Ways of Expression

Everyone has their own ways of expression. I believe we all have a lot to say, but finding ways to say it is more than half the battle.

~ Criss Jami

I'm tying in a bit of miscellany here. Some of this post is about creativity and some about nature. The photos are from September through November.

Back in September, Peterborough Artsweek was in full swing. That meant that we could take day tours of artists' studios all around the city and surrounding area. We could enjoy a guided nighttime tour to various downtown storefronts where local artists displayed their work. And we could wander around designated areas in town and hear live music. All for free.

On this day, I had been heading toward home from touring some of the studios with my friend, Susan when I got a text from my dear friend, Carol Anne suggesting that we wander around her part of town where Porchapalooza was taking place. This meant that everyone gathered on and around the front lawn of a designated home where they'd be entertained by various performers. As each set was done, the audience would move on to another porch, where chairs were set up for a different performance. Susan had things to do, so I was on my own.

I was a bit late to the event but caught this one local artist - Evangeline Gentle. Her music was folksy, vulnerable and very impressive. She is the recipient of Peterborough's Folk Festival's 2015 Emerging Artist Award. She defines her songs as expressing "my queer bleeding heart," and I very much enjoyed her music.






The day was cooling down and it was going to be some time between her porch performance and the next, so I decided to wander back up to where I was parked to grab some warmer clothes. I saw a small cluster of sunflowers along the way.

From somewhere nearby, I could hear music and laughter. I followed the sound over to the Ashburnham Ale House where The Three Martinis were performing their jovial musical improv.


The lead singer was this guy, Dan Fewings and I'm not sure I can express how hilarious and entertaining he was. He made songs up on the spot based on audience suggestions for "never before written songs." I snapped a few photos and discovered that in some of them, Carol Anne and Michael were visible in the background enjoying his humour while trying to get my attention. I joined them for the next hour or two of pure fun.



 


Fewings had a way of engaging the audience and passersby alike - making their very presence and activities part of the song lyrics. This tiny dancer was as entertaining as he was amused. I would most definitely see The Three Martinis again if I had the chance. Each show would be entirely different because the lyrics are made up on the spot and incredibly funny, to boot!






The Pathway of Fame is a series of markers for recognized contributors (artistic, scientific, political.. etc.) to Peterborough, such as this one for Ronnie Hawkins, which can be found through the walkways of Del Crary Park. I snapped this one while strolling with my sister, Andrea and brother-in-law, Bill when they visited in October.






This is part of the property at Whetung Ojibway Centre in Curve Lake, Ontario - about twenty kilometres from home. I accompanied Carol Anne and Michael there on their quest to find moccasins. They were both successful, and I scored a simple dream catcher necklace. The colourful totem pole is one way to continue breathing life into our trees.






Like this one which filtered the mid-morning sunshine so beautifully on an exceptionally mild November day.






On that same mild day, these fall decorations probably knew their days were numbered and that they would soon have to make way for winter and Christmas finery. I did like the sign over to the right which was welcoming felines.






Windblown leaves and discarded poppies on a front step, just outside of the Curve Lake shop. Yes, I'm all over the place with this post!






This late blooming rose was soaking up the afternoon sunshine outside of a home near my place, on the last day of October. I was out walking with my friend, Lloyd when it beckoned to my camera.






And this is how a mid-November dusk appears outside of my window. The clouds were colourful in the eastern sky.

There will be more photos coming up before too much longer.

Intoxicated With Colour

Right now, autumn has come out in full force colour-wise. We're enjoying a week of very mild August-like weather but the trees think it's October. I'll have some autumn images for you before too long (they're still in my camera), but in the meantime, I hope you enjoy some of the many photos I still have from summer. It may be winter by the time I get around to red leaves.

We were always intoxicated with color, with words that speak of color, and with the sun that makes colors live. 

~ Andre Derain

There are no lines in nature, only areas of colour, one against another.

~ Edouard Manet

Our hanging basket of fuchsia, brilliantly backlit by the sun. It was recently killed off by an overnight frost.

The purest and most thoughtful minds are those which love colour the most.

~ John Ruskin

A handsome jay dressed in the finest of blues.

The objects in front of you are flowers, but the subject is color.

~ Michele Cooper

The beautiful centerpiece on our table at Frank's niece's wedding, in August.

Colours are brighter when the mind is open.

~ Adriana Alarcon

You can tell it's summer when every neighbour has at least two different boats tied to their docks.

Colours are nature gone wild.

~ Raheel Farooq

One of our sweet little chipmunk friends enjoying some watermelon.

Color possesses me. I don't have to pursue it. It will possess me always, I know it. That is the meaning of this happy hour: 

Color and I are one.

