More Spring Colours

Blossom time - the air is slightly scented.

Every shade of pink can be seen from dark to very pale.



The leaves are a spring green - that bright new looks.



No more winter white nor skeletal trees - the boughs are heavy with spring splendour.



Soon the delicate lace of leaves will be filled in. The greens will darken - an antidote to the coming hot summer days.

Etched on the Evening Sky

Looking like skeletons, the bare trees reach towards the evening sky. Their flaws are bared - wounds from ice storms and winds. They are strong and resilient.



They feel the stirrings of spring as the temperatures slowly heat up and the days get steadily longer.  They answer to the rhythm of the seasons.

Wedding White

The city is dressed as if for a wedding
Dabs of fluffy white icing
Decorate the branches




Each tree is dressed in its finery

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Did Cinderella pass this way,
 Losing her slipper as she left the ball.
I saw no sign of the prince
Perhaps he danced off with another



Meanwhile these bushes huddle
Half dressed in rough burlap
Half in their winter coats of snow.

The city is transformed into a land of fantasy.

Snowy Day

Snowy Day, a photo by susanvg on Flickr.

Winter is really here. Today it started out sunny and I will admit to loving the winter blue skies and the clean snow (that is until it turns city brown and grey). The biggest issues are foggy glasses and the need to turn your whole body to check traffic as hoods make it impossible to just turn your head. The temperatures have tempered somewhat and walking was pleasant. The sun didn't last long. More snow to come.

Forsythia

Forsythia, a photo by susanvg on Flickr.

Photos: May 3, 2013

Spring is truly wondrous. Each day the changes are visible, with leaves popping out where the day before there were just bare branches. It has been a warm week with temperatures over 20C (68F) and growth is rapid.



The trees are covered with the first lacy growth. It won't be long before the leaves are full. Colours change from the bright greens to a deeper shade as the leaves settle in for the season.



The shadows cast grow thicker providing coolness. Our spring is short as we quickly jump into some weeks of summer-like temperatures. People quickly pull out shorts and sandals and the outdoor cafes are full. Winter is long and we know how to take advantage of these warm, sunny days.

Fall Fantasy

Fall reveals its seasonal splendour dressing the trees in fiery clothes.

Leafy carpets cover the grass, redecorating the landscape.



Trees compete to show off their fashion finery.



Cold rainy nights make the trees shiver and slowly drop their their leaves, revealing their woody skeletons.

Autumn splendour is ever-changing, a last fancy festivity before the long winter rest.

March 20 and the trees are budding

March 20 and the trees are budding, a photo by susanvg on Flickr.

It's eerie how spring has taken hold so early. Temperatures this week have been more like early summer than late winter. Temperature records have been shattered. The trees are taking advantage of the warmth to open up their buds.

It's bizarre to see people in shorts and tshirts, some in sandals in March. Usually there is still snow on the ground and while daytime temperatures are above freezing, nights are usually below. Average daytime temperature for yesterday was 4C (about 9F) Yesterday it was 24C (about 75F). Climate change? I just read an article about the dates trees bloom here. the trend over the past 15 years has been a shift of two weeks earlier than in the past. I don't know how people can still say climate change isn't happening.

It's Starting

It's Starting, originally uploaded by susanvg.

Some trees are wearing cloaks of delicate pale green lace. No longer bare, they begin to put on this spring-time splendour. Each day their branches sprout more as lace turns to a thicker woven canopy.

Snowy Gate

Snowy Gate, originally uploaded by susanvg.

A weekend with every kind of weather. Snow decorated this gate while other objects were coated in ice.


It looks pretty, but the ice weighs heavy on the branches. Snow and wind compound the problem. Falling branches caused sporadic power outages - including at the restaurant where we had breakfast.

By evening the tree branches were bending low.



And Sunday morning's snow and wind whipped the branches around. Walking, driving - all challenges.
You may have to look carefully to see the buildings behind these trees.

The Cross on Mount Royal

The Cross on Mount Royal, originally uploaded by susanvg.

Photo: February 26

A landmark in Montreal is the cross on Mount Royal. At night it is lit up. It commemorates the cross the Jacques Cartier was said to have erected when he first came to Montreal Island. Here it just seems to be part of the forest.

As I have written before, Montreal was once a very Catholic city and churches and religious symbols were everywhere. The province is now quite secular and Montreal, in particular is quite pluralistic. These religious remnants of the past remain entrenched. I don't like to erase history, so I don't mind this structure. I am more uncomfortable with crosses that remain in public buildings including the National Assembly as well as in many non-denominational schools.

Early Morning Frost

Early Morning Frost, originally uploaded by susanvg.

I woke up to a world painted white. Frost covered the trees; lacy branches tangled like a tatted doily. It was hard to keep my eyes on my work as the sun started to play on the snow. Despite the cold, I threw open the windows to snap photos, always looking for the quintessential shot of winter. Sun, breezes repainted the landscape; by afternoon the frost and snow disappeared from the branches. But winter has taken hold and the ground stays covered. This afternoon's solstice heralds the official start of winter but here we greeted the wintry weather weeks ago.

