mardi, novembre 19, 2013

THE TALE OF A GIRAFFE (Second Part) by Clawa Moopsie


Cette nouvelle ne sera publiée qu'en anglais. Je m'en excuse auprès de mes amis francophones, mais il s'agit d'un exercice dans le cadre du cours sur internet "2013, Year of the Giraffe".
This novel will be published only in English since it's an exercise for the "2013 Year of the Giraffe" class, on the net. 

                                                                          ***

As her Raffeez celebration was approaching, her neck was still too short. Not that the teen Giroflée or any of her friends were bothering. In fact nobody except her parents was worried. The little Giroflée had a really great sense of what could be changed and what could not. She was a funny, curious and intelligent little girl and she was beautiful. And like all her friends, she was frantically preparing for her Raffeez party.
                Raffeez is an important event for all the little giraffes. It’s a coming of age but it also happens when the teen reaches the age of 13. In the four or five days following that day, the giraffe gets his/her “powiraff”, or the power to fly or to teleport. At that moment the little wings of the giraffe begins to show and some teguments are growing on their back. If they get the power of teleporting, a blue dot appears on their forehead. It takes some years before the Powiraff gets to its full resolution, but it’s still the most exciting moment in the teen giraffe’s short life.
                Giroflée was not only intelligent and joyful, she was very happy.  She was loved by both her parents. She had some cool cousins, Anaïs and Fanny the twins born on the same year as her and a very best friend, Mirabelle the artist. She was also cherished by both her grandmothers, Raffie and Dottie.
                Above all, she had learned all the secrets of the Raffeez since grandma Raffie was the great priestess of the community.  No “Song of the Raffeez”, no incantation was unknown to her and Giroflée had often heard from her grandmother say that she would follow her path.
                Giroflée’s maternal grandmother was more down to earth. Since the tragic death of both her grandfathers and her auntie in an accident many years ago, Grandma Dottie had to take care of her twin cousins Anaïs and Fanny who had the tendency to be some spoiled brats. Dottie was always running here and there, doing the dishes and the dusting, planting and plowing her garden, preparing good healthy meals and jams. She even had the time to be the vice-president of the Karaoke Club and the president founder of the “Cats’n Dogs Refugees”, a place where all the lonely pets were welcome, cared for and fed. 

                Pets were present in all families and cherished by their owners, but sometimes, some animals were coming from “The Outside World”.  As the giraffes had continued their evolution to pacific bipeds, cats and dogs who were now vegetarians, had stayed the same and were always the favourite pets around the house. Except they were now talking…

dimanche, novembre 17, 2013

THE TALE OF A GIRAFFE (first part)

Cette nouvelle ne sera publiée qu'en anglais. Je m'en excuse auprès de mes amis francophones, mais il s'agit d'un exercice dans le cadre du cours sur internet "2013, Year of the Giraffe". 
This novel will be published only in English since it's an exercise for the "2013 Year of the Giraffe" class, on the net. 

(First part)
















Chapter One


This strange story begins in a far future where man is no more...


                Once upon a time in a magnificent Kingdom lived a very happy King and his very happy Queen. Their people were called “The Giraffes”.
                Basile, the King giraffe, was proud and was wearing an impressive mustache. His Queen Anita had the longest lashes one could imagine and was smiling all the time. Alas! Under the surface, Basile and Anita were not so happy. They didn’t have an heir. They had been married for five years and no little giraffe was expected. Each month, Basile was hoping for some good news but Anita was never giving them. The couple had tried all kind of medicines and even some magic, but nothing was happening.
                Then one day, Anita was pregnant. It was such a surprise than at the beginning, both the future parents didn’t believe it was happening. But when Anita’s belly became bigger and bigger, Basile and his Queen found themselves smiling with proudness all the time.
                The pregnancy went well and so did the delivery. Little Giroflée came into this world on the 30th of May 12,953. And she seemed perfect, at first. Her childhood was almost without history. Like all the kids, she had got some bruises and bumps from riding her bicycle or running too fast. But all in all, her life has been as ordinary as the life of a little princess could be. The only thing that was bothering her parents was that she had a shorter neck thank usual. It was not so evident at first and King Basile and Queen Anita were hoping that the neck would grow back to normal as soon as Giroflée would reach her teen years. But it didn’t…