~ Paul Klee

An unexpected sunflower which grew in a pot outside our kitchen door. We didn't plant it there. It must have been the wind or a thoughtful squirrel.

And all the colors I am inside have not been invented yet.

~ Shel Silverstein

Kidlets from a cottage rental up the road enjoying their time on the water.

Colours are life.

~ Chuma Nwokolo

This little moth was wandering the wall in our stairway, one evening. All I knew about him was that he was pretty colourful. After taking a few macro images of him, I scooped him up and transferred him outside where he belonged. Through the powers of Google, I have since discovered that he is a Painted Lichen Moth.

Colour stops me in the street, invites me to breathe it in and take it with me.

~ Suzanne Partridge

A grouping of painted chairs and their shimmering reflection in the water. You'll find these right next door at my neighbour's lawn.

Colour is the soul of Nature and of the entire cosmos.

~ Rudolf Steiner

The blood orange perigee/supermoon in a twilight blue sky.

Thanks for allowing me to blend colours with you. More photos coming up soon.

A Fine Autumnal Day and Posts of the Week

With this post, I'm taking one of my steps back in time to this past autumn. I have a few photos which I took back at my old place and I have yet to share them. I've been incredibly inconsistent blog-wise these past several months and generally less organized than usual. The southern hemisphere is heading into autumn soon so just like a broken clock which tells the right time twice a day, my post is current somewhere.

It was, as I have said, a fine autumnal day; the sky was clear and serene, and nature wore that rich and golden livery which we always associate with the idea of abundance. The forests had put on their sober brown and yellow, while some trees of the tenderer kind had been nipped by the frosts into brilliant dyes of orange, purple, and scarlet.

~ Washington Irving

The leaves that I saw, this past autumn didn't appear to be quite as vivid as years gone by. They were still lovely though - especially when reflected in the pond water. Most of these photos were taken in Mississauga during October, while I was preparing to move.







Getting up close and personal with a sunflower.







Here's the one exception to the location of these images. This was snapped when I was out walking with Benny at Frank's old place. We were in town for a family wedding. It's salmon roe which had leaked out of a recently caught female.








A pumpkin bravely faces its fate. Hallowe'en was just around the corner.







What's autumn without the lovely hues of potted mums? Beautiful in shades of yellow...








Orange...








and purple.

The leaves may have been more subtle this year, but the colours in general were beautiful.

❀  ❀  ❀  ❀  ❀

And now, without further delay, here are the Posts of the Week. The icon below is yours for the taking if your blog post is named as a POTW.

***

A GOOD READ

Ice Fishing in America
by Betsy
at What Makes You Think I Have Cats?


The Biggest Surprise
by Michael
at Michael Manning.TV

***

PHINE PHOTOGRAPHY

Evidence of Love
by Lisa
at Lisa Gordon Photography

Mesa Arch
by Scott
at Just Used Pixels



***

JUST PLAIN ALL AROUND GOOD


A Thailand Beach Surprise
by Reena
at Missing Moments

Favourite Things
by Marianne
at Under Wide Suffolk Skies

The Scale of Things
by Bimbimbie
at Bimbimbie Plus

***

YOU'LL LAUGH

I Am Claiming My Divine Rights
by Anvilcloud (with Sue's permission)
at The AC is On


***

READERS' CHOICE

Recommended by: TexWisGirl
Betty and the Super Bowl
by Kathy
at Kathy Goes A Ramblin'



Recommended by: Linda
I Hear the Train A-Comin'
by Montanagirl
at Montanagirl

Please drop by their blogs for a visit and leave a kind comment if you have the time. Also, please feel free to add your own choices (for any blog except this one) for a specific blog post in the comments section below, where others can see them.

Thank you

Flowers, Foliage and Friends

Every now and then I have a bunch of photos left on my hard drive which never got posted in their time. These were taken during my last couple of weeks living at my old home. The weather stayed warmer there and flowers lasted longer than they did up here. It was as if summer had lived on when everywhere else had turned to autumn.

So enjoy a reprieve of the season with these summer-like images before yet another snowfall arrives. There's a big one due today.


When forsythia are in bloom, we usually know that spring has finally arrived. This typically occurs in April or May. The unusual thing about this particular plant is that it was photographed in partial bloom on the 17th of October. Don't try telling the blossoms or ants that they're out of season. It doesn't appear that they would believe you anyway.






The spindle berry is one flower which is at its peak during the autumn season. This bud is green throughout the summer and slowly turns pink in early autumn. It eventually splits open to reveal the bright orange berry which fades very slowly throughout the winter. You can often see the orange seed wearing a snowy winter coat well into February. Right now, in this October 29th image, they're at their colourful prime.






One of my favourite wildflowers it chicory. Its brilliant blue petals contrast nicely with the autumn leaves behind it. This too, was near the end of October.






