This is what our neck of the woods looks like. Autumn still.
Snow or no snow, a gal’s gotta eat.
Evening meal
And at the creek…
Who’s afraid of a little snow?
This Chickadee flew right to me, ‘Welcome to my hood!’
“Fall or winter, what does it matter?”
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Saturday Snapshot is hosted by Melinda at West Metro Mommy Reads. CLICK HERE to see what others have posted.
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Blue is the most cool color for a photo background. Note: not the ‘coolest’ like in temperature, but just real cool as in awesome. We in southern Alberta are blessed with a clear, blue sky most of the time. Here are some photos I’ve taken in the past weeks. No color alteration have been done on them.
On a clear day, you can see the Rockies… like a mirage:
Different shades of blue:
The sparrows on the roof enjoy the cloudless blue too:
Crab apples look more colorful:
So’s the Northern Flicker:
and the Pelican, more startling white:
We can even live with the snow when the sky is so blue:
Words on the frame of front door: “gud er kaerlighed” (Danish)… “God is Love”.
Which blue is most cool for you?
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Saturday Snapshot is hosted by Melinda of West Metro Mommy Reads. CLICK HERE to see what others have posted.
All photos on this post taken by Arti of Ripple Effects, 2013. Please do not copy or reblog.
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We don’t have the colorful foliage which many of you are privileged to behold, but Beauty dwells within our woods too:
Especially in the evening sun:
The woods are lovely, dark and deep:
But for these inhabitants, it’s time to eat:
And for some others, miles to go before they sleep:
and miles to go before they sleep:
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Saturday Snapshot is hosted by Melinda at West Metro Mommy Reads. CLICK HERE to see what others have posted.
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All photos in this post taken by Arti of Ripple Effects, Fall 2013.
Please do not copy or reblog
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I’ll wrap up my mini-series on Wabi-sabi with these photos. Yes, I’m saving the best for last.
By this flood-damaged bridge:
I came across a rare sighting, for me anyway. For those of you who live near the coast, a Pelican may be as common as a Sparrow, but for me who call the Rockies home, spotting one in our neck of the woods is exhilarating:
I quickly followed her with my camera from afar. Against a backdrop of debris and damaged bank, she performed a few dance moves for me:
After that, she turned around and swam quietly into the mythical scenery:
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I went back a few days later and was gratified some more by these two Cedar Waxwings, chatting away in the afternoon sun, oblivious to the damaged landscape:
quietly enjoying each other’s company:
but best of all, looking out together:
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Saturday Snapshot is hosted by Melinda of West Metro Mommy Reads. CLICK HERE to see what others have posted.
Previous posts:
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All photos taken by Arti of Ripple Effects, August, 2013.
DO NOT COPY OR REBLOG.
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The June flood in Southern Alberta has turned out to be the costliest natural disaster in Canadian history according to the Insurance Bureau of Canada.
To continue with the Wabi-Sabi idea, here is another set of photos. Again, in the midst of ruins, weeks after the flood, I took in these sights…
Along the debris-filled, muddy shore of the river:
A sandpiper lightly skimmed over:
then took flight:
A butterfly playing in the sand:
another resting on the rocks:
Some creative souls had even left impromptu monuments:
A tribute to quiet beauty among torrents of destruction.
Wabi-sabi… beauty in ruins.
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Saturday Snapshot is hosted by Melinda at West Metro Mommy Reads. CLICK HERE to see what others have posted.
and Wabi-sabi (3)
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All photos on this post taken by Arti of Ripple Effects,
August, 2013. Do not copy or reblog.
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… well almost, since I took these photos on August 19, one day before the actual blue moon appearing. But I was awe-struck just the same. Knowing nothing about the astronomical phases at that time except simply captivated by the beauty of the rising moon while birding, I took these photos.
Not until the next night did I learn about the Blue Moon, elated that I had caught the moonrise serendipitously the day before. Here’s a shortened sequence:
Once in a blue moon, I can get the date right. But I’m happy just the same to have hit it a day early out of the blue. Why, the next night was cloudy. So this is a blue moon for me.
All photos on this post taken by Arti of Ripple Effects.
Please DO NOT COPY OR REBLOG.
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Saturday Snapshot is hosted by Melinda of West Metro Mommy Reads. Click here to see what others have posted.
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To put in very simple terms, the Japanese concept of Wabi-Sabi refers to finding beauty in the withered, aging, destroyed, juxtaposing beauty and sadness.
This notion came to me in the past few days as I surveyed the ruins of the devastating flood now almost two months later. Landscapes had been altered, what once were the healthy homes of birds now destroyed. And yet, from the fallen, a sense of beauty arose.
Here are some photos I took yesterday of the area where I once saw the Merganser family. Remember those baby Mergansers wearing masks heading to the masquerade party?
