Water Colors

Posted on January 30, 2016 by Maggie C

despite wet grey days
keeping winter gloom at bay
nature paints with rain

Daily Press weekly photo challenge: Vibrant

Where the Grass is Greener

Posted on January 22, 2016 by Maggie C

It rains a lot where I live. And the landscapes are very green here. At times I get a bit gloomy about so much rain, but I always appreciate the lush greenery.

For me, green is the color of optimism.

I also appreciate “green” environmentalism and sustainability efforts. While I don’t go around hugging trees (well, sometimes I do, but only ones that I know really well), the fact that there are people committed to helping nature survive our negative impacts makes me feel optimistic about the future of this planet. And that same responsible and farsighted commitment makes me optimistic about the nature of humankind.

I try to steer away from politically controversial topics on this blog, but nature isn’t a political entity. It has no hidden agenda. Nature does not discriminate against anyone or anything on any basis whatsoever.

Nature holds no ill will, covets nothing and demands nothing. Yet it gives us life. We owe nature some serious respect, and the most conscientious, careful and caring guardianship we can give.

Each spring when I see new growth on the trees around me, I feel renewed hope. For me, green is the color of optimism.

Daily Post’s weekly photo challenge: Optimistic

Cast of Characters

Posted on January 16, 2016 by Maggie C

Alphabet [al-fuh-bet, -bit] noun

a : a set of letters or other characters with which one or more languages are written especially if arranged in a customary order.

b : a system of signs or signals that serve as equivalents for letters.

Daily Post’s weekly photo challenge: Alphabet

Weighty Lessons

Posted on January 8, 2016 by Maggie C

Sometimes
history can weigh us down.
Remorse, regret, convenient revisions…
and at times
rage and resentment
over transgressions against
our ancestors.

Sometimes
history can lift us up.
Inspire, validate, educate…
and at times
impress upon us
the value in celebrating and learning
from our past.

Dates, names, places, events…
all factual information.
Yet history will always be
defined
by the lens through which
each one of us
perceives.

These photos were taken at the Garden of Surging Waves, a city park in Astoria, Oregon, which was built to honor and celebrate the Chinese heritage of that area. The Story Screen in these photos is an iron structure that includes the entry gate, and these large panels that tell about the hardships, struggles and contributions of some of the Chinese immigrants in Astoria as well as their descendants who remained in the area and who continue to be vital components in the fabric of the community.

Daily Post’s weekly photo challenge: Weight(less)

Circles and Lines

Posted on January 1, 2016 by Maggie C

cyclical seasons
geometric life patterns
spurn linear time

circles

Daily Post weekly photo challenge: Circle

Time Bubbles

Posted on December 22, 2015 by Maggie C

life effervescent 
moments surface and explode
tickling my senses

now

Daily Post’s weekly photo challenge: Now

Gathering Storm

Posted on December 18, 2015 by Maggie C

birds gather on wires
dark clouds gather in the sky
I gather my belongings and 
seek shelter from the storm

gathering1

Daily Post weekly photo challenge: Gathering

Oops! The Case of the Runaway Hole in the Wall

Posted on December 12, 2015 by Maggie C

So there I was, sitting in my living room staring once again at that little bulging hole in the wall underneath the window. It was about the size of a thumbnail, with a couple of cracks running about three inches out from it.

Its location under the window made me concerned that the window might be leaking water and causing the damage. But aside from my water concerns, that little hole just irritated the heck out of me every time I looked at it.

For some reason this year I got it into my head that I was going to be some kind of do-it-yourself super warrior. So even though I’d never done any type of wall repair before, I set out to fix that annoying anomaly.

First I took my handy dandy utility knife (I absolutely LOVE my utility knife; it’s just so… utile), and cut out some of the wall sheetrock to see what I was dealing with.

Then I accidentally cut into a prior mesh patch (oops!) and ended up removing it. So I had a bigger hole to fix.

This was more than I had bargained for. I paused to consider my options. While pausing, I made a temporary patch using a pizza box and duct tape (I absolutely LOVE duct tape. It’s just so… ducky).

At least I didn’t have to look at that little hole in the wall anymore.

As the saying goes, “In for a penny, in for a pound.” I forged ahead, replacing the pizza box with sheetrock, and taping and mudding and sanding the new repair. The offending little hole spot now looked like this:

A little texture spray and new paint, and the wall under the window looks as good as new, except for the missing baseboard that I tore off. But that’s a totally different do-it-myself super warrior story.