Wednesday 18 April 2012

Collecting Waves ...

Is this possible? To collect a wave? Of course not. Just a bit of foolishness. Like a snowflake, each and every one is different, a miracle in itself and never to be repeated.

No snowflake ever the same, no wave ever identical to another, and no two people, even twins, will ever be the same.

And none of them will ever be repeated. The moment has been, and gone.

The waves in these photographs I'd like to share, will never be repeated.

Nor will I, nor will you.

Throughout the eons of past and future, there will only ever be one me!

Only ever one you.

And that 'one' has inestimable value! Some intrinsic thing that no-one else possesses, ever will possess!

Everyone we know brings something to our lives, whether it be a hard lesson, or an incredible joy.

And each of us only gets one go at it all ... one bite of the cherry! No rehearsals.

...  one building up...



     ... one rushing along ...


 ... one cresting and glorious crashing onto the beach ...



followed by a slow roll back,



then gone.



Saturday 14 April 2012

Broken Dawn ...

This afternoon I found out that a friend's son had died recently, over the Easter Break just a few days past. Not a close friend, but someone I've communicated with, and I've commented often, on her beautiful photos, on a Seaglass site we both belong to.

I can't begin to imagine the emptiness, the desolation she must be feeling right now.

She has one other son, and a daughter, perhaps other children I don't know about, but having the 'many' does not make up for the loss of the 'one'. And the hole left in her heart will be there forever. Nothing in her life will be the same, from the moment he went, as it was for her the day before. 

Surely as time passes, the edges, like seaglass will round and soften, and her deep belief in God will help her find some peace. But the hole will remain.

My heart breaks for her as I think of her pain.
Truly, the loss of a child would be the worst pain a person could feel.

Feather, I'm so sorry!

When I took this photo ten hours ago, I called it "Broken Dawn". I've only just found out why.



Broken Dawn
 

Tuesday 10 April 2012

Old Glass from the Sea

Are you a collector? I am!

I collect books! Not old books, or valuable books, just everything I've read ~ in the last ... oh... 40 years or so!

When I left teaching I kept a few, but forced myself, literally, one-foot-in-front-of-the-other forced myself to give my vast collection of resources to the teachers at my son and daughter's school.  Posters, pictures, large print books, Picture books! Teacher's resource books ... everything, from how to do a forward roll to how to construct a sentence! All of it went!
In retrospect, it was the right thing to do! But it was hard!

But novels?? No way! I couldn't part with a novel! And I do re-read almost everything! But toss them? Give them away? Nope! Sorry! Just can't do it! I do lend books though, and often don't get them back. That ticks me off well and truly. I'm like an elephant! I! Will! Never! Forget! Especially if they were by my favourite authors! [The six earliest books written by Kathy Reichs spring to mind here .... Grrrr!]

Now ... what does all this have to do with old glass?

Well, it does, for my newest passion, is SEAGLASS ~

Old glass, old thick glass that's been around for many, many decades. 

Very old, thick olive glass. Section of a bottle base.
 Very beautiful glass, tumbled and tossed, rolled and sanded to perfection.

A lovely grey-blue egg, collected on Seaham beach and sent by a friend.

A new perfection that perhaps it's original makers would never recognise, but a perfection that has me, and thousands like me, out combing beaches, taking photographs, sharing those images with like-minded seaglassers all over the world!

Wonderful aqua glass, collected from a beach in North-east England by another friend.
 There is nothing quite like stepping onto a beach, any beach [but preferably one with pebbles], knowing that the tide is on it's way out, and wondering what it has left behind for you.
Mosquito Bay, just south of Batemans Bay, NSW, a pebbly beach near a boat ramp. Both good signs of seaglass!
It may not be old glass that you find, perhaps a shell, or a living urchin that needs a helping hand to get back to the sea.


Urchins at Catherine Hill Bay, NSW. Returned safely to the sea.
 I've learned much about the tides and phases of the moon, although I've always found this stuff totally fascinating, and have studied it before at Uni.
Now though, I'm very conscious of the moon and the weather as an integral part of my everyday life. Every night and every morning, I check to see the position of the moon.


So...  as well as books, [and many other things], I now collect seaglass, and photos of seaglass. 
And photos of the moon .... 

                                               ... and DAWNS ...
            
                                                           ... and waves ...
And to finish, is this the moon? Or ...................






Thursday 5 April 2012

However to begin ...

How on Earth do you begin a blog ... a very first blog ... as a 'Seadragon'!

I'm such a 'verbose' person, I thought it would be easy! I always have so much to say, to everyone! I must drive my friends totally nuts! They're far too kind to say, but I'm sure this is true! I'm just lucky to have such well-mannered, sweet friends, I guess. I know this is true.
But I always have so darned much to say, and take so many, too many photos to post on the sites I belong to ... so here I am ~ blogging!


Looking north along the Illawarra Escarpment
I chose Seadragon as my blogging name because this is the Year of the Dragon, and I am a Water Dragon! Only twice in any human's life will this occur, and I certainly don't remember the first time!
Twelve Chinese signs in rolling rotation,  and five elements -again, each taking their turn, so yes, only twice in 60 years do you get this chance. Your birth year and your year of complete cycles, [which I'm certain the Chinese have a proper name for].
I just slipped in at the end of that Water dragon year, early 1953, so I'm 59 rather than  60, beginning this blog. 
                            I will consider myself a youngster!!! 

Contemplating Life  ~ Seagull at Batemans Bay, NSW
Life truly is so fleeting, and we waste so much of it. If only you could have it over again when you get to my age, but start at a point chosen by you! Thirty-five would be good!
But I want to take everything I know now with me!! 

My Rapture with The Ocean began at eighteen months when my nervously-new, protective parents ventured timidly from the bush to the shores of Port Macquarie on the mid-north coast of NSW, for our very first family holiday!
         One look was all it took! Just one look ... famous song, yes,
         but that's how it was! Skinny little legs twinkling surf-wards,
         tripping in the sand, flat on tiny face, laughing uncontrollably
         through the unexpected mouthfuls of sand and salt!
         Again and again and again!
         And I kept it up all that day ...
         ... and forever!


The view across Beagle Bay towards North Durras, where we have our van. One of the most beautiful places on the Ocean's Edge.
 I have swum in it, floated on it, dived in it, photographed it, from above and below! I have helped with research into and holidayed on and beside it ... always near the sea.
Walking and collecting, painting [badly!] and drawing [even worse!], writing and pretending to be a poet ...
... yes, like many, many millions across the globe, The Ocean is a source of perpetual fascination to me.
I have a huge respect for the Ocean, her moods and fickle emotions, never underestimating her force and power. Her beauty and timelessness, so constantly challenged by the invasion of Man.
How brave were those who first set sail or oars upon her. To head off into the Great Blue Unknown ... so brave.

Today is  Good Friday. A day to contemplate and reaffirm your beliefs.
And to send Good Wishes and Happy Thoughts to friends embarking on adventures a world away.
A day to cherish your family.
Take care, and walk with light steps upon the Earth.

Early Morning Light