David Suzuki

David Suzuki, originally uploaded by susanvg.

I was privileged to hear David Suzuki speak at McGill. He was celebrating twenty years of the David Suzuki Foundation as well as launching his book: The Legacy as well as promoting the upcoming film, Force of Nature. Suzuki has been an outspoken environmentalist for decades. What I appreciate is not only does he expose the difficulties the planet faces due to man's negligence as caretakers of the Earth, but he offers solutions. We can all play a role in reversing some of the damage.

It is well worth visiting the Foundation site for pointers on the changes you can make. And then tell others.

Suzuki's CBC show, The Nature of Things has run for many years, elucidating science for all of us.

Brown Leaves

Brown Leaves, originally uploaded by susanvg.

Nature is putting on a show with splashes of colour on the trees in the city. Some wear bright yellows, oranges and reds. This one has turned from green to a rich brown. I wonder at the variety of colours that supplant the summer green. Why the variety? What purpose does it serve other than a feast for the eyes?

Wall

Wall, originally uploaded by susanvg.

Walls can keep people in, keep people out, provide security, hold back erosion... In a safe part of the world we don't think of walls as exclusionary. In other parts of the world walls can restrict freedom or create safety.

My frustration is with the virtual walls - with those many educational institutions that want to keep students behind a walled garden so that communication is restricted. Instead of teaching students to interact in positive ways, to develop the skills to be safe, they simply lock the door to global interactions. It's time to tear down those walls!

Autumn Flowers

Autumn Flowers, originally uploaded by susanvg.

I think you are born with the flower gene or not. I definitely was. I just feel better when I have flowers around. My house is full of orchids, cyclamen that reward me with their re-blooming. But I still crave more. In summer there is usually a succession of gladioli in a vase. As one bunch fades my purchases at the market always includes the next. These mums sit outside at the market now - hardy flowers which withstand the cooling evening temperatures. As my outdoor garden loses its lustre, I crave the indoor flowers even more. They just brighten my space, pick up my mood and bring a sense of sunshine into my home.

Daily shoot: Make a photograph that shows an interpretation of your favorite indulgence or guilty pleasure. (@PrimalPhil)

Symmetry - that is the question

Symmetry?, originally uploaded by susanvg.

Daily Shoot: Symmetry can be calm and soothing. Make a photo today featuring symmetry, either in subject or composition. (@logista)

We often think of things as symmetrical which are not really. The human face is a good example. Though we have the same number of features on each side, there are definite differences If both sides are identical the face actually looks odd. (I've created a couple of examples)

So my offering of symmetry is asymmetrical - same but different. I like bending the rules.

Come on in

Come on in, originally uploaded by susanvg.

I originally took this photograph because I liked all the lines, but a few things have got me thinking about gates. I like the fact that this one is open. A new building project has been approved on land that previously housed a junior college. This will be a gated community in the centre of the city. For Americans this may seem normal; it is unusual here in Montreal and it is a precedent I don't like.

There is too much of an attitude of self-protection, of closing off others instead of an attitude of inclusiveness and sharing. I am not advocating leaving doors unlocked, but there is a point when barriers become self-imposed prisons where trust has vanished and is replaced by suspicion. This open gate does not say enter, but it does not give the feeling of exclusion, of "me vs the others." It is too easy to depersonalize "others" when you give yourself no opportunity to interact and put a face to who they might be. We need to open the metaphorical gates, reach out and learn from each other.

Determination

Determination, originally uploaded by susanvg.

Sometimes I wonder why we call some things weeds. Many of them flower and they certainly are persistent, growing in cracks and crevasses. My garden is a mix of planted and uninvited growth. As long as they flower, I usually don't disturb the interlopers. I'm always amazed at their tenacity and willingness to grow anywhere.