Happy New Near! I wonder if you felt as jaded as I did at the end of 2022? I had lost my creative mojo, and was struggling to remain positive about my creative endeavours. Having launched my online book making course, which had taken many hours of work to create, I simply ran out of steam. And then I caught covid (again), which totally knocked any remaining stuffing out of me. My other half (OH) and I travelled to Canada for Christmas, to see our children. When we left I was still recovering. We had a few days in the desert of Arizona because OH thought it would be a warm and sunny place to get over our jet lag before heading north to Vancouver. It turned out to be below freezing much of the time, with snow on the ground. I never thought to see cacti blanketed with snow. My thermal clothes for the mountains of Vancouver came in very handy. A few days later we headed north, to the snowy mayhem of the mountains. We arrived at our daughter's home in Vancouver a few hours before a snowfall of some 12 inches, stepping out the next morning to a winter wonderland, befitting Narnia. OH spent hours clearing the drive with a shovel, as did everyone else in the neighbourhood. Icy driveways and steep hills do not make for a good mix. Canadian law demands that you keep the sidewalk clear of snow outside your home too. For a couple of days we barely ventured out. Larger branches were breaking and falling in the forest due to the weight of snow, which made for anxious walking. Bears in summer...... snow in winter...... that's Canada for you. Once we could get out, OH and I made a trip downtown to walk at Beaver Lake. I have never seen it frozen before. Low cloud on the ice made it very atmospheric. The beaver dam was clearly visible emerging from the icy water. Then the rain came, and washed all the snow away. As the days passed, filled with family activities, card games and shared meals, I began to feel more like my usual self. I reflected on the benefits of taking time out from creative practice, to recharge my batteries, and to take the pressure off for a while. Creative lulls
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Caroline Fraser - an ordinary life
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October 2024
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Welcome to Caroline Fraser Photography
Colourful abstracted and traditional photographic landscapes, book art and workshops. Capturing the moods and beauty of nature whether in wild open places or in small sanctuaries in suburbia. |