It looks like a divine intervention

It looks like a divine intervention
The heatwave from earlier this week has cooled to a more bearable temperature today, for which I am very glad. I am sitting beside a window here and there is a cool breeze blowing, keeping things cool and fresh. The sky is overcast and it actually looks like it might rain. I’m sure the plants could use it.

For the last week and a half I’ve been looking after my landlord’s garden while they’ve been away. It’s been a nice experience to do this, but I am amazed at how time consuming it can be just to water things. Since it’s been so very hot I’ve been out there every evening giving the plants, flowers, and veggies out back, as much water as I can. They don’t have a sprinkler so it means I have to stand there sprinkling everything by hand. I feel like I know the garden so much better now, and I am glad to contribute to the survival of this lovely green space that surrounds my home and gives me so much enjoyment.

New red parasol

New red parasol
A crop of a square format photo shot with my holga.

I think a parasol is essential to my survival during the summer weather. I can’t stand wearing a hat because it makes my head feel unbearably hot, and it wouldn’t protect the rest of me anyway. Sometimes I feel self-conscious when I’m walking around with my parasol because it’s a real eye-catcher, but the benefits of extra sun protection outweigh the drawbacks of attention.

Gasworks park revisited.


The above photos were taken in Gasworks Park, Seattle, in July 2006.

I was in Seattle over the weekend to visit my friend Hendrik. The weather was gorgeous and we spent most of our time wandering different parts of the city in a zombie-like state because we were both feeling low on energy. I didn’t shoot as much film on this trip as I have on past visits to Seattle, but I think I will be satisfied with what I shot. We discovered a few giant inflatable animals shortly before I caught the bus back to Vancouver, and you know how excited I get about those when I have my holga in hand…

Balloons against sky

Balloons against sky

Yippeee! Summer arrived in Vancouver this past weekend. Let’s hope it’s here to stay for awhile.

I had a really great long weekend. How was yours…?

A kind of optical delusion of consciousness.

1 Comment

Alex Fraser bridge
I just started reading “The places that scare you: A guide to fearlessness in difficult times”, written by Pema Chodron, and found this wonderful quote from Albert Einstein:

A human being is part of the whole called by us “the universe”, a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings, as something separate from the rest – a kind of optical delusion of consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening the circle of understanding and compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty,

~ Albert Einstein

And now back to regularly scheduled yoga…

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Meditation

One of the gifts I was given for Christmas this past year was a one month unlimited pass to Semperviva yoga studio. I activated the pass in mid-February, purchased another one on-going when it expired and have been attending yoga class almost daily ever since. It was the kind of gift that kept on giving, and the exact kick-in-the-ass I needed to get back into the regular yoga practice I kept thinking about instead of doing. Semperviva is my yoga studio of choice for the excellent roster of teachers, and their great deal for an unlimited monthly pass ($80!). I was a regular visitor there when I first moved to Vancouver three years ago, but stopped attending after six months mostly due to lack of funds. Now I feel like I can’t afford not to go because I feel so much mentally and physically happier with regular yoga.

As part of my commitment to yoga I have decided to participate in Vancouver’s Yogathon on July 21st, at UBC’s Thunderbird Stadium. The yogathon requires participants to do as many sun salutation as possible in the 108 minute timeframe. The event is to raise funds for Camp Moomba, a place for children whose lives have been impacted with HIV/AIDS. I have a personal fundraising page setup and hope to donate $200 to the charity. Please sponsor me if you can.

Van Dusen garden poppies

Van Dusen poppies

I’m hoping summer will be back REALLY soon, because I’m very tired of being cold and wet. I saw a glimmer of warmer weather yesterday evening, just as I was on the return trip from a bike ride around the seawall. I’d like some more of that, please….

The nile queen

The Nile Queen

Links to two items I have really enjoyed:
An interview between the lovely Chris Keeney (CK on Flickr) and pinhole photographer Katie Cooke. I hadn’t encountered her work until now, and am grateful to CK for taking the time to talk to Katie and bring her work to my attention.

A link from Kirsti, to a montage of 500 years of female portraiture on YouTube. It’s wonderful to watch, but it bothers me almost all the featured drawings/paintings are of white European females.

Wrapped in red too

On Friday, one of my photos from this same series was featured on the front page of Utata.org. The text was wonderfully written by Greg Fallis, and couldn’t be more perfect an accompanyment. It was a wonderful treat to end the week with.