Thursday 4 September 2008

Underwater world


Those flickering reflections in the canal continue to ripple across my mind, especially when it's a bit tired. The still, dark water is a perfectly magical mirror, transforming the scrappy hedgerows and shabby industrial buildings that line the banks into something gorgeous and ever-changing. When a rare motor-boat passed, roughening the surface, I stood and waited, full of anticipation, for the delicate pattern of reflections to return. Phantom images, of course, a looking-glass world - touch the surface and they disappear. Thence their charm.

12 comments:

Bill said...

I love it when you flip pictures; these heterodox landscapes which appear. Days before it was the radiant daisy basking in its own shadow before you righted it. Hidden laws are revealed behind the brush of purposeful sight.

Jean said...

Bill, the daisy was a change of mind - this was just a mistake :-)

Bill said...

Sorry, I'm still on the daisy -- I find it helpful to take its suggestion and to think of myself as a manifestation of my shadow. I feel apprehensive as I think about it. I'm glimpsing the horizon of something I can't quite get the whole of. It's a very good thing. An adventure unfolding.

Bill said...

A happy mistake!

Jean said...

Hmm. Perhaps I should have stuck with the up-ended daisy - 'myself as a manifestation of my shadow' is not far from what I was thinking...

Anonymous said...

Gazing at water, still or moving, but ever changing in its reflections, provides endless delight and has a calming, meditative effect, doesn't it? I love these photos, like paintings.

Dale said...

Oh! Lovely.

Beth said...

The top one would make a wonderful painting! These photos have been lovely, Jean.

litlove said...

Those images are just gorgeous! The first one in particular appeals to me. I would frame that and put it on my wall, it's so lovely.

Anonymous said...

Beautiful, both, Jean. The second looks like a detail from a hitherto undiscovered Monet.

Linda S. Socha said...

You photos are hauntingly lovely. I look at them again and again.I think your blog is top notch and I very much appreciate it. Thank you for sharing.
Linda

Fire Bird said...

these are very beautiful