This scene reminded me of a sign I saw as a child at a restaurant beside a gas station. It read: Eat and Get Gas. I found the double meaning quite amusing and never forgot seeing it. Some fifty years later I saw an opportunity to illustrate that sign.
I plan on spending more time on my blog and will be posting a photo every day–recent photos like this one, taken yesterday, and also older images from my archives. And if you haven’t done do already, please subscribe to the Image Journey. Cheers!
The road goes on forever.
I’ve always been interested in what I think of as “surrealism in everyday life.” (My “Wish You Were Here” series has dealt with this in the past.) Two years ago, I visited Belgium for the first time. My family stayed in Walonia, the francophone southern region, in Liège. We also visited Brussels and took in the wonderful Magritte Museum.
My impression of the country was that Rene Magritte’s surrealist perspective was somehow typical of Belgium. I only spent a week there, but everyday, and literally everywhere, I saw details that screamed surrealism. As Magritte said, “Everyday objects shriek aloud.” There was so much photographic potential for juxtaposition; ambiguity, fantasy, and humour.
Rosetti Rivera writes in Belgium Express: “Belgian surrealism does not only show itself in bold and garish ways. More often than not, it hides within the subtleties of everyday life. If you don’t look hard enough, you may easily overlook those quiet expressions of delightful absurdity that could add a ton of humor and spice to your day.” She recommends paying attention to the architectural mismash, lamp posts, sidewalks, and windows.
I’m hoping to go back to Belgium and explore more of this fascinating and culturally rich country, and “be on the lookout for what has never been.”
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Here are my top ten photos of 2021. I didn’t stray far from home this past year, so most of the photos have a more rural feel. I looked for the usual suspects–good light, juxtapositions, unusual scenes. Most were taken with my iphone, and some with my DSLR. I often revisit locations throughout the year as the light and season can really affect the mood of the photo. Cheers! And all the best for 2022!
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Sometimes the big picture is elusive because of all the distractions before us. (Sometimes we can’t see the forest for the trees.) On the other hand, if infinity spreads outward to the stars and also inward into the smallest atoms of these trees, then the big picture doesn’t matter. It’s all a big picture.
An infinite universe exists in the bark of these trees, in our bodies, and in outer space. We can start anywhere. It doesn’t matter if we see the trees in the forest, or the forest within the trees.
This photo was taken on our annual family Thanksgiving walk at First Lake in Lower Sackville, Nova Scotia. A chance to do some forest bathing. I’m so grateful to be alive for this brief time on earth, and grateful for a wonderful family.