Monday, February 28, 2011

Sunday, February 20, 2011

One Leaf at a Time

For February the column goes LIFE magazine with all photos and succinct captions. The images derive from the acquisition of a new digital camera and what follows are the first result--the quotidian experience of the non-euclidian Flaneur in his element.




16 February 2011



Morning in the World

The pepper tree outside my bedroom window is storybook-like, as if it was imported from Middle Earth, over it tower examples of the dazzling cumulus clouds on February the sixteenth.




Ray's humble pad.





the Artefactual Altar

A moment's meditation befits an observant Surrealist such as myself.




Kitchen Buddha

See what's in store for breakfast. Rather than expand on the fascinating history of each and every object seen, I will just point out the vintage Lebanese hashish bag on the right. Back in the seventies a friend laboriously peeled this one off in one piece rather than ripping the bag to free the hashish as was customary.






Rooftops of the town

But it's too lovely a day to remain indoors exploring only inner dimensions like a latter day Doctor Strange---I've got to get out and into the town.






Bon Chance







Petrified Anaconda






The House of Vines

Sometimes you can easily enter a place that winds up difficult to leave.







Haiku

crowds of splendid clouds
hailstones in sparse winter trees
no one on the line








17 February 2011
A Visitation of Saint Mary Magdalene






On Thursday a very special spiritual event occurred in Berkeley. The upper tibia of Mary Magdalene, as authenticated a relic as exists, came to the Dominican parish of Saint Mary Magdalene church in North Berkeley. It was contained in a tube encased in a glass reliquary and placed on a table before the altar of this California Arts & Crafts movement-style Catholic church.
Pilgrims went up to view it one by one, to pray, to take a prayer card and hold it to the reliquary, to ask for the blessing of this most beloved of Jesus. Mary Magdalene was first to discover the empty tomb and first to meet the risen Christ. She didn't recognize him, until he spoke. Flooded with grace, she addressed him then as rabboni, signifying Great Master.






Skeletal relic of Mary Magdalene

When my chance came I went up for prayer and for a photograph. Flash reflections were inevitable with the glass, yet a clear view of the bone fragment is visible at center.
After Communion in the Mass that followed, my prayer was mystical and deep. Afterward I felt renewed as we spilled out into the brisk evening. All seemed tinted a shade of post-sunset purple.





Schoolyard Jesus

I walked around the church to the yard of the parochial school for this statue. I had a mental note to try to get a photograph of it one day.






Miraculous Weeping Statue

Catherine Tekakwitha a Native American saint (I think).





House of Gravy

Across Shattuck avenue from the bus stop, this house has displayed a large lighted peace sign for decades. I suspect it is where Wavy Gravy resides. If you look carefully into the upstairs window you can discern his face looking out of a large wall poster. (click on image to enlarge)

Peace to all in this peaceful belt of town where I waited in the love-laden nocturne.