Tag: water

treading water

water.jpg

Here we are, one month past the US election. I’m still not over it. I don’t plan to get over it.  What I am trying to figure out is how I can play a role in protecting the social progress this country has made, and to push back against the racism, bigotry, homophobia, xenophobia and all the other flavors of closed-minded, small-minded fear of the other that this president elect has shown and encouraged in others.

I am still working to find my voice. I am working to strengthen my resolve, and bracing myself for a long fight. I’ve felt like I’ve been treading water, just focusing on keeping my head above water enough to keep breathing. I plan to take action soon, but the truth of the matter is that I am not a strong swimmer. (This is true literally as well as figuratively. I think this metaphor comes to mind because being in deep water brings me a sense of dread and near panic. Much like the coming change administration.)

So I continue to post here daily, as part of my commitment to speak out. It may seem odd that posting photos of leaves and trees serve any function towards my goals of addressing issues of social justice, but they are functioning for me as a way to keep the communication lines open. (Or perhaps of keeping my toe in the water, if I want to stay with that metaphor. But if I am treading water, it’s more than my toe in the water.

more than half full

My mind, like this glass of water, is more than half full these days. Indeed, it feels close to overflowing. (Unlike the glass in these images.)

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Tonight, I am grateful for clean water. It is so easy to take for granted ready access to water that is fit for drinking, as well as for washing. I am lucky to live in a place where water is generally plentiful and clean. Of course, it shouldn’t be about luck. Every human being should have access to something as critical to life and health as safe drinking water.

splish splash (friday foto finder: water)

When you are a toddler, bathtime can be a lot of fun. So many opportunities for splashing! And when you enjoy taking photos, this can be a great time to play around with catching those splashes in action.

These were some photos from when Theo was 2. To catch the drips mid-drop and the splishes mid-splash, you need to have a pretty fast shutter speed. (Mine looks to have been 1/125, or a125th of a second) Since our bathroom doesn’t have terribly bright light, I used a flash for these. I think I had at least as much fun as Theo did. (If you try this at home, be warned that there’s a good chance your camera may catch a splash here and there, and I don’t just mean in a photo.)

That was the summer that I started in on Project 365, and I worked through self-chosen themes each month. My first month I chose reflections, and the top photo is the one I selected for that day. I loved a bunch of the others, too, so I’ll take this opportunity to share them.

Check out the slide show for a few more photos from this set.

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This week’s friday foto finder challenge is to find photos with water. Well, it’s certainly not exactly a challenge for me, as water is one of those subjects I am drawn to in photography. I love the interesting distorted reflections from water’s varied surfaces, and am fascinated by the refractions visible in drops or containers of water. I may just have to post a few more this week!