Tea Time

© 2010 Constance Hobbs. All rights reserved.

Yesterday was such a lovely day here in Geneva. Temperatures of about 15 degrees C. or 60 degrees F. Simply beautiful. I made myself an ice tea with strawberries and lemon. I situated myself out on the terrace. The view is very agreeable as you look across the town to the distant Jura mountains. The mountains are still snow capped but I don't think that will last much longer. I was jotting down thoughts concerning my photography and art work. It's important to just stop from time to time and take stock. Rewarding or disturbing as that may be. I asked myself, what do I want for the work and for myself? What do I expect? What am I trying to say? What do I want to put forth? These are just a few of the many questions that were rolling around in my brain. I sometimes feel there is such a gap between the cerebral aspect of the work and the impulse to create. They do go hand and hand but not at the same time. At least, not for me. Does the thought precede the work or the work precede the thought? Sometimes one way and I suppose sometimes the other.

© 2010 Constance Hobbs. All rights reserved

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© 2010 Constance Hobbs. All rights reserved.

The two photos above are advertising display pieces from the local optometrists shop here in Champel. They sell various designer styles of glasses and sunglasses at incredibly expensive prices. I pass the shop often and somehow I always find the photos on display so funny. Don't ask me why? I wonder if Tom Ford approved the advertising above for his sunglass line? What is on the woman's head above? You can just make out some sort of mesh netting or organza on the left?

Not to deviate, but then again I will. Have you heard about the particle collision scheduled for today at the Cern? Cern is the European laboratory for particle physics. It's just outside Geneva. They are colliding particles today at speeds similar to the force of the Big Bang. There is some concern that the collision could generate a black hole. So, if you don't see anymore posts from me, you will know that I was swallowed up by a black hole.

Winter Into Spring

© 2010 Constance Hobbs. All rights reserved.

Winter is transitioning into spring and so am I. The rebirth of spring is a passionate experience. Passion for all things new. The process of transition is an interesting one to ponder. We are all transitioning from one place to another all the time. Our cells dying and new ones being born. Our minds thinking one thing then transitioning into something else. This is life. Constant movement, transition and change. Easter is approaching and with it the message of death and rebirth. Resurrection and revitalization. What beautiful words.

Memory

© 2010 Constance Hobbs. All rights reserved.

Lovely Freesia

The other day I was walking through the park, reminiscing about something in my past, when I suddenly had an epiphany. It hit me so vividly that my past is dead. It's all ashes. It does not exist at all. It wasn't a sad thing, it was simply the revelation of a fact. I walked on and felt the wind against my face and realized that this moment is all there is. My past exists only in my head. Only in my head! What if I never visited my past again? Wow, what a thought. Now, intellectually, this was no new bright thought, but it was the first time that I felt the reality of it so vividly. It was very freeing and liberating. The same can be said about the future. It's all in one's head. I suppose the Buddhists achieve this on a regular basis or try to at least. It's positively wonderful to empty one's head of the past. Now certainly you can't empty your head about where you live or what to buy at the store. I'm not talking about those things. I'm talking about all the stories, opinions, conclusions, likes and dislikes etc. Just forget about the whole thing. Look at life anew, with an uncluttered mind and heart. Ahhh.

Portes Ouvertes Geneve

© 2010 Constance Hobbs. All rights reserved.

© 2010 Constance Hobbs. All rights reserved.

© 2010 Constance Hobbs. All rights reserved.

© 2010 Constance Hobbs. All rights reserved.

© 2010 Constance Hobbs. All rights reserved.

Last night was an exciting evening here in Geneva. The Fine Art Galleries in the area of the MAMCO, Musée d'Art Moderne et Contemporain, had their doors open to the public and it attracted a surprising crowd. I say surprising in terms of numbers. It was so wonderful to see so many people interested in art. You can see the crowds in the photos above. The art work ran the gamut from photography to painting, works on paper and art books. The art work was internationally diversified and so was the viewing crowd. The International community has grown in Geneva. It's a substantial part of the life here.

St Patrick's Day

© 2010 Constance Hobbs. All rights reserved.

Today is Saint Patrick's Day. I searched inside my photo files and tried to come up with an image of some clover. Fortunately or unfortunately, I came up with this spring dandelion instead. What a lovely day we are having here in Geneva. I took a walk in the park and there were buds and blossoms everywhere. It really has happened. Spring has arrived. Officially it arrives on Saturday but I am celebrating today. So a happy St. Paddy's Day to all.

Geneva Flea Market

Yesterday I went to the Geneva flea market which is held every Saturday in the Plainpalais area of town. The assortment of goods is amazing. It runs the gamut from sheer junk to fine furniture. The surprising thing is that you can still find that unique piece at substantial savings. You can also find fine soaps from Provence, beads galore, jewelry, fine pens, reproductions and original prints and beautiful scarfs from the east, plus much more. I've included some photo's to give you a taste of what it's like.The second photo here is of Henry Dunant who was the founder of The International Red Cross established here in Geneva in 1863. The Red Cross is an international humanitarian movement created to protect human life and health, to ensure respect for the human being and to prevent and alleviate human suffering.

© 2010 Constance Hobbs. All rights reserved.

© 2010 Constance Hobbs. All rights reserved.

© 2010 Constance Hobbs. All rights reserved.

© 2010 Constance Hobbs. All rights reserved.

© 2010 Constance Hobbs. All rights reserved.

© 2010 Constance Hobbs. All rights reserved.

© 2010 Constance Hobbs. All rights reserved.

© 2010 Constance Hobbs. All rights reserved.

Nostalgia

© 2010 Constance Hobbs. All rights reserved.

I came across this photo today as I was organizing my files. It's an old image. I made it when I was experimenting with collage. Somehow it appealed to me today and I decided to share it. The sweet little moth came from my garden. The feather I found on the beach and the leaf I can't remember. All assembled in the US. The image has a sense of nostalgia and that's how I'm feeling. It's cold here in Geneva today. Certainly not the promise of spring. There is a radio station here called Nostalgie, which means nostalgic in french, and I've been listening to it all day. They play rock 'n' roll interspersed with romantic French songs and ballads. Some of it is simply beautiful but tugs at the heart strings. I miss the States. Europe is beautiful and Switzerland is "uniquely" centrally located. That means you can hop to the south of France in 3-4 hours by car, Paris 3 hours by the TGV train, London an hour or two (depending on traffic) by plane, Milan 3 hours by car, I think you get the idea. But, alas, today I miss the US.

© 2010 Constance Hobbs. All rights reserved.

Those who dwell among the beauties and mysteries of the earth are never alone or weary of life.

Rachel Carson

Harbinger of Spring

© 2010 Constance Hobbs. All rights reserved.

It was a beautiful day here in Geneva. It certainly felt like spring and lots of people were out and about. The local supermarket had an abundance of colorful primroses outside its doors and a mountain of lovely tulips inside. I walked through the park and where the earth has been cleared away little leaf sprouts can be seen showing themselves off. Spring really is just around the corner. How simply wonderful.