This is the exact spot where I spotted them before the flood:
Wooded area now flattened:
Altered landscape:
Debris wrapped around tree like an armour of quiet resilience:
Wounded spirit:
Withered, but with colour:
Broken, but with character:
Most important of all… life shooting out from the ruins:
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More Wabi-sabi’s to come in upcoming Saturday Snapshot, hosted by West Metro Mommy Reads. Click to see what others have posted.
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All photos taken by Arti of Ripple Effects, please do not copy or reblog.
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For Saturday Snapshot July 20, I present the following sequence of events:
One beaver busy rebuilding after the flood:
Spotted by another beaver which then quickly made his move:
The following sequence needs no captions:
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And what happens when two juvenile Robins meet?
Sibling rivalry.
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Saturday Snapshot is hosted by Melinda of West Metro Mommy Reads. CLICK HERE to see what others have posted.
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** You’re most welcome to browse and throw in your two pebbles, make some ripples or make a splash. But PLEASE DO NOT REBLOG OR COPY **
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A few weeks before the worst flooding in our City’s history, I saw these baby Mergansers having a great time by the Bow River with their Mom. Where were they when the flood came? And where are they now?
Here, let me get closer for you to hear what they were saying that one fine day…
“Ok, our goggles on, we’re ready.”
“Let’s get going.”
“Hey you with the camera… what are you looking at? Don’t you know she’s a tough act to follow?”
“Ok kids, do as I do. I dive, you dive.”
“I skim, you skim.”
Hope they’re still skimming and diving in some clear, calm water.
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The following photo was taken just a few days ago. Somebody had the good sense to lighten up in the aftermath of the disaster. I shot this looking down from a high bridge onto the muddy bank of the Elbow River . At first I had trouble spotting exactly what we were supposed to be happy about. But later, my heart lifted as I silently thanked the anonymous rock gatherer(s). Yes, to all:
HAPPY SUMMER!
And the well wishes extend to all those Down Under as well… a safe and happy winter!
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Saturday Snapshot is hosted by West Metro Mommy Reads. CLICK HERE to see what others have posted.
RELATED POSTS:
Saturday Snapshot July 6: After the Flood
Saturday Snapshot June 22: The Two Faces of a River
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** You’re most welcome to browse and throw in your two pebbles, make some ripples or make a splash. But PLEASE DO NOT REBLOG OR COPY **
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What happened to the birds during the flood, I can’t say. But after the most serious flooding had passed, these were some of the sights.
Downtown view one day after the heaviest rain:
The Glenmore Reservoir, two days after. Yes, that’s where our drinking water comes from. The heavy silts in the water made a peculiar sunset scene. You can see the muddy water in the foreground:
Due to flooding, the Weaselhead Natural Area was closed for some time. Two weeks after, I went to survey the aftermath:
From the mud on this bench, you can see how high the water came up to:
Among the rubbles of dead trees and debris, what I found amazed me. Do you see what I see? Look, right in the middle:
Not just one or two, but half a dozen Cedar Waxwings frolicking among the ruins:
Absolute serenity:
A closer look at the beautiful silky plumage:
Not just the Waxwings, hoards of Cliff Swallows joined in the natural chorus. But they were too fast for me to capture on camera. I could manage just a few shots. In most of the photos they came out too small and blurry:
Lots of Wild Roses among muddy leaves. See the bud?
Berries too, red defying brown:
And this little guy came out to greet me on the flood-swept path now dried:
As I was leaving the area, a Small Blue butterfly ensured me…
Life goes on.
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Saturday Snapshot is hosted by Melinda of West Metro Mommy Reads. CLICK HERE to see what others have posted.
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Household items, children’s toys, swing sets, and the roof of a house should not be flowing down a river. And yet they did. It was painful to watch, even just from a TV screen. You probably have heard about it on social media and in the news, the unprecedented flooding of Southern Alberta, and right here in the City of Calgary.
Record rainfall downstream from the Mountains gathered forces into torrents so fast and furious that caught many off guard. In just a matter of hours, 26 communities in the City had to evacuate, that’s 100,000 people leaving their homes, some had to be rescued by emergency responders in boats. In other towns, many had to be plucked from the rooftop by helicopters.
No I don’t have snapshots of the devastation. Yesterday, I was tense but relieved I didn’t have to evacuate. I was in no mood to head out and snap photos, however rare and newsworthy they could have been. I didn’t want to add any more sensationalism to a dire reality.
The two faces of our rivers. I’ve been birding close to The Bow all this time, knowing it is the lifeline, home and playground for many species of shorebirds. But yesterday, I saw its ferocious side.
For my Saturday Snapshot, I’d like to remember its calm and peaceful face. These photos were taken three weeks ago by The Bow River.