Winter Sky

Winter Sky, originally uploaded by susanvg.

Winter skies add colour to an otherwise colourless landscape. The ground is covered in white. Trees are reduced to dark silhouettes. The lack of leaves opens up the sky which shifts in hues as the sun begins to set. Eyes gaze up, catching the last of the light before the long dark night.

Watching the Birds

Watching the Birds, originally uploaded by susanvg.

I was at a friend's to play music and she has a well used bird feeder. I delighted in watching the chickadees and others swoop down and fill up. Her bird feeder also attracts others - big, fat, black squirrels. It was fun to watch one in particular who climbed up a bush, the branch swaying like a hammock. He positioned himself so that he could reach over with his front paws, grab a snack, and then return completely to his branch. Each time he reached, his hind quarters went up as the weight on the branch decreased. Once his weight was back he bobbed up and down as he consumed his prize. It seemed to work for him until one back paw lost its grip. Then the acrobatics began as he maneuvered to get a better grip and finally got all four paws on the feeder. Every so often, my friend sends out the squirrel patrol - her very friendly dog, Schubert. The squirrel (at least temporarily) left the feeder to the birds. I wonder if he knew he had been the source of great amusement.

Snowy Trees

Snowy Trees, originally uploaded by susanvg.

The holiday decorations I like the best are those that Mother Nature adds. The snow on the trees brightens up the city. The frost on the windows - a magical garden is revealed. The sun adds diamonds to the snowy landscape. November is dreary with its greyness. Once the snow appears there is a sparkle adding brightness to the city.

Reindeer

Reindeer, originally uploaded by susanvg.

These whimsical reindeer stand guard near the many evergreens for sale as Christmas trees. I like the way they are made of bits of wood - not finely crafted - just natural. Last year I featured a caroller fashioned in the same ilk.

The market has been transformed into its winter style. The only outdoor stalls are these tree sellers. A protective structure has enclosed some of the outdoor kiosks so they are now indoors. The market feels cosier - and the always friendly atmosphere prevails.

Fairy Lights

Fairy Lights, originally uploaded by susanvg.

Not my best shot - I should have used a tripod, but I was passing these in my car. - yes I parked before taking this photo.
We are heading into the darkest part of the year, with the shortest day being less than a month away. Lights are appearing all over the city. They used to be "Christmas lights" which would appear in December and be gone some time in January. Now they seem to appear earlier and last most of the winter. I like the British term - fairy lights. It makes them appropriate for any season. In many countries, December is a time for festivals and holidays for which light - whether candles, oil lamps, stars... is a symbol of the holiday. It certainly brightens the season, making long dark nights sparkle.

Trees are Bare

Trees are Bare, originally uploaded by susanvg.

I've been thinking about my experience with photography and photographs in general.
From The Winter Vault by Anne Michaels "...when we take a photograph - we're looking at only a few things, half a dozen or even a dozen - and yet the photo records everything in our frame of vision. And it's those thousand other details that anchor us far below what we consciously see."
Interesting that in this photo I am there in shadow form - watching. I do find in looking at photos after taking them that I see things I did not know were there (e.g. my shadow) and find ideas to think about that were not the original intention for the capture. Photography brings those things into focus.

Then there is the issue of memory. The photos sometimes become our memories. Each time we view them it reinforces that moment, that image of the event. The things not photographed lose intensity compared to those we revisit through these images. Does this distort our memories? making moments more important than others out of proportion to the experience?

I also look at photo as memory in another way - as a marker of little events. When did it first snow last year? When did the first flowers appear? I find myself looking back at the historical record. With photography we have all become social historians whether capturing events, daily life or just the change of seasons. There will be lots of fodder for future PhDs as they sift through the mountain of material we all produce and share. I wonder whose PhD will be based on the notion of 365 photos shared with others.

So photos let us see, before, during and after the photo is taken. Just a few thoughts I've been mulling over.

Mar 15/10: Trees

Mar 15/10: Trees, originally uploaded by susanvg.

This walkway stretches along de la Commune in Old Montreal. When I walk here, I am reminded of Paris, with its wide open sidewalks and sandy paths beside parks. In summer the trees provide shade and a cool oasis, a place to sit and watch the comings and goings in the old port area. This stretch is farther from the main tourist area; it is more tranquil and welcoming.

Feb 4/10: It has landed

Feb 4/10: It has landed, originally uploaded by susanvg.

Daily Shoot: Contrasting ideas engage the mind. Make a photo today that tells a story with contrasting elements

This was a quick drive by - shot at a red light. The rocket, a climbing frame looked so incongruous beside the trees. The trees reach for the sky far better than this rocket ever will. Both are stripped bare, skeletons of themselves.

Day 316: Silhouettes

Day 316: Silhouettes, originally uploaded by susanvg.

Once leafy trees are now stripped bare.
Their branches etch lines into the sky.
From each limb grow more limbs
Like ever thinner fingers
There is grace in these skeletons
That dance in the wind
Perhaps they feel free
Unencumbered by leafy clothes