The Living Road

Lhasa de Sela, 1972 – 2010

Kseniya Simonova, Sand Artist

Kseniya Simonova won the inaugural Ukraine’s Got Talent competition. The 24-year-old artist is a sand animator who creates dynamic narratives by manipulating sand on a light box into vivid tableaux. Simonova’s victory happened back in April, but a video clip of her winning performance, which made judges and audience members weep, went viral.

The YouTube clip is Simonova’s interpretation of the Great Patriotic War – the Ukrainian fight against the Nazis during the Second World War.

5 a.m.

Leonard Cohen once said “There is a crack in everything, that’s how the light gets in”.

5am is the crack in the day/night that will shine at any time if you allow it.

Elan that lifts me above the clouds
into pure space, timeless, yea eternal
Breath transmuted into words
Transmuted back to breath
in one hundred two hundred years
nearly Immortal, Sappho’s 26 centuries
of cadenced breathing — beyond time, clocks, empires, bodies, cars,
chariots, rocket ships skyscrapers, Nation empires
brass walls, polished marble, Inca Artwork
of the mind — but where’s it come from?
Inspiration? The muses drawing breath for you? God?
Nah, don’t believe it, you’ll get entangled in Heaven or Hell –
Guilt power, that makes the heart beat wake all night
flooding mind with space, echoing through future cities, Megalopolis or
Cretan village, Zeus’ birth cave Lassithi Plains — Otsego County
farmhouse, Kansas front porch?
Buddha’s a help, promises ordinary mind no nirvana –
coffee, alcohol, cocaine, mushrooms, marijuana, laughing gas?
Nope, too heavy for this lightness lifts the brain into blue sky
at May dawn when birds start singing on East 12th street –
Where does it come from, where does it go forever?

Poem: 5 a.m. by Allen Ginsberg, May 1996
Art clay silver zen bracelet by Jennifer Tough
Inspiration: Jason Haye, Project 5am

The Good Samaritan

The hitherto untold story of the rescue of Chase, the lost and now found beagle – a split-second of clarity in time that made all the difference between having Chase back in his forever home with his rescuer, Jackie, and being somewhere on the mean Toronto streets as a winter cold snap approaches, this story is written by James, an Etobicoke resident who was working on his computer in his home office as events were unfolding in his backyard.

In James’ words:

It was my wife Kathy who started the recovery ball rolling for a little beagle who we’d later learn was named “Chase”.

When my wife called down to me: “…James, come quick”. I thought she was in some sort of domestic trouble in the kitchen that required my assistance. But it was to show me an unexpected visitor that had just been lying on the porch in front of our front door – for how long, we’re not sure.

I asked Kathy: “what kind of a dog is it” to which she quickly replied: “a beagle, I think” to which I concurred “yes, I agree”. After noticing the bright red collar and harness with dog tags attached, I ventured slowly out the door, but our mystery visitor just kept his distance from me. I quickly dashed
around to the side of our home and closed the gate which had been the entry point for our visitor – so he couldn’t run off and – who knows, God forbid – be
hit by a car or something.

I began thinking that this little pooch would most likely have its owner out looking for him, so I brought out some water and food to let him know that
it was safe in our yard. He seemed quite happy to remain in our yard from about 1:50pm (when he was first discovered by my wife).

Once he realized he couldn’t easily get out the same way he came in (down the driveway through what was a wide open gate) he seemed to resign himself
to just laying down in our back yard to rest (little did I know at this time just how far and how long this puppy had ventured on his incredible journey
over the last 14 days).

The first thing I did was make up 15 posters with the title: “STRAY DOG (Beagle?) FOUND IN OUR YARD” with our address and phone number underneath, thinking that if I put this poster up on all the entrance points to our little out of the way area bounded by GoTransit tracks and Lakeshore Blvd. that surely the owner would be looking for their pet and wouldn’t sleep tonight until he was found. I was looking for other posters or flyers describing a lost dog, but saw none in my six block journey while posting the 15 flyers on poles on every street which led into our neighbourhood.

When I got back from putting up all the posters, I thought the first thing I would do if I lost my pet, would be to post notice of some sort on
Craigslist that I had lost my pet and give a good desrcription so it would be easy for someone to identify the dog that was lost.

