“In difficult times carry something beautiful in your heart.”Blaise Pascal

John, Blaise and Emma

John O’Donohue introduced me to this quote from Blaise Pascal and today, Emma Rooney reminded me of it. It is thanks to Emma that I decided to do this particular post this evening – driven by beauty and my grandson’s final exams – which require my moral and actual support. For the next four school days, it is the joy and bane of kids everywhere – study, write, relief that another one is down, along with bouts of terror and happiness. And then the freedom of summer. How I also loved summer.

Since I am soon needed, I will let the pictures tell the tale of the beauty that friends of mine and I witnessed this past week.

First, my snail on the front step of my daughter’s. I know not everyone likes a snail, but I find them fascinating, and it is rare for me to see one with his head poked out from under his shell.

And then there is my friend Ann’s good attention skills that allowed her to notice the flicker feeding her babies at the lake. What a wonderful sight.   She took this photo from her window, and I was the lucky recipient.  Just now, another wonder from the lake. Look what is on her window this evening.

Katharine Harvey

Thanks to Emma Rooney, I have something special to show you today. This is a beautiful Florae Installation at the Chester Subway Station in Toronto designed and created by the award-winning multi-media artist Katharine Harvey in Toronto.

“The Toronto Transit Commission awarded the design of integrated artworks at Chester Subway to contemporary Canadian artist Katharine Harvey in 2016. Florae portrays native plants and flowers found in the neighbourhoods and ravines surrounding Chester station. Depicted are milkweed, verbena, trout lily, and blue flag iris colliding together in double-exposed photographic overlays. The playful combination of realistic depictions with abstract interventions pushes the mosaic medium in a new direction.

The innovative use of hand-glazed ceramic tiles imbues these stationary wall works with a sense of movement and of wind blowing seeds into the sky. The architecturally integrated art glass above the entrance features a super enlargement of flowers that expands into clouds and heavenly bodies. The mosaics are finished and the art glass will be installed in early 2021.” Katharine Harvey’s website has lots to take in, including an illuminated Drone Art Show she created in 2022 for the Luminata Festival Toronto.

Here is a short video of the Chester Subway installation.

 These jaunty blossoms simply make me happy. From my favourite Farm Garden

This is all for tonight, and I will see you next week. In the meantime, keep your eyes peeled for the beauty you love. It is everywhere.

NOTES:

1:) Emma R. also gave me a link to this short video from the National Film Board.  Don’t Let the Sun Catch You Crying is a short meditation on love, grief, and imagination. The hand-drawn animated documentary was created through a collaboration between mother, elder and narrator Edith Almadi and filmmakers Natalie Baird and Toby Gillies. This poetic piece celebrates life and the transformative ability of art to elevate and transcend us. Through vivid drawings and Edith’s simple yet magical words, the film explores our enduring bond with loved ones who have passed. In honouring her son’s life within the cosmos, Edith’s artworks embody colours, shapes and metaphors that remind us of the timeless power of love, gravity, and grace until our final breaths.

Watch here

2:) Many thanks for the care and attention you offer me each week. I am so happy to be here with you all, and I appreciate all your kind words. See you next week. Warm wishes, trudy