Sunday, March 3, 2013

looking back over last month's photographs
seeking a photo-heart connection

 it's hard to select just one

i love

the delicate curves of tree branches


trees, silhouetted against the late afternoon sky


tiny young trees
surrounded
by sturdy big trees 
that have learned to survive the harsh winters 
 

big skies and wide open spaces


and winter's late afternoon light
 

but finally, I choose
this one


a photograph taken at my favourite late afternoon time,
in one of my favourite places
in this city that I love

the strong dark branches of the trees 
contrasting with the pure white snow
silhouetted against the milky blue sky
and the weak light of the late afternoon sun

it's a quiet time
wide open space
no others around

i can be
alone 
as i explore
and breathe in
the beauty of this place


late last night
walking to my bedroom
ready to sleep

all of a sudden,
i felt an urge 
a need
to create

to take out my paints
and splash them around
wildly
with abandon

and so,
instead of ignoring the urge,
instead of postponing with excuses and tomorrows and indecision,

i did it

i took out my paints
chose colours
spontaneously
the ones that called to me
wanting to be used

i chose my subject
it came to me at once
spontaneously

the bird in the park
who sat on my hand to eat bread crumbs

and so i began
loosely,
wildly,
randomly,
freely,
spontaneously,
confidently

sketching, 
scribbling, 
scraping,
splattering, 
swirling


and when I finished,
i began another
a wintry landscape
painted from the heart



and then another
and more

until finally, 
joyfully,
the muse was satisfied
and so was i

and i was free
to go to bed

Tuesday, February 5, 2013


i left my new home
my chilly, wintry prairie home
the cold of winter,
the colours of winter
of snow
and tree trunks
and pale milky-blue skies

i went back to a previous home 
a desert home
the colours of the desert
of cactus
and mountains
and flowers
and dramatic skies
of brightly-coloured paint

the colours blend with
the textures of the desert
of adobe walls
and wrought-iron gates

when i come back home 
to my chilly wintry prairie home,
i will bring these colours
and textures
back with me    

Monday, January 21, 2013



in this moment, i
am walking in the park,
in the bitter cold of the prairie winter

swaddled in scarves and hat and gloves
and layers of sweaters and jeans

shivering
shoulders hunched against the wind
and blowing snow

beneath my boots
snow is squeaking, creaking

above my head
bare branches
birds
squirrels

in this moment
breathing in the beauty around me

i am warm

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

late last night
the quiet veil of night
was torn away




by the howling wind



scattering the falling snow



two people ventured out
into the frigid, snowy night
leaning into the force of the wind




and i watched
as the wind
created drifts 
and dunes of snow


and the blizzard
made its mark
on the wintry night

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

coming inside from the cold
the lens of the camera
quickly
fogs
softening the view
leaving only impressions
of ceilings
and corridors
and eerie lights 

back outside,
the fog persists,
creating impressions
hints of trees
and
shadows
blending into the mist



and fractured sunlight



rising up
to celebrate
the cold, crisp day 

Thursday, January 3, 2013



abstraction

blending
together
the
essence
of trees
of city nights
of picnic tables
of strings of lights
of people
of places

of love
of loss
of hopes
of dreams

memories