All told, I’ve been writing this blog, and the newsletter before that, for some 25 weeks now. It’s given me a chance to brush up on my fauxdography skills…as you can see I’m getting much better at taking selfies. You never saw the first ones, but they used to look like this:
after I improved my aim, they got a little (but not much) better
Anyway, I thought you’d like to see how practice makes perfect. Or at least better……don’t you think?
I need to make a correction from last weeks blog….I identified for you the Western Redcedar:
But it turns out it’s not really a cedar. It’s a “pseudo-cedar”. So why call it a cedar? Maybe it’s because the bark has a wonderful aroma to it, like true cedars. That’s where knowing the Latin names for trees would be useful, but I’m afraid that’s above my pay grade. It’s hard enough for me to keep up on my French. Anyway, if you want to see a true cedar, you will have to go to the Mediterranean or the Himalayas. Still, I like our so-called cedars, even if they are masquerading under a false identity.
Speaking of which, I’ve come across a new word: faux…..it’s French, and it means not real…fake, the opposite of truth. Like the name of our cedars! So for example, I know the difference between a faux animal, as in a stuffed animal, and a live animal. This is fortunate, because Dahlia wouldn’t put up with what I do with the faux ones.
Then there was the faux fish dinner I had the other night…
And what about those faux furs in the forest ?
Oh. Caryn said that if I’d spell it correctly, those really are firs. Scratch that example….
How about this? Faux fur?
Yes! Caryn conceded (another word being bandied about a lot these days), that is faux fur. We are getting to the truth! Though if I have to be specific, that stuff draped around trees is called lichen, not fur. I don’t even think it keeps the trees warm.
Caryn is making faux lakes in the studio
That’s what artists sometimes do. It reminds me of René Magritte’s painting, “Ceci N’est Pas Une Pipe” (for those of you who need to brush up on your French, that means, “This is not a Pipe”)
Because…? That’s right, you’re catching on, because it’s a painting of a pipe. And to make things more interesting, the image above is a photograph of the painting, taken by a person named Nad Renvel (giving credit where credit is due) so it’s not even a painting! One more step removed from reality!!! Faux real!!
So what’s real? It’s hard to tell anymore.
I had to think about this.
I love my peeps. That’s real. I can feel it. And food, and the woods, and a dry, soft bed to sleep on, and Dahlia. And of course other dogs. So maybe love is real.
Oh! One last thing!! I met a cool group of kids today in the woods, and here’s our picture:
Bye for now. Stay safe, be well, and see you next time.