Azalea, or…how I’m trying to focus on the positive while my house isn’t selling.
My house is up for sale. It’s not selling. It’s got the right price. It’s in the right neighborhood. I live less than a kilometer from Chilliwack River and maybe 10k from Cultus Lake. It’s across from a park, a Twin Rink complex, down the street from a middle school and a ten minute drive to the highway for an easy commute.
Whatever. It’s still not selling. I’m getting the feeling that I’m moving to Indonesia and continuing to own a home in Chilliwack, BC, Canada. That’s not a terrible thing, but I’d rather not have to own it if I don’t have to. I want to be in one place, committed to where I am. If I still own – which means renting it out – this house, my mind will always be a little bit here. And I don’t want that.
If you know someone who wants to buy a house in Chilliwack, let me know.
To try to take my mind off all that, I snapped a couple of photos of the azaleas growing in my front yard. They’re pretty. They’re not taking my mind off all this yet, but I’ll keep thinking of them instead of BC real estate.
Spring is pretty
Our city is exploding in pinks, light pinks and whites. Every flowering tree is going crazy with blossoms, and photographers in the area are going crazy trying to document the turn from Winter to Spring (finally).
How strong is your inner voice?
Very similar to a photo I posted last week, I know, but it’s Sunday and I’m quite enjoying a lazy day. The Grey Cup is on, I made a coffee cake with my daughter, my son made a snow globe with my wife and there’s nothing else on the agenda…
Um…what about that marking and planning you should do…
Shut up, conscience. The last thing I need is you telling me what to do. I feel a little “Assassin’s Creed” calling me.
Um…or maybe work out next week’s classes.
I’ve got next week planned. I’ll write it down yet tonight.
No, you won’t. But you should.
Okay. Fine. I’ll go do some work…right after I eat some coffee cake. Ha! Take that, inner voice.
A loving reminder
This is a little reminder from me to…me. It’s been a while since I senselessly bought flowers. By senselessly, I mean the part of my brain that is not part of the brain – the irrational part of the brain, is what I’m trying to say.
Yes, there are reasons why I love my wife. Yes, there are occasions to buy flowers. Yes, there are aesthetic reasons to purchase these aromatic and visually stimulating florae. But it’s time to do it for no reason whatever.
Because isn’t that what love is? A momentary stupidity in the face of all things logical that creates a blankness in the brain and a smile on the face? Well, it’s time to get stupid for love again.
Of course, me, the person for whom I might be gettin’ all stupid might read this, so maybe not tomorrow, or the next day, but soon. Soon.
Purty Flowers
They’re flowers.
They’re pretty.
It’s truth in advertising.
Also, it’s the end of the first full day of teaching and I’m tired, so that’s all you’re getting. Sorry.
Black and White Flowers. Hmm…
I’m torn. Flowers are great because of three things: beauty, smell and color. If I take a photograph of flowers the viewer loses all sense of how they smell. If I process it black and white, I remove the color and now you, the viewer, are left with contrast and detail, but it’s missing two of the things that draw people to flowers in real life. Hmm…
So, I have to ask you, dear reader of this blog, is it worth it? Does their beauty, without color and smell, still captivate?
Pinky Winky…not to be confused with a Teletubbie…Teletubby…whatever
When my daughter was little, my wife let her watch Teletubbies. I thought it was like Sesame Street on LSD, but my daughter, in all her toddler glory, loved the show. Plus, my wife was a full-time, first-time mother and needed a bit of downtime and the Teletubbies were there to rescue her from having to chase my daughter. I should also note that my daughter decided at the age of 17 months that she was no longer napping at all and that we’d all pay a price if we didn’t take heed of her demands, so sleep and rest during the day was not happening around the Bergen household.
Anyway, there’s a Teletubby (or is it “ie”?) whose name is Tinky Winky. I’m not sure if he…she…it was the start of the furor back about a decade ago. The furor was around the fact that Tinky Winky, who was mistaken by conservative, right-wing media and parents’ groups as being a human male, was carrying around a big bag that resembled a purse. Parents’ groups were worried that Tinky Winky was sending the wrong message about what it meant to be male. Really? Go look at Tinky Winky. Does it look male, let alone human? It looks bipedal with a head and arms, but that’s about where the comparison ends. I don’t think it even has genitals, although I’m not looking it up to check. Maybe that’s what that thing is on top, although it could be a communication device to talk to the saucer people. Whatever. Now, almost every grown male I know has a “satchel” or “shoulder bag” or “man-bag” and none of us are worried that we’re sending the wrong message to our kids.