Sure enough, after using one search term “LOST” and under the “PET” category, within two minutes I had the exact description of the beagle named
“Chase” which matched the dog in our yard. I had the particulars of where to call, so I called right away and left a voicemail message. I was realizing very quickly that if Chase had been on the run since December 12th (14 days) that he must be a very frightened little puppy.

I had taken some pictures of Chase which I emailed to the owner (Jackie) and later learned it would take her an hour and a half to get to where Chase was taking refuge in our yard.

When I received the telephone call (just after I sent my email, at about 4:30pm) from a woman who was advocating for Chase’s safe recovery, she
sounded so exited and urgent that Chase was still in our yard, I thought she was going to cry right on the phone but she just stopped and said: “I
just want to express my gratitude to God that Chase is alive” then proceeded to make sure that the perimeter of our home was in fact secure.

After I was off the phone, I got thinking that maybe it really wasn’t a secure perimeter because Chase was a small dog and could easily slip under
our closed front gate, which I was soon to realize just a little too late, that this was just about to happen and I couldn’t do anything about it.

Mitch (the advocate volunteer in the Cause For Paws [C4P] network) located in Toronto, was close by in Toronto and was able to get to our home
with her friend, in about a half an hour.

Just 10 minutes BEFORE their arrival, I was looking out our front window and saw Chase poking about at the front of our yard. Then before you could say “Houdini”, I saw him slip under the front gate and start heading east down
down our street… He stopped in a yard about a block east of our home … and and when a women came out of her house quickly, it must have frightened Chase, so he started back toward our home again. (Maybe he thought it was safer there) past me, but he was now on the other side of the street!

Chase then saw an open gate at the house directly across from us and ducked inside looking for quick exit at the back only to find no escape routes. (Jane, our neighbour, has a dog and her perimeter is VERY secure).

I quickly closed the gate which would easily have let Chase crawl under it, and after attempting to get by me once, Chase realized that I wasn’t going to let him through this way. He ended up on the west side of Jane’s house at the back, in a fenced in area beside the house that was only two feet wide with
only one way to escape – out the front, where he came in.

Within five minutes, the two gals from ‘Cause For Paws’ arrived and they decided the best plan was to wait until Jackie got here to  recover Chase, because surely Chase would recognize her.

I think Chase heard Jackie’s prayers and he was willing to be rescued…

A Boxing Day Miracle

Earlier we blogged about Chase, the little beagle mix who had been lost in the west end since December 12. He’d escaped death at an Ohio kill shelter twice, and been brought to Ontario by Open Arms Pound Rescue. Chase spent the summer and fall at a hobby farm west of Toronto with his rescuer, Jackie Parkin. He was adopted in December but, on his first night in his new home, he was let out off-leash and escaped within hours of being rehomed.

A group of dedicated volunteers tracked him for two weeks, searching the Lakeshore area from Etobicoke to Mississauga, putting up thousands of posters and distributing them on the street and at malls over the Christmas period. Global TV and CP24 ran video coverage of the search.

As Christmas approached, there had been no sightings for a week, and hope was beginning to fade. There was no Christmas at Jackie’s house.

Then at 4:30 p.m. on Boxing Day, as the sun was setting on another day of searching and giving out flyers to shoppers, Jackie got a call from a good samaritan in the Royal York and Lakeshore area who had a stray dog in his backyard. He had seen a posting on Craigslist, and quickly emailed photos to confirm that the dog was Chase.

“I immediately contacted Mitch (Michelle Nadon of Cause4Paws) as she was in the city and one of our local contacts. I could barely get the words out, my voice was trembling as I said, ‘Chase … he’s in someone’s backyard!’ From there Mitch called the fellow to confirm that Chase was still there and the team made its way to the location. I hopped in the car and headed into the city. By the time I got there Chase had moved to another backyard but the team had eyes on him and had blocked all potential escape routes.”

