Garden Palette

 

 

Blending shades of morning light.

 

The Art Of Listening

 

There are those who first survive their youth, then harness knowledge and experience throughout their prime and later use it to weave a tapestry of understanding which, if properly attended, reaches the level of wisdom.

Such is the case for long time environmentalist and activist David Suzuki who has been in the consciousness raising business for much of his adult life.  That journey has led him to what seems to me to be an obvious truism, namely that infinite economic growth and expansion within a finite environment is simply impossible.

In this May 6, 2013 lecture at Western Washington University he expands on this notion in the context of our looming environmental crisis.  As much as anyone he has been marginalized and ridiculed for his work in environmental awareness, but if we’re serious at all about the effects of anthropogenic climate change, now and in the near future, it would be wise to think about that old saying:  there is a reason god gave us two ears and one mouth.  We should listen at least twice as much as we speak, and in this case, to our elders.

 

June In Yellowknife

‘Don’t forget about dinner tonight.  I’m making the Indian dish we talked about.  You do remember where I leave my spare key, right?

How could he forget.  For the moment, he had nowhere else to go.

‘I’ll meet you there around seven.’

The trauma of last weeks’ events led him to a bit of a crossroads, as well as, for better or worse, the woman who was the friend of a friend sort of thing.  But like a roller coaster, he thought, once you buy the ticket, your only choice is to strap yourself in and ride it out.

The June evening was typical for Yellowknife, a sun bathed city awash in the light of summer solstice.  But no measure of illumination could save what at first promise seemed like a good idea.

‘Sylvie says you sing opera.  I’ve never met anyone who did that.’

On cue, she interrupted the stirring of the peanut mixture she described as an Indian delicacy, and proceeded to, well, yodel.  To be fair, it oscillated between a yodel and a shriek.

‘Wow, that’s something.’  In addition to everything else, he hoped she wasn’t a mind reader.

She beamed back a confident smile.  ‘You see, there is more to me than just a brilliant teacher!’ 

OK, she couldn’t read minds.  He could relax a bit more.

‘I was never really into classical music, although I did grow up with the sounds of Glenn Gould.’

‘Oh I’m a student of the classics,’ she boasted.

‘I’ve always enjoyed Gould’s’ Goldberg Variations.’

Omnipotence itself couldn’t restrain her ironic, indeed, operatic howl of laughter, as well as the ensuing look of confusion on his face.

‘The Goldberg Variations!’, she mockingly repeated.  ‘His name is Glenn Gould, not Glenn Gold.  Don’t you mean the Gouldberg Variations?!’ 

‘Ah no, it’s Bach’s’ Goldberg Variations.’

More uncontrolled laughter.  ‘It seems you don’t know much about classical music.’, she crowed.

‘I guess not.’

As he sat there sipping his wine in bemused silence, the only relevant thought passing through his mind concerned time.  Was it too late to update his departure?

The wee hours unfolded in characteristic Yellowknife fashion, a dusky glow in place of the usual darkness, when even streetlights decline to wake up.  Sitting around the backyard fire, it occurred to him how much he missed the outdoors.

‘I love campfires.  Fire is really one of those primal things.  I think its part of our nature to love a good fire.’

This time the wine jumped out of his glass as the sonic tremor of a laugh returned.

‘That’s not true, fire isn’t primal!  You don’t know much about human nature, do you?’

‘I guess not.’  And with that, the decision made itself.

As she gathered the evenings’ debris, he gathered his resolve, and swiftly exited for a later than usual after hours stroll.  To Nova Scotia.

 

Water

 

 

Under the bridge, on a warm Spring morning.

 

Culture Then and Now

Here’s a thought.  If what appears on your television screen is any sort of cultural barometer, which of course it is, what might t.v. producers of today re-imagine from the past to fit our current climate of shallow, banal corporate intemperance?

 

Bob Ross and the Joy of Painting – See master painter Bob Ross humiliate post-graduate art students as they compete to become the next ultimate painter.  The stakes are high, and a no mercy rule applies.  And god bless my friends.

MASH – While our brave men and women battle the wicked red menace to protect our freedoms, the wacky doctors at the 4077 carry on about the evils of unionized labor, government regulations and public health care.  Sponsored by the National Rifle Association.

The Mary Tyler Moore Show – Watch this small town girl turned reality show vixen wheel and deal her way to the top of broadcast news.  The drinks are flowing and not even her best friends’ husbands are off-limits.  How far will Mary go to satisfy her boundless desires and lust for power?  Tune in to find out, if you dare!  Sponsored by the National Rifle Association.

The Waltons – Witness the first family of fracking battle those small town environmental radicals in the race to plunder the black gold of Walton’s Mountain.  It’s good night John Boy in this winner takes all fight to the finish.  Is greed good?  “Hell yes son!”, says Grandpa Walton.  Sponsored by the Society for the Promotion of Cruelty Towards the Environment, and the National Rifle Association.

 

Coming soon to the History Channel.  That’s right, the History Channel.

 

Green River

 

In morning sparkle, welcomes the day.

 

Crazy For the Weather

 

As Canada continues its assault on the environment, to the bizarre point of removing the word ‘environment’ from the Environment Canada website of all things, it would be refreshing to witness some rogue media personality break ranks and stage an on air mutiny against the deafening poverty of discussion about climate change and its effects.

Perhaps I should become a meteorologist.

Thanks to Deep Rogue Ram for the insightful humor.