Georgia: Karoo

202 x 152 narrative

This is the view from the passenger’s seat of my little Corsa, driving away from the farm. It is also the view from the driver’s seat on the way to the farm. Both viewpoints hold a lot of emotion for me, as I only get to visit my dad in the Karoo once a year at most. If I had to choose a home out of all the places and houses that I’ve lived in, one that means the most in terms of stored memories and a feeling of belonging, it would be the farm. I hope this is the view going toward the farm. It means there are only another twenty or thirty minutes to go along the dirt road until I get there.

Georgia: Kalk Bay

305 x 203 narrative

I go to the sea when I feel homesick, and I’m lucky that here in Halifax I’m never far from it. Last weekend my sister and I rented a car and drove 30 minutes to Conrad’s, my favourite beach in Nova Scotia. It was stormy, but folks were still out with their dogs and blankets and wetsuits. I can’t quite put my finger on why I like Conrad’s the best. Maybe it’s because it’s poorly sign posted, there’s no parking and you can’t see it from the road. It’s separate from everything, and more intimate. Maybe it’s just that it reminds me of my favourite beach back home, Danger Beach, which is also somewhat hidden. This is an image of Kalk Bay, looking out over the train station. If I were home now, I would find parking along this road, maybe stopping for an ice cream, and walking a few minutes on the hot pavement to Dangers.

Georgia: Cape Fold Mountains

305 x 203 narrative

I have part of this image in my wallet. A small bit of reddish earth, some tufts of dry bush, the curve of the road ahead, the arresting Cape Fold Mountains. It is midsummer, and it may be the middle of the day. I can tell it is scorching! I see this corner of home when I pay for anything in Canada. I see it each time I use my library card, or when I’m at the coffee shop and I get my loyalty card punched, or when I go to the pool for a swim. Typically, most of the year here is cold and dark. I find that really hard. Some winters are unbearable, and I get very tired and drawn. This image in my wallet is on the one hand hopeful: a bit of Karoo light, shining. On the other hand it’s a reminder of where I am not, and where I most often want to be.