She would involve you in conversations

Street

Caramba

Back

I commuted by bicycle today, the second day in row. Before today I have arranged one or more days of rest in between, to have some time to recover from riding the bicycle.

Two days in a row is a bit hard in my current condition. It doesn't feel too bad, but I am tired.

The total for May is 416 kilometers, which is more than I was anticipating. The reasonably dry weather has made bicycle commuting a pleasure. The time for the 16 km commute has been rather constant, between 45 and 50 minutes, sometimes a bit more because of wind.

(Posting title is form the poem Asking Too Much? by Marin Sorescu, translated By Michael Hamburger.)

Thoughts of more deep seclusion

Reflect

Above

Rhododendron tomentosum

Silhouette

Kaitalampi

We went today, once again, to Luukki, and had a walk by the lake Kaitalampi. Even though the day was rather cold, it was nice to be out walking, as the sun made an appearance low on the horizon.

(Posting title is from Lines Composed a Few Miles above Tintern Abbey, On Revisiting the Banks of the Wye during a Tour. July 13, 1798 by William Wordsworth.)

Tumble through the tumbling to that blue

Stuck

Street

Trees

Park

Silhouette

Apple

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.)