The Bus Stops Here

This is a cross-over post from my art blog because these days I'm blurring the lines between photos and art (not that photography is not an art form, just that I am not a photographer as such). And also because I spent a lot of time (about five hours) making this picture!

One thing I really enjoy doing is "sneaking" pictures from a bus window. In my little village in the maritimes, we don't have a bus service so I take full advantage of the bus rides I take when visiting Vancouver.

If you'd like to see another version of this picture, and learn a little bit more about how it was made, jump over to my art blog .

Can you tell I'm dreaming of getting a smart phone or tablet so I can snap quickie shots with them and zap them with cool apps?! Instant gratification instead of straining my eyes with hours of Photoshopping ( but no no--Mama don't take my Photoshop away!)  And how about Instagram? Is it the photographers' bane?  I long to be able to post Instagrams.  This is as close as I can get...5 hours worth of "instant"! Oy vey!

The Elephant in the Room

I have been conspicuous by my absence.

Seen in an alleyway, Vancouver BC

Nevertheless, an elephant never forgets.

And the writing, as ever, is on the wall.

Hot Dog in the Fog

Nothing quite as tasty as a hot dog in the fog,

especially when it's at English Bay on a January day.

(Warning: watch out for that dollop of "mayonnaise" falling from above!)

"Reddy" or Not!

A little holiday bundle wrapped in red for you...

City sidewalks dressed in holiday cheer.

Outdoor skating rink overlooked by big bird.

Canadiana-themed wintry window displays.

Mad dash of last-minute shopping!

Tree-topped tower against darkening sky.

Fuel.

A cozy corner to curl up in

with the good company of a faithful friend.

Ready or not, it is upon us...

Merry Christmas to one and all!

(I hope you nailed all your Christmas shopping!)

Artist at Work

Let's chalk one up for this artist...

seen on Robson Street in Vancouver last summer...

Make a wi$h

50 cents 1/2 wish   

$1.00 3 wishes  

$2.00 unlimited 

evenings & weekends

Not sure if his sign means that the wishes only work evenings & weekends.

At any rate, I was so involved with getting photos of the artist in action, I completely forgot to make a wish, even though I made a cash contribution for the privilege.

Moving in for some details.  Although he's walking all over the picture, his touch is remarkably sensitive.

The man really gets into his work...literally!

The artist's touch.

Granville Island Stroll

Let's get down to business now...shopping on Granville Island! Well, window shopping, at least, as the goods and goodies are a little bit pricey, being handmade and often one-of-a-kind.

Behold this gorgeous felted wrap.  

It would be even that much more amazing if the images reflected in the window were incorporated into the fabric (hmmm...must remember to try this idea if my own felting attempts ever reach a degree of actual wearability.)

Here's another sample of felting ingenuity. There is, in fact, a fabulous felted goods shop on Granville Island called Funk Shui  The price tags alone make me gasp, but the creations are glorious!

Along the same alleyway is an enchanting silk shop with every variety of shawl, scarf and wrap one could ever dream of wearing.  (Look at that crinoline.  Hands up, ladies--well, maybe a few men among you as well--who remember either wearing crinolines or putting them on your head and parading around like you were wearing a bride veil!  Um...okay...maybe it was just me...)

Moving right along...here's a guy with balls! 

There are several places where buskers put on shows throughout the day, at least during the summer. 

Never a dull moment!

I heard this guy singing when I emerged from a store and realized I'd recently been listening to him on YouTube, but now I can't remember his name or the song!  But I like his eclectic fashion sense.

If you feel moved to join in on the music making, chances are you could find something right up your tin pan alley in this musical instrument shop!

A large draw on Granville Island is the food and flower market, with a veritable rainbow of delectables.
I didn't try photographing the foodstuffs this visit...it's a little overwhelming, especially on a weekend when people are jostling around every stall, trying to get the vendors' attention. I suspect I have some photos from the food market on previous visits stashed away in my photo larder.  Maybe I'll dig some out for the next installation of our Granville Island mini-tour.

I hope you've all been having a gourd time so far! 

Watery Depths of Granville Island

Getting off the little shuttle-boat at Granville Island I was immediately distracted by the watery depths:

water a milky emerald green; 

 posts bejewelled with barnacles.

Lines and perspective;

light and dark.

Graphic lines like artists' marks.

Textures flirt with shadows.

The overworld breaks in.

Perhaps not the usual scenes a visitor would notice,

but definitely part of Granville Island's hidden charms.

