and it's
spring
when the world is puddle-wonderful
-- e.e. cummings, "in just-"As we emerge from a colder-than-normal and clingy winter, signs of spring can seen, if you look carefully. It begins with light. Spring light is different -- warmer, softer, and the sky gets a special spring colour with cumulus spring clouds as in this shot taken at the Port Credit harbour on Sunday.
Harbour & Spring Sky
(click on image for a larger, sharper view)Very cold today -- my tripod felt like an icicle -- but I started patrolling the back yard, looking for new life. It's not prominent but tucked away here and there are bits of rebirth, such as this tiny shoot emerging from the false spirea bush, under our kitchen window.
False Spirea Bud
(click on image for a larger, sharper view)My favourite backyard plant is our serviceberry bush (called Saskberry bush in Saskatchewan). At first I saw nothing, but when I looked really closely, I saw buds emerging from the ends of the branches.
Serviceberry Buds
(click on image for a larger, sharper view)I had a low yield of keepers today. I've lost the delicate touch required to get sharp macros -- I need to practice again. My eyesight is also letting me down. Time for an eye appointment and I know I'm overdue for a new glasses prescription. I'm not seeing well at any range.
Over in the corner of the yard, under the larger, showy, burning bush plants, are the lower-lying japonica. It's too early for their delicate berries to appear, but I love the way their leaves morph from leathery brown to healthy green. They don't appear to drop their leaves and start over like most of the other plants.
Japonica Leaves
(click on image for a larger, sharper view)Earlier today I caught the ice in one of our two birdbaths before it melted. Using one of my favourite lenses -- an Olympus Zuiko 50mm f/3.5 macro from my OM-1 kit and adapted for use on my Digital Rebel -- I handheld this shot of one of last fall's maple leaves caught in the ice of the birdbath. This old warrior has lost almost all of its colour but it, along with the ice, yielded a lot of texture.
Frozen Maple Leaf
(click on image for a larger, sharper view)The emerging signs of spring helped cheer me a bit. I was very sad today. Yesterday I received word that my friend, guitar teacher, and folkmusic mentor, Rick Fielding, passed away, succumbing to cancer. One of Canada's finest folk performers and a folkmusic radio host, Rick once gave a house concert right here in my back yard where I did today's shooting. His last CD, Acoustic Workshop, had just been released. Rick played every folk instrument with strings, and played them consummately. He was the cleanest picker I've ever heard, and he was blessed with a wonderful singing voice.
Rick Fielding (photo by Mose Scarlett)
(click on image for more on Rick Fielding)Rick, as long as we play what you taught us, and listen to your recordings, you will always be part of us. Rest in peace.
(22-Mar-1004, Revised 17-June-2004)
www.NorthernJourney.com -- gene@wilburn.ca