Orchids Orchids Orchids

I have a number of orchids. I have posted photographs a number of times. But at the moment I have seven blooming and an eighth has put out a shoot. I think this is a record for me! The one pictured above is blooming for the first time in over three years. It came to me when my very dear cousin passed away at 95. I put the orchids that are not flowering on tables near the windows. I water them and eventually they reward me with a surprise.



On grey days my indoor garden is a great antidote to the dreariness outside.



Orchids teach mindfulness. Their intricacy demands taking time to examine, to be in the moment, to enjoy and wonder at their form and beauty.



From the patterns on their leaves, to the central parts involved in pollination the details are intricate.



I'll let the rest of my collection speak for itself.



Stop a while and enjoy.

Stillness

There is a stillness that happens when snow falls. Sound is muffled. I found myself driving slowly to take in the beauty. I wished I could stop more as each tree seemed to be more photogenic than the last, but there was nowhere to pull over.

All has turned to shades of grey - a monotone palette. So many grey days in a row.

For now the grime of a city is covered up with the clean new-fallen snow. The trees seem to embrace their winter whites.

Grey Day

Our up and down winter brought a misty rain and fog. Everything seemed to be grey.



Parts of the landscape disappeared in a haze.



Just a few minutes parked and my car window was dotted with drops.



Drops hung like pearls on branches.



Like amber, they capture the branches around them. Beauty can be found even on the greyest of days.

Lines

It has been a week of art. I saw the film Herb and Dorothy about the Vogels who collected art in the 1960s and beyond. They collected mainly minimalist and conceptual art, two styles I have difficulty relating to. It was a fascinating film both about their passion for art, their totally non mercenary reasons for collecting and about their devotion to each other.

I also went to the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts to see an exhibit of photography by Robert Mapplethorpe - quite a change from the art the Vogels collected. I liked parts of the exhibit but not all. His flower photographs were quite amazing as were his portraits. He had such a command over lighting and his camera.

I enjoyed finding these lines and swirls as I toured the museum. Is art in the eyes of the beholder?

Winter

Ah - back to just blogging when I feel like it, when the spirit moves me. This blog is not dead - I just need breathing space. Time to notice and not feel driven. I loved the winter light. Although this person is probably looking at her phone, I imagined sitting and reading. It wasn't quite warm enough to sit for long, but I liked the idea of being so hooked on a book that even a few minutes to read just a couple of pages could justify sitting in the cold. Stolen moments of pleasure.



Winter provides such moments of beauty. While it is a challenging season, it is also glorious. Trees wearing their snowy finery... and those moments when the sun lights it all up. While freezing rain can strike terror in a walker, the spectacle of the sun on ice coated branches turns everything into a scene from a fairy tale. I've learned to dress for the cold and to go out and enjoy it. Yes there are days when the weather feels daunting, but there are so many days that provide unparalleled beauty.

Looking Ahead

Photo: December 31, 2016

I would like to dedicate this year of blogging to Allanah King who challenged me to participate in "a photo a day" for 2016. It has been a challenging year for her and I have followed her photos through which she shared her trials and tribulations as well as her ever positive outlook. So to Alanna - I wish you the best of health and a happy 2017. But no 365 this year!

New Year's Eve is a night traditionally associated with resolutions. I prefer to think in terms of goals. Resolutions seem so all or nothing - you succeed or fail to keep them. A goal is meant to be revisited, tweaked - it is a journey which can have detours, ups and downs and even once reached is only a reason to set a new goal.

So I continue on my journey with the goals of

• keep working at healthy eating
• play more music
• walk or exercise daily
• make time for friends
• make time for photography and writing (but not a daily assignment!)
• And take time - to be in the moment

Can I say I have kept resolutions over the years? No. But if I look over the years, I have certainly moved on my way to attaining goals.

Looking Back

Photo: December 30, 2016

The year is coming to a close - a time for looking back for reflecting.

Some highlights of the year

• the many occasions to play music with others
• the many concerts I attended - music feeds the soul
• travelling to Newfoundland
• enjoying each season and the beauty each offers
• travelling to Waswanipi
• study groups at MCLL
• stopping in the moment as I focus through my camera lens
• friendship
• walking - you notice so much more at that pace
• connecting with #CLMOOC

And following through - 365 days covered - one more to go. It feels good to complete a task I set for myself.