“For most of a day we walked through alkali flats, the white crust like a frosted layer of salt that rose in a powder when your boots punched through. We wore the chalk on us everywhere—up to our knees, in the creases of our fingers clenching the rifle strap, down in the cavity between my breasts, and in my mouth, too. I couldn’t keep it out and stopped trying. I couldn’t keep anything out, I realized, and that was something I loved about Africa. The way it got at you from the outside in and never let up, and never let you go.” — Paula McLain, Circling the Sun (I absolutely adored this story and her writing.)
“The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience.” — Eleanor Roosevelt
Magnolia budding — hibiscus seadhead — camelia buds
Now that my Antler shawl is complete, next on my needles are (two-at-a-time) fingerless gloves in an absolutely gorgeous hand dyed fingering wool. The colours remind me of jewels. … Since I wrote these two sentences early in the week, here now are the finished fingerless gloves — ta da.
“May you always have a shell in your pocket and sand in your shoes.” — Anonymous
This oyster shell was discarded a few feet from the beach on the surface of the cement picnic table that is intended for the use of the public to enjoy the view and the beach.
Now that I’ve embarked on the 365 project, I’m once again experimenting with my camera (above). This was a wee experiment taken in our back yard. Although I took oodles with these settings, this was among my favourites.
Reflections of C chord.
The poet John Keats said, “Nothing ever becomes real till it is experienced.” There are many quotes with that theme or reasoning. It’s something that has been re-awakened within me with some of the new experiences I’ve been venturing into and embracing. Something as simple as doing the 365 photo project, for instance. But it could just as easily be something big: climb a mountain, learn to parachute, build a home with your own hands, learn a new language, write a book. Even when an anticipated experience is relatively simple, the effect it has on us can be monumental and unforgettable … have you ever seen the northern lights, watched a whale breach the surface of the ocean, witnessed a being giving birth, or experienced a live performance that brought you to tears?
Matt Cutts has an upbeat, and very short, inspirational TED talk all about giving a new experience a try. I offer you the link and suggest it’s a great way to spend 3 1/2 minutes.
What is one experience you’d like to have before you die?
Hmmm, so many thoughts are provoked by your post. First off I adore your fingerless gloves — they are stunning. I think it’s fabulous that you are doing a 365 project and experimenting with photography — creating some wonderful work and lovely abstracts. I’ve been fortunate to have many amazing experiences so far in life — I’ve seen the northern lights, watched a being give birth and watched a being die, been moved by so many performances but have not yet seen a whale breach, but many dolphins. Still many places I would like to experience, many of them sacred, but the one experience I would love to have is to create a photograph that thrills me –and keeps me wanting to look at it forever…I’m working on it!
I have been thinking about an answer to your question a lot of late. I feel restless and in need of change- not just a small change, but a significant one. Most people would answer your question with an adventure of some kind. Travel perhaps. I do like adventure, but a change of scenery alone will not satisfy my need for a profound change. What it is I am truly seeking I am still puzzling out…
I like your camera experiment. And I have put an audio copy of Circling the Sun on hold at the library.Your quote sold me on the novel and I look forward to hearing it read aloud.
I love your fingerless gloves! One of the reasons I follow your blog is because you are so open to learning new things. I have been trying something new this month. I used the app Periscope each week to share piano teaching ideas. Have you heard of it? It broadcasts a live video and people all over the world can access it and join in by typing greetings and questions. So, I got really brave yesterday and I played my recital piece. But, the distraction of seeing words from Turkey, Russia, and India threw me off completely, I did not know what they were saying but I played BADLY. The video stays up for 24 hours. I erased it! Ha Ha Ha!
I can’t remember if I let you know that the pictures you let me use of yours are on my piano website.
http://busybpiano.blogspot.com/2016/01/the-last-days-before-recital.html
Diane, these gloves are gorgeous. I just love the colors.
Hmmmm, I could probably never limit it to just one experience. There are always so mand!!
You have a wonderful week!
Oh, I have more than one on the list! They are shuffled froom time to time, but something is insisting on staying top o’ the list http://www.messynessychic.com/2016/01/21/travel-like-wes-anderson-on-the-real-darjeeling-limited-railway/