“Chase had made his way down the side of a house in a space approximately two feet wide between the house and the fence. He was lying down in the back corner. As I approached him he looked worried and for a moment I thought he might bolt. I talked to him and brought my retriever, Kahlua, up to the fence line. Chase and Kahlua are buddies so it was my hope that if he didn’t recognize me, he might recognize her.”

“At first he leaned away but I kept talking to him and then his little tail started to wag. Kahlua put her nose to the fence to sniff him, and his little tail wagged faster. Recognition!!! He came right up to me & took the hotdogs I had for him. And when I stood up, he stood up to the fence wagging and I was able to reach over and take hold of his harness. Mitch looped a leash onto him and we lifted him out. Mitch had him in her arms and we just hugged and kissed him and cried. And he wagged. I cannot describe the feeling of relief. Nor the feeling of gratitude that I have for Mitch (and hubby), Dora, Christine, and Natalie who rushed to the scene to secure the area until I got there. They were determined that we were not going to lose this opportunity to catch him!”

“Chase traveled home sharing a crate with Kahlua. He slept soundly all the way home, using Kahlua’s rump as a pillow. As I type this, he is sleeping beside me on his dog bed in the kitchen.”

Images: Found Chase, Spooky Chase in the back yard of Good Samaritan James, Chase demonstrates his Blue Box skills, Chase enjoys belated Christmas turkey dinner, Good dog Kahlua

More at Help Find Chase on Facebook.

So This Is Christmas

Whether Christmas is a time of religious worship or a festive celebration, it is to be enjoyed in the company of family and friends.

Of course, that is not possible for everyone. Holidays can be particularly difficult times for those who have lost loved ones or are separated from them this holiday season. It is never too late to reach out let them know they are not alone.

Many generous people have already dug deep into their pockets this year to help charities meet the rising demands on them. Others are volunteering their time. May their actions serve as a beacon for the rest of us during this holiday season and into the new year.

Solstice: Great Nights Returning

Great nights returning, midnight’s constellations
Gather from groundfrost that unnatural brilliance.
Night now transfigures, walking in the starred ways,
Tears for the living.

Earth now takes back the secret of her changes.
All the wood’s dropped leaves listen to your footfall.
Night has no tears, no sound among the branches;
Stopped is the swift stream.

Spirits were joined when hazel leaves were falling.
Then the stream hurrying told of separation.
This is the fires’ world, and the voice of Autumn
Stilled by the death-wand.

Under your heels the icy breath of Winter
Hardens all roots. The Leonids are flying.
Now the crisp stars, the circle of beginning;
Death, birth, united.

Nothing declines here. Energy is fire-born.
Twigs catch like stars or serve for your divining.
Lean down and hear the subterranean water
Crossed by the quick dead.

Now the soul knows the fire that first composed it
Sinks not with time but is renewed hereafter.
Death cannot steal the light which love has kindled
Nor the years change it.

Vernon Watkins

Image: Tom Cross, Serpent Mound Winter Solstice

A Solstice Prayer for Chase the Lost Dog

UPDATE December 26: Chase has been found and is now with his rescuer. He slept all the way home, and I bet he has stories to tell! More to come!

Chase, a beagle mix, was found wandering in a rural area of Athens, Ohio and picked up by the Animal Warden and brought to the shelter there. He ran out of time and was on death row. He was picked to join a group of dogs slated to come to Ontario to one of the humane societies here, but then the week of transport, they ran out of room and once again Chase was at risk …. back on death row because he had nowhere to go.

His rescuer was bringing a couple of dogs up to her rescue, and her contact in Ohio asked if she would please also take Chase and one other hound also being left behind, and that’s how Chase came to be in Ontario. He traveled with the volunteer group Open Arms Transports which provides volunteer drivers to bring dogs north to Canada and safety. Each driver drives approx. one hour north and then hands the dogs off to the next driver who goes one hour north, and so on.

Chase finally got adopted but on his first night in his new home, he escaped the yard and bolted. That was Saturday Dec. 12th. He’s been missing ever since.

As of yesterday, he is on the run and last spotted heading west on Lakeshore near 30th Street. The Oakville Humane Society and the Toronto Wildlife Center have both loaned the rescue group humane live traps to catch Chase.

