Light Scrape

Tumble through the tumbling to that blue

noreply@blogger.com (Juha Haataja) — Tue, 29 May 2012 19:10:00 +0000

I commuted by bus today. After dinner we went once again to Luukki with the children, although this time we didn't swim, as it was windy and cold.

(Posting title is from the poem Ecology by Jack Collom.)

Those flowers made of light

noreply@blogger.com (Juha Haataja) — Mon, 28 May 2012 17:19:00 +0000

Reflect

Syringa

Today I commuted by bicycle, and didn't have much time for taking photographs. Later it started to rain, which was fine, as the rain cleaned the air of pollen, dust and other floating things. After dinner I had to take my daughter to see a doctor, and we did also a little bit of shopping.

(Posting title is from the poem I Remember, I Remember by Thomas Hood.)

I smile at your play with that little bit of a broken twig

noreply@blogger.com (Juha Haataja) — Sun, 27 May 2012 15:48:00 +0000

Clouds

Twigs

Flowers

Field

We went once again to Luukki today, as the children wanted to swim. One of their friends also came with us. It was a warm day, and even though the water isn't yet really warm, the children spent quite some time swimming.

After the swim we went to a concert where our oldest daughter played the piano. The youngest member of the audience wanted to perform as well, and was running around and making happy noises on the stage, giving people a reason to smile. A lot of things for one day.

(Posting title is from the poem Playthings by Rabindranath Tagore.)

The extreme austerity of an almost empty mind

noreply@blogger.com (Juha Haataja) — Sat, 26 May 2012 19:34:00 +0000

Lake

Reflect

Forest

Cabin

Foliage

Today we went to Luukki once again, to the lake where the daughters did a little bit of swimming. The water is still cool, but it is warming up nicely. The harsh noon light was not the best for photography, but I like the results anyway.

(Posting title is from the poem And Ut Pictura Poesis Is Her Name by John Ashbery.)

Whether you get what you want in the end or want what you get

noreply@blogger.com (Juha Haataja) — Fri, 25 May 2012 18:12:00 +0000

Red

Lake

Shore

Twigs

Today was the third day this week for commuting by bicycle. In May I have ridden 320 km on the bicycle so far. After dinner the children wanted to go for a walk at Luukki, the same place as the day before yesterday. It wasn't quite so warm, but it was nice anyway.

(Posting title is from the poem Sheriff Matt Whitlock Confesses to a Lesson in Zen after Hours by R. T. Smith.)

I should have been listening to the cries of the future

noreply@blogger.com (Juha Haataja) — Thu, 24 May 2012 17:03:00 +0000

Street

Bus 1

Bus 2

Wedding

I commuted by bus today, reading Why Marx Was Right by Terry Eagleton and taking some photographs. I haven't read any Marx, but despite this the book was enjoyable: it was creatively combative when attacking the prejudice that Marxism is dead and done with.

In fact, Marxism is very much alive, and investor bankers are a good example of this - they demonstrate the ideas of Marx in practice. I'm not convinced that Marx was right or that he was so great a thinker as Eagleton claims, but this book is definitely a good read.

(Posting title is from the poem America by Tony Hoagland.)

In the yellow time of pollen when the fields were ablaze

noreply@blogger.com (Juha Haataja) — Wed, 23 May 2012 17:46:00 +0000

Wet

Yellow

Park

Lake

Pollen

Sign

It may be a bit contrary that after commuting to work by bicycle I used the car to drive to Luukki to have a walk at the lakeside. I went there with the daughters for a picnic, as the evening was so fine. At the shore we found yellow stuff floating in water: birch pollen, and lots of it.

(Posting title is from Totem Poem by Luke Davies.)

Be wet with a decent happiness

noreply@blogger.com (Juha Haataja) — Tue, 22 May 2012 19:10:00 +0000

Bus

Helsinki

Reflect

Lake

Bird cherry

We got some rain this morning, surprisingly, as the weather forecast didn't promise any. But there were clouds coming from the sea and raining over Helsinki. I commuted by bus today, managing to do a bit of reading there, and didn't have an umbrella with me, but luckily the rain had mostly stopped when the bus arrived in Helsinki.

Later it was rather hot, and we went to a nearby lake with the children to enjoy the warm evening.

(Posting title is from the poem The Rain by Robert Creeley.)

Wet and dry leftovers

noreply@blogger.com (Juha Haataja) — Mon, 21 May 2012 17:31:00 +0000

Wet

Anthill

I commuted by bicycle today, and then I was busy with various chores, so I didn't have time for photography. Thus, here are two photographs taken yesterday at Luukki.

