There are many ways of going forward, but only one way of standing still. – Franklin D. Roosevelt
….going forward….
So long to summer…vacation
It is that time of year again, when my many weeks of summer break are ending. This photo was actually taken in March, 2012, not at the end of summer, but it is one of my favourite sunset shots.
This photo originally showed up here, when I had returned from visiting my daughter in Vancouver. She has found another home, although she has never said goodbye to this one. How wonderful it is to have more than one place to which you belong!
Whatever you do, do it well…
I love these photos….this little bee is doing its job well…..
I also love my long macro lens that allows me to take photos of bees, which I am allergic to, but still love to watch!
Take a walk on the wild side…
Perhaps that title is somewhat deceiving, but seriously….doesn’t it look like my friend the bee is going for a walk on this flower??? He is the same bee that I caught buzzing away in this earlier post.
Long days ahead
After a very fast summer, I am returning to work next week. Officially I don’t need to go in to the school until Tuesday morning, but it has always been my habit to go in when the teachers do – the week before – and help out setting up, cleaning up, whatever is needed. This year, having had to transfer to a new school, I felt a bit like a fish out of water.
I started the day by going by my old school, to say hi to friends. It felt hard and sad, so I headed to my new school. The “fish out of water” feeling was strengthened, not alleviated, although the vice principal was kind and caring, showing me around and explaining what she could. The school is so large I keep saying I’ll need a GPS so I don’t get lost.
I don’t know what it will take to feel like I belong but I will keep looking for that moment and grasp on to it.
So, when all else fails, I always look at something beautiful. The fact it is purple doesn’t hurt.
….how perfect everything is…
When you realize how perfect everything is you will tilt your head back and laugh at the sky – Buddha
Memorial to Jack Layton
As planned, my hubby and I headed out on our bikes yesterday and went down to the Jack Layton Ferry Docks (recently renamed) to see the statue in memory of Jack Layton.
The wall behind says, Jack’s Got Your Back: Stronger Together: The Layton Memorial.
I would have loved to see something from his final letter to Canadians as the tag line, but since Jack is on the back of the tandem bike, it is a fitting quote.
For people unfamiliar with Jack Layton, here is a link with information about him, produced at the time of his death. Whether or not you were an NDP supporter, people were struck by his ability to speak and live simply. I think the aspect of his personality I admired most was his strong desire to be a force for change while remaining a guy who, as depicted above, rode his bike everywhere. As well, his devotion to his family was never far from his mind and that was very evident in the way they all treated one another in the days following Layton’s death.
Olivia Chow, Jack Layton’s widow, said she wanted the sculpture to capture his smile.
I wish he was still riding the streets of Toronto, but his memorial will bring a smile to many other people as they wait for their ferry to the Toronto Island.
For a piece on how the sculpture came to be, follow this link.
