Month: November 2020

I picked these

Published on by bushboy32 Comments

The Lens-Artists Challenge #125: You Pick It

This is an interesting challenge due to Tina’s opening inviting us into the challenge with “This week it’s all up to you – you get to choose your subject and to share whatever it is about it that you find interesting. Personally, I’ve chosen last week’s introduction to the concept of Wabi-Sabi, particularly as it relates to art and photography, as my topic.“

Wabi-Sabi has me intrigued as my initial though was to just bung up a couple of flowers and say I picked these.

But no, I had to go down a bit of a Wabi-Sabi rabbit hole of discovery. This definition was quite good “Although Wabi-sabi can be hard to define, we can translate its simplified meaning to “rustic simplicity” or “understated elegance” with a focus on a less-is-more mentality, while “taking pleasure in the imperfect”.”

When looking for Wabi-Sabi perhaps “Wabi-sabi is a cracked and glued together ceramic bowl (check the concept of kintsugi); a funnily shaped, home-grown tomato; a dinner created from leftovers; falling cherry blossom; a worn wooden hallway and an elbow patch on your favourite jumper. Therefore, it’s an appreciation of all that is simple, modest and imperfect. Yet, loved deeply.”

So where to from here. Want to find out? Let’s have a go at my interpretation of Wabi-Sabi through a photographers eyes

I added this one for a bit of Zen fun

From the website – https://japanahome.com/journal/wabi-sabi-how-to-embrace-this-ancient-japanese-philosophy-at-home-and-life/

Wabi- sabi and Zen 

Wabi-Sabi’s roots lie in Zen Buddhism, which a Chinese twelfth century monk (Eisai) brought to Japan. Zen stresses austerity, communion with nature, and above all, reverence for everyday life as the real path to enlightenment. To reach enlightenment, Zen monks lived ascetic, often isolated lives, and sat for long periods of concentrated meditation.

In Zen philosophy, there are seven aesthetic principles in achieving Wabi-sabi:

Kanso — simplicity

Fukinsei — asymmetry or irregularity

Shibumi — beauty in the understated

Shizen — naturalness without pretension

Yugen — subtle grace

Datsuzoku — freeness

Seijaku — tranquility

wabi sabi tea ceremony

Thanks Tina for taking me to Japan and back for a while

Beginning to sweat as Summer approaches

Published on by bushboy39 Comments

Debbie’s Six Word Saturday

In contrast to the northern Winter, here in Australia Summer approaches. While the days have been warm in the next few days the temperatures will be rising. In parts of my state, New South Wales, today temperatures are estimated to be in the low to mid 40’sC so it’s heading to 104F plus for the next few days. At least at my place it’s only 32C on the verandah but in the sun it’s rather warmer.

Too many times

Published on by bushboy36 Comments

Debbie’s quotation-inspired image

AS is with most of my posts, here’s a bit of Australian music from one of my favourite 1970’s bands, Mental as Anything.

Enjoy a listen as you scroll at too many times (but sometimes you just have to) gallery inspired by the quotation for this week –

“Photography is pretty simple stuff. You just react to what you see, and take many, many pictures.”
– Elliott Erwitt

I had a terracotta bird bath. The birds used to love to come and have a drink or a bath. It is a place in the garden that is worth sitting hidden or even from the verandah viewing. I have taken liberties at using the words quotation-inspired image especially the image singular part…….

Sometimes it is comical when the Rainbow Lorikeets splash about.

or just sit and ponder….I’m sure Rainbow Lorikeets have ponderences

A Spangled Drongo would like you to turn around while he has his bath please

Yellow-faced Honeyeaters were usually amicable to sharing the bird bath

as were Silvereyes, who were rarely by themselves

THey would share with most other small birds like this Red-browed Firetail finch

More than often the Silvereyes turned up for a party

The White-throated Treecreeper was the funniest getting sorted at the bird bath. Most of the time Treecreepers spend their time in a vertical pose hopping up and down tree trunks digging under the bark for insects, hence the way he’s sitting which would keep your butt cool on a hot day I reckon

The female Satin Bowerbird liked to sit on the edge and have a bit of a chatter before plunging in

Sometimes a male Satin Bowerbird would appear when she was there. They are more of a solitary bird and don’t hang around much unless it’s for you know what!!

The Spotted Pardalote, one of the first times I spotted one in my garden

Another sharing between a Yellow-faced Honyeater and an Eastern Spinebill

A Scarlet Honeyeater wonders if he can hang on to get a drink like the Silvereyes when the water is low being the smallest honeyeater

The bigger birds liked the bird bath as it was quite solid. Pied Currawongs come down from the mountains when the weather gets cooler and head back in Spring

Grey Fantails make a bit of a show at the bird bath

Noisy Friarbirds aren’t the best sharers in my garden. They were quite dominant this year. In the evening their calls from all around my house indicated there were lots of birds. They stopped other birds snacking on the grevilleas as best they could. At the end is a video from around five years ago.

Little White-throated Honeyeaters look so cute fluffed up after a bath

There is always a disagreement at times when King Parrots get together

Rainbow Lorikeets and Musk Lorikeets didn’t share all the best either

and an Eastern Yellow Robin is always around