rorschach test wherein they reveal aspects of the viewer’s personality based on what the viewer sees when looking at them, or says they see. Or if not aspects of personality, then aspects of what the person is thinking at the time, which may be related to “personality,” but is definitely not the same thing.
For some reason the apple or fruit reminds me of the one offered to Eve by Satan, but now in a completely rotten condition. Incidentally, the story about woman being created from the rib bone of man has been interpreted by feminists as being sexist and misogynist. When they say this, they forget or don’t know that the rib bone was seen by the ancient Jews who wrote the Bible as a “pure” bone because it protected the heart and lungs – so saying that woman came from man’s rib meant that she was a being made of purer stuff than man. And while she did fall for Satan’s wiles one time, it was man who was responsible for the first greedy murder (Cain and Abel).
Saint Paul said, “In my strength is my weakness,” and then he was beheaded at the behest of none other than Nero. The crucifix in your picture plays with perspective and makes the tiny gigantic, or the small large. We will all be, and have all been, nailed to our own crosses. Jesus said, “Pick up your cross and follow me.” Among other things, that meant don’t be a lazy ass who follows unjust laws whether that means to spend your life shopping or to turn your back on your sister or brother no matter who they are.
The dandelion photo with the three crosses hovering behind them makes me think of Van Gogh, especially his sunflower paintings and one of my favorite works by him, “Crows in a Wheatfield.” He painted Jesus on the cross with the face of Van Gogh as a way of saying that Jesus is part of everyone and we are part of him, because he knows what it’s like for everybody.
The train is almost like a stand-in author photo for Christopher J. Ananias because of his (your) relationship to the train and the tracks. This is a Hemingwayesque image and it could also be seen on the flipside as an image of the American eagle.
All in all, a brilliant “collage,” or series, of images all of which stand on their own and also speak to each other when placed beside one another in context. You are a cutting edge artist who knows how to incorporate the Visual into your work in a world that is largely based on the visual now (or rather the visual combined with language, written and spoken).
Great work!
Dale
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