Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Folding time

I lead a busy life in Jozitown. I'm not complaining, because I mostly get to do things I love, exciting things. But when I count hours spent in traffic, or driving to and from places, or grocery shopping or fiddling on facebook, I know that there are far better ways to spend time. To fool time, and creep into its folds.

And here are some of them:


Staring at turquoise. A completely restorative vibration, Prozac for the eyes. This is source turquoise, like it's actually made here, pouring out from under the sand.





Watching shadows creep. Ideally one should do this for about two hours a day, for maximum benefit.





Honouring the coming and going of the sun. When I think of how many sunsets, sunrises and moonrises I don't pay attention to...






Making nature sculptures. One of my favourite artists ever is Andy Goldsworthy, who collaborates with nature to make astounding installations that he then photographs - like sorting autumn leaves into colour categories and then arranging them in concentric bands around a tree. Or building ice columns all night, by dripping accumulative drops of water, drop by freezing drop and then photographing at dawn as his labour of love melts under the first rays of sun. I love his cairns, his sudden suprises on a cliff face. I could spend all day sorting pebbles and making Goldsworthy tribute installations.


15 comments:

Shiny said...

Oh, wow. Welcome back! It looks idyllic. I hope it's not too much of a bump back into The Big Smoke x

Anonymous said...

Yes, variations of rose smelling - the practice of which we busy city folk need more of!

Miranda said...

oh divine. Great pics! Pebbles are one of my favourite things in the whole wide world.

macjanet said...

Aaaah ah ah. What beautiful shadows.

Anonymous said...

I've just googled him on your recommendation - his stuff is magical! Thank you for the introduction.
x

Angela said...

Wonderful, Tammy. Let`s take more time, making sculptures of nature things. And watch sunrises and sunsets and beaches. Life is so good to us, and so beautiful.
Don`t run around so much! Sit down at the beach, take your shoes off and let your toes play in the sand.

The Bug said...

Ah lovely! I think I'll try to spend more time paying attention to the cycles of the day. Although I make no promises to greet the dawn!

tam said...

Shiny, it was bump bump bump all the way from the shiny glass airport floor back to my busy week. Except now I have a secret: I'm going to become an eccentric beach haiku writer near the top of Mozambique. I'm already collecting coconut-only recipes. I'm - oh no. now its not a secret anymore. i better be quiet now.

Rob what is it about roses that make us so forgetful and neglectful?

Mo, you'd love the pebbles on guludo beach. there are round ones like moons and teardrop ones - translucent white - so yummy.

Janet - I thought of you, those shadows. cool huh? they used fishing basket weave all over those rooms - so much breeze.

Mud - he's great, has done some beautiful books, too.

Angela, I'm learning. or remembering, i guess.


Bug, most of the sunrises I've seen are ones I stayed up all night to see, so don't feel bad about that.

Lori ann said...

Where were you? it's so beautiful, your photos are gorgeous, very frameworthy!

i love the little pebbles in a row and the meditative way you've lined them up. i've seen Goldsworthys work, he truly is inspiring.

you have a wonderful aunt, with the best advice.

Chimera said...

Yebo! Agree on everything from turquoise to shadows to Andy! Love the photos hon!
T xx

family affairs said...

That turquoise - how gorgeous Lx

Nina Kaur said...

Beautiful.

nina

Deborah Carr (Debs) said...

Oooh gorgeous photos. Looks perfect.

karen said...

Wondering how I could've missed this one! Prozac for the eyes, oh yes, how fabulous that turquoise picture is, in fact all of them.. thank you!

Angela said...

No news from you since four weeks?