photography – Page 2

Walking on the Beach, Walking in The Woods

Dear Jasper and Kestrel,

Cousin Liza took me for a long walk down the beach by her house the other day. I had been there before, but it’s always fun to hear her take on things.

It was a sunny, chilly morning, and the light was sparkling on the water. The fjord doesn’t have waves, just little laps on the beach it is perfect for boating. Liza has started taking sailing lessons, and she posed by the boat she uses. All the boats are stored upside down in the boat yard. There is no fence around anything. “Stealing isn’t as big a thing here,” she said. I realized how much of our energy is the U.S. is spent keeping our stuff safe from thieves.

Further down the beach, we sat in huge wooden chairs that can be rotated into or out of the wind or sun. A very nice spot to perch!

We found two of Thomas Dambo’s trolls, called Laura and Julian, playing tug of war with a slack-line that you can walk on. We decided against it.

There were hammocks, which we rested in and watched the trees dance over our heads. We took pictures and messed around with color editing as we cuddled in the hammock. It was so nice to have quiet time with my youngest grandchild.

We got tired and hungry and headed to her place, where your Uncle David made everyone quesadillas. Then it was time for a short drive and a delightful walk through the Bollerskovene Klokkedal Skov, which is a national park just across the fjord from Horsens.

Broad, flat paths and burbling creeks made for a pleasant walk. We found a small bridge and I taught Liza how to play Pooh Sticks.

That lead to some engineering under the bridge to release the sticks. Engineers play differently than other folks, for sure. It was wonderful to see David and Liza having fun together!

And, as we walked back to the car, I got all three of my Danish family to pose. Aren’t they adorable? David drove us back to town and we all had naps and then a snack-ish dinner together.

Love,

Grandma Judy

SOAK Day 2

Dear Liza,

My first morning at SOAK, I woke up at 5 a.m. The campground was still mostly empty and totally silent. I pulled on my shoes (I had slept in most of my clothes) and went out to see what I could see.

The Tyge Valley is nestled below these incredible basalt buttes, remnants of a volcanic past. The buttes above and the river below, with all the rocky cliffs in between, caught the early light in a magical way. I took deep breaths and let the beauty and peace fill me up.

Walking back toward camp, I got my first look at some of the art and humor of SOAK, and figured we were going to get along just fine. Some of the signs included topics I don’t want to include here, but be assured that the Principle of Radical Self-Expression was on full display.

Kestrel and I had both made jellyfish hats to wear as our contribution to the festival. Kestrel wore hers during the day, but mine was mostly for night wear.

One of the Ten Principles is Radical Inclusion and Participation. We are both allowed and expected to not just SEE the festival, but to BE the festival. Living by the same principle, Auntie Katie and Douglas wandered the grounds some time every day, serenading folks who could sing along with their ukuleles. It is fun to be in all the games.

During the day I walked around with Kestrel and met some jellyfish friends and enjoyed some fresh-made pasta. Only ice is for sale at SOAK, because of the machinery needed to maintain it. Everything else, food, clothes, trinkets, anything on offer, is freely given. This reflects the Principles of Decommodofication and Gifting.

We found some out-of this-world installations that mirrored the clouds.

The main structure, which will be burned Saturday night, was getting its finishing touches. Following the Principle of Communal Effort, it takes many skilled hands to create this wonderful thing. It will be sturdy enough to climb on once it’s done.

By sundown, I had walked miles and miles around the camp, talked to dozens of nice folks, and my eyes and heart were full. It was time to tuck in.

Love,

Grandma Judy

A Few Chores

Dear Liza,

We have had so many fun, busy days lately, there has to be some days to just do the stuff that needs doing.

I made an appointment for my annual “Wellness” check-up. That’s when the doctor makes sure my old brain and old heart are still up to snuff. It’s going to be a busy summer, so it’s good to get a tune up.

We are also predicted to have a solid week of sunny, over 70 degree days, so I spent some time in the garden, pulling out the invasive mint that climbs through the fence and (TAA DAA!!) putting zucchini seeds in the ground! Their packet says they should “emerge” in 5 to 8 days. I will hold them to it!

