In Praise of Black and White: Part V

Almost like clockwork, every January I’m reminded of my love for black and white. Maybe it’s the monotones of winter. Maybe it’s the bright white snow against a black sky. Maybe it’s because each year a new Ansel Adams calendar hangs on my studio door.

Whatever it may be, I’ve long been drawn to the beauty of black & white art, going back to the first time I picked up that favorite tool of mine (the #2 pencil) and sensed that magic was held within its lead.

From pencil or pen to the magnificent drama of a fine black & white photograph, I’m captivated by the power and emotional breadth that can be achieved without a spot of color. No distractions. Just character and grace, depth and strength and guts and mood. And like a good story, well done black & white allows your mind to add its own color by filling in what’s left unsaid.

Enjoy!

1d2f5f2d2fa35f176b5f04697a47bca2

Jornal da Fotografia

cowgirl.boot2

Clare Colins

paris.fog2

Michael Rajkovic

amish.field2

Jenő Dulovits, 1935

snowy.field2

Gorazd Kranjc

ocean.wave2

from UltraLinx

eagle.photo2

Yves Schüpbach

baby.wolf2

Jeff M for Short / Lifecreations

cobweb2

Patrick Hübschmann

batman.robin2

Batman and Robin

apple.waterdrops2

by the-definition.deviantart.com

old.woman2

found on The Happy Mango @ pinterest

violin2

Nelson Rietzke

old.camera2

source unknown

254f3753a74f73789254a5f768fec4e5

Joko on 500px

244fb0961cf7fd30105e0d9b06f44700

source unknown

gatsby

source unknown

Andre Kohn

Andre Kohn

Patricia Saxton

 

Stéphane Berla

Stéphane Berla

Patricia Saxton / Book of Dragons

Patricia Saxton / Book of Dragons

source unknown – possibly claudihexlein?

wedding.cake2

Modwedding

Portrait and wedding photographer East Yorkshire

Ally Byrom

white.cat2

Vishuddha

sea.rocks2

Michel Rajkovic

mlk.blackwhitehands

source unknown

 

Please note, I’ve tried to find image sources for all of these images, and sometimes failed. I would love to give proper credit where due, so if you know the original source of any of these labeled “source unknown”, please let me know!

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Outrageous Happiness #15: Just Because

saxton.outrageous_kindness

Sweeten up! Nothing elevates your day like doing a kindness for someone else. It just feels good to let that person go in front of you at the grocery checkout. It just feels good to pay the toll for the car behind you. It plain and simply feels good to open doors, hold an umbrella, bake a cake, put a surprise gift on someone’s door, tell someone how much they mean to you, tell someone they look nice, they did a great job, they matter.

Doesn’t have to a Big Deal. Doesn’t have to drain your bank account. Doesn’t have to take much time. A little generosity of the heart is sometimes all it takes. (If you can do more, bless you!)  Just be kind. Do a kindness. Unexpected. No hidden agendas. Not for gain. Not for praise. Not for anything but kindness itself. Because “just because” is a terrific two-way happiness breeder.

saxton_justbecuase

 

How’s your Outrageous Happiness going?

 

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A Plethora of P’s / #73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79 & 80

proactively punctuating life with the plausible, powerful possibilities of positive thought presented through a plethora of “P’s”.

Well. It has come to my attention that my Plethora of P’s collection has been taking much too long to finalize. This may mean nothing to you, but I’m a “finisher”, and if something’s dragging out too long, it makes me anxious to clear the decks for all the other stuff calling my name. (see previous post…) So, I decided to rev up my speed to the finish line goal of 100 Positive P’s. In that spirit, I give you not one, but eight P’s this time. (You’ll also see that I had a bit of a cute jag; I suppose to counteract my philosophical bent.) 🙂 In any event, hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoyed making them. Here we go:

– ♥ –

#73: Pliablesaxton.P_pliable

Flexibility is important. Not only important to be limber in our joints and muscles, but agile of mind. To this end, I see being pliable as the ability to bend and stretch, where and as needed, while remaining firm in our physical, emotional, and moral core. (If you’re at all like Gumby, your pliable-ness may even involve a perpetual smile; however, this is not a requirement, especially when performing certain yoga poses or mental calisthenics.)

