WOMEN WHO LIKE THEMSELVES

give out a totally different light.

It’s like pure unfiltered sunshine mixed with that heady

golden-hour glow you only seem to find on holiday.

As the sun takes its leave of the day and makes way

for the promise of night.

That light,

which makes everything and everyone appear so much more beautiful, as the air is filled with something special,

something which sparks joy,

deep within your heart.

Seek out the women who like themselves,

for they will like you too.

Their eyes are not the judging kind.

And if you find these women and watch them closely enough,

something magical may just occur,

you may learn how to like yourself too.

Just a little bit.

From ‘the right words’ by Donna Ashworth: https://www.amazon.co.uk/.../ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp...

Art ‘Laughing Lady’ by Kickstart Gallery, artist unknown.

#selflovejourney #selfloverevolution #bodyacceptance #bodypositive #selfcare #bodypositive #women #quotes #donnaashworth #ladiespassiton #quotesforwomen #inspire #relatable

By Kurt Vonnegut

 

By Kurt Vonnegut:

“When I was 15, I spent a month working on an archeological dig. I was talking to one of the archeologists one day during our lunch break and he asked those kinds of “getting to know you” questions you ask young people: Do you play sports? What’s your favorite subject? And I told him, no I don’t play any sports. I do theater, I’m in choir, I play the violin and piano, I used to take art classes.

And he went WOW. That’s amazing! And I said, “Oh no, but I’m not any good at ANY of them.”

And he said something then that I will never forget and which absolutely blew my mind because no one had ever said anything like it to me before: “I don’t think being good at things is the point of doing them. I think you’ve got all these wonderful experiences with different skills, and that all teaches you things and makes you an interesting person, no matter how well you do them.”

And that honestly changed my life. Because I went from a failure, someone who hadn’t been talented enough at anything to excel, to someone who did things because I enjoyed them. I had been raised in such an achievement-oriented environment, so inundated with the myth of Talent, that I thought it was only worth doing things if you could “Win” at them.”

- Kurt Vonnegut

Curious Calf Offers Friendship to Lonely Blind Bison and Changes Her Life

 

Meet Helen: the blind rescue bison that lives at Lighthouse Farm Sanctuary in Oregon. She first arrived to the sanctuary around 5 years ago, but her nervous nature meant that it was difficult for her to socialize with the other animals. “When Helen first got here she was very shy and seemed a little lonely, so we tried to pair her with ‘pasture pals’ so she could have a friend but no one really synced up with her,” Gwen from Lighthouse Farm Sanctuary tells My Modern Met. Unfortunately, this meant that Helen spent much of her time in solitude. “About a year later,” Gwen says, “we rescued a pregnant dairy cow named Betsy who gave birth to Oliver at the sanctuary. The minute he was big enough to go exploring he ventured out to Helen's field and their friendship was almost immediate.”

Oliver the curious Jersey calf came along and showed Helen the love and understanding she deserves. The unlikely duo quickly became best friends, and formed an unbreakable bond. Helen’s motherly instinct also kicked in, and she began grooming Oliver. The young calf’s fur even started to change color as he got older to match her dark brown coat.

As their friendship blossomed, Helen’s entire attitude began to change, and she became visibly happier. Helen and Oliver spent an entire year together (with Oliver’s mom Betsy always close by), until the calf decided it was time to join the sanctuary's cow herd. But that didn’t mean Helen returned to being lonely—her experience with Oliver gave her the confidence to welcome other animals into her life. That was when Uma, a newly rescued piglet began visiting Helen. The new friends often share meals and snuggle up together in the hay.

Helen has even appointed herself as a foster mother to a new calf the Lighthouse Farm team rescued a year ago, named Italo. They spend nearly all day side by side, and she loves to groom him, too. Gwen says, “Watching Helen come out of her shell has been truly incredible and we're just so blessed to know her. She's the kindest, most patient, and loving animal we've had the pleasure of knowing.”

Lighthouse Farm Sanctuary provides a safe and loving environment for animals just like Helen and her friends to flourish. “Our sanctuary is home to almost 300 non-human animals who have seen the very worst of humanity and every day they amaze us with their profound abilities to love and to be loved, even after the tragedies they have endured,” say the team. “Our goal is to share their stories with the community and bring about positive change in the way they are viewed by society.”

You can find out more about this incredible sanctuary on their website and keep up to date with Helen’s heartwarming friendships on Instagram.

Helen the blind bison lived a lonely life at Lighthouse Farm Sanctuary, until she met Oliver the young Jersey calf.

He showed her the love and understanding she deserves and cute pair instantly became inseparable.

Oliver gave Helen the confidence to make friends with other animals at the sanctuary.

Helen even appointed herself as a foster mother to another newly rescued calf named Italo.

