At night the city has a different feel. Objects seem to become something other than what they were during the day.
The Garden Hose
Today was over 115 degrees F, at times up to 121. It was so bright I had difficulty seeing what was in front of me. Still, in the garden, there were quiet, cooler green spaces where a breeze and some shade made a difference. These gardens present as natural dioramas, carefully planted to signal random growth and development….but there is nothing natural about them. You still feel the hidden hand behind the scene. And occasionally, when a water pipe, hose, or small sign enters the Fram you realize things are not as they appear.
The Potting Table After Planting
In late spring the potting tables are finally empty.
Read morePathway Through the Bog in Winter.
The small songbirds flutter through the underbrush looking for seeds. The beavers seem to be active, but are no where to be seen. Still, their activity is everywhere, a tree here, there, they are up to something besides sleeping.
The Dead Tree Tells Its Story
Cold has frozen the creek and floods from the beaver dams, along with the snow, have flattened the grass. Things usually hidden in the undergrowth are seen in the winter, and they tell winter tales. Most of the fallen trees still have large amounts of soil attached to their roots, but this one has little left other than the skeleton. Even in death it seems to have suffered.
The Fence That Divides Purposes
This image is from a more recent project focused on a small bit of land, on the map called a “nature reserve,” which lies between residential housing and a fairly heavily industrialised area. A fence divides these two, broken in many places and overgrown by saplings that have disrupted its order and continuity. Besides the pathway, creek and fence running through this “natural” area is a freight line. Trains cross the creek, and loudly rumble through the bog and adjacent woodlands. There is no warning except signs telling you not to cross the tracks even though the pathway is clearly marked with steps and elevated boardwalk. An area of many contradictions.
