Thanks so very, very much for all your kind, thoughtful, and encouraging comments on my last post. I’m working my way back to positive blogging energy, and I’m so grateful for your patience and your willingness to keep tuning in here, despite the ups and downs of this transitional time in my life. Indeed, some of you even find value in my words because I tend to write through the lows as well as the highs — it seems there’s some worth in acknowledging difficulties and discouragements.
But I do want to balance the picture regularly, and it’s important you know that there are many good moments during these transitional times as well. I have already written the first in a brief series on friendships, old and new, in times of transition, and that post will go up very soon. Today is Wednesday, a day I often try to post recent photographs, and besides showing you several more of my downtown Ottawa shots, I’m including three photos from my Monday cycle with Pater (who photographed the two What Mater Wore Cycling shots).
This beach is a 20/25-minute cycle from our downtown apartment, and the route is seaside almost all the way. If we don’t live on island waterfront anymore, this is a pretty decent compensation. . .
Now let me just share a few more of those Ottawa shots, from the morning I posted about here . . . and no more words from me for now. But you know I’d love some from you. . . Or just enjoy the images, and come back soon . . . Happy Wednesday!
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| Bonus What I Wore shot — my black linen Madewell dress and hand-me-down (from my daughter) Bloch ballet shoes |
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| hard to resist a reflection shot! |
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| Juxtaposition — old and new, lines and curves. . . |
Hi Mater
I didn't comment last Friday as I too was devastated by the results of the vote, for reasons both general and personal, as the results will affect a certain person near and dear to me profoundly. I won't say more here but will when we catch up in the fall.
On a brighter note, thanks for the lovely photos of Ottawa. It is such a livable city. Enjoy our wonderful weather and the holiday weekend coming up. We have plans for Gin and Tonics with good friends on our deck. We will be sampling four different tonics from Phillips Fermatorium. Look them up, I'm sure you can get them somewhere in Vancouver. Cheers Brenda.
Brenda, I can well imagine that the results will have devastated you and your loved one(s). We can only watch now, and hope, I suppose.
And in the meanwhile, Gin and Tonics with friends in sunshine on the deck? well, okay, if you have to . . . I'm going to check out the tonics. . . suspect my DIL may know them. xo
Living in such a beautiful place must ease the transition and help soften some of the horrible news we get so often these days. I am really struggling to decide how to teach my political science classes in the fall, so the responses to your Friday post were actually helpful if difficult to respond to. I am sure I will face that in the classroom — so many questions that are difficult to answer in this volatile and emotional political season. We have to hold on to the positive!
It does help to have ready access to ocean and to wooded walks — Vanc'r is still a very livable city where it's easy to get to "Nature" for some solace.
I envy you the opportunity to introduce this to your classes, although I know what a challenge it will be. I miss the parameters that academe imposes on exploring such issues. While I always encouraged my students (luckily, my university featured small classes in our discipline, never more than 34) to express their positions, no matter how those aligned with mine or others, I could always insist that those positions be tested against the research-based evidence. My ability and motivation to engage in exchanges of ideas where there is no similar commitment to rigour nor respect for credible evidence is very limited. I'm trying to sort out ways to do this — currently, my temptation is simply to withdraw. I do think we must hold on to the positive and believe there are ways to blur, soften, possibly eventually erase firm oppositional borders based on misunderstanding. Good luck with your class prep!
My son is headed to a hyper-selective college in the fall, and his major concern is the atmosphere of political correctness that shuts down expression of nonconforming views. He is far from a right-winger – Sanders supporter – but is still afraid that some of his views won't be tolerated.
After a fraught few weeks , it can be good to switch off and simply wander , taking the time to notice details one usually misses . It's very soothing …
Yes, you're absolutely right. And in the end, the switching off may contribute more to healing and to helping than any engagement in the moment. Thank you.
You live in a beautiful place. I especially like the second last Ottowa shot beautiful colours and the effect of light and shadow is lovely. Mary
Thanks, Mary. It was a stunning morning, that one, although too hot for me by midday. 😉
Beautiful shots: all that contrast of shape and colour. I particularly like the last two: the muted tones and geometrical shapes are just lovely, and forming traces of the houses that used to stand there – like a shadow on the wall. You can't help but wonder about the people who used to live here.
Thanks, Eleonore. Yes, I loved the palimpsest of an architectural past — what lives does it recall?
What a wonderful comment! It prompted me to go back and look at those very evocative photos. For some reason I skim over the city photos these days and focus on the flowers, ocean, and those oh-so-beautiful children. Strange, as I am a city person who could never live in an area with lots larger than a quarter acre. Watching Chasing Ice has sensitized me to the magnificence of the natural world, some of which is melting away as a result of human activity. And the Brexit thing combined with the Trump phenomenon leaves me feeling raw these days and inclined to look at flowers and not buildings.
Wonderful photographs!
I'm quite new to your blog: what island were you living on? I'm glad that moving has not meant giving up the water!
About last Friday's post: I'm sorry that some of the comments left you feeling bad. I really appreciated the chance to have the discussion and learn more about what each position was rooted in. Thank you for providing the forum and the impetus!
Thanks Leslie, and you're welcome as well!
We've only just moved from a very small island (running the longest dirt road encircling it only gave me 4 kilometres — I had to do loops to get longer runs; the population tops out in the summer at 350-400) where we had a small waterfront home for almost 24 years. The island is a 10-minute boat ride from Vancouver Island's city of Nanaimo.
20-25 minutes cycling to the beach? Wow-!- Could I live in Vancouver :-), in your neighbourhood?
Dottoressa
Yes, isn't that great?! Actually, from our little apartment that we're spending the summer in, that we've had for the last 10 years or so, we can walk to the beach in 5 minutes. . .
This week has been great weather-wise. There are so many places to ride in Vancouver. I just got my MacBook back from the Apple Store so I was unable to comment last week. I share your feelings about Brexit and I do wonder about the implications for my relatives in Shetland who do rely on trading with the EU and revenues from the cruise ships that visit. I have been listening to BBC World Service Radio and there is such uncertainty in the UK. Less than 2 months until I visit Ireland and Britain so I am trying to learn and understand as much as possible. I really enjoy your blog and appreciate your intelligent and thoughtful
responses as well as your emotional honesty. Enjoy the sunshine!
So glad to hear you got your MacBook back — I'd be lost without mine!
I thought about your upcoming trip as well. So much is up in the air right now, but at least you'll be visiting "in interesting times"!
Love your Vancouver biking and Ottawa city pictures. We are planning a visit to Vancouver in September and looking forward to doing some biking while there. Could you let me know which beach from which your photo was taken? Kitsilano Beach? It looks so lovely.
That photo was taken right at the furthest (westernmost) end of Spanish Banks. From Kits Beach (our local nickname), it's just one beach after another to the Spanish Banks beaches. . . September is usually great weather here (as it is down your way as well, of course).
Ahh, you can cycle to the beach! Such a joy! Love your city photographs, a little bit of the personal, the contrast between the shots which simply highlights the complexity of the human experience. Thank you for that bit of joy.
Yes we can, Mardel, and it makes all the difference to me, the access to the open horizon over water. . . I'm so glad you enjoy the photographs!