The Passenger's Photo Album - Siberia

Winter Evening in Khabarovsk

     It was a cold, Siberian evening walking past the Cathedral of the Transfiguration in Khabarovsk, Russia. The Passenger was wishing for another pair of socks.

Happy Carrots, Valentine

     I babysat for my grandchildren last night so that their parents could go out to dinner for Valentine’s Day. I decided to make a special dinner for the kids. The individual heart-shaped meatloaves were easy, but I resorted to my old nemesis, Pinterest, for ideas for the vegetable. I found a tutorial for heart shaped carrot slices. It looked easy enough, even for a Pinterest challenged individual such as myself to carry off. I suppose if the carrots I bought at the grocery store had been large and perfectly straight like the ones I saw in the tutorial, it would have been.

     My carrots were the quirky sort of characters that everyone enjoys in books, but nobody wants to live with.

     In the end, I hand-sculpted each individual slice of carrot into the shape of a heart. I did it even though I knew the effort-to-appreciation-ratio was going to be highly disproportionate. We’re talking kids and vegetables. I was determined not to let my lack of culinary prowess get the best of me this time, but mostly I did it for love. I love my grandchildren and I love to tickle their fancy. Even if you don’t like cooked carrots, a pile of orange hearts in the vegetable spot on your dinner plate has to be a bit of a giggle.

Chiaroscuro

     I heard my new wind chime calling me outdoors, so I grabbed my camera and coat and went out into the windy sunlight to look for chiaroscuro. It was everywhere, long blue ribbons of it spilling across the garden and pooling in the hollows. I wandered the neighborhood shooting shadows and snaring light, and then dragged home a brace or two to share with you.

Stalking Shadows

   

Sugarplum Dreams

Ironic Illumination

Rooted in Reflection

     There is a quality of light in winter that feels like twilight but lasts the whole day through. It is present even at noon. The slant of the sun. The shape of shadows as they lean away from the light. Chiaroscuro. It bewitches me.