Things Landing on Cars

Posted on 13 September 2025 by Isabel Gibson

As a culture, we value travel–New vistas! New perspectives!–and there’s certainly something about being in a different place to make me look at things–and things on cars–a little differently. Sometimes it’s enough to just be in a different parking lot.

There’s an artform here, I think, and I can imagine a serious photographer setting up shots for the greatest effect–selecting the “thing”, positioning the vehicle (heck, selecting the vehicle first), timing the light–and then printing the best resulting shots on huge pieces of canvas. It might even be fun.

Maybe next year. This year, I am content to enjoy these chance encounters, these ephemeral images, as the small miracles they are.

Posted in Appreciating Deeply, Photos of Built Stuff | Tagged , | 4 Comments

I Shot the Photo . . .

Posted on 05 September 2025 by Isabel Gibson

. . . but I did not pick the sunflower seeds.

Posted in Photos of Faces, Photos of Flora | Tagged | 4 Comments

More Sunflowers, Alberta

Posted on 05 September 2025 by Isabel Gibson

I decided to take my own advice. Central Alberta has several sunflower farms: I visited two, one of which is primarily a family-fun centre and huge corn maze with parking for buses. I liked the other one, which overlooks the rolling hills west of Bowden.

Now, don’t you feel cheerier? I know I do.

And that might be it for sunflowers. Until next year.

Posted in Appreciating Deeply, Photos of Flora | Tagged | 12 Comments

More Skeletal Faces

Posted on 04 September 2025 by Isabel Gibson

I *knew* there’d be another opportunity to check out the teaching/illustrating skeleton at the physiotherapist’s, and so there was.

This first one reminds me of Jar Jar Binks in The Phantom Menace — technically the first Star Wars movie (historically, as it were) and actually the last Star Wars movie I ever saw or ever plan to.

This next one evokes either an elephant (I mean, look at those ears) or–considered more narrowly–an anxious lobster (admittedly with an unusual set of tentacles).

Posted in Photos of Faces | Tagged | 4 Comments

Sunflowers, Ottawa

Posted on 04 September 2025 by Isabel Gibson

Why do some farmers plant rows of sunflowers at one-week intervals through the spring? Because people like sunflowers enough to pay for the privilege of photographing them. Because people like sunflowers as backdrops for portraits. Because people like sunflowers and will spend money at co-located retail stalls selling flavoured sunflower oils.

But why do people like sunflowers?

Continue reading →

Posted in Appreciating Deeply, Photos of Flora, Photos of Landscapes | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Hip Face

Posted on 20 August 2025 by Isabel Gibson

Not a hip-as-in-with-it hip face, a hip-as-in-joint hip face, as seen on the skeleton at my physiotherapist’s office. I was moving quickly–I was supposed to be doing shoulder exercises–so I didn’t look for the best angle, but I think you can still see the face, anchored by the two screws as eyes and a sideways mouth. Picasso messed with perspective like that, but to better overall effect I think.

I’ll see if I can get a better shot next time. I’m sure there’ll be a next time.

Posted in Laughing Frequently, Photos of Faces | Tagged | 8 Comments

Cucumbers and Baguettes

Posted on 20 August 2025 by Isabel Gibson

What do English cucumbers and French baguettes have in common, besides a certain Continental flair? They don’t fit well in standard grocery-store bags, that’s what.

Let’s take the cucumbers first. In my mind’s eye–and now in yours–two are being held uncertainly by an unfortunate clerk even now regretting the life decisions that have led him to this point. It’s too late for that, buddy: You’re up. What are you going to do?

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Posted in Feeling Clearly, Laughing Frequently | Tagged , | 12 Comments

Not Yet

Posted on 17 August 2025 by Isabel Gibson

Early training tells. I grew up in Alberta, so when I see a spitter-spatter of rain on the early-morning pavement I step out onto the sheltered porch, expecting the air to feel less oppressive, temp-and-humidity-wise, than it has for several weeks.

Nope.

Early training is not all. I’ve lived in Ottawa for more than 20 years, so when I see a full-fledged scatter of rain on the early-morning pavement I step out onto the sheltered porch again, hoping the air will feel less oppressive than it has for several weeks.

Nope.

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Posted in Appreciating Deeply, Feeling Clearly | Tagged , | 14 Comments

All in This Together

Posted on 09 August 2025 by Isabel Gibson

I have a reputation as a precise estimator. I’d say that the spruce trees separating the practice range from the adjacent fairway were planted, oh, a while ago. They are, after all, pretty tall.

Ahem. Assuming they are not in destructive-testing mode (counting the growth rings after chopping the tree down), it turns out that experts do not use the height of a tree to estimate its age. They use the diameter of the trunk after measuring its circumference (about 4.5 feet from the ground) and then applying the growth factor applicable to the species.

However, even if I had known this technique at the time, I doubt that I would have used it: my tape measure was at home with my knitting kit and those branches are densely packed and sharp besides. So. The trees were likely planted during the development of Hylands Golf Course, which opened in 1961. That doesn’t seem like a long time ago–I mean, I remember 1961–but it would make them 64 years old if they were planted from seed and does that seem probable? No, they were likely transplanted as saplings of some sort, with several years or even a decade of growth already under their belts.

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Posted in Appreciating Deeply, Laughing Frequently, Photos of Flora, Photos of Landscapes | Tagged , , | 12 Comments