Can’t deny it’s winter!

But I can try!
2 weeks ago I was raking and bundling the leaves from these trees in 60 degrees F and thinking what a wonderful fall it was…NOW, we have this, and 4 more inches on top.  Two days ago it was –20 Celsius ( or –4 F!)….talk about a quick change!  Now we are skiing again!

                                                      
                                        

Now that I’m looking 4 months of winter in the face, I just want to post a few last glorious photos of autumn in all its intensity – it’s really that I’ll be missing the color!  I suppose I’ll just have to make do with the boxes of color in my studio between skiing expeditions.  Here are a few shots from our last fall walk in Gatineau Park…


                                      


They’ve mowed the fields to make them ready to become cross country ski trails – the mountain bike trails will be smaller classic ski trails.

                                     


Across the flat and up the slopes…
                   

                                       


Glorious color and shadow everywhere

                                              


 Stopping to look at stuff…sometimes it’s hard to move forward!

                                             

Fern and bark

                                       
                                               


Something dried and wonderful and wintery…not sure what the plant is though

                                                         

In the middle of the forest with long afternoon shadows…




                                                                        


Bad long shot, it was as close as I could get…nevertheless, I like the bad horror movie intensity of this photo!


                                                  

Framed…


                        


A doe and her two clunky fauns…closest I’ve ever been..

                                                                         
                                              

And suddenly, we were too much for them…understandably!

               

And here’s my last burst of color for the winter….I’ll have to enjoy a subtler palette for a few months. 

Back soon with some new work!

Ruby and lush green macro

I’m jumping in for a quick word before the holidays swallow us all up – in a good way, of course.  I took these pictures in the summer and found them again while cleaning up my photos.  Just fooling around with macro shots in the kitchen…it struck me that they are Christmas colours, well, sort of!  Close enough and just full of wonderful detail.  My afternoon glass of cranberry juice never looked so rich!

                                                       
                                                 

                                     

                                             


      Translucent ruby veils of colour… followed by the cut up Spring onions on the board to be tossed into the Jerk Pork Tenderloin marinade! (One of our favourite meals…)

                
                   


                           


Hmm, some polymer connections too, which is probably why I whipped out the camera in the first place.  I recall ,too, solemnly chopping up garlic cloves and admiring the wonderful shapes of the cross-sectioned garlic.  Can’t seem to find the pictures so maybe I just went ahead and cooked them!

Happy meals with your families!  Happy holidays if I don’t get back before Christmas!

New Year.....Resolve?

Since it is January and I've been surrounded by movement and large changes for six weeks, I've had many occasions (while being away from this computer and the work I love to do..) to ponder the word resolve.  A word with many subtle variations of meaning, I do find.  I'm going slowly with picking up the strings in the new year, and there seem to be many of them hanging loose, some requiring massive repairs and others dangling in front of me pointing in different exciting directions.  To the point where I have been overwhelmed.  But...a small creative task per day slipped in with the others that must be done is the right path.

Since I am surrounded by music every day (both kids play in various groups and orchestras, bassoon and violin) I took particular note of the musical meaning of resolve:
      
'to progress from a dissonance to a consonance.'

Dissonance:  A simultaneous combination of tones conventionally accepted as being in a state of unrest and needing completion.  Incongruous, lacking harmony of parts.

Consonance:  a simultaneous combination of tones conventionally accepted as being in a state of repose.  Accord, agreement, harmony.

 

I want to progress from one state to the other - knowing full well that in life, as in music, it is a continuous process.  After all, that's what makes the tension and contrast in life and keeps it interesting!  But oh, I could use some completion...and harmony!

Practically speaking,in my home life and creative life this means:  Make sure the family has what it needs. Take one half hour each morning to consider.....(a big one that) Take small steps, each one completed before the next one is started.  Write down the process,  so things may be repeated.  Get sleep and take care of myself.  Less computer time.

Sorry to be away so long, it's been a long haul.  Can't leave without pictures...

 

 

 

 

 

The Archambault sculpture garden

'The Family'    ( with Parliament Hill in the background across the Ottawa River )

In the three years that we've lived here in the National Capital region ( Ottawa/Gatineau) one of the great joys has been to re-discover the joys of living in a city with many fantastic museums.  Our family has a joint membership to the Canadian Museum of Civilization and the Canadian War Museum.  Both are fabulous - and the membership gives us free access to the special shows at the Museum of Civilization - most recently, a show about design in Japan.  The War Museum also has special shows, most recently, War and Medicine, which was grisly but fascinating.  There is also a  permanent exhibit at the Museum of Civilization which has become very dear to me.  Part of my everyday life, you might say....

This region is also known for its amazing bike paths (not beside/on main roads, although there are bike lanes there too..) which wind for hundreds of kilometers through park land with 2 perfectly paved lanes.  Great for going fast, although the  speed limit is 20 kph!  In trying to keep healthy this past summer, I devised a circle starting and ending at my house of 20 kilometers which took me down to the Ottawa river, along the river front past the Museum of Civilization and then returning home.  (All downhill to the river and all slogging home...)  And another big reason for this route was so that I could stop and have a drink of water at the Archambault sculpture garden, look at the river and the endless people flowing by, and finally to stare at these wonderful sculptures.

the view of the the whole, nestled between 2 wings of the Museum.

The sculptor Louis Archambault was originally commissioned to make this grouping for Expo 67  in Montreal, and they were enjoyed by millions of people who visited this fantastic event that was held to celebrate Canada's 100th birthday (1867-1967). This could account for why I find these figures to be so comforting and familiar.  I visited Expo 67 with my family for 2 weeks that summer - I was 10.  It made a huge impression on me.  After seeing this fair, I believed I knew what the future held for Canada, the world ( and probably me personally...) - all was fun, invention, joy and optimism.  Ah, the future beckoned in the most seductive way in the 60ties and all was considered possible!  Do young people feel that way now?  I'm not so sure that their hope has not been erased by cynicism about almost everything.  But I hope some do feel as full of possibilites as I did that summer so long ago.

'Pregnant woman' with 'Poet' in the backgound

'The Poet'

'The Moon'

'The  Philosopher'  ( with the federal government intruding again at the side...)

Three children (with a view of the fabulous curvy shape of the the Museum)

'The Angel' with the one whose name escapes me....(behind)

'The Sun'

 Just looking at these shapes clears my head and helps me find new ideas.  Of course, this is seriously helped by the effort/exercise involved in riding my bike.  New beads down the line, I'm sure, once they have percolated through my thought process.  Could take months.....

Do visit this gem if you are ever in Ottawa...but remember, you have to cross the river to Quebec to see it!

'The family', detail of top