Sunday, February 15, 2015

Scavenger Hunt - February


I met a lot of people in Europe.  I even encountered myself.  

James Baldwin

One of the items on my Things to Do Each Day list is to read a short story or essay. On my To Be Read bookshelves  and chair side tables I have way too many unread collections of short stories and essays - Best of series, food and travel essays, OHenry and Pushcart volumes.  When attempting to read them in one setting as I do a novel or non-fiction book, they overwhelm me. They also never get my full attention when only picked up here and there. Nor can I remember which parts I've already read.

Focusing on one book at a time and one piece of writing from it each day has rendered a most satisfying experience. At present I'm reading the Best American Travel Writing 2014, edited by Paul Theroux. I've vicariously been held prisoner in Somalia, fly fished for dorado in Brazil, and  ridden a Greyhound bus across the US. I've reread a lovely essay by David Sedaris about a family gathering on the North Carolina coast and hung out in New York City, Bombay, Paris, Sarajevo and a host of other locations.

Today I enjoyed a piece by Thomas Swick entitled A Moving Experience. It talks about his perspective as a travel writer. Much to ponder in this essay, but one observation he discusses is how lonely the travel writer can be. Yet in the solitude, he becomes more aware.

Apropos as my real-life travel today involves a solitary walk, a list in hand. A couple weeks back I ran across a blog entitled Made With Love. The Sydney based writer, Greenthumb, posts a monthly-themed Scavenger Hunt for photos. The hunt sounded like fun and today was my day to attempt it.

Having just read Swick's essay, certain lines remained in my mind. "... freedom from distraction; when you're by yourself, you're more attuned to your surroundings. Less discussed, but just as important, is the fact that, alone, you're also more sensitive. You not only notice your surroundings more clearly; you respond to them more deeply."

Perhaps that is why I often find perspective when I walk or go someplace alone. Or find myself in tears with my thoughts. Or discover marvels while sauntering that I never would have noticed if I only looked down the road and concentrated on sweat. (Could also be why my Active Minutes on my Fitbit rarely goes seven minutes before a stop.)

At the end of his essay, Swick stated "It was in Lisbon that I discovered the secret of travel writing, which is also the secret of memorable travel: you approximate, as best you can, in the short time allotted you, the life of a local."

Join me. Today, you get to be a local on Impala Isle. I hereby present my February Scavenger Hunt. Twelve photos: Flowers, Love, Number, Something Beautiful, Your Favorite Color, Bird, On the Road, Tap, Price, Heart, A Corner of Your Home, and Whatever You Want

Found while alone. Shared with sensitivity and deep joy.

Flowers
From my sweetie. (And not much other than store-bought available in terms of color in February.)

Love
Took three walk bys to get this photo of mama and baby. Baby kept sliding into the lake.

Number
Wanna play?

Something Beautiful
Indeed

My Favorite Color
Any shade of blue. Aqua, too.

Bird
Neighborhood Regular


On the Road
Fun find.

Tap
Gonna figure out something to do with these one of these days.

Price
Tree for sale

Heart
Nothing to say about that.

A Corner of Your House
Gotta spy on the world from somewhere.
Whatever You Want
Day's End.

Anyone else up for a Scavenger Hunt? Click on that Scavenger Hunt camera in the righthand column to find Made with Love. Most fun.


43 comments:

  1. I enjoy travel books too and you've reminded me that I have one of Paul Theroux's waiting for me on my book shelf in Italy which I started on the flight out last September. He travelled around the Mediterranean coast which was quite an undertaking. I've enjoyed your Scavenger Hunt photos for February. I've done a second one for this month and it makes me even more aware of my surroundings!

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    1. LInda, I hope to read some his writing as well. His editing choices for this volume of essays has piqued my interest in how he writes. Thank for the initial link.

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    1. Thanks. Your photos provide inspiration for improvement on mine.

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  3. There's a lot here, as there always seems to be with your writing. You've tapped into that elusive thing - the trying to be fully present in a life of comfort and ease that threatens to numb us - living in a travel mode without actually leaving home.

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  4. Your scavenger pictures are unique, and after looking over the the list, I must say, taps were a lucky requirement. I hope to join some other month.

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    1. Hope you do join. It was much fun. And, yes, those taps finally had a purpose.

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  5. Reminds me of an article I read many years ago about Carly Simon. She takes polaroids of everyday things and pastes them in a scrapbook and doodles and writes every day about them.

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    1. I recall that. In fact, I bought a Poloroid camera and tried it for a while. My kids kept using up all the film, though. Figured.

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  6. I like the idea of one small thing at a time, and not just in terms of reading. So often I end my days with little accomplished, because I didn't focus on just one thing, or because the big thing seemed like too much. Reading had fallen by the wayside for far too long, for the silliest of reasons, and although it's back now, I'm sometimes frustrated by the availability of so much good stuff to read, and the inability to choose. Not making a lot of sense, I'm afraid, but perhaps you get my drift. I enjoyed your pictures, share a love of blue with you, and like the shot of your two chairs a lot. What a beautiful place you live in! But I don't think I'll be doing the Scavenger Hunt - or maybe I will..? It might be good to make myself take note of what's there.

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    1. I did follow your drift. Sad to say perhaps, but my mind works in a similar way these days. And, so glad to “hear” your voice again.