lundi, septembre 16, 2013

PARÉIDOLIES ET AUTRES MERVEILLES
PAREIDOLIAS AND BEAUTIFUL THINGS



Fontaine à Québec
Québec  fountain

(English follows)
 Depuis un certain temps, je voulais partir à la chasse à la girafe. Je me proposais de photographier quelques-unes de ces métamorphoses que nous fait découvrir notre cerveau devant un tas de détritus inertes ou en observant les fissures d’un trottoir usé ou les nuages dans le ciel, illusions qu’on appelle paréidolies.  Accompagnée de ma sœur Clo, je partis donc le 5 août dernier, pour une chasse photographique de girafes imaginaires. Je me voyais déjà observant des dizaines de ces créations fantasmagoriques que m’auraient fait découvrir de heureux hasards. Je fus grandement déçue. La journée était magnifique, mais notre promenade dans le Vieux-Port de Québec demeura sans découverte paréidolienne.

For some times, I wanted to make a giraffe photographic hunt, but not the regular kind one. I wanted to find some pareidolias which are, as described on Wikipedia, "psychological phenomenon involving a vague and random stimulus (often an image or a sound) perceived as a significant form, common examples including seeing images of animals or faces in clouds." So on the 5th of August, I began my search accompanied with my sister Clo, and seeing myself finding dozens of those fantastic creations serendipitously discovered...OMG! I was really disappointed! The day was beautiful and our walk in Quebec's Old Port had begun nicely, but we didn't find any pareidolias. 


Champignons de ville
City mushrooms

















 














Tout avait pourtant bien commencé, avec une belle installation en plein air de chaises en métal sur lesquelles  des textes de poètes québécois avaient été gravés en français, anglais et innu.

All had begun well with an interesting outside installation showing some metal chairs on which had been engraved some texts by Quebec's poets in French, English and Innu.

Leonard Cohen


Innu




























































































 Tout près de là, « Plein-Art » nous fit ensuite découvrir les très belles créations de nos artistes et artisans québécois. Je fis l’acquisition d’une belle gravure représentant un chat et j’eu même l’occasion de photographier une belle girafe en cuir repoussé.

We then went to see a show called "Plein-Art" where we discovered all kinds of jewels, clothing and things made by artists and craftsmen. I bought a beautiful etching (a cat) and even saw a giraffe made on leather.

Girafe en cuir
Leather giraffe































Nous nous dirigeâmes ensuite vers la Rue Saint-Paul, la rue des antiquaires. Je me laissai tenter en achetant quelques vieux boutons que je pourrai certainement utiliser sur quelque création future.

On Saint-Paul Street, the antiquarian street, I found some vintage buttons for some future creation. 
Vieux boutons
Vintage buttons























 










Puis, comme j’avais très soif, nous nous somme arrêtées pour quelques instants sur la terrasse du Café du Soleil pour déguster une petite limonade et j’en profitai, sans même bouger de ma chaise, pour prendre quelques photos de ce qui m’entourait.

We then sat on the terrace of "Les Cafés du Soleil" to drink a lemonade and I took the time to take some pictures of what was around me.




  




Moineau
Sparrow

Nous avons ensuite décidé de passer pas la Rue Sous-le-Cap, qui longe le cap de Québec et où je pensais peut-être voir quelques girafes… Oh que non! De nombreuses rénovations ayant été faites ces dernières années, on ne voit presque plus les roches de la montagne…

We then decided to cut through "Rue Sous-le-Cap", the street along the rocky mountain of Quebec City. The goal was to see some pareidolian giraffes but we didn't since many renovations had been made to the street during the previous years. 

Passage étroit
Narrow passage










Jo &  Ge













































Dans une boutique de la Place Royale, nous avons rencontré ma nièce Ge qui venait juste de finir de travailler, ainsi que son ami Jo. Après une petite collation avec eux,Clo et moi avons pris le bus électrique pour remonter sur la rue Saint-Jean. Je voulais aller à la boutique « Croc » voir les nouveautés. Dans une vitrine de jouets, j’ai finalement réussi à photographier deux autres girafes, la première immense qui ressemble beaucoup à celle de Carla Sonheim (notre prof de girafe) et une plus petite peluche très mignonne. Je retournai ensuite chez moi en autobus, un peu fatiguée, mais contente malgré tout de cette belle journée.

