a picture paints a thousand words - #3

The Oregon coastline is a study of rugged rocks and cliffs, powerful waves, strong gusts of wind, all dressed in a veil of mist. As I stood and took this photo, feeling the wind beating at my face and tasting the salt in the air, I felt like there was so much to take in from this one spot alone. How does this photo make you feel? For me, it was an awe-inspiring location where my senses were almost overwhelmed with the beauty and power of nature.

You can click onto the
photo to see a larger version

a teacher gone - the lessons not forgotten

I heard the news today that a teacher from my high school days passed away. He was burly, could be gruff and a little moody and at the same time really funny.  Man oh man, could he ever teach. I took just one class with him - old English literature where we read and studied Beowulf, Canterbury Tales, and Hamlet - and he made a lasting impression. There is no doubt in my mind that it was from this man that my love for Shakespeare developed. A good teacher gives you those needed tools to understand - the key to unlock the language that might not come naturally to a 17 year old or anyone of any age for that matter. I know without a shadow of a doubt that there are hundreds of grads from my high school who once they learn of this passing will have the same reaction as me. A good teacher, a really good teacher, is someone no student forgets and someone whose life work means more than they could possibly ever know. 

One of my favorite Shakespeare quotes is, "My crown is called content, a crown that seldom kings enjoy". Mr. Trost, thank you - and, I think many would agree, you managed to be both a king and content. 

color therapy - grey

As you know if you read this blog on at all on a regular basis, I love colors - bright, cheery colors. But there's a side to me that also leans towards more neutral colors, especially shades of grey. I think it's the ultimate "goes with everything" color for decorating and wearing because it's so easy to accent it with any other color.

I have been hesitant to post photos of grey images all winter because, I thought we all (including myself) were in much need of some distraction, so I up until now I opted for images of tropical oranges and pinks, bright royal blues, and emerald greens. But now that spring is here, I think we can all handle looking at and appreciating these mostly grey photos and how beautiful this "dreary" color can actually be.

the Oregon coastline
moody, dark, yet
kind of beautiful in it's own way

a winter sky, Wisconsin

meandering lines of coral,
Vieques

again, the Oregon coastline
a brave gull, hopefully
homeward bound

no place can make greys appear
more beautiful than Paris

something new, perhaps?

You might have noticed that starting this past Friday there was a new addition to my blog found on the right-hand side of the screen, underneath the heading, "Something New, Perhaps?". This will be an on-going side-project within the blog, I think I'll post something new in this column once a week or so, so keep an eye out for new "Something New, Perhaps?" columns. I think it's too easy, once we're out of school and really focused on our careers, to stop learning about new ideas, new concepts and even new words. So, the impetus for this new column is to never stop learning. I hope you enjoy it!

This first installment within the series talks about Brocken Spectres.  Want to learn more?  Check out the column (look to the right-hand side of the screen).

Want to see a photo of a Brocken Spectre?  There's a great image of one here: 

http://wooliebear.tumblr.com/post/2947714004/brocken-spectre-phenomenon-ghostly-figure-in

Monet & waterlilies

For those of you who've read many of my posts, you know well enough by now that I might have a little bit of an obsession with light and how light alters everything it touches. Our perception of an object changes based purely on what kind of light is shining. Is it a bright sunny day, is there an unflattering fluorescent light, or is there the softness of flickering of candles? 

To me, I think no artist captures this concept of light more adeptly than Monet. My art history courses back in college were hand's down my favorite classes - I remember more of what was taught by those professors than by any others - and interestingly enough even though I use nothing of what I learned in those classes for my job, it's that knowledge I learned in those many classes that I've taken with me and feel incredibly lucky to have stored away in "my back pocket".  I can walk into many museums with at least a small, working knowledge of what I'm viewing and how the art fits in with the corresponding history, because art viewed in context of history elevates something that may be beautiful to something that has real meaning and purpose.

But, back to Monet. I've put together some of the photographs that I've taken at various museums I've been to where I've seen just a handful his many waterlilies. The thing about Monet - if you don't know - is that he was groundbreaking as an artist in his ability to analyze how light hits objects at various point in time - say the time of day or the time of year - and then being the artistic genius he was, he was able to portray what he saw by giving us his depiction of the scene. He helped act as a catalyst in the art world - gone would be the days where only literal portrayals of scenery or people were painted or drawn - with Monet and all of the Impressionists it was all about the depiction of light, color, movement, and most importantly perhaps, the human elements of emotion and perception.