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  7. I am too busy keeping up with husband on travel now, but maybe soon! This was a great collection, by the way.

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    1. Thanks, Tabor. With the lovely photos you take, I'd bet your scavenger hunt would be most delightful. Travel on.

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  8. The corner in your house looks so cozy. Enjoyed looking at these pics. How do you put the camera on your page so other can join in the scavenger hunt?

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    1. Nessie et al, just go Made for Love blog. On the left hand side she has the camera and code. HIghlight and copy the code, then go to your layout and click on Add a Gadget. Choose the third party gadget. Past that code in there and then you can position it where ever you want on your blog.

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  9. Very nicely done. I love those taps.. they'd make great hooks for coats in a mudroom or drawer pulls on an old refinished dresser. And I'm quite partial to blue, myself.

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    1. Yes, I've thought of those things. To be frank, I put them on the window sill years ago with that intent, and then just forgot about them. Always amazes me what I "don't see" after a time.

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  10. Hello greetings and good wishes.

    As regards reading short stories, at present I am reading GK Chesterton's Father Brown Stories. When you mentioned about travel stores, I have a book which I kept aside after reading a few stories. The name of the book is THE MAMMOTH BOOK OF WILD JOURNEYS. edited by Jon E. Lewis. I must now take this book and finish it. There is a definite advantage of reading a short story because we can fit it in our spare time each day and enjoy it. Beside, each short story gives us immense insight into the lives, customs, thinking and attitudes of people.

    Lovely photos

    Best wishes

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    1. Thanks for your comments. I will look into the Father Brown stories. And, yes, I do agree that only reading one story at a time provokes much more thought than plowing through.

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  11. OK, I'll try it...a trip out sounds inviting!

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  12. What a treasure your found on your walk! You are lucky to have a great blue heron as a neighbor - ours fly south in winter. My photos would reveal only snow and more snow.

    So nice to connect with another reader/blogger! I'm sorry it took so long to visit you back.

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    1. Welcome to you, Sarah. Perhaps my winter blue heron is yours in the summer.

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    2. I like that idea. By happy coincidence today I sold a Maine landscape with a great blue heron to a woman in the south.

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  13. What a wonderful post. I love blue too & all the great pics. Sometimes being alone focused & undistracted also works for me. It's why I like to flyfish for trout in the mountains...:)

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  14. I know I want to learn how to flyfish. Seems such a solitary, quiet venture. Need to add to my To Do list for this year. Finally do it.

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  15. I remember that corner of your house! Memories of our plotting workshop, and the WG sleepover. :-)

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    1. Still working on that book we plotted. You- three books published from that.

      Hmmm, maybe we need to do that again.

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  16. I'm no photographer, but I enjoyed this post so much. Especially since I've been teaching Walden and trying to get my students to appreciate his message of SOLITUDE SOMETIMES!
    Lovely post and gorgeous photos.

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  17. Thank you. And I'm thinking I would love to be in your classes.

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  18. Great set of photos, the corner of your house looks a lovely place to sit, and I think the tree for sale is quite sad and I love the tap heads..
    Amanda xx

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    1. Thanks, Amanda. Headed of to view your February collection.

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  19. Love your photographs. I only found the scavenger hunt today, so routed through me recent pics to join in. Cannot wait to go out and about with my camera with more of a purpose now for the March list. Love your taps, what about hooks for towels in the bathroom?

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    1. Yes, I have considered the hooks for towels. And for keys. And a few other ideas. Sometimes when I put things somewhere with the intent to do something creative, they become invisible. That is what happened to these taps. I now see them again. Off to visit your selections. Thanks for commenting on mine.

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  20. A lovely selection of photos, Julie! I'm glad that you joined in. I think you get the prize for the prettiest taps! I enjoyed your post too, and I'm going to try that one essay, short story, etc. my self, once I get home from my trip to Hawaii! I'm looking forward to seeing your March photos!

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    1. I'm looking forward to yours as well. Yup, I always have to have a story when I post a blog. Otherwise, I'd just do photos and that would not be good. I suppose. Certainly enjoyed my visit to your collection.

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  21. Welcome and thanks for joining in on the scavenger hunt. Great to see your photos, I really like taps, numbers and bird. Greenthumb.

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    1. So glad I came across your blog to discover this fun hunt. Thank you!

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  22. Just got back onto my blog after over a year's absence and was reading through some past comments from visiting bloggers. I followed your mom's blog and she was generous enough to come visit mine and left a nice comment one time for me regarding one of my posts. I so enjoyed your mom's blog - sometimes she said things that reminded me so much of my own mom (whom I lost in 2001). She seemed pretty no-nonsense. I checked to see if I could still link to Bernie's blog and sure enough found the entry re: the first anniversary of her death. I just wanted to tell you that I enjoyed your mom's perspectives on things and missed her when she could no longer blog. Hope it's okay to use your most recent post to let you know that. I'll come back to see what's happening on your blog. Take care!

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    1. Thank you for this lovely comment. Yes, she definitely could be a no-nonsense person, yet such a softie in other ways. I appreciate this comment more than you may know.

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  23. That passage about how we perceive things differently when alone is so good. Also, YES to the sentiment that a traveler tries to approximate the life of a local. Such good food for thought!

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  24. Those taps would be nice hung around that lovely clawfoot tub for towels or your bathrobe.

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Let me know what you think. Every word you write, I appreciate.

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