winter dream

dollar c

smile

pavilion H

Lohbado woke up as it continued to snow. He stood in a doorway of his apartment and listened to a distant motor, maybe a snow blower. It reminded him of the noises of planes in the arctic, the Twin Otters and Dash-8s. The motors had a pleasant hum which carried across the tundra, a sense of excitement. Someone arrived from somewhere. Someone was leaving. It gave the feeling of standing on the edge of the ocean as a ship pulls in, then quickly the ship leaves. One returns to the silence of the tundra. Sometimes the only noise was the sound of ringing in the ears, or wind roaring past huge rocks. Once in a while a snowmobile would pass by. Lohbado felt like a dot in the wilderness of ice and snow, no trees.

winter parking Montreal

After a heavy snow fall, parking is not fun. In fact, it could be a nightmare, once the no parking signs are put up to make way for snow removal operations. Montreal has one of the best transit systems in North America. It might be a good idea to stow the vehicle for the winter and use public transit. In an ideal world, there would be a special crew to remove snow from bicycle trails, to enable cyclists to ride during winter.

Lohbado's New Years Resolution

Lohbado picked up an eraser. Erase and start again. Erase hope and fear. Start again fresh. Clean slate. Begin. Happy new year!

Lohbado took a snap shot of the eraser then plopped it on a random snap shot taken with an old point and shoot camera. This became his colouring book, a recreational activity on the first day of the year. Put boring snap shots in a graphics software and paint on them. Jazz it up. Have fun. Give yourself permission to play around. No need to be uptight. No need to explain or justify.

The eraser mesmerized Lohbado. The folds pulled him into the material. It resembled grey matter, a cauliflower brain. Erase expectation. Erase hope and fear. Clear away rubbish to free the mind to enjoy beauty of everyday sights and sounds. No need to hop on a plane and fly to a south sea island for a beautiful experience. It’s all here, paradise while struggling down a slush covered street in Montreal, or wherever you live.

end of the year

ink and flowers on paper

Last day of the calendar year, December 31, a social event, New Year’s Eve. Nature doesn’t care. The sun rose yesterday. It rose this morning. It will likely rise again tomorrow. Lohbado’s feet were cold and damp... clammy, that’s the word... clams. Cold damp flesh in damp socks. Change your socks.

Cold feet, the thought of clams, or sea shells, Lohbado daydreamed about walking barefoot in salt water of the ocean. Do the best you can. Smile. Take a breath of fresh air. Gaze towards the horizon. Keep going.

after the snow fall

A snow plough woke Lohbado at 4 AM. He had breakfast of oats and coffee then went for a walk to clear the lungs. With all the snow that came down yesterday in Montreal, on every street motor vehicles were stuck and struggling to get unstuck. People with shovels cleared snow from around the wheels. Spinning wheels turned snow to ice. Snow ploughs ran up and down sidewalks and streets to make it easier for people and vehicles to circulate. This time it looks like winter is here to stay, at least until the end of March.

infinite good morning

Good morning. Welcome to a fresh downfall of snow in Montreal. A natural way to get fit: go for a walk on the snow covered sidewalks before the snow ploughs clear a path. In some ways, it's just another morning. One follows a routine. In other ways, it's infinite, depending how you look at it. On a relative level, one goes through various phases of life from birth to death. Each person has a sense of self and feels unique. Each person wants to survive, to avoid pain and to be happy.

santo cloose