digging a deeper hole

I do believe it is possible to create, even without ever writing a word or painting a picture, by simply molding one's inner life. And that too is a deed.
- Etty Hillesum

Why this flower symbolizes world peace, I do not know but I can glean no stronger message than the unity a circle makes and vice versa.


I didn't think the little glisten at the center would show up.


Molded from the most intimate of places the shapes of things in flowers are reflections of ourselves.


Like little missiles ready to launch themselves from the strangely coloured spaceship.


Everything spins around an inner center point and spirals design outward.


Desperate to find evidence of alien life forms, the hard shell as folded wings and the abnormal markings identify this as one of the flying objects.


When the I behind the eye tries to find a way to define itself in terms that can be understood.


It was at the point in the circular revolution, when the time was right for the combination of elements and the suspension of object from ground to occur, that everything stopped in place.


Watch what happens when you try not to follow the line made by the lead character in the perfect role for expression of motion.

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It has been one year since I bought this digital camera. The counter for images is at almost 9,500. My folder has around 2,200 images in it. I think that works out to something like six images a day. Wow, I'm having fun!

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The Tunnel

Zenkai, the son of a samurai, journeyed to Edo and there became the retainer of a high official. He fell in love with the official's wife and was discovered. In self-defense, he slew the official. Then he ran away with the wife.

Both of them later became thieves. But the woman was so greedy that Zenkai grew disgusted. Finally, leaving her, he journeyed far away to the province of Buzen, where he became a wandering mendicant.

To atone for his past, Zenkai resolved to accomplish some good deed in his lifetime. Knowing of a dangerous road over a cliff that had caused the death and injury of many persons, he resolved to cut a tunnel through the mountain there.

Begging food in the daytime, Zenkai worked at night digging his tunnel. When thirty years had gone by, the tunnel was 2,280 feet long, 20 feet high, and 30 feet wide.

Two years before the work was completed, the son of the official he had slain, who was a skillful swordsman, found Zenkai out and came to kill him in revenge.

"I will give you my life willingly," said Zenkai. "Only let me finish this work. On the day it is completed, then you may kill me."

So the son awaited the day. Several months passed and Zendai kept on digging. The son grew tired of doing nothing and began to help with the digging. After he had helped for more than a year, he came to admire Zenkai's strong will and character.

At last the tunnel was completed and the people could use it and travel in safety.

"Now cut off my head," said Zenkai. "My work is done."

"How can I cut off my own teacher's head?" asked the younger man with tears in his eyes.