It’s finally March, the month of spring, my favorite season. Let me just say that this has been one of the coldest, snowiest, and windiest winters of recent memory. Luckily, my husband and I were able to get away for a little warmth in February, visiting the Keys in Florida for the first time, as well as some friends in the area.
Besides the warmth and friends, the theme of the trip was all around endangered sea turtles. On our last day in the Keys, I did a wonderful tour of the Marathon Turtle Hospital. Last year, I read a powerful book called Of Time and Turtles, by Sy Montgomery. It was about time and turtles, but also about the dedicated people who rescue and rehabilitate turtles who have been harmed. At this hospital, I was able to see this work happening in real time. There was a surgery happening as I toured and I also saw turtles who had been cold-stunned or diseased or harmed by people, boats, pollution, or other creatures, and they were thriving in the tanks at the hospital. Some are never well enough to leave but around 70% are eventually released back into the water. Later in the trip, I visited another nature center further north in Florida, where they had a few resident sea turtles and also did rehabilitation.
This work requires coordination between the people who work at the hospitals, volunteers, boaters, and the U.S. Coast Guard. These experiences restored my faith in people and showed a path forward. We all need to be aware of who or what is being harmed and then do our best to help them.
And, this is what the group photography show, CORRESPONDENCES, is all about. I mentioned last month that I was a part of this collaboration and the show is now up at the Shenkman Arts Centre in Ottawa, until April 18th.
The works of the 10 Canadian photographers invite us to reconsider all of our relationships. As a whole, the exhibit is a love letter to the world in all its beauty and brokenness and an invitation to cultivate greater intimacy as we correspond with other humans and other species. In my last post, I explored the meaning of the word ‘correspondence.’
Note: The exhibit is housed in the Lalonde+Doyle exhibition space, which is open to the public. Admission is free. Everyone is invited to a reception to meet the artists on Wednesday, March 5th, from 6 to 8 p.m. If you’re in the Ottawa area, I would love to see you there. If you know someone who might be interested, please let them know. Here’s a link with all the details.
More Good Things
** There are a lot of terrifying things happening in the world (yesterday was a doozy), and at the same time, there is also a lot of good in the world. A friend of mine told me about a newsletter she likes by Fredrick Haugen called 7 Good Things, so I signed up. This week, I learned about this short (5 minutes) film, I Am the Nature, about the Achuar people of the Amazon rainforest. Well worth a watch.
** Places Journal is another newsletter I love that showcases important local work in places around the world.
** We all need a good laugh every once in a while and Saturday Night Live has been making me laugh for the last 50 years. I hope you were able to see their 50th Anniversary Show, but if not here are some clips.
** Take action and protect National Park Service Staff. My son is one of those affected by recent hiring freezes and job cuts. He had to find other work this summer (and he did) rather than go back to his beloved Yosemite National Park, where he keeps the trails safe for visitors. He was lucky to find another job, but he doesn’t have a family to support or a place where he has to pay rent or a mortgage, like others do.
** I love all kinds of music. When I was growing up, I was a big fan of Elton John and my favorite album of all time is Madman Across the Water. Today, I’m a big fan of Brandi Carlile, so when I heard that the two of them had teamed up to put out a new album, I was overjoyed. It comes out April 4th. In the meantime, you can watch the official music video of the first single, Who believes in angels?, HERE.
Thank you for reading. All comments welcomed.
On-Demand Workshops. As a reminder, all of my previous photography workshops are now available on-demand as downloadable PDF’s through Gumroad. You can peruse them here.
** Note: Books mentioned have Amazon or Bookshop affiliate links, meaning I make a few cents if you purchase through my link. I only recommend books that I’ve read.
Ohh I love visiting turtle rehabilitation centers. Where I used to live in Florida there was a turtle center that I used to visit, and it always lifted my spirits. Thank you for reminding me of those memories through sharing your own experience!