One of our sayings on the trip was 'all roads lead to Lincoln'. It seemed like no matter where we went, we always ended up on Lincoln Blvd, which we liked because it was our local main road when we lived there, just one street up from our apartment, and later the house. One of my favourite parts of Lincoln is the Toyota dealership where I had my camera ready for some whale watching every time we passed. This mural is enormous, I suspect possibly it is life size. None of my drive-by photo's every captured the full image, but here are 3 sections, I love how it looks with the blue sky and the clouds...
Speaking of clouds... here in Scotland my daily preoccupation is watching the weather, hoping for a good day to wash/dry clothes. So far every sunny day except yesterday has been interrupted with rain,hail and sometimes sleet. Unfortunately yesterday I was barely able to move (and only awake for 4hrs) so I missed my chance. Today doesn't look promising...
The only gap is when I am out with Lucy but I tend to get where I'm going then sit for an hour till I have the energy to come back again. Looking out hte window now (10.30am) I can see the clouds hovering above, deciding whether to deliver hail or sleet, it's co-o-o-old out there though the sun is shining. Mid April, and there has only been one day (apart from LA) when I have not worn my thermal long john's under my trousers! Partly that's due to inactivity and bad circulation (I must buy more ginger for that) but mainly it's just down to cold winds.
I loved this whale mural, only 1/3 showing - it is huge.
Killer migraine day 3 so just posting pics.
Theo Jansen: Kinetic Sculpture
photo uploaded to Flickr by VotreX
It's a long time since something gave me such major goosebumps of inspiration and creative excitement as the amazing kinetic sculpture of Theo Jansen that I saw on You Tube recently. He combines so many things I love, kinetic sculpture, beaches, eco design, wind. And they have that beautiful structural quality that I've always loved in old wooden piers. Visual heaven.
Theo Jansen: Kinetic Sculpture
photo uploaded to Flickr by Iskandr
I saw this short video first and was amazed. I also recommend this one, it's longer (10mins) and describes some of the technical aspects like how they know when they reach water and so turn around and head the other way.
Theo Jansen: Animaris Percipierre
photo uploaded to Flickr by MarionRose
They are so beautiful to look at even when still, but to have made them move as well...it's complex yet simple at the same time, he's a creative genius. Absolutely stunning. Visit Strandbeest to see more including more video clips, buy the DVD or, from 8th October, buy his new book which will include the DVD. The site also has several video clips.
Another good place to visit is the Strandbeestmovie weblog, full length film due next summer, I will have to be patient waiting for that. Courtesy of that site here is a photo of Theo himself...
Theo Jansen at work, via Stranbeestmovie
visit to see more photo's of work in progress
including this peaceful video clip, Ypenburg graveyard
My 1st ever Ebay purchase! Best of all, it's white, so it will blend with my house.
I've avoided Ebay because I know I'd get addicted, but since this purchase was eco-friendly, practical, genuinely needed and loads cheaper than buying in the shops I went for it. You pump the brass end in your bath water, water butt or whatever to get the water to siphon with no need to suck on the hose. At last, being green doesn't need to involve a mouthful of dirty water.
Liz, got your mail, will reply when I get some free time and a clear head.
The great escape, whizzing away from the rain
Last Friday I think. Mr P was free for a few hours and I was still riding (comparatively) high on the oomph from K's visit that I thought we could maybe take Lucy to the beach. Regular readers will know how I've been desperate to get to a beach for over a year but my damn health has thwarted every attempt. I was so determined to make it this time but within 10mins of getting things ready and collecting Lucy it was clear that I was already knackered and wouldn't manage the Yellowcraigs trip. I was so bummed till I realised we could go to Crammond instead. Yey for Crammond.
Lightened this so you could see her, the clouds were much darker.
Not the long sandy beach of my dreams, but only 25 mins by car and at least it has water and some sand. Heavy rain threatened constantly but as it never actually dropped on us we were able to enjoy the moody skies it brought as it approached. Looking East down the Firth of Forth...
Apparently Lucy likes to drink sea water, eat seaweed and then throw up at L's house the next day so L had asked that we not let her go in the water. I thought it would be difficult (she LOVES water) but there were so many doggy smells all over the beach she seemed very content wandering around snuffling at rocks and grasses while we sat on a log watching the world's maddest spaniel chase gulls through the water non-stop for about 40 minutes. Seriously, it literally did not stop running and when it passed us again later it was still doing it, full speed, soaking wet, happy as can be. It seemed to nicely balance out my own lack of motion.
Funny how things change. I was that spaniel for years, doing everything super fast, bundles of energy. When I went to school I walked so fast that the boys used to make a passing racing car noise as I overtook them- Neeeeeauw. The spaniel wasn't alone, it's owner had another older spaniel as well, he had a dodgy leg and plodded very slowly and carefully around the rocks on the beach. I never realised at the time that the dogs were the before and after of me. But I still have hope that I'll be a mad spaniel again, or something in between. Yes, in between is more sensible.
