get yer beads

It's Fat Tuesday otherwise known as Mardi Gras. It's the culmination of feasts and celebrations and the traditional parades of krewes , where you know the way it goes, is as a woman you are encouraged to expose your breasts to collect cheap beads. How this got started has probably got a lot to do with the famous Hurricane Cocktails served along Bourbon Street and one of the famous towns celebrating Mardi Gras.

I've been to New Orleans. I drove there from Calgary, Alberta in a baker's cargo van. It wasn't in February, but instead the sweltering heat of September. We were basically going through Texas and down to the Gulf of Mexico (for reasons to long to mention here). While we were driving around in rural Texas in the bayou's, we all of a sudden found or selves on the other side of the Texas-Louisiana border and off we went to New Orleans. Just like that. I still have the dragonfly that flew in the open window of the van that night. I considered it a sign of some sort. I kept it in a cigar box I picked up in Dallas.


View Larger Map

I took this photo of a swamp that ran on both sides of the highway just outside the city. I was amazed at how surreal it was to drive through that, surrounded on both sides by thick witchy water and god know's what else.


There were odd little gas station that sold alligator heads and paws and things for your gris-gris. A young girl said they had a curfew at certain times of the year because the 'gator's walked around like wild dogs. It was thick with specialness and kookiness and I was instantly thrilled with Louisiana. Lousy Anna.

New Orleans is a special, mystic, oddland miss mash of blues, jazz, creole, french, spanish, rural, urban, voodoo and Christian and the French Quarter is it's bullseye. I spent 2 days walking the mythical streets of the quarter and prowling the mausleums of the cemeteries off Basin Street while shaking off the air- thick with spices and sweat.

Go if you can and
-adore the wrought iron balconies that snake luxuriously around the buildings like a lover's arm.
-stroll into the historic and open courtyard of Cafe Du Monde and start your day with fresh beignets and chicory coffee
-see the historic New Orleans Preservation Hall Jazz Band
-Drink a Hurricane at Pat O Brian's
and..
-Look for the voodoo queen- Marie Laveau's tomb in the cemetery off Basin Street



Les bon temps rouleez! (or let the good times roll)

"it's some sort of protest. Either that or some sort of acting class"

I LOVE stuff like this...




AKA Improve Everywhere

let the world know

You're cruising through the local hardware store and you find yourself in the aisle of the array of spray paint options available. Those long repressed desires to spray paint your thoughts of affection on the side of your Junior High School come lingering to the service.

Or, you feel compelled to tell the world that "911 was an inside job".

Or, maybe a creative fire is burning and the thought to purchase a rainbow of colors is a few steps a way along with a night in jail and 100 hours of community service.

Whatever it is you want to say, I think you should say it on the West Bank Wall *


What's it good for, writing on the Wall?

The Wall won't fall just because your text is written on it. True.
But your message reminds Palestinians trapped inside the Wall they have not been forgotten. You help to keep hope alive. 'Our' Palestinians want to send you one single, simple message: "we are human beings, just like you, with sense of humour and lust for life." That's why they do this, and enjoy it.


What are you going to say??

almost done

almost done, originally uploaded by jill y.

coming along..

IMGP7454.JPG, originally uploaded by jill y.

window are the eyes to the soul

window are the eyes to the soul, originally uploaded by jill y.

Isn't God already green?

Isn't God already green?, originally uploaded by jill y.

This made me swing round and jump out of a car to photograph this absurdity.

How does a church recover from a statement like this? Isn't this challenging the actual EXISTENCE of God? For if God really is all knowing, omnipotent and all seeing, is god not already green? If God is going green, what on earth has God been doing before- littering? Good grief. I'm trying to get Michael to come with me to the sermon so we can find out.

a book for me

The Littilest Rebel, originally uploaded by jill y.

Not Harry Potter

Not Harry Potter, originally uploaded by jill y.

snatched

snatched, originally uploaded by jill y.