After I had washed up, I pulled your Daddy David’s oldest stufftie out of the cupboard. VIP TLC, as your daddy called him way back in 1981, was one of the Shirt Tales cartoon characters. I sewed this one from a printed fabric panel back in the days when money was tight. He was very cuddly!

It’s been 40 years or so since VIP TLC has been washed, and I want to bring him with us this summer. So he got unstuffed and put into the wash. While he was getting clean, I fluffed up the old stuffing. When he was dry, I put them back together. Now he is ready for a flight to Denmark!

My last ‘chore’ of the day was to bring my garden journal up to date. The last time I made a picture for it, the day was grey and wet.

But bright, sunny days inspire bright, sunny colors!

Pages for The New Journal

Dear Liza,

Once we had the journal cover made, it was time for pages. Since this isn’t a journal for writing, but for doing art in, we were free to experiment.

I started gluing images down to scrap paper, which is always fun. Making THIS piece of junk mail look spiffy by sticking on THAT piece of old napkin is very satisfying.

When the pages were dry, I lined them up with the butterfly cover. I love the way the greens and soft pinks go together.

But wait a second! That cartoon dude is SO out of place! He looks like he got into the book through an unlocked window. He’s adorable, but he’ll have to wait for another project.

I kept looking, and more images kept showing up. This little girl and part of a watch face came together nicely. It needs something else, but it will come.

The Zoom Art group got together again this morning and I added this landscape over the splattered page. Not bad, but as it is here, it felt unfinished.

I put it aside and went on with the day. When Cousin Kestrel came over this afternoon, I asked her for advice. She suggested a setting sun with some rays, and I gave it a try.

I love it! Thanks, Kes!

This page of text strips goes with the color scheme and looks suitably cryptic. The splatters add a little character. As I told Ruthie, “Splattery will get you anywhere!”

And that’s the newest art journal so far.

Love,

Grandma Judy

Tidying Up Inside

Dear Liza,

Auntie Bridgett is expecting a delivery of a book project she’s been working on, so we needed to make some space in the garage. We have quite a few boxes we haven’t even looked in since we moved up from Salinas, so it was time to re-evaluate some stuff.

We waited for a warm day so we could have the garage door open and pull the car out, and hauled boxes from all the far corners and under-stair cupboards. While we were shoving and pulling, there wasn’t time for pictures.

But we found some nifty things!

A pile of postcards sent to your Daddy David and Auntie Katie from your great-grandparents when they were traveling around the country…

….Memories from Auntie Katie’s Drama class at York School in Monterey, and her bat mitzvah….

…. And memories from long ago visits to Disneyland with Rick and Sheila.

We also found some hidden treasures, probably gifts from my adopted Grandpa Phil Conway, in the form of old, old coins. I have no idea what these are worth, but will browse the ‘net and see what I can find out.

All told, it was a busy, get-stuff-done-day, and we were happily exhausted by the time the garage was put back together.
I will tell you about the delivery when it happens! (Insert dramatic music).

Love,

Grandma Judy

Stills from Home Movies Part 1

Dear Liza,

After my brother Tim passed away last week, I felt the need to go back in time a little and see where we were as kids. I dug through the DVD cupboard and found the disc I had made years ago of Great-grandpa Lowell’s home movies.

As I watched the badly focused, weirdly framed and out-of-order movies, I got frustrated that this DVD technology, just 14 years old, is already incompatible with the rest of our equipment. Without booting up really old computers, (not my strong suit) the only way to get still frames from the movies is to run the DVD, freeze the frame, and take a picture with my iPhone.

So that’s what I did. But the movie is so old, I ended up with not so much photographs , but a series of Impressionist paintings.

But I like them, anyway. So far this one, of my Momma and me on the shores of the warm, windy Salton Sea, is my favorite.

This one of my Dad and I by a river is my childhood in one shot: Standing by big scary things, feeling completely safe, with Dad quietly explaining them.

More tomorrow!

Love,

Grandma Judy

My Favorite Things

Dear Liza,

I took this picture the other day, just after a long morning’s rain. It reminded me of a song written by Oscar Hammerstein II called “My Favorite Things”. I wanted to see how many of the other lyrics I have accidentally photographed. Here goes:

Raindrops on roses