A syncopated code I long to know

noreply@blogger.com (Juha Haataja) — Sun, 20 May 2012 18:58:00 +0000

Forest

Fallen

Birches

Splinter

Stream

Flowers

Lake

Seeds

Today I found a new walking route at the Luukki forest, following water downhill and uphill. There were a lot of fallen trees, and places where few signs of humans were visible. I think I'll visit this place again, during the summer.

(Posting title is from the poem Falling: The Code by Li-Young Lee.)

What we sell is enlightenment

noreply@blogger.com (Juha Haataja) — Sat, 19 May 2012 19:06:00 +0000

Kaitalampi

Path

Splash

Wood anemone

Forest

Swamp

Water

Fresh

I went today twice for a walk in the Luukki forests, both times with my daughters.

At noon my second youngest daughter suggested going for a walk, and we went to lake Kaitalampi in Luukki, walking by the shore looking at the scenery. It was sunny, not too hot, and the green of spring was advancing rapidly.

Later my oldest daughter also wanted to go for a walk. We went again to Luukki, this time to lake Myllyjärvi and lake Hauklampi, where there are fir forests, and rather rocky terrain.

Both times we had a little picnic at the final destination, on top of cliffs beside a lake. It was nice to be out walking, and talking with the children.

(Posting title is from a poem by Harryette Mullen.)

No one will know I’m coming

noreply@blogger.com (Juha Haataja) — Fri, 18 May 2012 15:44:00 +0000

Floating

Shine

Rock

Lake

Holma-Saarijärvi

Colors

This morning, while the children were at school, I went for a walk in the Nuuksio forests, starting from the west side, Siikajärvi. I took it slow, enjoying the landscape. The weather was a mixture of clouds and sunshine, with occasional hard gusts of wind. It was rather quiet, but spring was progressing rapidly.

(Posting title is from the poem Forest Walk by Kristine O'Connell George.)

The microscopic furnace of replication warms the world

noreply@blogger.com (Juha Haataja) — Thu, 17 May 2012 17:10:00 +0000

Rowan

Pine

Green

Stump

Flowers

Oxalis acetosella

Yellow

Lupinus polyphyllus

We didn't get thunder and lightning, but it did rain during the night. I went for a walk in Tremanskärr swamps and forests, taking it slow, looking at signs of spring, and they were plentiful.

(Posting title is from the poem Birdsong by Joanie Mackowski.)

And an abiding love for the abstract

noreply@blogger.com (Juha Haataja) — Wed, 16 May 2012 17:59:00 +0000

Blueberry

Green

Viola riviniana

Today was a sunny day, but that will change. The weather forecast predicts thunder and lightning. I'm tired after the bicycle commute, but I'll take it easy tomorrow, Ascension Day.

(Posting title is from the poem Mystic Bounce by Terrance Hayes.)

The sun's small fury feeds me

noreply@blogger.com (Juha Haataja) — Tue, 15 May 2012 18:45:00 +0000

Fence

Morning

Sky

Myyrmäki

I commuted by bus today, and didn't have much time for photography. I used most of the commute time for reading, it is nice to sit in a bus and read a good book.

(Posting title is from Book of Hours by Kevin Young.)

And here I bloom for a short hour unseen

noreply@blogger.com (Juha Haataja) — Mon, 14 May 2012 17:13:00 +0000

Forest

Hazel

I'm feeling tired, I don't know why, but I did manage to commute by bicycle today, taking it slow. Spring proceeds rapidly, and there is an abundance of fresh greenery.

(Posting title is from the poem I Am a Parcel of Vain Strivings Tied by Henry David Thoreau.)

Till the gossamer thread you fling catch somewhere

noreply@blogger.com (Juha Haataja) — Sun, 13 May 2012 15:17:00 +0000

Spring

Birch

Reflect

Blueberry

Marsh marigold

Dry

Spider

Green

Yesterday was clouded; today is sunny. I have been rather busy, and also a bit tired, so I didn't manage to make a posting yesterday. But anyway, here are some photographs from yesterday and today. I didn't venture far from home, there are signs of spring everywhere.

(Posting title is from the poem A Noiseless Patient Spider by Walt Whitman.)

The inspiration of water

noreply@blogger.com (Juha Haataja) — Fri, 11 May 2012 18:17:00 +0000

Forest

Green

Wet

Water

Today was the third day this week for commuting by bicycle, so I spent 5 1/2 hours on a bicycle this week. In May the total is so far 160 km, not bad. Also, it was good that the worst rain had stopped by the time I started for work, and it was almost dry when I returned. And the rain cleaned the air of birch pollen, which was a splendid thing.

I went for a short walk with my daughter after dinner, here are some photographs from the wetness, as rain had started again.

(Posting title is from the poem The Water Diviner by Dannie Abse.)