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Thanks, Hilary, for the Post of the Week nod!

Linking to Weekend Reflections

Granville Island

Let's get on the Aquabus and motor over from downtown  to one of the most colourful, entertaining and exhausting places Vancouver has to offer, Granville Island.

On my visits "home" to Vancouver, I usually get over to this busy shopping/eating/entertainment mecca at least once.  This time I visited the place on three separate occasions, each time with a different friend (I feel so blessed!) and loved every minute.

 Here we are, docked and looking back at the highrise apartment buildings on Beach Avenue. While I wouldn't particularly want to live in a glass tower (even if I could afford it), the view from up there must be mesmerizing. 

A little further to the left of the previous view we can see the Burrard Street bridge and a bit of the beach that gives Beach Avenue its name. Back in the day, I used to ride my bike over this bridge to pick up some groceries or have a meal at a funky little shop called Lifestream, which was pretty much the only natural foods store in town at the time.  My, how things have changed! Vegetarian is almost the rule of the day out in Lotus Land now.

Same bridge, different day where the weather provides an alternate mood.  I was greatly amused by these two young women enjoying their own photo shoot, the model posing to look as if she was leaning on the seawall in the background.

 

Looking back at the shoreline from the aquabus on a cloudy day, marks on the boat window look like raindrops, which is often enough the norm for Vancouver.  Not this summer, though, when rain was for the most part a distant memory.  

I'll have to leave the tour here for today as I must admit I've been toying with the images for an embarrassingly long time this morning/noon/afternoon...which is why I avoided blogging while I was away in Lotus Land this summer.

Back soon to continue our tour of Granville Island!

Hold that pose.

Lotus Eaters?

This is a scene I captured through a bus window in Vancouver, one of my favourite things to do.
It looks like a pretty bleak bus stop with all the barbed wire on the fence behind...almost gives the feeling of being outside a prison.
 

 The ad is for a Canadian clothing company, Bench, but someone has stuck an announcement on it with a warning about a certain type of drug: "Are you taking a Benzodiazepine sleeping pill,tranquilizer or z-drug? Learn the devastating truth. Go to Benzo.Org.UK." The site warns of easy addiction to the drug and over-prescription by doctors. The kids in the poster looked pretty zonked out, which is what perhaps prompted the posting of the warning at this particular place, although the Benzo UK web page mostly describes middle-aged and elderly people as being addicted to sleeping pills.

 Sounds a bit of a nightmare.

Obvious by Her Absence

I'm hoping that the old maxim "absence makes the heart grow fonder" holds true with blogging.  Somehow or other, I wandered away from my blogs this summer, busy gathering photographs but just filing them away rather than "processing" them to share. Lots to look forward to this winter, I guess.

Here's a shot of the Vancouver skyline as seen from the seabus that links downtown with North  Vancouver. 

In a few days I'll be sailing back to the Maritimes (flying, actually), looking back fondly on a wonderful summer spent in Lotus Land.  See you soon!

Contemplation

Sometimes it's necessary to slow down the mind, the connections, the obligations, even the imagination, and just stand centered in the contemplation of being.

Still the thoughts.  Dwell with your true self in this moment.

Perhaps the vision, the feelings, the awareness will shift; focus soften; breath deepen...

or impressions may take on a sharper focus, a different tone; reveal a slightly altered point of view.

Possibly, one's whole perspective will be turned on its head and new possibilities emerge.

Whatever happens, it is all good,

 if one can be at peace in the moment.

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(Photos taken at Dr.Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden in Vancouver BC last year)

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Linking to Nature Footstep's "Abstract Photo"   theme; visit the online gallery to see other participants.

Just Cruisin' Through Life

I guess I've been conspicuous by my absence.  But I have a really good excuse, and it isn't that the dog ate my blog!  Let's see if you can guess what I got up to-- here are a few hints:

It starts here, at Canada Place, harobourside in Vancouver.

There is definitely a feeling of festivity and celebration 

in the air.

I may be gullible, but this bird just tugs at my heart strings
(as long as he leaves my French fries alone!).

Gradually, Canada Place is gathered into the sheltering skyline of highrises...

as clouds rush in for dramatic effect.

Look quickly now, we're about to have the unusual experience of going under the Lions Gate Bridge!

Have you guessed yet?

No, I did not sail off the edge of the world!

But wouldn't that be a great excuse for neglecting to blog.