Saturday, November 22, 2008

An Enduring Landscape


There is only one landscape on the surface of the earth that has remained unchanged for tens of thousands of years. It has not been carved out by erosion or shifted by earthquake. It hasn't cracked from drought or been eaten away by the virus of mankind. The revolving seasons leave this landscape relatively intact and the simple colour palette remains fairly monotone.

Find yourself floating on the ocean, far away from land, and you will know what I am talking about. The stretching surface of the deep sea was seen in much the same way by pterodactyls and breaching whales. And although little has changed here, it is the largest landscape on the planet.

Yet, it is in a constant state of metamorphosis. Its chaotic patterns of wave and chop and swell are constantly moving and changing, never remaining the same even for a moment.

And what is interesting is that no matter how chaotic the sea appears to be in its movement, once the heaving waves complete their long journey to the shore, the dizzying patterns turn into regular steady parallel lines that break on the sand in a very repetitive and soothing pattern.

The ocean and her mysteries have provoked my melancholic curiosities. Her form, ever-changing... her patterns, ever-reliable, leave me quiet and contemplative. She is full of paradox, and so am I.

18 comments:

  1. lovescapes,dreamscapes,starscapes......i hope to send them to you on a cloud.

    to your beautiful mind...all my admirations

    love you
    j

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  2. I love the second to last paragraph. Chaos can be very organized if the lesson is not lost, the message held sacred.

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  3. Love the metaphors you make between the ever-changing and evolving ocean-scape and human-kind. Beautifully written..with a stunning image to match!

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  4. Your image is wonderful, but I love your writing even more. Everytime I read something new that you've written I look at your "About Me" and wonder why "writer" is there along with "photographer and piano teacher".

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  5. Umm, that should read "isn't there..."

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  6. ohh, this is just wonderful...

    and yet... even the ocean is not infinite.. and humans with their greed, short-sightedness and egocentrism are destroying this last seemingly untouched landscape... think toxic waste deposited in the depths of the oceans; the sound pollution caused by all the vessels sailing on and under the sea and the effect it has on, say, marine mammals; the melting of arctic ice caused by global warming which may affect the all-important currents with their food supplies for much of the oceanic life... and so on...

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  7. I agree with Toni - your writing is always, always wonderful, but really this time it is this image that has me spellbound. I'm thinking this is where I want to live - yes, yes, this could be an aerial shot of my house! Yes! Oh my! Surely I could never be unhappy if living in such a miracle of a home!

    I'll show it to an architect when I've saved enough money!

    :) Debi

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  8. Another wild and tender post,

    The ocean calls to us,
    Never too far away from us - it resides here inside our chests,
    in the tides of our breathing...

    If only we could learn her lessons... of the paradox, the mystery and the power of the wave...

    Sending you love sailing across the waters,

    May it find you safe,

    Maithri

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  9. the ocean is my spirit ~ so
    i concur:)


    gorgeous lyrical writing....

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  10. The spiral is sacred geometry...clues to the universe. Getting lost and found in the pattern. Just like life...

    Lovely post!

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  11. sigh ... that photo is like floating out on the ocean ... beautiful

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  12. wow - so beautiful! You are an amazing writer & artist - you make me stop and really look and really take a deep breath - that's a real gift.

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  13. how lovely to return to one of your painterly photographs and softly written posts my dear friend. i have much catching up to do. I love the image, it is always a favorite of mine, the spiraling pattern of that shell. but no one i have ever seen can capture it's beauty quite like you!
    it is thanksgiving Day in the US and i want you to know i am forever grateful to have found you and that you have come willingly into my life.
    XO

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  14. it was nice reading this. I have been thinking about the ocean a lot. She is my teacher at this time in my life :)

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  15. Beautiful photo photo and post... I love how you've captured the essence of the sea in this post.

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  16. I like anything that mentions Pterodactyls.

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  17. Dreamy...and so full of truths...I love getting carried away by your words...:)

    xoxo
    Have a wonderful weekend...

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  18. Felt at peace on viewing this post.

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