Go with the flow

Victoria Trestrail: Johnny's Fool
Photo: Elspeth Duncan

Went filming yesterday for my friend Victoria Trestrail who recently released her new song "Johnny's Fool" (free download available here for a limited time) and wants to make a video for it.

The above image shows Vic in the field we ended up in yesterday afternoon. In a spontaneous moment we went looking for "tall grass" and found it ... long, slender and gently illuminated by the sun, which was in the process of descending for the evening. It was where we got footage that felt like "it".

Being open to the flow is the way to go.

Awakening

Sparkling sunrise and silvery sea through palm leaf (Manzanilla)

In a short while I'm going to a documentary workshop from 9:00 - 12:00 a.m. It's a part of this year's film festival.

I've been to see three films so far, but have ended up seeing six (i.e. the ones I've been to have had shorts before them). I've slept in each film (some for a longer time than others). This is no insult to the films or film makers. My friends know me as being famous for sleeping through movies. I close my eyes for a second and wake up to see credits rolling.

I have no films in the festival this year. It feels like a while since I've done one. Hmm.

Looks like a UFO

One night at a drum circle in Toronto I was met some girls who let me try out their hoops and introduced me to a great idea. They had converted their simple home made hoops into fancy LED hoops by taping cheap glow sticks around the circumference. We span in the dark, creating impressive neon rainbows.

The next day I went to Dollarama and bought a variety of glow sticks to bring back to TT with me.

About two nights ago, I stuck two of the glow sticks on a hoop and my nephew and I turned off the lights and tested it out. The above photo shows him giving it a spin.

Flow

Bill payment.

Here and there

Early drive to Manzanilla to catch sunrise (Monday)

As you may have noticed, I haven't been blogging much since returning from Toronto. Partly because I've been absorbed in work and consuming tasks and partly because my energy hasn't been 'bloggish'. There are always things to say, but I just feel quiet in general. So much so that some people think I am still away and are surprised to find that I've been here since September 2nd.

Hmm. Looking now at both of the images I've placed in this post, I'm struck by the fact that they both only have one foot in them. It's as though only a part of me is here.

Temple of Swimming Colours (video)

At the Temple in the Sea, by the edge of the water ... I was drawn to the swimming colours of the prayer flags. In the background, water laps, a bird sings in the tree and a woman sings in the Temple.

New release: Raindrops on Skin (song & video)

I invite you to view the video for my latest release - Raindrops on Skin, a collaboration with Irukandji:

Lyrics/vocals - Elspeth
Music - Elspeth & Irukandji
Mix & Master - Irukandji

Depending on the speed of your internet connection, the video may or may not run smoothly when you first press play. Be patient, wait a while as it buffers, then press play and it will stream seamlessly.

The Raindrops on Skin mp3 is available for download at Elspeth Duncan: Reverbnation

Enjoy ... and stay tuned for more new music to come.

New Habits

Hugging an inukshuk at the TO airport
*

The saying is: old habits die hard. But sometimes so do new ones - even ones that came into being in only two months.

It surprses me that since being back, simple things need to be relearned. It's taking me a while to remember how to use my cellular phone. I had grown accustomed to the different functions on the cellular I was using in Toronto. E.g. If sending a text from my TT cell phone now, the words end up with fullstops between them. That's.because.the.space.bar.on.the.TO.phone.was.#1.and. #1.on.the.TT.phone.is.for.punctuation.

The other day, going to flush the toilet, I automatically reached for the handle on the left side ... whereas on this toilet at home it's on the right. I've never observed this before, but it made me wonder: are toilet handles in Canada on the left and in TT on the right? Or, regardless of where you are, does it depend on the brand of toilet? Why would Canadians need to flush on the left and Trinis on the right anyway? Does it have to do with water going down a drain clockwise (right) in the southern hemispheres and counterclockwise (left) in norther hemispheres?

This morning, driving to buy fruit, I started pulling to the right as I approached the shop ... and found myself instinctively driving on the right side of the road. It felt natural. I realised this when the man in the car heading toward me slowed down and gave me that "whappen!" look. There came a point in TO when driving on the right no longer felt odd. It struck me one day when I was on a bus. It suddenly no longer felt strange to be turning a corner on the 'wrong' side. Even driving here now, I find myself still looking at the other side even though turning on the left. It's like living in two alternate dimensions at the same time.