* just added, low quality 18 second clip of the spaniel!
Still taking this gently but realised I was neglecting the blog so some more pics from our trip to Inchcolm Island last week. The dull wet weather over the last few days has been leaving even the perkiest of people feeling a bit tired but today the sun is shining between the rain bringing much needed light and warmth. I feel a bit desolate about the almost total lack of summery-ness. It's such a key top up to the body and mind that makes getting through winter more bearable. I'm struggling with the realisation that the nights are getting darker and we only had 2 nights where the cloud lifted enough to appreciate the light in July.
It makes me glad I pushed myself during K's visit. I knew it would wipe me out long term, but I saw it as my opportunity to have a few days of 'holiday' even though I was at home and she was the traveller. I did all the things I do for a proper holiday, visit 'places of interest' - Roslin Chapel, Inchcolm Island and Habitat (it had to be done, though no purchases were made). I bought outrageous quantities of different fruits for us to munch on, used non-recycled toilet paper for a few days (wild crazy woman that I am! but oh, it was so comparatively soft I felt like I was in a hotel), I even flushed the toilet after each use - so decadent, though given our water situation I didn't actually feel guilty for a change.
It felt good to live like I wasn't poor for a few days. I'm particularly proud of myself for not breaking the allergy diet during the whole time, even though there were Tunnock's Tea Cakes and a box of Border Dark Chocolate Gingers (biscuits) tempting me daily. If you've never had a Choc Ginger Biccy this review would tempt you to buy, they are incredibly tasty. Instead I treated myself to the oft mentioned Ginger Cake, which is pretty much as good a treat.
I'm still not blog reading, hard to believe isn't it! If any of you have had birthdays, blogiversaries, births or other celebratory events while I've been absent then please accept my good wishes, felicitations, congratulations and any other 'ations' that seem fitting.
The town of Upton-upon-Severn in Worcestershire is pictured surrounded by flood waters. Photo by Daniel Berehulak/Getty Images found on BBC website.
Our power is due to go off for a day while new cabling is connected in our area. An inconvenience but nothing in comparison to the situation of those in England just now in towns, villages or cities cut off by the floods who have lost their power and their water supply. I always try to focus on something positive but really the only positive thing for them is that it is summer. Global Warming means they expect us to have a lot more extreme rain in winters and I dread to think of the consequences of this degree of flooding if it was accompanied by cold weather, particularly for the elderly and the sick.
Originally uploaded by KlucniksI remember watching the film 'Earthquake' in the 70's and the bit that really upset me was when Victoria Principals poodle fell (or nearly fell?) into a crack. 30 years on it's still the animals that upset me, because they don't know what's happening and they never caused it. I dread to think of the number of stranded or abandoned pets. With rescue services stretched to their limits (army and life boat service helping) the priority is airlifting people so a lot of pets must be left to fend for themselves. It's not the focus of the news yet but the costs to livestock and wildlife must be enormous and they are starting to talk about ruined crops and a rise in food prices. The message here is that this impacts all our lives so I am hoping this sudden and extreme shock will cause a mind-shift in the South of England (and the rest of the UK, but most people live in the south) about the seriousness of Global Warming and the absolute need for everyone to TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY and start changing their own actions and pushing for change in government, communities and industry. Many people are finding that insurance companies are refusing to insure them if their postcode is in a potential flood area.
Originally uploaded by ItspaulkellyI think maybe this time it will change things because this is happening to the wealthier more influential parts of the UK. There's been been really noticeable difference in TV coverage between last months floods in the poorer North East of England compared to the immense coverage now that the South is flooding. Not that the South doesn't warrant the coverage, of course it does. But it irks me that the further you live from London the less important you are in the eyes of the media and politicians. Of course this is a gross generalisation and there are always cases where this isn't true, but anyone living in the North will tell you that this happens far too often. Even the little things irritate, like when the weatherman (based in London) said recently that the next day would be a washout for everyone with no sunshine, but the map of the UK behind him showed that Scotland,Wales, N.Ireland and North, Central and South West England wouldn't have a drop of rain all day. Ugh, irritating.
Another glimmer of hope is that this country, like many, is obsessed with sport and since sports grounds are being flooded and international games having to stop play (tennis and cricket recently) I think it will get more people thinking.
Ok, I'm ranting again. I've had very little sleep with this cold swelling up my sinuses and so many of my regular rant topics are now on the news it's making me rant all the more. Like building on flood planes. That has always driven me crazy and now more so than ever. One politician yesterday was saying that they have given guidelines to Councils about planning applications to build on flood planes. Guidelines?! As millions of houses are being built on them surely there should only be 1 guideline DON'T DO IT!!!!! Bloody hell is this not OBVIOUS, in fact, why is it not law?!!!!!