Pretty pink flowers which kept blooming late into October at a local butterfly garden.






Maple leaves shine brilliantly against the deepening blue sky.






Another sweet yellow October holdout.







And the sunflower - a little worse for wear but always lovely from every angle.






One of my favourite vine-growers - the morning glory. I think I'll have to plant some of these next year.






Even flowers which have lost their petals can be lovely in autumn.







The mighty oak is especially beautiful in October.







A decorative cabbage catches the sunlight and produces a brilliant magenta glow.






I don't know what it's called but it's fluffy and wispy and it caught my eye.






Backlit by the sun, these leaves almost seem to be able to catch its fire.






A tiny ladybug making her way along the boards of the pond's dock. This was one of the last walks I took at my old place.






My ex-neighbour (that still tugs at the heart) and still-good-friend Caroline's house. I already miss our morning walks and chats and our weekend drinks and laughs. I think you're overdue for another visit up here, Caroline!

That's it for now. More coming up soon.

Listening to Silence

Before I get into my usual post, I'd like to draw your attention to my blog friend, Laura over at Shine the Divine. Those of you who read her beautiful words, already know her strength and determination in the face of a difficult life challenge. She is the unwavering voice of understanding, hope and gratitude. It is her ongoing expression of gratitude that has led her to create The Gratitude Quilt.

This is her fifth year hosting this virtual quilting bee and Laura is asking you to join her by creating a verbal "patch" for her Gratitude Quilt.

Here, in Laura's words, is how you do it:

It is easy to participate in the Gratitude Quilt: Open a new word doc on your computer (or take out a sheet of paper and a pen). Close your eyes. Place one hand on your heart, then your other hand over that, giving yourself a gentle hug. Breathe into and out through the center of your heart for several breaths. Now, exhale slowly. Inhale deeply. Exhale again… type or write whatever you are most thankful for in that moment. Do not edit just let the words flow. There is no need to translate into English if that is not your native tongue. Copy and paste the words into an email and send them to me laura@shinethedivine.com by November 24th so I have time to "stitch" out words together. Please type the words "Gratitude Quilt" in the subject line.

Please consider joining in. Last year's "patches" were awesome to read. Drop Laura a line and your own sentiments will be part of the quilt.

*****

 I should also probably mention that which is rather obvious - I've not done the Posts of the Week for quite some time now. Most of you know how crazy busy my life has been over the past several months. Right now, it's just a little more hectic than ever. 

I have fewer than ten days to pack up the rest of my belongings, sell some pieces of furniture, give away others and get a trailer load of "stuff" and my two cats up to the new place, over three hours away. Then I have to turn around, and head back to the city a couple of days later to sign papers and collect the funds.

Why not wait until then to make the full move, you might ask? Oh at least one of you asked. I'm pretty sure I heard it. Well, because my cats are getting older and have never lived anywhere but here. There's been a lot of chaos around them as they've endured renovations, people coming to see the house, and my packing up the place in front of their very eyes. I think it would be too much to empty my house and have them wait around while the lawyers do their thing to finalize this deal, and then make the over three hour drive with them. I just can't do that to them. 

So two trips in a couple of days it is. I'll have good help and good company. And hopefully loud music to drown out the yowling cats. 

So now you know why I've not had time to keep track of any posts for the POTW. Once I'm settled in, I'll get back on track. But not for a while. Thanks for your understanding. I know you do. 

Now, on to today's post.

I saw old Autumn in the misty morn stand shadowless like silence, listening to silence.

~ Thomas Hood

The following photos were all taken up at my new place during the course of two quick visits, late in the summer and early autumn.



A peek out through my bedroom window tells me that morning has broken over the lake. I suspect I won't be able to get enough of these sunrise shots, through the years. The scenery is just too beautiful to resist.





Heading over to the living room window, we catch the same break of day, just a few minutes later, complete with a couple of bugs on the window - just above the horizon on the right and near the top of the sky on the left.





An official greeter of the sun - even if it's a bit late in its season.






Beautiful sunlit colours of autumn.






A pair of yellow leaves, held together by the weighted beauty of morning raindrops.






Jeffrey was in town, and joined me up at our place for a few days. He put himself to work cutting the grass and delivering our mail in the process.






This is the magnificent rock face of Blueberry Island, across the bay from our home. The frequently-present loons are swimming into the picture on the left.
 





Withering roses still hold some beauty, and are attractive to insects in need of soft place to rest.






Lovely colours materialize in the sky, as the sun begins its descent. A pair of loons float peacefully along the lake water, just beyond our dock.






This evening sky held such a softness of hazy pink. I wasn't sure that the camera would capture what our eyes saw, but was pleasantly surprised that it did.

And with this, another day is done. There'll be another one coming up again shortly. Stay tuned for more photos.