As I entered the fruit & veg shop (my first time since being back), the shop owner came up to me with a huge smile: "Welcome back! And all in one piece!" He reached out to shake my hand, then pulled me to him and gave me a big hug.

A hand of bananas, an avocado, four ochroes and a chunk of watermelon came up to $51 (TT). That's roughly $9.20 CAD. It felt expensive. He told me the price of bananas went up while I was away.

When he was packing away my purchases, he reached for a plastic bag. I said "Don't worry, I have my bag." I had my green cloth bag which I used at the market and grocery in TO. "Five cents a plastic bag," I said.

He laughed and pointed northwards (meaning that's what they do there but not here).

"Well why don't you implement it in your shop?" I asked him. "Encourage people to use cloth bags by making them pay for plastic bags."

He smiled and shook his head. "They won't do it," he said. "And the plastic people will hunt us down and kill us for not using their plastic!"

Clearly he was joking ... but if in two months I can develop simple new habits and ways of operating, what's so hard about getting consumers to bring cloth bags when they do their shopping?

Dancing Rainbows

Rainbows dancing on bedroom floor, created by sun through crystal moved by wind in window

For Lady

Last night I got an email from Detta entitled "Ms Lady". Those of you who've been around for a while will remember Lady, the one-winged pelican who was nursed back to a worthy life by Detta (founder of and healer at the Wildlife Orphanage and Rehabilitation Centre).

This was Detta's brief email:
By now you will probably have heard what has happened to Ms Lady. Murch came home yesterday and found her dead. There were fallen fruit from his zaboca tree all over the place. We think that the local druggie came in to steal the fruit and she attacked him. She had a compound fracture of her only wing and had been tossed into a disused tank.

Detta gently approaching Lady when she first came to the Wildlife Orphanage and Rehab Centre

This Pelican, whose companion was slaughtered in front of her and who was maimed by humans (her wing cut off) survived the trauma and, in the caring hands of Detta, healed gracefully and swiftly, becoming a very personable bird and companion. She was as much at home in Detta's house as she was in her garden, splashing in her pond, fraternizing with the dogs and other animals and hissing at strangers. Queen of the property. The sign on the gate should have said: BEWARE OF THE PELICAN. She was protective of, loyal to and had a special bond with Detta, who she no doubt knew was instrumental in her return to life and love. It will feel strange to go to Detta's and not be greeted by this lovely winged creature.

You will be missed, Lady. May your heaven be a vast ocean filled with an endless supply of fish and friendship.

Home(s)

Final glimpses of Toronto ... until the next time

I've been back in TT since Wednesday 2 September at 11:00 p.m. Things have been really busy since then, which is good because it keeps me occupied and focused, with no time for longing ... (and as you can see, not much time for blogging either).

My inner seed sprouted and flourished while I was away. It took root in a new landscape. It received water and the right nutrients. I feel different.

What is it about Toronto that feels like "home" to me? There I feel possible, awakened, enlivened, understood, accepted, reflected, connected and, most importantly, at home in myself. It's important to feel 'at home' in ourselves wherever we are, but it's an added bonus when the external location reflects, allows, embraces and supports.

Strange being back in TT. Hot, sticky, humid. I'm seeing it through different eyes. Not quite sure how exactly. It's only been two or three days and I'm not completely 'here' yet.

As much as I love Toronto and feel more of an affinity with it, I won't compare it to TT and say that one is better than the other. Everywhere has it's pros and cons and it's up to us what we do (or don't do) with them.

Yesterday morning I went to the stationery place I always go to, to photocopy something. Before the employee began photocopying, I realised I had brought the wallet I'd been using in Toronto and not my other wallet that had TT money in it. I said to the employee: "I need to go back home and get my wallet."

He said: "Let me do these photocopies for you first. Then you can go home and get your wallet."
Even though it was a small job, it still struck me that he trusted me to come back and pay.

As I walked out, I said to the girl at the counter: "This costs 79 cents, but I need to go home and get my wallet to pay for it."

She said "Okay." Then her face brightened as she realised it was me and she exclaimed: "Gosh, we haven't seen you in such a long time!" She looked happy.

I told her I had been away.

As I drove home to get my wallet, I thought of how they trusted me and had been aware of my absence. Simple, but says a lot.

Thank you, Toronto