Don't resist the flowers

noreply@blogger.com (Juha Haataja) — Thu, 10 May 2012 18:06:00 +0000

Flowers

Branches

I almost didn't take any photographs today. But when going to the library with my daughter, I noticed these flowers in a tree outside the library. Who could resist taking photographs? (Well, quite a few people did, but I and my daughter couldn't.)

My heart is like a singing bird

noreply@blogger.com (Juha Haataja) — Wed, 09 May 2012 18:34:00 +0000

Wood anemone

Forest

Flowers

White

I commuted by bicycle today, and when returning home I got the shortest time so far, 46 minutes, maybe because I needed to take my daughter to a birthday party organized by two of her school friends.

I didn't have much time for taking photographs except late in the evening when I visited the nearby forest to look at wood anemones. They are plentiful, and they represent the arrival of spring for me.

(Posting title is from the poem A Birthday by Christina Rossetti.)

To master its splendid abstractions

noreply@blogger.com (Juha Haataja) — Tue, 08 May 2012 17:48:00 +0000

Street

Bicycle

Field

Wood anemone

Shadows

Twigs

Pond

Evening

I commuted by car today, as I needed to take my daughter to see a dentist this morning. It wasn't so good, as free parking lots are scarce in Helsinki, and besides it would have been a great day for commuting by bicycle. But I'll do that tomorrow.

After dinner I went for a walk in the nearby forests. It is remarkable how fast the spring proceeds in just a day. It starts to be green out there.

(Posting title is from the poem To Live with a Landscape by Constance Urdang.)

After night rain

noreply@blogger.com (Juha Haataja) — Mon, 07 May 2012 18:41:00 +0000

Rock

Birch

Path

Wood anemone

Narcissus

Today I commuted by bicycle. Once again the rain stopped at the right moment, at about 5 am, so the paths had started to dry when I left for work. And the air was pleasant to breath, cleaned of excess pollen during the night.

Here are some photographs taken late today. In a nearby forest wood anemone and other flowers thrive.

While the one eludes, must the other pursue

noreply@blogger.com (Juha Haataja) — Sun, 06 May 2012 17:44:00 +0000

Forest

Dry

Ground

Reflect

Fallen

Green

Today I went for a long walk in the Luukki forests, north of lake Myllyjärvi, in the Ketunkorpi hills and swamps. I have been there once before, this time I knew some of the landscape and orienteering was easier, but still this is a place where it is very easy to get lost, as there are few paths and those wander here and there without clear direction. The day started sunny, but then there we clouds, and during evening it started to rain. But tomorrow we should have a sunny day once again.

(Posting title is from the poem Life in a Love by Robert Browning.)

I left the green bark and the shade

noreply@blogger.com (Juha Haataja) — Sat, 05 May 2012 17:39:00 +0000

Green

Mossy

Fallen

Water

We got rain during the night, and it cleaned the air. The clouds hovered above at noon, and there was a little bit of fog, when I went for a walk around three lakes in Luukki: Väärälampi, Mustlampi and Halkolampi. The moisture painted the landscape in colors, it was good to be out walking with a camera.

I'm still thinking about cameras, especially the Olympus m4/3 ones, which have image stabilization built in. And even though I don't really like the design of the OM-D E-M5 (retro is not the way to go forward), the features are interesting indeed.

But then I start to think about the LX5 and realize how good the package is, f/2.0, 24 mm at wide end, and macro which usually works like charm, helped with the effective image stabilization.

Having a m4/3 system covering all the bases which the LX5 does could be possible, but the combination would for sure not be pocketable. But what is tempting about the OM-D E-M5 is putting it together with a very good lens - maybe a macro, but even more interestingly a wide-angle lens - and using just that, no other lenses at all.

At some point I was really tempted getting a macro lens and a sensor-stabilized m4/3 body, but then I realized that the LX5 has another advantage: it is much harder to get the subject in focus with a m4/3 camera than with the LX5. And I'm not really into the kind of macro photography in which the background is fully blurred; to me that is not what photography is about.

(Posting title is from the poem Sir Gawaine and the Green Knight by Yvor Winters.)

And leaves the morning greener

noreply@blogger.com (Juha Haataja) — Fri, 04 May 2012 19:24:00 +0000

Catkins

Reflect

Pond

Green

Ground

Birch

Today I commuted by bicycle, second time this week. Now going uphill is easier, I guess the exercise helps, even though the commute time is more or less constant.

One sees all kinds of styles of riding a bicycle. The best so far was a guy riding no handed on a bicycle, using his mobile phone two-handed, apparently sending a text message or writing an e-mail message. No helmet of course.

I took a walk after dinner, going to a nearby pond to look at signs of spring. And there are quite a lot of those.

Also, we are getting some rain during the night, which should help with the air quality. There has been a lot of birch pollen in the air, and it doesn't feel so good breathing that stuff in.

(Posting title is from the poem Secret Life by Li-Young Lee.)