Lighthouse Farm Sanctuary: Website | Facebook | Instagram

Photographer Spends Hours on Bridges to Capture Colorful Overhead Portraits of Street Vendors

 

Keen photographers have the ability to elevate the ordinary into stunning imagery and photographer Loes Heerink has done just that with her series about the street vendors of Hanoi. Waking up at 4 am, the vendors—often female migrant workers—pack their bicycles to the brim with fresh flowers and fruit, walking miles throughout the course of the day to peddle their wares. Heerink lived in Vietnam for many years and became fascinated with these street vendors, so much so that she sought to capture their beauty in a unique way.

Stationing herself on different bridges around Hanoi, Heerink patiently waited for vendors to pass, capturing these colorfully symmetrical photographs as they unknowingly moved below the bridge. The work takes patience. “I once spent five hours in a location with no shots,” Heerink explains on her new Kickstarter campaign. “This project started my fascination for the women carrying their goods. They have no clue how beautiful their bicycles are, no idea they create little pieces of art every day.”

Heerink's dream is to expand the project to 100 images and publish a book to celebrate the beauty of these hardworking street vendors. Through Kickstarter, Heerink hopes to raise funds for a return trip to Vietnam, where she will interview workers and finish shooting the images necessary to then complete the publication. Heerink isn't aiming to make money from the project, but to simply publish the series in order to fulfill a dream and spread the beauty that these vendors unknowingly embody.

Loes Heerink: Website | Kickstarter
via [Bored Panda]

JESSICA STEWART

Jessica Stewart is a Contributing Writer and Digital Media Specialist for My Modern Met, as well as a curator and art historian. She earned her MA in Renaissance Studies from University College London and now lives in Rome, Italy. She cultivated expertise in street art which led to the purchase of her photographic archive by the Treccani Italian Encyclopedia in 2014. When she’s not spending time with her three dogs, she also manages the studio of a successful street artist. In 2013, she authored the book 'Street Art Stories Roma' and most recently contributed to 'Crossroads: A Glimpse Into the Life of Alice Pasquini'. You can follow her adventures online at @romephotoblog.

Read all posts from Jessica Stewart

Trees with “Crown Shyness” Mysteriously Avoid Touching Each Other

 

Photo: Dag Peak

If you look up toward certain types of towering trees—including eucalyptus, Sitka spruce, and Japanese larch—you may notice a unique phenomenon: the uppermost branches don't touch. Known as “crown shyness,” this natural occurrence results in rupture-like patterns in the forest canopy that seem to perfectly outline the trees' striking silhouettes.

Since scientists first started studying the topic in the 1920s, crown shyness has been observed between trees of the same and different species in locations across the globe. Regardless of tree type or environment, crown shyness appears to always culminate in the same aesthetic, characterized by gaps that resemble meandering channels, zig-zagging cracks, and winding rivers.

While no one is quite sure why certain trees exhibit this unique behavior, several hypotheses have been presented by numerous scientists. One possibility is that it occurs when the branches of trees (particularly those in areas with high winds) bump into each other. Another suggested explanation is that it enables the perennial plants to receive optimal light for photosynthesis. Perhaps the most prominent theory, however, is that the gaps prevent the proliferation of invasive insects.

Whatever the reason is behind this fascinating treetop trend, one thing is clear: crown shyness is one photogenic phenomenon!

Crown shyness, a naturally occurring phenomenon, results in crack-like gaps in the tree canopy.

Photo: Patrice78500 (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Photo: Samuel COUNIL

Photo: mynatureeexperiences

Photo: mynatureeexperiences

Photo: SL Chen / Shutterstock

Photo: Mikenorton (Own work), via Wikimedia Commons

The Sleeping Beauty

By Mathilde Blind

Artist Kinuko Yamabe Craft.

There was intoxication in the air;

The wind, keen blowing from across the seas,

O'er leagues of new-ploughed land and heathery leas,

Smelt of wild gorse whose gold flamed everywhere.

And undertone of song pulsed far and near,

The soaring larks filled heaven with ecstasies,

And, like a living clock among the trees,

The shouting cuckoo struck the time of year.

For now the Sun had found the earth once more,

And woke the Sleeping Beauty with a kiss;

Who thrilled with light of love in every pore,

Opened her flower-blue eyes, and looked in his.

Then all things felt life fluttering at their core--

The world shook mystical in lambent bliss.

Butternut Squash and Lime Soup

 Serves 15 175g servings if soup is being served as a starter. Serves 10 260g servings if Soup is being served as a main meal.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp (0.03 litres) olive oil
• 50g butter
• 200g onion, thinly sliced
• 900g butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1cm dice
• 1 vegetable stock cube
• 750ml milk
• 750ml water
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 lime, juiced

Method

1. Heat the olive oil and the butter in a large saucepan, add the onion, cover and sweat for 3 - 4 minutes.

2. Add the butternut squash and continue to sauté for a further 2 - 3 minutes.

3. Add the remaining ingredients, except the lime juice, and bring to the boil.

4. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 6 minutes, or until the butternut squash is cooked.