In one of the "Place Royale" shops, we met my niece Ge and her friend Jo who just had finished working. We had a little snack with them then took the electric bus to go uptown, on Saint-John Street where I wanted to visit the Croc shop. In a toyshop showcase, I saw a gigantic giraffe which was really like the one Carla Sonheim (our "Year of the Giraffe" teacher) owns. 
I then went back home, since it was becoming very late.
Géante girafe
A Giant Giraffe

Secret






































 Quelques jours plus tard, il faisait très beau et à la brunante, j’ai décidé de repartir en chasse photographique. Je pensais que j’allais peut-être trouver dans le décor souvent dégradé et fascinant des ruelles de Limoilou, quelque petite girafes imaginaires. Il faut dire que les ruelles de mon quartier sont étonnantes. Parfois, on s’y croirait à la campagne et d’autres fois, quelques graffitis nous rappellent que nous sommes bien en ville.

A few days later, the weather was perfect and at the end of the day, I decided to take a walk in the often degraded but always fascinating environment of the alleys surrounding my Limoilou apartment. Once again, I would try to see some imaginary giraffes. Walking around those alleys is fun because sometimes ones feel like in the country and suddenly, an interesting graffiti shows us that we really are in an urban place.



















Un des graffitis semblait même ne pas vraiment apprécier la couleur de la voiture stationnée à côté de lui.

Though one of the graffiti didn't seem to appreciate the colour of the car just beside it...














La soirée était magnifique et la lune brillait dans le ciel .

The evening was exquisite and the moon was shining.































Je vis toutes sortes de choses intéressantes, dont un flamant rose et un pauvre vieux bicycle abandonné qui faisait bien pitié .

I saw all kinds of interesting things like a pink flamenco and a poor old abandoned and rusted bicycle.













Je vis aussi des cœurs…. Chaque fois que je croise une forme de cœur, je crois que c’est mon Ange Gardien qui me donne un bisou!

 I also saw some hearths which for me mean that my Guardian Angel is giving me a little kissy kissy! 
































Évidemment, je rencontrai quelques suspects de convenance. Les chats abondent dans ce quartier, mais aucun ne semblait abandonné.

I met some usual suspects. There are lots of cats in my neighbourhood but none seemed to be abandoned.
































Mais le meilleur moment de la soirée, je l’ai vécu en observant un très très vieil arbre. J’essayai de voir une paréidolie de girafe quand soudain…. Elle était là…. Comme une tête pétrifiée depuis des milliers d’années. Une girafe pétrifiée dans un arbre! J’avais enfin trouvé ce que je cherchais! Et j’étais très contente.

The best moment of that evening was when I was observing an old tree and suddenly saw it.... a giraffe pareidolia! It looked like a petrified head, like if it has been there for thousands of years, a giraffe petrified in a tree! At last, I had found what I was looking for and was very glad!
Girafe pétrifiée
Petrified giraffe










C’est le cœur plein de joie que je suis rentrée chez moi après cette belle chasse photographique. 

When I finally came home, I was very happy!



vendredi, août 09, 2013

PHOTOS LES YEUX FERMÉS!
TAKING PHOTOS WITH EYES CLOSED

(English follows)

Lundi dernier, j'ai reçu quelques livres que j'avais commandés sur Amazon.ca. Des livres d'art, dont un écrit par Steve Sonheim, l'époux de Carla Sonheim avec qui je suis cette année un cours sur internet. Mais pourquoi, allez vous me dire, pourquoi donc acheter un livre sur la photo quand ça fait presque 50 ans que tu pratiques cet art?
D'abord par curiosité. Je savais que Carla avait participé à l'écriture du livre et je voulais savoir comment un photographe et une artiste avaient réussi à concilier les deux arts. Je suis très agréablement surprise. Il y a encore des choses que je n'avais jamais imaginé faire. Comme par exemple de prendre des photos les yeux fermés!!! Ce que j'ai d'ailleurs fait avec la leçon 4. Et je me suis beaucoup amusée! J'ai bien hâte de continuer  les autres chapitres!!!
Voici donc les dix meilleures photos que j'ai prises.



Last Monday, I received some books I had ordered on Amazon.ca. One of them was about photography, written by Steve Sonheim. He is Carla Sonheim's husband and she is the artist who teach us a class on the internet, the "2013 Year of the Giraffe" . But why someone like me, who has been taking photos for almost 50 years now would want to buy another book about photography? Curiosity! I knew that Carla and Steve had written the book together and I wanted to know what an Illustrator-painter would bring to the art of photography. And I am very happy with the book. I am having a lot of fun with it, learning tons of new tricks. For example, for the chapter 4, I have yesterday taken some images with the eyes shut! I was really pleased and can't wait to do more! For now, here are my 10 best shots!