Thursday, October 15, 2009

through the looking-gate


Almost every day, I wake up thinking how glad I am to live in Mexico.


I wake to the sight of the Pacific -- often sunny and calm, but, occasionally, a bit temperamental. Like a joyful spouse with a slight hormonal imbalance.


Just before Jiggs died, I started a series of photographs featuring a very Mexican gate in Melaque.


There is nothing extraordinary about the gate. It guards the entry to a small vegetable garden.


But the gate itself is very Mexican. A pastische of parts -- as if Rube Goldberg stopped by to lend a hand at international fence-mending. It is a combination of plastic pipe, sticks, lumber scraps, and metal.


Not designed to last. But it has form and texture. In short, it is the very essence of a gate in art form.


I could claim that high deconstructionism attracted me to the spot. That would be a lie.


The gate intrigues me because it is an apt symbol of where I am in my life.


Do I stay where I am? Or do I accept the White Rabbit's temptation to strike out for more adventures?


If I do not find a place to live after mid-December, circumstances will make the choice for me.


But that is a post for later this week.


Until then, I will wake up in my bed with the Pacific as my background.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Nice photograph. Is that the new camera?

Steve Cotton said...

It is. I will post something about it soon.

Anonymous said...

I am so glad you are enjoying Mexico. As we enter winter here in Oregon your nice warm weather sounds wonderful. I can't tell you how much I look forward to your blog each day. Are you returning to Salem for Thanksgiving? It is nice you can enjoy both worlds. You have a real gift for writing. Keep it up. :)

Irene said...

After spending a long weekend with perfect weather in Cannon Beach I can only say waking up with the Pacific as your background is not such a bad thing.

GlorV1 said...

I like that fence. It tells me that one can make do with what one has. Take care.

Anonymous said...

O, Great White Rabbit, hear my plea!

Lead me, a humble and weary traveler, to glory fields, lush with fruit and running with water.

Make a place for me in the warm sun amongst the gentle animals of this earth, where I may lay my head to sleep and dream libertarian dreams, free from the impediments of fact and physics.

Steve Cotton said...

Anonymous -- Glad you enjoy reading it; I certainly enjoy writing it. I will be celebrating Thanksgiving in Melaque.

Irene -- Cannon Beach is nice. But I must confess that I am starting to prefer the Mexican Pacific -- where you can spend time in the ocean.

Gloria -- Another good lesson from Mexico -- where making do is a national art.

Anonymous II -- I think I have made it perfectly clear where I stand on reality -- it is in the other room somewhere, misplaced under another Spanish textbook.

Anonymous said...

Rereading your blog concerning the “gate”, It reminds of the Depression Days. Although it was only a mile to school, shoes wore out quickly. We cut pieces of cardboard to fit into our shoes to compensate for the holes in the sole.

Dad kept everything that came his way, in the huge shop. That way he could repair whatever needed repairing whether for the neighbors or his family. Mother had a fit because he kept everything in case it was needed.

Dad pulled the teeth of a widow neighbor. She didn’t have any money to go to the dentist.

He cut most neighbors hair, again because they didn’t have any money.

I assume some of the Mexicans are in financial straits and have to make do with anything at hand.

Mom

Calypso said...

A fine photo indeed - so what is your new camera?

Billie Mercer said...

Where to live?
What will be, will be.
But I hope you do some traveling in this direction.

Steve Cotton said...

Mom -- Grandpa could teach lessons down here.

Calypso -- Panasonic FZ35. Details to come in a future post.

Billie -- I am about to make my move to another house here on the coast. But I intend to start traveling soon now that I have the detail taken care of.