So what does this have to do with the photo? When I told my friends Josh and Karina that we had planted Pinky Winky Hydrangeas in the back yard, Josh looked at me and said, “You planted a Teletubbie in your backyard?” Yup, we planted Tinky Winky.
Goodbye Batman, Hello Pinky Winky
So, the last couple of days have proven my geek-ness, what with both of them being Batman centered. This morning I went out to water the flowers and the early morning light of the sun was catching the Pinky Winky Hydrangeas just right, so I snapped a few photos.
In less than 24 hours, I’ve gone from superhero geek to flower garden geek. I still can’t shake the geek, but at least I’m not too narrowly focused.
At least something’s growing in the back yard besides weeds.
These are my wife’s day lilies.We recently tore up a huge section of the backyard and made a flower bed. We planted a Katsura tree, a few “pinky winky” hydrangeas (there’s a name that makes me feel manly), euonymous shrubs, dianthus flowers and day lilies. It’s really quite pretty, that island of color and life in the sea of weeds that surround it. It really looks like the rest of the yard is out to get our brand new flower bed.
My wife’s favorite flowers are lilies, so she was ecstatic when these flowered so early after having been planted in the ground. I think they’re quite pretty. What do you think?
I understand Monet’s infatuation. Also, PHOTO FRIDAY
It’s a little overwhelming, I know, but I love all the green and white. The water lily is pretty invasive. Once it starts, it doesn’t stop. Kind of like the feeling that I got staring at this pond and all of its lilies. I kept finding new ways to take shots of it. Hmm…I wonder if I have time to swing by again tomorrow?
Also, this enormous collection of water lilies is based on Photo Friday’s challenge this week. Funnily enough, it’s ENORMOUS.
That’s pretty.
I don’t know what kind it is. I don’t even care. Sometimes beauty for beauty’s sake is all that’s needed. I think this flower is pretty.
That’s good enough for me.
“…change comes like a little wind that ruffles the curtains at dawn…
…and it comes like the stealthy perfume of wildflowers hidden in the grass.” - Steinbeck
I’ve always liked Steinbeck’s writing. From The Pearl to Of Mice and Men, The Grapes of Wrath to Sweet Thursday, his novels have always made me smile. He had a way of phrasing things that made the most tragic, heart-wrenching moments seem beautiful. Beautiful misery. Gorgeous sorrow.
At the same time, he also had a way of making you empathize with a character who was about to murder his friend, or nearly destroying a family through the pursuit of something nearly unattainable.
Go. Go now. Read some Steinbeck. You’ll feel better.
Hello, pretty flower. Are you growing in my front yard?
Wow. I didn’t realize until now that engaging a dialog with an azalea would make me seem so creepy. No? It doesn’t seem that weird? Okay, try it this way…
Hewwo, pwetty fwowa…awe you gwowin’ in my fwont yawd?
Because that’s how I heard it in my head as I wrote it. Yep…I thought so. Creepy.
Trouth moubles; or, how did I survive the day?
I can’t explain it tonight. I barely survived the day. I’m sneezing. I’m tripping over words. I feel like I haven’t slept in a month, yet I know I’ve been sleeping well enough. Well, not enough.
Twice today I started to speak words that were coming out incorrectly. I feared, for a minute or two, that I was having a stroke. The feeling passed in and out throughout the day. I think the year-end is finally settling in on my brain and the remaining four and a half weeks might be interesting.
I need to go mark some stuff, so wish me luck. And sleep. Wish me sleep.
Oh, and here’s some flowers and stuff. Whatever. Sleepy…
You can call me flower…
…if you want to. (Bambi)
Do you remember that moment? Bambi‘s a bit of a sappy movie for me, but I love that moment. Flower, the skunk, meets Bambi when Bambi is just learning to talk. He is naming things and comes nose to nose with a skunk, who is more than pleased with being mistaken for something “purty”. I love that scene. It’s so innocent and beautiful. I’ve had that moment when I wish someone would think I was beautiful despite what others think of me.
