A Victoria Winterscape

Lucas and Karla at Beacon Hill Park February 15, 2018

In softened winter air

mist floats gently

soaking ever deeper

pooling on cold concrete

grassroots squish and splash

cool breezes brush raindrops

from newly budding trees.

“Live in moments that consume your heart and mind, 

but be distracted by the music from the leaves, 

birds, wind, rain, sun and people.”

~ Val Uchendu

Travels with Karla, Lucas and Me

Yesterday at Beacon Hill Park

The sun shone as we started out walking this morning. 

Flowers bloomed. Birds sang.

Our walk took us past the Koi pond, but there were no Koi out to play.

Only one brown waterlily pad drifted in the water.

Too early to get into the Victoria Bug Zoo.

Meandering down Government Street we passed tourist shops and visited a friend at work.

Then a bit of a jaunt to Thunderbird Park by the Royal B.C. Museum was our next destination in our Victoria tour. A quick stop at Centennial Square for a pose or two with whales that grace the Square, then another spontaneous stop into St. Andrew’s Church on Blanshard to be amazed by the stained glass windows.

'Surfing a whale' at Centennial Square

Continuing on to Thunderbird Park, we were enthralled with the First Nations totem poles standing tall by the Ceremonial House.

The day was growing cloudy! Maybe a bit misty!

Time for us to visit the bugs at the Zoo, where we were welcomed into the tour.

Warm and toasty inside with the centipedes and arachnids, ants and praying mantis.

Just sittin' on a whale at Centennial Square

One more downtown stop for a fresh warm Beaver Tail, hot dog and poutine.

Starting to drizzle and mist!

Lucas and I headed home while Karla had more visiting to do.

Rain threatened.. then stopped.. then misted

The clouds finally gave us their all and more.

Now we’re all home, dry and cozy

Was this day a day with depth in it?

Family connections do run deep.

“Not all who wander are lost.”

~ J.R.R. Tolkien,  The Fellowship of the Ring

Free Thought

Let your mind roam free

to search for glimmers and glimpses

of meaning in ideas that challenge

the very depth of your beliefs.

“A thing is not necessarily true 

because a man dies for it.”

~ Oscar Wilde

Book Review: In the Skin of a Lion by Michael Ondaatje

This book caught me by surprise and is not an easy review to write. Michael Ondaatje is a well-known and lauded Canadian author. My interest in the Skin of a Lion was peaked merely because of his name and fame. Reading In the Skin of A Lion did not live up to my expectations of a story well told. It does not follow a linear path, but jumps about from one place to another. The writing of each place, each character and each situation is quite beautiful, full of poetic depth of detail so that I was in each moment. Scenes of loggers, tanners and construction workers who have faded into Canadian history, scenes of romantic relationships, with their attendant struggles and joys seem to have inadequately defined connections to the story’s protagonist. Canadian history, specific to Toronto, mixed with Ondaatje's tapestry of fiction really, to me, define the meat of this story. 

Just before I finished reading In the Skin of a Lion, I thought to myself that I would re-read this story so that I could understand it. Not to enjoy it’s beauty again, but to understand it. A second thought I had as I read this book was that it seemed, in parts, quite academic outside of any character’s traits. Then I thought that our book club discussion would clarify The Skin of the Lion for me. It did not. We seemed to be a divided group. Some with my concerns, others thoroughly enjoyed this story despite the apparent flaws of disconnection. Should I quibble about such details?

If you prefer a linear story, this is not the book for you unless you are willing to plumb it’s depths for the story. For me, I may read The Skin of a Lion again and then it will be for a wander with Patrick, the protagonist.

“The first sentence of every novel should be: 

Trust me, this will take time but there is order here, 

very faint, very human. Meander if you want to get to town.”

~ Michael Ondaatje, The Skin of a Lion

Title:  In the Skin of a Lion

Author:  Michael Ondaatje

Original Publisher: McClelland & Stewart, Inc. (1987)

First Vintage Canadian Edition - 1996

Copyright: 1987

Format:  Soft Cover

ISBN: 0-394-28182-9

Type: Fiction

Pieces

I’m sitting here

with words unsaid

because they’re stuck

inside my head

All around in heaps and piles, 

I’ve gathered up so many things. 

Too many! and so very much. 

Projects each with songs to sing.

So I’ve chosen just one

for this post to write ~

Inspiration yet to burst

upon this page so very white.

Digging deep my challenge today

Where are words to take the lead?

Scattered and hidden like puzzle pieces

This poem the corner piece I need.

“I think the feeling of being kind of overwhelmed

 is almost part of the aesthetic of the work.”

~ David Maisel

Author's note: Edited March 06, 2024

Newness ~ 1

There is always a stirring when spring is just around the corner. Here in Victoria, snowdrops blooming and daffodils in bud remind me, just in case I may have forgotten. On the prairies, spring always felt much farther away with winter winds and snow, reminding me to just be patient. 

That stirring to plant, to get my fingernails deep in the dirt, to get out in the garden or fields is not a new feeling.  Wherever I have lived, once adjusted to the climate, I have felt it's depth, the longing to be part of the earth. For many of us, living on our own, in a suite, in the middle of a city, where patios and window sills are our only gardens, it can take a good bit of creativity to respond to the coming of spring. 

I’ve accepted a challenge to avoid buying anything new for this year. Of course, this must be tempered by good judgement. Spring time does put a bit of extra pressure on this ‘avoiding newness’ challenge. But for the sake of beauty and soul satisfaction, I was willing to use some good judgement. After all flower pots and patio containers need new seed, new plants and some, a bit of new soil. Starting with these little violas for my window sill, I have bought and brought some lovely newness into my home. 

The deer had a lovely munch on the bush outside the window!

Awakening to the newness of each day opens onto many possibilities. Granted, we don’t always jump out of bed with enthusiasm. As our eyes open, our feet feel each step, we are slowly able to reshape the morning to fit our our desires. For today, my stirring to plant was satisfied by these little violas for my window sill.

“Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.”

~ George Bernard Shaw

Vanished

I had a thought……..

...it dwindled down into the depths

a sodden leaf no longer afloat

Or maybe floated up toward the sky

brilliant balloon away from my mind

No matter

Should that thought return

I'll try to catch it 

quickly write it down

and put it to work. 

The very thought excites me!

“Where does a thought go when it’s forgotten?”

~ Sigmund Freud

P.S. - I just remembered! Today’s blog post was to be about buying something new. Well, I guess it will have to wait its turn til tomorrow. Now that I have it written down, I won’t forget - unless I forget how to work this laptop!