earthworks #1
on McKenzie Beach, near Pacific Rim National Park, British Columbia, February 3rd, 2008
by Marja-Leena
by Marja-Leena FOUR
Researching how long blogs have been around, I was surprised to not find a definite answer. Let’s just say, this one here still seems to be a youngster on its fourth birthday! The writer behind it is slowing down a bit, writing less but posting more photos, still avidly reading blogs, and loving the many connections and friendships found through this medium. To all of you, thank you warmly!
This is the perfect occasion to put up a new banner – hope you like it! Thanks to my lovely designer daughter Erika for placing it up here!
by Marja-Leena and more snow
snowing all night, snowing this morning
schools and colleges closed, commuting chaos
garden under heavy white blanket, tree branches weighed down
silence punctuated with soft thuds, scrape of shovel
glad I can stay home today, like the happy kids
by Marja-Leena Theo Jansen’s Strandbeests
These are amazing! Theo Jansen is a Dutch artist who creates lifelike kinetic sculptures called ‘Strandbeests’ (Beach Creatures) that move on their own. How come I’ve never heard of him before?
You can hear and see Jansen and his work on the always informative and educational TED website. There’s a good film on YouTube as well, plus an article in wikipedia. A fascinating artist, scientist and engineer all in one!
(Thanks to Erika for this!)
by Marja-Leena winter sun and frost
We have had several days of sunshine at long last. As often happens here when the cloud cover is gone, it gets quite cold. At night it’s been as cold as -5C (23F) so there’s frost on the skylights in our unheated solarium, and a thick layer building up on the shady areas of the lawn, looking like snow. Each night the full moon has been a brilliant platinum disc creating patterns of light on the floors indoors so I have no need of lights in my night crawls, just a mythical feeling. What a difference a clear sky makes.
Granddaughter Lael thought these frost fractals on her window look like birds. (Photo by Elisa Rathje)
We did not have frost art this time, just solid white, but the morning thaws created interesting patterns.
Frozen puddles are irresistible to children – and photographers.
I love the sun shining into the kitchen in the morning.
This morning’s cloud in the east gave a brief and glorious show of colour.
And the sun is back now.
There’s a chance of snow this weekend – I hope so!
by Marja-Leena sepia memories
Meandering thoughts inspired by Jean’s sepia photos:
the trials and pleasures of ink drawings in art school days, too long ago
the ecstasy of seeing exquisite and fragile drawings by the Old Masters,
in the Drawing Room of the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, fifteen years ago
old Chinese landscape paintings of steep mountains and gorges
by Marja-Leena calligraphic
Do you think there may be hidden messages here?
My mind must be on Qarrtsiluni’s latest theme, Hidden Messages.
The deadline for submissions for this issue is January 31st.
(I’m still working on it…)
by Marja-Leena on the road
during today’s walk….
