Wonder and curiousity.

The thrill of discovery fills my soul as I take in the nature all around me; on my way to no place in particular, nowhere to be at this very second. Time actually has stopped to wait patiently, momentarily. Noticing more, I step closer, squinting one eye and then the other, hoping to somehow circumnavigate* the entire specimen in one fell swoop. I’m intently so close in vicinity to it that my eyesight blurs – as if I can somehow find the keyhole portal to step through to another realm where all the magic resides; but as my eyes adjust, I realize that it’s all right here. I am looking right into the mystic and the very history of the world, throughout time and up until what is now right here in front of my very eyes. Pinch me, I think I’m dreaming – can this be real, do we really exist here? Yes, here I am, right here, and here, we are. 

*Squirrel! Side note / An aside. I first heard the term “circumnavigate” in the summer of 2000, back when I was gallivanting around the streets of Edmonton and spiraling through the cocoon and caterpillar stage of an unrequited love spell.  I always loved that word, circumnavigate – to go completely around. It was a lyric in the song Aside, by the Weakerthans; a Canadian indie band from Winnipeg, led by John K. Samson the great. That album, Left & Leaving left an imprint on my soul for sure. They toured to town with the one and only Lowest of the Low, where I was able to catch both of the bands live. Two bands with incredible lyricists and story-tellers. I was heart-warmed to find that I still have that 24 year old relic of a ticket stashed inside the CD, how interesting that I would know exactly where to look for it when I often can’t find my keys and all my marbles. Nostalgia for the win. It’s funny how we keep these things tucked away safe in a space within our homes, and in the back corner of our minds. Sentimentalism is real, I know it well. What’s even more amusing to me is that as it’s nearly to the exact date of the show (May 7, 2001) that I am reflecting this. Never cease to be amazed by the happenstance that befalls the day-to-day, therein lies magic. Or whatever you may call it. 

I started this series not knowing what it would turn into. I was on a nature walk along Buttertubs Marsh, where I found all kinds of interesting natural textures, and things I only found because I happened to be looking at them as I wandered around. Conversing to myself: “I could use this. For what? I don’t know…,” I started to stash them. “Where will I put all this? Hmm, I don’t know…” Once home, I laid them all out on the table and started organizing by colour, texture, similarities. This is when I was noticing there’s more to this than I knew at first, and everything is ultimately connected. It seemed to take off on a life of its own, becoming what is known today as a blue-bearded fiery fertility monster laying her eggs.

Soon after, the eggs became hatchlings…and here they are…