I went to Langley this weekend to look at antiques. I never intend to buy anything. I hope to get a good photo or see something cool. It's just a lovely thing I like to do- browse for antiques. I was walking down a street and this delectable tray of muffins were literally sitting on a window sill cooling in the spring like day. Michael and I ended up eating breakfast at the same place and it was one of the best- handmade bread that came unbuttered, with a pot of butter on the side, real thick slices of baked ham, pots of homemade jelly, and antique tea cups for our English Breakfast.

Another very excellent item was this quilt. It's a hand stitched beauty made form old flour sacks in all my favorite colors. It's thick, warm and big enough for a king sized bed. And it was $50. Apparently there was a woman following me around the store (it was a like a warehouse of antique stalls) waiting to see if I would put it down and went to the till after I left to see if I bought it. Probably the same woman who helped me unfurl it while I looked furtively for some flaw, stain or hole- to find none.

Nice isn't it?

new quilt, originally uploaded by jill y.

an unlikely relationship

IMGP5389, originally uploaded by jill y.

Snapped in Brussels and posted for Sonia.

she said

she said, originally uploaded by jill y.

resolution

I decided to spend the year making one creative thing (or 2) for each month. Right now I am working on a lovely jumpy CD of my favorite music lately.

Who wants one?

the more I look at it the more I love it.

tattoo 9, originally uploaded by jill y.

Which is a very good thing since it's FOREVER.

etching the flesh

tattoo 12, originally uploaded by jill y.

Catherine- you took some really great photos.

acquisition

Mom said...

PS - did you think of maybe buying art to hang on your walls??

Well, yes and no. There is always a photo I can enlarge, frame and hang. And while a $400 piece of art for the walls is lovely, I'm a finicky and maybe it's my Scottish roots that make me frugal. A tattoo seems to have so much more value than a painting. After all, it's forever, and it's also quite easy to cart it around with you.

However, having said that, I also think supporting the arts is important and the decoration of the walls of your living space, so I found this wee site where you can do that for as little as $20.

"We introduce two new pieces a week: one photo and one work on paper. Each image is available in three sizes.* The smallest size is reprinted in the largest batch – an edition of 200 – and sold at the lowest price – $20. Hence the name 20x200. (200x20 just didn't sound as good.) We also offer bigger prints for bolder collectors - medium-sized editions of 20 for $200, and large-sized editions of 2 generally for $2000 (some of the large sized editions will actually be original pieces of art and prices will vary a bit). Every single print is delivered with a certificate of authenticity numbered by the artist."


I am already tempted to fill up those spaces. Maybe you are too.

How I spent my Christmas bonus.

ouch, is all I can say, originally uploaded by jill y.

I can not begin to tell you how uncomfortable it is to have your elbow tattooed. But it worked for the flow of the piece so we did it, but I was not looking forward to it. I'm glad Catherine was there to capture it though, as I doubt there will be a repeat performance.


One of my new year resolutions was to have more art and beauty in my life and what better way to start the brand new year but marking one's canvas with a beautiful new tattoo. Thank to my sister for coming down and wincing along with me and taking so many great photos.

from my trip to Seattle- The Pike Market vegetable displays

grrr, originally uploaded by jill y.

It's not the 1st time I have photographed the Pike Market Lizard. Here's another shot. No- this is not a real lizard. It's a plastic toy.

"kittens make me nervous" By Sonia

Kitten, originally uploaded by mngl.

"They're like toddlers with severe ADD"

"They jump all over you."

"If I go into a room where there is a kitten, I can't relax." this one made me laugh until I coughed and my throat got sore again.

"I am afraid of the kitten attacking me."

All this because I mentioned this web site.

wrap it up.

Or the "Mayfly Project"- sum up your year in 24 words or less. This is mine.

I went to Europe and realized I could open some doors, some open once a year, and others stay shut to the public forever.