Showing posts with label River. Show all posts
Showing posts with label River. Show all posts

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

All the Boats in Boston

Almost every major city (that I have visited, anyways) seems to be based around a river or a lake.  This makes sense, of course, since waterways were once, and to a degree still are, a main form of travel and commerce, as well as a source of that all- important resource, you know, water.  Water is kind of necessary for human life.  Well, most animal life, actually.  Plant life too.  Life.

For some reason, however, I'm consistently surprised by the presence of these bodies-of-H2O. Every city has cool bridges, and neat scenes of bridges and boats.  And every time, I become excited.  I like waterfront scenes very much.  There's something wonderfully serene about rippling water, and the vessels floating upon it.  My shoulders immediately descend a few inches away from my ears, and my breath becomes deeper, slower.  Classical music starts swirling around my brain. I suppose this is why those relaxation tapes with sounds of waves are sold as often as they are.  We, us human peoples, tend togravitate towards the calming essence of water.  It makes cities a little bit more manageable and pleasant.  I know that a highlight of my day is always the bridge portion of my subway ride on the way to work.  The way home from work is in the summertime, but right now, it is very, very dark by the time I'm on my way back to our apartment.  

I like water.  I like boats.  I took some photos of them.  I hope you like them too.




























Saturday, November 27, 2010

When Will My Reflection Show Who I Am Inside?

Nope, these photographs aren't double exposures or overlays.  These are photographs taken through the giant glass windows at the Brandywine River Museum

Oh hey, look!  It's my feet.
But, no, seriously.  My mom and I went out on a lovely outing to the Brandywine River Museum while I was visiting for a few days at the end of October.  It's one of my favourite museums- it features the work of the painters of the Wyeth family, like NC Wyeth, Andrew Wyeth and Jamie Wyeth.  Plus, there's all kinds of other beautiful art too.
One of the best things about this museum, though, is that it sits right next to the scenic Brandywine River... hence the museum name.
So, yeah.  I went there with my mom and we spent a few hours walking around, looking at the paintings.  Lovely. 
They had all of their classics out, but there was also this great exhibit of Trompe L'oeuil, which is art that looks real.  The imagery is real, but it's art.  For example, there was this one painting, and I am awful and can't remember it's name or the name of the author, but it looked like a college student bulletin board, complete with photographs, banner, and letters home.  The items extended beyond the frame all over the place.  Even from a foot away, the thing looked 3D.  But, standing right there...
 FOOLED YOU.  
It was totally a painting.
Anyways, this got me to thinking about how things never look like what they seem, how we see through some things and not others.  For example, my lovely mom, Joan Buck (in the above photo).  I think she is so pretty.  And not just because she's my mom, because, well, she's just gorgeous. She hates being photographed, and doesn't like seeing pictures of herself.
 Sorry mom, you're on my blog!  Because I can see that you're pretty, and thin, and well dressed, even if you don't believe me.  You thought you were just something normal and real, from standing right there, and I can tell that you're a beautiful work of art from less than a foot away.  Or even ten feet away.
The enigma of the day- this dude.  Flying.  
Ah, but it's just another trick of the eye.  He was walking, doing some dance to the music in his headphones, oblivious to the world around him.  He was doing one thing, this photograph makes it look like another.  Trick of the eye.
And, here's the classic "photographer taking a photo that includes a reflection of herself" photo.  
I've started doing this a lot lately, because, though I just commented on this about my mom, I'm really self- conscious about how I look, and often hate how I turn out in photos.  I wish I was thinner, I wish my eyes were brighter, I wish my hair was naturally straight rather than wavy and poofy.  But, everyone else tells me I look just fine.  I just want to make the self and the work of art one and the same.

I'm starting to think that it might be a lifelong process.

Chadd's Ford, Pennsylvania, USA
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Saturday, August 14, 2010

Le Tour Eiffel

My night photography skills, at their best, would be graciously described as dodgy.  So, when this photograph turned out as well as it did, I was incredibly pleased.  The Eiffel Tower must be one of the most frequently photographed structures in the world.  I've seen images of it everywhere.  It's just so distinctive, and so indicative of France, and Paris specifically, that everyone who wants to appear classy by allying themselves with French culture seems to have images of it all over their home.  I am one of those people who loves the Eiffel Tower for everything it is, and stands for.  Je l'adore.

Paris, France

Like this?  Take a look at another famous Paris sight in Love is Just a Game.

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

All You Need Is Love

Dooo doo doo doo doooo....
It was an extraordinarily hot afternoon in Nevada, like over one hundred degrees farenheit, when my boyfriend and I decided to take a quick stroll outside of the casino.  However, it wasn't humid, so it was nowhere near as beastly as I just made it sound.  Anyways, there was a little tributary off of the Colorado River designed to run through the casino, and they had stocked it with koi.  I love koi.  This is the third photograph of them to appear on this blog.  They just eminate peace.  Especially when they happen to form the shape of a heart!

Loughlin, Nevada, USA

If you like this, then you must must must take a look at Zen and Tranquility.

Sunday, May 2, 2010

Tranquility

Koi in the River in the Yard of The Alamo
San Antonio, Texas, USA

Like this?  Check out Spring and Better Than Candles.

Really like this?  Buy this print here.

I added a cool quiz to the side of the page!  Vote for your favourite country (out of those choices) or the one you would most like to visit.  They are all ones that I have been to, or am going to visit in the near future.  However, they are not all of the countries that I have seen.  I just find it interesting to know what you're thinking, and maybe you do too.
ALSO I just added this thing called bloglovin.  You can now follow this blog through blogspot, blogger, google, or bloglovin.  So now you will always know when this blog is updating.  Yay!  Here's the link: Follow my blog with bloglovin.
ONE MORE THING- I created a facebook group for Travel and Toile.  To join, or for more updates, go to The Travel and Toile Facebook Group .
Thanks everyone!

Thursday, April 29, 2010

The Windmills in my Mind

Windmill House
Amsterdam, The Netherlands


And two quick updates.
First off... I finally got 400 page hits.  Yay!  A bit lame for having the blog for three monthes, but I didn't update for a month, so really I should stop complaining.
Also, this thing suddenly appeared (I probably accidentally changed a setting or something) where you can vote whether you think my post (photograph) is cool, interesting, or funny.  Have a nice time with that.

Thanks!