– ♥ –

#74: PrizedP_prized

To be prized is to be cherished. We all have treasures we value above all else; friendships, families, partners, or things as simple yet somehow soul-satisfying as Aunt Elorena’s scalloped potato recipe or Mom’s hot fudge or a favorite soft, warm blanket. Maybe we prize an ability, or a trait in ourselves; maybe a dream. We hold these people, things or feelings up to a better light, place them on a nearer, dearer shelf, and we honor them by recognizing how they bolster and brighten our world.

– ♥ –

#75: Periwinkle

P_periwinkle

Just the sound feels good ~ the way the word periwinkle rolls off your tongue hints of cheerfulness and magic, of imminent delight. It sounds of hope, like an expectant jingling of chimes on a sweet summer wind or the smell of a homemade pie in the oven, or roses or mint or morning light on a fresh snow.

But it brings more than a sensory smile. According to folklore, periwinkle (the flower) represents the beginning of friendship. It can also symbolize compassion, and charms and gifts from the heart. Medicinally, it’s said to help memory and ease the aging process, and has also been known to control swings in blood sugar. It’s a potent little gem that’s usually taken in the form of tea. Of course you can simply enjoy its presence in the garden ~ or just the way the sound rolls off your tongue.

– ♥ –

#76: Popcorn
P_popcorn

It’s fun, it’s yummy, and goes oh so well with movie watching. But did you know that it’s also good for the digestive system, lowering cholesterol, and regulating blood sugar? And it serves as a strong anti-oxidant and helps with anti-aging! Pass the bowl, please!

– ♥ –

#77: PineappleP_pineappleWhoever invented the pineapple was really taking liberties with the idea of visual beauty. Looking like a giant pine cone (thus the name), they’re oddly shaped, prickly, difficult, and nothing short of interesting. I like them because they evoke thoughts of “tropical”, conjuring up visions of palm trees, white sand and crystal blue waters. A blend of sweet and tart, I think they taste better in their natural environment, too.

Pineapples ~ like most plants ~ hold a myriad of nutritional benefits within their crusty, bark-like shells. They’re also used in fabric, wallpaper and furniture making! And of course, we know that centuries of tradition has made it so nothing says “welcome and warm hospitality” quite like the sturdy pineapple.

– ♥ –

#78: PluviophileP_pluviophile

Pluviophile (n): a lover of rain; someone who finds joy and peace of mind during rainy days.

Love is good. Joy and peace of mind are good. Let it rain. As Langston Hughes wrote: “Let the rain kiss you. Let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops. Let the rain sing you a lullaby.”

– ♥ –

#79: PoseidonP_poseidon

Poseidon holds dominion over all water. Also known as King Neptune, God of the Sea, Shaker of Earth, Tamer of Horses, Son of Kronos and Rhea, Brother of Zeus and Hades, Ancient Greek Olympian … he’s had quite the colorful life. Though quarrelsome and armed with a mighty trident, he is powerfully dignified in bearing. He also happened to create the first horse (no small feat), and he protects all creatures under the sea, which seems good reason enough to have earned the respect of sailors the world over.

– ♥ –

#80: Phi

saxton.P_phiPhi ~ which uses the symbol Φ ~ represents the “golden ratio” of  tfrac{1 + sqrt{5}}{2} approx1.618033988749894848204586834… and is often associated with geometry, art, and architecture. In the natural world, the spiral of a nautilus shell is one of the most typical expressions of the golden ration, and one where its suggested beauty becomes apparent. (It has something to do with ratios and proportions, and is well explained ~ much better than I can ~ in books and websites on the topic. Here’s a site I liked, with some pretty good history.)

Phi is also is the 21st letter of the Greek alphabet, which is quite less mathematical and therefore something I can more easily understand, but the two cannot be separated, as the golden ratio takes its name from the letter.

……………………

(until next time, you can see the ongoing Plethora of P’s here)

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Thought Collisions

saxton_einstein.time

Maybe it’s the barometric pressure? The way it can bring out aches and pains; for example, how, according to my chiropractor, a change in barometric pressure often makes the place hurt where I fractured my spine a year ago? Does this also potentially cause our thoughts to collide, bringing them all out at once so create frustration? I’m looking for a scientific answer here, and not being all that scientific, this is the best I can do.