4. Put the soup in a blender and whizz until smooth.

5. Adjust the seasoning to taste and finish with fresh lime juice.

Artist Spent a Year in the Woods Creating Mysterious Sculptures

 

Deep in the woods of southern France, artist Spencer Byles transformed the forest into a mysterious wonderland through a series of spectacular, organic sculptures. Byles spent a year immersed in the woodlands of La Colle sur Loup, Villeneuve-Loubet, and Mougins for this ambitious project. Surrounded by flora and fauna, the sculptor used only cables and natural, found materials to create his stunning, large-scale works of art.

According to Byles, many people come across his sculptures by chance in the woods. Met with the sight of towering, woven structures and suspended symbols made of twined branches, the viewer may question whether the mysterious installations were formed naturally, assembled by human hands, or left in the forest by supernatural forces.

The ephemeral nature of Byles' creations is integral to his work, as each piece exists in its completed state for only as long as the elements permit. The sculptor says, “The temporary nature of my sculptures is an important aspect of my experiences and understanding. I feel my sculptures are only really completed when nature begins to take hold again and gradually weave its way back into the materials. At this point it slowly becomes part of nature again and less a part of me.”

Spencer Byles' website
via [JedaVu Art]

Interview: Photographer Captures Real-Life “Fairy Forests” in Finland

 

Combining his love of nature with his skills in photography, 21-year-old Ossi Saarinen captures the many wild forest animals living in Finland’s mystical woodlands. From curious foxes and mischievous red squirrels to shy deers and even grizzly bears, the talented wildlife photographer gets up-close and personal with these charming creatures, revealing their most intimate and adorable moments.

Finland is almost entirely covered in untouched forests, tundras, and lakes, making it the perfect home for a wide range of species. Saarinen spends hundreds of hours amongst the picturesque landscape, patiently waiting for the timid animals to emerge. His resulting images look like something from a real-life fairytale—fox cubs are captured playing, majestic owls perch in snow-covered trees, and squirrels busily hoard their nuts.

We recently caught up with Saarinen to find out what it’s like to spend time photographing these amazing animals. Read on for our exclusive interview.

When did you first become interested in photography?

I took my first photo with a DSLR in the beginning of 2015 and fell love immediately. My first photo was of a bird in my backyard. I started with all kind of photographing but ended up shooting nature and mostly wild animals.

What draws you to capturing wildlife?

I’ve been super interested in nature and especially animals since I was a kid. I realized that with a camera I can save and share those amazing moments and feelings I experience in the nature.

Wildlife photography is very challenging which makes it even more interesting. Sometimes it means hours and hours of waiting with no result but when I finally get the shot I wanted it’s all worth it.

You’re able to get so close to the forest animals. How do you charm them into trusting you?

I spend lot of time with them. I start carefully from a far distance and then slowly, day-by-day, I try to get closer. I learned to know how the animal behaves and reacts to my presence. No sudden movements or loud noises. Over time they start trusting me more and let me closer.

Do you have a favorite creature that you like to photograph?

Foxes. Young fox cubs especially. I find the life and behavior of these smart animals very interesting. Following the life of the cubs, seeing how they grow up and leave the nest. I feel very lucky and privileged to be able to do that. The fox cubs are also very adorable and cute and adult foxes are beautiful in their thick orange fur.

Do you have any funny stories of a particular animal encounter?

I can’t remember any exceptionally funny moments with animals. But the moments I often go back in my mind and laugh at them are the days when everything goes wrong. One early morning I went close to a fox nesting site and waited for the shy foxes to appear for almost 6 hours. I couldn’t move at all because I didn’t want to make any sounds to scare the foxes. The air was full of mosquitoes and they were biting me all around and I couldn’t do anything about it. After hours without seeing a single fox I finally gave up and went home. My right hand was so full of mosquito bites that I couldn’t have even taken any photos with my finger as its size had almost doubled from a bite. It was also very cold, so I could barely feel my toes or fingers.

What advice would you give someone who’s interested in taking up wildlife photography?

Just go out whenever you can. Instead of at noon, try early mornings and late evenings. Keep your eyes and ears open, you’ll be surprised how many animals there actually are. Even if you’re living in a big city. You don’t need an expensive camera and huge lenses. Start with a phone and when you feel like it’s not enough anymore get a real camera.

Spend a lot of time in nature and with the animals. The more you know about your photo subject the closer you can get and the more interesting your photos can be. Take as many different kinds of photos as possible. Then you can choose the best ones and next time you will know what worked and what didn’t.

Ossi Saarinen: Website | Instagram | Facebook | Shop

My Modern Met granted permission to use photos by Ossi Saarinen.