Here are some of just a few of Monet's Waterlilies. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

can't you see the reflection
even though it
is not explicitly depicted?

an extreme close up
I love the colors so much -
it's a beautiful color combination,
isn't it?

don't you feel like you're
really standing on a
bridge looking out at the water?
this one is at
the Art Institute in Chicago

another extreme close-up
it looks muddled, but step back
and the magic appears

one of the largest of the Waterlily series that
I've seen - this one is probably about
60 feet long - Musee de l''Orangerie, Paris
AMAZING to see in person

light and reflections

The intense afternoon sun flickered on the ocean's calmly rippling surface. Nothing less than mesmerizing to witness in person. Nature's hypnosis at its best. 

like diamonds strewn out on satin

flowerful Friday

On vacation recently, I photographed this plant while on an early morning walk. I'm not exactly sure what type of flower this is - it smelled like jasmine, but the blooms are different from the jasmine flower variety I am more familiar with. Amazing isn't it how such a heady and sensual scent can emanate from such a small, delicate bloom?

a star shaped bloom

an incredible lightness of being

The flowers grew on a vine that bent and soared in a meandering and appealing way. I adore how there isn't one straight line in this photo. It's all curvy and soft. Between the plant's delicate vines and the airiness of the clouds in the sky, this is a photo - to me - that encapsulates a feeling of lightness.

a new year for me

Today marks my entrance into the world! I'll be celebrating with friends and family over the next few days (why take just one day to celebrate such an occasion?!). Doesn't one's birthday seem to be the appropriate time to express gratitude for what one has in their life? I'm so thankful for all I have - the family and friends who've help shape my life, the many lessons I've learned and various places I've been fortunate enough to travel to, and the tangible things I've been given and worked for. I am a very lucky birthday girl.

I thought it might be fun to dig out a few photos from my 1st birthday - we were in Thailand then. I think, like most 1 year olds at their 1st birthday, I looked a little confused, probably not all that sure  about what was going on. To me, what's so sweet about these photos is the happiness and love you can see in the faces of others - my beautiful mom, my charming & ridiculously adorable older brother, my feisty and generous great-aunt, and my most gentle and beloved grandmother. Oh how I wish the latter two were still here - they were remarkable women; I learned so much from each of them. And as different from each other as they were (they had completely different approaches to life) they had shared qualities - their senses of humor, their loving embraces, their exuberant laughter, and their tenderness to me. I miss them immensely, but know they are with me in spirit everyday and especially today.  

 32 years ago...

Great Aunty Nancy on the left, an intense look of
curiosity & concentration on my face and
a little help from my mom and brother!

my beautiful mom,
a little, confused looking me,
my grandmother, the kindest woman
you'd ever meet, and could my brother be
any more adorable?

Here's to many, many more birthdays for all of us!

the macro, the micro

Photographs comprised of mostly one color are for some reason, appealing to me. And, to me, there is something interesting about looking at photos that aren't taken on the same day or of the same subjects and viewing them together and seeing how well they "go" together.

Looked at from a macro level these photographs look like they are mainly one hue, but then when you take a look at these photos up-close, at a micro level, and view the details, your eyes will allow you to be surprised to see how many colors and shades of colors are actually at play in each photo.  

obviously red, but what else do you see?

how many shades of green and yellow?
too many to count!

one mum but
how many variations of yellow
due to shading?

light to dark coral
all on the same carnation

teal, turquoise, and how many
shades of green?

orange kitty, Nino, +
orange blanket =
orange on orange

the 1st blooms

Words can't express the excitement I felt when I spotted these petite beauties - the first flowers in my garden, bulbs I planted this fall. Oblong blooms, crisp white in color - simple yes, but utterly thrilling. Tiny though they may be, for me, these flowers are small in size only. We've turned a corner. Aren't you excited for what's in store? I can't wait to see what will pop up next...

the 1st signs of spring!

colorful and happy Indian dances

We recently attended a performance by the Kalaanjali School of Dance. They specialize in the Bharathanatyam-style of Indian dance, which comes from southern India. The performances were so colorful and absolutely full of joy - how delightful to see the pride each of these young girls had for their craft, hard work, and talents. Seeing young girls with this type of confidence was truly heart-warming to watch. We in the audience - an audience comprised of dance lovers of all ages - were held captive by the charismatic charm and skill the young girls displayed. We learned a little bit about what each of the hand positions represents in each dance - serpents, water, deer and more all conveyed with the dancers' hands. 

a beautiful young girl's
grace and poise -
doesn't she look regal?

captivating dances and
natural performers

one of the younger members
holding her own

another young dancer
deep in concentration

perhaps the youngest of all,
sweetness radiated from her

there was a lightness to all
of the movement

this dancer playing the role of
Lord Krishna, the Hindu
flute playing god

the grand finale -
the thank you dance

All left the performance with a smile on their face - don't you think that's the ultimate sign of great, happy entertainment?

a whisper-like softness - finished!

I recently finished another knitting project that I've been working on. I adore this scarf/wrap so much, and I think it's one of my favorite items I've ever knitted. For details about the yarn and the pattern I used, check out the 1st post in this series, "a whisper-like softness" from January 30th.  

I think the completed item works well - either worn as a scarf, because it's made from such a delicate and soft yarn, it can wrap around my neck multiple times without creating too much bulk, or it can be worn more like a wrap, making for the most feather-weight layer of warmth you can imagine!  