Rant over, but I can't promise there won't be more. Let's end on an artist note with some flood inspired art by Terry Roberts, finding the beauty in the destruction...
St. Mark's Reflections, originally uploaded by Bingleyman
I see the sea and the sea sees me.
I don't see the sea just now, so I've been needing to get my fix on Flickr instead, indulging once again in jellyfish. I am always astounded by them, they are so profoundly beautiful, so other-worldly. Nearly all the images shown are in aquariums as they are easy to take, but it is SO SO SO important to defend our oceans so that these amazing creatures, and all the other under water wonders, can be preserved. Our seas and oceans are under enormous threat from humans yet we have the power as individuals, as voters and as consumers to help turn that around. Also, see the end of this post for how your art can help. But first, the jellyfish!...
Portugese Man 'O War (i think)
originally uploaded by entertreynment
left pic originally uploaded by FlgCEH
right pic originally uploaded by rosswebsdale
My brother and I once swam in a lake somewhere in the East coast of America which was filled with 100's of 1000's of tiny see-through jellyfish the size of a 10p piece (or a quarter in US) a bit like these. They didn't sting, at least, not that we noticed, and it was better than being out of the water where the biting flies were.
You Tube has a nice clip of a mass of jellies floating about, though these are much chunkier, denser, more complex jellies and there are far fewer of them - but they are in dreamy green water. I noticed lot of the You Tube jellyfish clips have innapropriate music with them but I did find one that worked, at least for me it did- large floaty see-through jellies wafting through blue water like ghosts with Enya singing Carribean Blue, very fitting. I like Enya, not the hits so much, but the other stuff. The ethereal ones.
both shots originally uploaded by mafic
Now I've got Enya in my head. I just found one of my favourite Enya tracks Exile on You Tube and noticed for the 1st time that Enya looks a bit like Ulla. Actually the Carribean Blue video (see here) is very 'Ulla'. My favourite track, usually, is 'Evening Falls' (lyrics here, short Last FM soundclip here and full track with video on here). It really reminds of how disconnected I felt when I was living with my crazy Aunt, but in my own house.
So strange to have your home, your things, your pets and your neighbourhood right there but to feel like you are in a strange and horrible place where nothing is safe, everything familar has been transformed into something threatening. You remember everything as it was, but it's not like that anymore (and never was again). I got through it by really going into myself, it was like there was an out of focus film between me and the life I used to have, but if I tried to have any of that old life she would try and destroy it. So I withdrew so that she couldn't identify anything else to attack.
originally uploaded by itsray
Portugese Man 'O War tentacles in a jar
originally uploaded by mastergeorge
That Enya song really reminds me of that feeling. I think I would have gone crazy if I hadn't withdrawn and become a 'Stepford Niece'. Not that it made much difference, my family seemed to think I was pretty crazy anyway. That was the hardest part of all. Escaping her to visit them in LA during holidays only to find that they saw me as being like her, the enemy. After that I think I pretty much gave up realising there wasn't anywhere where it was ok to just be me.
We all get on ok now but I have never felt part of my family since then. Not that I ever felt like I fitted in anyway, but I at least felt like my Dad used to understand me. But after living with his sister he never looked at me the same way, I was like tainted goods, tainted with her craziness. It doesn't help that I look a bit like her - which is why I hate my cheekbones even though people keep telling me cheekbones are great.
originally uploaded by kasiaeryn
originally uploaded by seancadzow
That's why I love blogging, you lot seem willing to let me be myself, all the sides of myself. I can do a post that starts off with me being all happy about jellyfish and then unexpectedly (I never saw this coming) slip into some bad memory, but I know you'll forgive me for it and that I'll come out of it feeling fresh and posting about my joy in what is around me, like today's freshly opened peonies (photo soon).
Blimey. What a mini journey. I just looked at where I started this post, I see the sea and the sea sees me. That pretty much sums up my love of the sea. I feel at home there (mermaid wannabe) and when I stand on a quiet beach with the wind tangling my hair into thousands of tiny knots and my eyelashes building up a layer of salty air I do feel like finally some'thing' can see the real me.
originally uploaded by kyoten
originally uploaded by fiveholer
clearly not jellyfish but it's so very very 'me'
I never show you my 'serious' artwork. but a lot of it is work around that stuff. About not being seen, about people projecting ideas of what they think you are onto you but not actually seeing you at all. About the body being like a seed, all full of potential, like a shell with the inside often very different from what you see on the outside. I'm very interested in symbiotic realtionships and how amazing they can be and you see a lot of that happening in the ocean, another reason why I'm drawn to the water. There's a LOT of symbiosis in the oceans.
See the amazing jellyfish sculptural window display at Magic Pony, Toronto here.
Jellyfish street lighting here.
Cute painting of a jellyfish by Christel Weixelman.
And on the subject of art - Greenpeace are asking for your ocean inspired art which could potentially shown in their art4oceans gallery. Find out more here.