Baby Mergansers’ Day Out with Mom:
This Canada Goose family had also come out in that beautiful afternoon:
This is the face of the river I like to remember:
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Saturday Snapshot is hosted by Melinda of West Metro Mommy Reads. CLICK HERE to see what others have posted.
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Here I go again, the annual Book Sale at Crossroad Market, organized by the Servants Anonymous Society. It’s a worthy cause, therefore, guilt-free looting of good condition used books, over a million of them donated by citizens like me. But I must say, I haul back more than I donate over the years, for many of them I plan to keep.
Compared to the last few years, I’m a bit more restrained this time. Here are some of my loot, all trade paperbacks for just $2 each:
Saplings by Noel Streatfeild — I picked it up right away as soon as I saw the grey, minimalist book cover. Delighted to find inside is beautifully designed. Look at the photo I shot on the left. You can see both the dust cover and the inside of the book cover. This is my first Persephone Book, publisher of neglected women writers. I’ve not heard of the title or the author, but trust the London publisher’s choice, and glad to find it in such a mint condition at a used book sale, I quickly grabbed it.
Parade’s End by Ford Madox Ford — Truth be told, I’d never heard of FMF until I read Hemingway’s A Moveable Feast a couple of years ago. What a name. The only one I can think of along that line is… William Carlos Williams. Anyway, BBC’s adaptation of Parade’s End as a TV mini-series has added another name to my list of favorite actors: Benedict Cumberbatch (Again, ‘what a name.’) In these dry months in between seasons of Downton Abbey, Parade’s End makes one satisfying treat.
Villette by Charlotte Bronte — Here’s another reason for buying a book because of the publisher. I’m a collector of The Modern Library Classics. So finding this in the Classics section in the book sale was a pleasant surprise. A. S. Byatt offers her views in the intro. Other than Jane Eyre, I’ve not read anything else from Charlotte Bronte. Have you read this?
The Matisse Stories by A. S. Byatt — Three stories about three art works by Matisse. A beautiful little book. This from Goodread’s description: “These three stories celebrate the eye even as they reveal its unexpected proximity to the heart… the intimate connection between seeing and feeling…” My kind of stories.
City of God by E. L. Doctorow — Some years ago, The New York Times called the film adaptations of Doctorow’s works ‘expensive failures’. Reason: his novels are ‘too cerebral’, ‘too lyrical’, ‘too writerly’ to be transposed into cinematic images. Got it. Whenever I’ve the time and in the mood for some cerebral challenges, I know what book to pick up. After all, I’ve long wanted to read Doctorow. The subject matter of City of God just may arouse interest to help me through the thickets of Biblical proportion.
Becoming George Sand by Rosalind Brackenbury — George Sand I’ve heard of, Frédéric Chopin’s lover, one of those female writers who had to adopt a male pseudonym in 19th C. society. The interesting part is the modern parallel of the story of a female French professor in Edinburgh. Author Brackenbury (due to my ignorance I’ve not heard of) graduated from Cambridge University (which I’ve heard of) and now Fellow of Creative Writing at the College of William and Mary (that good name I’ve also heard of) in Williamsburg, VA. Enticing enough.
The Hero’s Walk and Tell It To The Trees by Anita Rau Badami — A look at the book cover of Tell It to the Trees helps me get the idea… The Indian diaspora in cold, wintry Canada, and for that I find a linkage. Not that I’m from India, but close enough. I’m sure Anita Rau Badami has a lot more to tell than adjusting to the climate. Born in India, now living in Montreal, Rau Badami has in recent years emerged as a clear voice in Canada’s literary landscape.
Movie Love: Complete Reviews 1988-1991 by Pauline Kael — Roger Ebert in his memoir Life Itself acknowledged Pauline Kael (1919-2001) as his mentor and major influence. While Ebert got a Pulitzer for his movie criticism, Kael got a National Book Award. She had been praised for re-inventing the form and aesthetics of the genre of film critiques. Along with a dearth of female literary voices in film criticism like Susan Sontag (1933-2004), seems like such a species had become extinct nowadays. All the more to appreciate ‘a classic’.
Wonderful Town: New York Stories from The New Yorker, edited by David Remnick — A Modern Library edition compiling over forty short stories published in The New Yorker before 2000, since that’s the pub. date. Reading the Table of Content is like reading the Who’s Who of 20th C. literary scene… John Cheever, Irwin Shaw, Philip Roth, Jonathan Franzen, James Thurber, John Updike, Vladimir Nabokov, Jamaica Kincaid, J. D. Salinger, Isaac Bashevis Singer, Susan Sontag, Woody Allen, Jeffrey Eugenides, Bernard Malamud, E. B. White… just to name a few. Woody Allen? You gasped. But, why are you surprised?
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I’m a keeper of lists. If you’re interested, here are my loots from previous years:
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Ripple Effects 