Isn't it so great when a project you invest a lot of time into turns out even better than you expected?  I could not be more pleased!

worn as a scarf, wrapped
multiple times

my finished project -
the full view

an extreme close-up of the
the lace pattern

worn more as a wrap than a
scarf - featherweight and
so very soft!

light and reflections

I think I love all things citrusy - tastes, scents, hues - so it's not surprisingly that this green is one of my favorite colors. And this light fixture, lit from within, seems as if it's almost unearthly. 

Isn't it whimsical, classical,
and modern all at once?

flowerful Friday

Another week has flown by and it's another flowerful Friday post. I love this photo - beautiful (what color do you call these blooms?) flowers beaded from a gentle early morning rain.  

dreaming of warmer days...

the first signs of spring

For a gardener or anyone who anticipates this long winter's end, the first signs of spring have arrived here in the north making giddy school-children out of all of us. I saw a little greenness poking through the chocolately brown soil and, I swear, my heart skipped a beat.

a little green poking up
from the ground makes
for a big sign for all
of us to enjoy!

new growth at the bottom
of last season's sedum

the hyacinths I planted
this past fall are coming up...
yippee!

our dear garden
gnome, "Karl" is
now unburied from the
winter's snow

music & memories

As I write this, I'm listening to AfroCubism's song "Mali Cuba". This entire album has those much needed rhymths that get your mind both relaxed and focused. Not a day goes by that I don't make time for music. Maybe it's because music, in some ways, was a first love of mine. Maybe it's because music is beyond powerful. Haven't we all had our moods altered rather magically by music? Maybe it's just really simple - music can make me so very happy. Whether it's a simple song, a complex symphony, or an ethnic piece of which I don't understand any of the words but I feel exactly what is being conveyed, music is one of those little things in life that actually isn't that little - it's monumental - and it can have an enormously profound effect on all of us. Plain and simple, I think it can make the world a better place.

Certain songs remind me of a specific moment in time; it's like I hear the song, and everything - in that present instant - stops and I am transported back in time. And, if I'm really lucky a song will strike an intensely vivid memory of a moment in time spent with a friend. To me, that's the ultimate win-win. When I hear that piece of music, I always, without any hesitation, think of that friend and smile. It makes my heart ache (in a really good way) for that recalled memory.

Here are some of those friends and those songs I will always associate a memory with - here are "your songs". 

Carrie = always see your face
Casey = the adventure

Clint = teenage wasteland (you know which version)

Dan =  street spirit 

David = else

Harry = given to fly 

Jay = night swimming

Jody = tiny dancer

Joe = carmina burana (you know which version as well)
Karlyn = je t'aime je t'aimerais
Karter = tubthumping

Kate = jane says

Lindsay = vocalise
P'Oode = how deep is your love

Paul = fight test

I wish I was a great artist and could paint or draw for you the memory/image/mood each of these songs makes me feel for you when I hear it. You'll just have to trust me - these, for me, are happy memories indeed. 

color therapy - blue

My photographs of blue images are mostly of water and the sky. Perhaps it's blue's affiliation with these two endless bodies of being, that make blue considered such a calming color. Here are a few shots I took of mostly blue images. I hope they bring you a feeling of serenity as they do for me.

a close up of one of Monet's
huge waterlily depictions,
Paris

calming shades of blue seen in the
water, mountains, clouds -
a gradient of muted blueness

a close-up of Chagall's
"The American Window"
at the Art Institute of Chicago,
royal blues at their best

warm, light turquoise water -
calling me in for a swim...

a colorful comparison

My two favorite cities in the world are Bangkok and Paris - both are places where not only do I never tire of visiting, I think I could live and thrive in each. Below are two photos I took - one from each city.  

The 1st photo is a close up of a pillar at Bangkok's Royal Palace. The 2nd shot is a photo of a stained glass window at the St. Chapelle in Paris. Despite the differences there is something that strikes me as similar between the two in a very abstract way. Take a look - isn't it a little remarkable how the color choices unite the two? Both are beautifully ornate. I think there is also something similar in appearance between the reflections the mirrors cast in the 1st photo and the lightness of the glass in the 2nd picture.   

quintessential Thai design

glass from the exquisite 
Gothic chapel,
dating from approximately 1240

Obviously the locales are a world apart from each other and the images above reflect unique styles and art from different time periods; however I think both are beautiful and that there is something amazing about the two that makes them quite aesthetically similar.

persimmon blanket - finished!

It's been a long time in the coming, but I finished the persimmon colored blanket I started just before Christmas. It's feels so great to have this project all wrapped up, and it feels even better to be wrapped up in this blanket's cozy warmth. Check out the post from January 4th for all of the details about the yarn.

the pattern is lacey 
yet substantial when used with this yarn

The pattern I used for this blanket is so easy & it's worked over any multiple of three. Once you have your stitches cast on it's simply: k1, *yarn over, k2together, slip on one as if to purl*.  Repeat and repeat from * to *. 

full view, just folded in half

a close up - 
I love the draping quality of
 this yarn when combined 
with this stitch

I really couldn't be happier with how the blanket turned out. I hope that we can look forward to many, many years of this blanket keeping us warm and toasty!