We need the public to keep a look out for Chase and let us know where/when he is spotted so that we can track his whereabouts and set up the traps.

It is imperative though that people do not call him or get too close to him because he is terrified and will run. He needs to be oblivious to the fact that you’ve seen him.

It would be a terrible tragedy for Chase to have been saved from death row in Ohio, only to die alone … hungry, cold, and frightened … on Toronto streets.

Chase is fully vaccinated and microchipped. He is wearing a red collar with Ohio rabies tag and also a yellow microchip tag. He is also wearing a black/red harness.

Up to date information at Chase’s Facebook group:  Help Find Chase

Global TV coverage (Video availability can be sporadic).

Lost dog notification at One Bark at a Time

Image:  Stray Dog, Roger Winter

A Muzzle Fit for a Princess

Dwyn Tomlinson is one of the jewellery artists over at BeadFX that posts her usually over-the-top inspirations on their website.

This week, she’s put together a lovely rhinestone-decorated dog muzzle!

The muzzle is for Miss Chrysanthemum, a kissy pitty that is unfortunately discriminated against in our wonderful province because of her looks. Now she has a fancy muzzle that she can wear with Attitude!

Dwyn did the decoration with a device called The Bejeweller, which is used to hot-glue rhinestones. The Bejeweller has a variety of cup shaped tips that you put down over the rhinestone on the front, and it heats up the stone and melts the hot-fix glue on the back. You then position the rhinestone in place, and it sticks there. You take the Bejeweller away and go get the next one.

A lot of Swarovski stones were put to good use in the creation of this pretty accessory.

Dwyn’s blog: Dragonjools

Matter Lent: The Photographs of Sally Mann

From Erika Ritter’s The Dog by the Cradle, the Serpent Beneath:

Early in the twenty-first century, American photographer Sally Mann disinterred the year-old remains of her beloved pet greyhound, Eva, salvaged what fragments she could, and took them back to her studio to reassemble and photograph. Eventually, those photographic studies of Eva’s hide and bones became part of a larger exhibition Mann called “What Remains”.

That 2004 exhibition at the Corcoran Gallery was subtitled “Matter Lent”. As art critic and scholar Alice Kuzniar points out, “Lent” conveys a sense of gravity, similar to the forty-day period of mourning called Lent that precedes the resurrection of Christ.

What Remains is a five-part series that explores the ineffable divide between body and soul, life and death, earth and spirit. The project visually depicts the eternal cycle of life, death, and regeneration. What Remains draws upon the artist’s personal experiences as inspiration for a haunting series about the one subject that affects us all: the loss of life and what remains.

The subtitle also serves to evoke the fleeting way in which pet animals – espeically in view of their comparatively short lifespans – are “lent” to us, only to be taken away too soon by mishap, disease, or decrepitude. The bleakness of that little pile of bones and hair that Eva has dwindled down to in her posthumous photos strikes Kuzniar as “suggesting an unutterable, choking grief that can only put on display but not verbally express what essentially is a void.”

The text Sally Mann wrote to accompany the imaes of Eva’s remains documents her wanting to find out what had “finally become of that head I had stroked, oh ten thousand times, those paws she so delicately crossed as she lay by my desk, rock-hard nails emerging from the finest white hairs.”

Never one to shy away from challenging subject matter, Mann asks us in What Remains to contemplate the beauty and efficiency with which nature assimilates the body once life is over. Here she seamlessly connects the landscape of the earth to the topography of the body and examines how both are tightly interwoven. Yet she creates tension between the two. As the exhibition progresses, portrait faces of her children emerge from the darkness of the alchemical photographic process, surrounded by murky images of the landscape, as if struggling to become free of the earth that inevitably reclaims the body.

For humans in general, the extent to which we summarize animals in terms of their physical essence may cause us to treat their remains either as enormously significant or as completely inconsequential. On one end of the spectrum, there are pet cemeteries and Sally Mann’s photographed remains of her beloved Eva’s bones. On the other end, there’s the commodified carcass hung in the utcher’s window or the meaningless tuft of fur on the roadshide that once was a chipmunk.

Discussion of the exhibition at Artnet.

Image: Sally Mann, Untitled #17, 2003.