primitive plants teaching garden
while wandering around ubc early in the morning on a saturday i stumbled across the department of botany's small courtyard. there is a square area in the middle with benches, framing a "handkerchief tree," and while the sun rose all i could hear was the hummm of the complex's air intakes and the quietness of dozens of botanical delights.
i planned my day of wandering for once, armed with camera, sketchbook, and notebook. having no idea what my little adventure would provide, the primitive plants teaching garden was a truly beautiful way to begin my day.
"is" i should say, since i'm sitting here as i jot these notes down. it will be many hours, maybe weeks, before i'll find time to decipher my scribble and transfer it here.
the building is locked and empty. the environment is brisk in the shade, but absolutely perfect in the sun. i savour these rare moments of absolute peace.
old main
wandering into the old main library at ubc. absorbed by the dim lighting. i make my way over to the oversized book stacks, browsing until i become curious about a book with a cyrillic title (later i discover this is Ilya Efimovich Repin). these russian paintings knock me over sideways. piercing stares, a menacing air, intensity that captivates me immediately. later, a large bundle of maps of singapore and an enormous book filled with buddhist prints on incredibly thick paper.
the low ceilings of the library give the place a creepy feel, though it is also comforting. one word comes to mind: military.
ephemeral puttering
i'll eat food court kappa rolls made by chinese fellow (someone once suggested to me that it is a rare event to find a japanese person making sushi - they are often korean or chinese . i think this idea suspect).
walking by the 'chan can' i putter around the pretentious rose garden, suck in the view afforded by a cement balcony, and make my way to a bench to read for a while. the book is john metcalfe's forde abroad, and it is good and light and this day has been faultless. i'm feeling what i think to be ephemeral.
[09/13/03]
{October 20, 2003 09:15 PM}