Living Coral, and Why You'll be Seeing This Colour Everywhere

Tropical coral - urbanized.  That's the vibe around this coming year's Pantone Colour of the Year, Living Coral,  an orange base with gold undertones.  It is the colour of unbleached coral, sunsets and sunrises.  Pantone executives, who search the world for colour trends in film, art galleries, on the streets, and on the catwalks, say the world needs this warm and welcoming colour right now.

The Executive Director of the Pantone Colour Institute, Leatrice Eiseman says Living Coral, "represents a feeling that's out there in the zeitgeist".  In these troubled times, who doesn't love watching a sunrise or sunset?

Critics point out the irony of surrounding ourselves with painted walls, furniture, coffee mugs, and clothing in Greenery (2017) and Living Coral (2019) colours, when the planet's forests and coral are disappearing.  It is as if we are finding comfort in, and surrounding ourselves with the very colours which are disappearing in nature.

The Great Barrier Reef, is the world's largest coral reef system.  It's so big, you can see it from outer space!  In 2015, there were 2 billion living corals in the reef.  Half of them are now dead!  That's in just over two years.  

What happened?  Two back to back bleaching events in the Summers of 2016, and 2017 caused a fifty percent decline in corals across the 14-hundred mile stretch of Australian coastline.  Bleaching isn't like dropping Clorox into the ocean, it has to do with killing off the photosynthetic algae (zooxanthellae) which attaches itself to the coral, and gives the coral its colour. The algae "nest" in the coral, and feed the coral through photosynthesis.  With ocean temperatures rising, the coral panic, and eject the algae, leaving the coral colourless.  Without the algae, the now bleach-white coral soon dies. 

Pantone's Vice President, Laurie Pressman says, "with everything that's going on today...we're looking toward those colours that bring nourishment and the comfort and familiarity that make us feel good".  Pressman says this year's colour is, "not too heavy.  We want to play.  We want to be uplifted.  It's the emotional nourishment.  It's the big hug."  Maybe more than a big hug, orange is the colour of the second Chakra which has to do with sex...and creativity.

 

 

Photographs Copyright of:  Ruth Adams, Widow's Endorphins Photographic Images Incorporated.

Life is a Bed of Roses

Life.  It's a bed of roses...except when it isn't.  We take the soft, fragrant blossoms along with the thorns.  That's life.  Unpredictable and ever changing, with the seasons, with the years.  For all our planning, decision making, and focus, life has a way of surprising - even shocking us.  Sometimes, we get hurt, and bleed - those damn thorns!

Roses are part of the milestones of our lives.  They're in every conceivable bouquet from the welcoming of the birth of a baby, to moving into a new home, graduating from high school, or university, celebrating an engagement, wedding, new job, new business, or retirement. They offer encouragement to someone fighting illness, or gentle consolation to those mourning a death.

With my birthday approaching, I'm getting philosophical (although Scorpios are born with a degree in Philosophy).  If there's wisdom gained in aging, it's in a renewed appreciation for life.  Live life!  Enjoy the small moments every day.  No matter what is going on with you, take time to smell the roses!

Taking time each day to detach myself from any stress, any responsibility, any thorn in my side, and enjoy life's simple pleasures, has helped to get me through difficult times, or just the mundane everyday blahs.  I practice Mindful Meditation, laugh with friends on Facebook, share meals with the wonderful people I live with, meet friends for coffee, go for a walk with my camera, bake, bike six miles on a stationary bike, watch a movie.  The problems don't go away, however, they're so much easier to deal with when I am calm, centred and joyful.

I'm working right now...and enjoying listening to a Paris-based Australian on-line radio station, Kitten D'Amour, while talking with you.  Aretha Franklin, Dionne Warwick, Dusty Springfield, Michael Buble, Frank Sinatra and French techno-pop artists have been hanging out at my computer, while I type, and sip dark roast coffee.  We're having a party!

Even when I do housework, I've got Motown, or Stevie Ray Vaughan turned up loud enough to hear the music in the other rooms of my home.  There's nothing like dancing to the Blues to chase the blues away!

Maybe you can't dance everywhere...well, you can still tap your feet, under your desk.  You can still snap your fingers in time to the muzak playing at the grocery store.  Choosing tomatoes takes on a cool sophistication when you snap your fingers to a the jazz, or 60's rock that fills the store.

While you're at the grocery store, pick up a bouquet of roses!

 It's Sunday night...a new work week is about to begin.  Take time this week, to smell the roses!

Photographs Copyright of:  Ruth Adams, Widow's Endorphins Photographic Images Incorporated

La Vie En Rose: Life Through Rose Coloured Glasses

It's a blessing to see life through rose coloured glasses. Being an eternal optimist, seeing the best in others, and the silver lining in every setback, makes life a whole lot easier to live.  I'm a glass half full kind of person!

 

That's not to say that optimists don't see the reality before them.  Every thought process begins in reality, and goes from there...to create a new reality...a better reality.  Visualize your life as you would want it to be.  Then, given your present circumstances, what do you need to do, to be where you really want to be?  What are your options?  Focus on that, rather than the circumstances of your current reality.

  

In the meantime, find joy in your present imperfect life.  Longing for a meal in a French restaurant?  Pick up the ingredients for a wonderful meal at home, add fresh flowers, and great music - et voila!  Can't travel the world?  Bring the world to your door!  For 32 years, I was the primary caregiver for my Mum.  I had three days of holidays - back in the early '90s!  My life is so much richer since opening an Airbnb in my home more than three years ago.  I cannot imagine my life without the friends I have made.               

Talk about a reality check...most North Americans have no idea how good we've got it.  I listened to a recent TED Talk about how most people think that on a world wide economic scale, they're about average.  When conditions such as a roof over our head, a bed to sleep on, a stove to cook on, fresh water for cooking and bathing, and a real toilet are factored, most North Americans are at the high end of the economic scale!  We are rich! 

When I was a teenager, I learned a lifelong lesson from one of the mothers in our neighbourhood.  With five perfectly dressed kids she had a lot of ironing.  It was her least favourite thing to do, but it had to be done.  Every sunny Summer afternoon, she would be on her balcony ironing -  in her bikini!  She turned something unpleasant, into a day at the beach.

Words and images are my playground.  Numbers bring on anxiety.  This afternoon, I stopped procrastinating on my taxes, and started going through all my receipts.  The paperwork has got to be done.  So, I found hours of music - Santana, Los Lonely Boys, Stevie Ray Vaughn - turned up the volume, and made the experience uniquely wonderful.  I sock danced through January and February, and am kinda looking forward to the other ten months!    

...and about that glass half full...Garcon!  Encore, si'l vous plait!

Photographs Copyright of:  Ruth Adams, Widow's Endorphins Photographic Images Incorporated.