“Can we talk climate?” asks Susan at Poets United.
cold grew of snow and ice fingers scrubbed winter winds away for morning came
One of the things that used to vex me with Finnish winter was the ice scrapping of the windscreen, in the mornings. We couldn’t do without a car living in the countryside. But when we moved to the city, it became redundant with the ease of public transport.
Few years ago we sold our car. The motivation at the time was to save a few bucks, car insurance is expensive. But this was also our contribution to reduce transportation emissions. Now, when I see neighbours scratching ice and dusting snow off the windscreen in the mornings, I just smile. Because giving up the car has made me healthier and happier.
This week, Rommy asks about things that thrill us creatively. The written word is my thing as some of you already know.
But another love I don’t talk much about that gives me great pleasure is photography, and to be precise nature and landscape photography.
A Seagull Scanning the Landscape
I must have been 12 years old, when I got my first camera. Remember those Polaroid instant print cameras! I cannot begin to describe the thrill I got from snapping (yes snap was the verb at the time) the great outdoors in the countryside. It was dizzying. 🙂
A White Christmas
I consider myself a hobbyist photographer because I pretty much taught myself how to take photos. And later on with the help of Scott Kelby’s books, I managed to improve some techniques. So, photography for me has never been about making money. I do it for pleasure.
A Midsummer Night in Finland
While I don’t consider my photos as art (because I like to keep them as original as possible, that is, I don’t do much editing) I always hope they tell a story.
A Misty Autumn
Photography also inspire a lot of poems I write. For instance, this photo inspired one of the poems “On Beautiful Roads” in the Seasons Defined collection.
Our Tent in the Wilderness
Last, wherever I go, I always carry my notebook, pencil and camera to capture these special moments.
I once tried clog dancing. Ah no, wait! It was actually line dancing. See I can’t even tell the difference. 🙂 I don’t doubt though that clog dancing is a great form of exercise. But I tell you, nothing gets the heart racing like walking the tightrope.
One of the techniques needed to walk on a tightrope is to mount the line on one foot with a friend sitting on the line. I read all this from somewhere, of course, I’m not a professional tightrope walker.
Life is a balancing act. Finding that balance can be elusive at times. But I learned from early on that I don’t have to do life alone.
In my support system, I have words. Words are my friends, I trust them with my confidences. I’m talking here about the simple act of journalling.
With January days full and flustered, juggling all sorts, I found myself reaching for an old notebook as I tried to clear out clutter from the shelves. In that notebook, I came across one long forgotten draft that made me laugh till my stomach hurt.
It’s a draft of an absolute rubbish story that was inspired by frustrated jottings I had put down in my journal. Someone else might not necessarily find the story funny. But it’s a story where I poke fun at myself. I wrote it in first POV and as a male protagonist whose occupation is writing. I’ll stop there…
But rereading this story reminded me that I actually write to entertain myself first, before I worry about the reader. That’s a real good feeling. It takes off the pressure to perform and puts joy back into the creative process.
This is how I walk the tightrope…with words to catch me, if I fall.