So, it’s a snowy, gray, January day. I decide to join the masses for a grocery run, in case the snow amounts to anything must-stay-in-worthy. While my daughter unloads groceries, I bring the firewood in. Then laundry. While I’m there, in the laundry room, the place that also serves as office supply room as well as a catch-all for stuff-that-might-be-useful-some day (am I turning into my father?), which also desperately needs to be purged (so I can put other things in there) but is mostly out of sight and out of mind and when it comes to mind (the purging process) it’s overwhelming to think about (who has time?) so has remained largely un-purged since rearranging my studio a year and a half ago after The Flood happened, and anyway, (breathe) I see it and think, heck, just get rid of some boxes. That’s not such a big deal. Just do it. Now. Then I think, but of course! ~ just do a little bit each day, rather than feeling like you have to do the whole thing at once. (I knew that). So I pile up the boxes, empty boxes that I-thought-would-be-useful, and take them to the dump. Before I do that, I mention to my daughter how some of them are very nice boxes, in case she wants them…. this way I wouldn’t feel guilty about being wasteful. But alas, she says she’s pretty good on her box needs, and to the dump I go. On the way back, a car in front of me does a crazy-eight on a straight road. “Slow down” comes to mind. I check my speed, and despite traveling at a snail’s pace, make a wide and slippery slide around a corner heading home. Then, I remember I forgot to get milk. Shoot. So I carry on, crawling to a stop sign, and turn another corner with no trouble. Get the milk, get home. And somewhere in the midst of all this, my mind starts filling up with all the projects I want to do; things I’ve started and not finished but want to finish, or haven’t started but really want to, and they all circle round and round my head, vying for attention. “Me first!” “No, me! I should have been done ages ago, but you keep getting new ideas and I’m left undone.” “You should focus on me, over here, because I’m the one you want most”. (Mostly books and paintings, by the way; all the pieces that typically scream at me when I’m otherwise detained on things like, say, keeping a roof overhead.) And on and on… a creative traffic jam ensues. Inspiration overload. And also somewhere in the midst of all this muse-like bantering, I briefly wonder where my patrons are, so I can get to this stuff in earnest without so much energy needed for the mundane. However, realizing this is a fruitless thought at the moment, I allow the banter to continue, which it does annoyingly well.

Einstein was right. I don’t know what we’d do without the concept of time, because whether it’s real or not, it gives us a chance for a little order in what could otherwise be all out chaos.

And I still don’t know which muse will win out today, but maybe it’ll sort itself out when the barometric pressure switches again. Stay tuned. 🙂

 

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Outrageous Happiness #14: Declare it

saxton_outrageous_sayings.itsagreatday.orange

It’s a new day. Heck, it’s a brand new year. And I challenge you. I challenge you for the next 5 days to declare each day a good day. First thing upon waking, place the thought before you: “Today’s a good day.” (…“by golly” is optional) No ifs ands or buts, just “this is a good day”. Conviction helps, but even if you’re not feeling it, just say it like you might actually mean it. This is your job for the next 5 mornings. That’s it. Pretty simple.

If you want to be a little more outrageous and bold, you can add a few bonus plusses. This takes a little more practice, but it also reaps more rewards.

It’s a good day. It’s a great day! This is one of the best days of my life. The sun is up. Even if I can’t see the sun, I know it’s there, and that’s kinda cool, knowing that that big ball of fire warms our planet every day. And that the moon lights the night and makes waves in the great oceans, and that grass grows every spring, and birds sing and fly. Birds fly over rainbows, did you know? Rainbows are great, aren’t they? Just think of all the beautiful things in this world. Colors and sounds and textures. Art and music and dance. Mountains and trees, lakes and rivers and little trickling streams, all teaming with life! And I’m part of all that. This day, today, I’m part of all that is good. The sky, the earth, the heavens and all its stars, and all the kind and loving souls that share this time and space. There are smart people, helpful people, sincere and positive people all around. I’m smart, helpful, sincere and positive, too ~ and this is a good day! Today, I’m seeing all that is good. I’m attracting all that is good. I am part of all that is good. Angels watch over me and guide my way. Today is a good day.

But if that’s over the top for you, just do the simple version. See how it affects your day. See how it affects your week. See how it changes your attitude. We are what we think. Attitude really does matter.

We may not have control of events and circumstances, but we do have a say in how and what we choose to think. Thoughts are powerful. Consciously or unconsciously, thoughts precede our words and our actions. They define our reality. And over time, they become habitual, for better or worse. The good news is, they’re not fixed ~ we can change out thought patterns, and change the day. And the next, and the next.

Who’s up for the challenge? Ready, set …….. go. Just do it! Declare it so.

saxton_attitudematters

How’s your Outrageous Happiness going?

 

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