As for the flower above, my wife and I are having a debate over what it is. I’m pretty sure it’s a rhododendron. She thinks I’m wrong. Anyone want to help us out?
Late night post…oops
Here’s a post that’s super-late. We had a dance at the school tonight and I’ve been home for five minutes. I don’t want to miss a post this year, so here’s the late night post. I wish I were able to write about this one because I really like this photo. Maybe I’ll talk about it…zzzzzzzzzzzz…
Layers
Four of the many reasons I love the Lower Mainland of British Columbia: tulips, farms, mountains and sky.
Pentax K20D; Sigma 70-210mm; f4; ISO 100; 1/640 sec.
My little blossom
I took an evening class last Thursday on how to improve my photos. Jason and Darcie from Revival Arts Studio were wonderful and they provided a good reminder of the elements of good photography. I’ve been winging it lately, rather than taking my time.
The kids and I went out and wandered through the local flea market on Sunday morning. We then hiked through Downes Bowl, a local mountain bike rider hangout. On the way back I took my time and took a few shots of my kids. I think this one works, but you can let me know.
Pentax K20D ; Pentax M SMC 28mm; ISO 100; f2.8; 1/2500 sec.
He’s a dandy
I took Ben to the track at my school so that he could bike around in a spot where I could see him and met my sister and her sons as well. While we were there this little girl named Ava came over to us and insisted that Ben and Luke (my nephew) play with her. Ben took off on his bike while Luke feigned interest in his bike, then took off running after Ben.
Ben, after riding for a while, decided that running would be a good break from biking. Luke took off running after Ben, while Ava chased them both. They made this adorable little running parade, up and down the concrete bleachers, then onto the track, out onto the field and back. While they were running around I found this little devil beauty growing among the concrete blocks.
Pentax K20D; Pentax M SMC 50mm; f1.7; ISO 100; 1/3200 sec.
Lily
I learned an important lesson early on in my marriage: flowers are important, but not near as important as figuring out which flower was the flower. My wife, Hilary, loves lilies. She had Stargazers in her wedding bouquet, and she was drawn to a print of Diego Rivera’s “El Vendedor de Alcatraces”, that now hangs above our fireplace.
It’s one thing to buy flowers; it’s another to show up at the door with the flower.
Pentax K20D; Pentax DA 18-55mm AL II; f5.6; ISO 400; 1/180 sec.
Camellia
This bloom is from a camellia that is growing in my backyard. Whenever I see it blooming in Spring, I’m reminded of the girl who broke my wrist in 5th grade. She was tall and gangly. She was athletic and strong and did not break my wrist on purpose. She pulled me off a low book shelf, where I was seated, and I landed on my wrist, so technically I broke my wrist, not her. Then my teacher came in the classroom, my mom was called and I went to the hospital and had to have a needle shoved into my arm down to the bone to anesthetize it so the doctor could set it and cast it. I got to have an A&W cheeseburger and fries that night.
Oh, and the girl, whose actions precipitated all of this, her name was Camellia.
Pentax K20D; Pentax M SMC 50mm; f1.7; ISO 100; 1/250 sec.
Tulips
I was looking at the tulips in my front yard and this line by Gerard Manley Hopkins “sprang” to mind:
Nothing is so beautiful as Spring—
When weeds, in wheels, shoot long and lovely and lush;
Thrush’s eggs look little low heavens, and thrush
Through the echoing timber does so rinse and wring
The ear, it strikes like lightning to hear him sing.
- Spring
Hopkins was brilliant. He could write amazing, inspirational lines expounding on the beauty of nature, and then descend into depressing, loathsome words running himself well into the ground for being less than a worm on a cosmic scale. I love this guy.
Pentax K20D; Pentax M SMC 50mm; f1.7; ISO 100; 1/250 sec.
Fleeting
I love Spring flowers. They burst out of the ground, live a shameless few days, maybe a week or two and then perish. If I enjoy a few days in my lifetime as glorious as the life of a flower I’ll be pretty happy.
Pentax K20D; Sigma 70-210mm + extension tube; f?; ISO 100; 1/10 sec.; LED flashlight used for lighting
