Footnotes to a Conversation, August 19, 2024

“The moon is a loyal companion. It never leaves. It’s always there, watching, steadfast, knowing us in our light and dark moments, changing forever just as we do. Every day it’s a different version of itself. Sometimes weak and wan, sometimes strong and full of light. The moon understands what it means to be human.” — Tahereh Maf

Befriending an Octopus

Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt is a charming book that will make you feel good about people and life. Marcellus is an aging octopus counting his remaining days and sneaking out of his tank to snack on sea cucumbers or other tasty treats in the neighbouring aquarium tanks. Tova is a widow who lost her son. She spends her nights cleaning the floors and removing the fingerprints from the glass tanks. Marcellus and Tova become friends and co-conspirators, drawing other loners into their web of friendship. The book is an outstanding achievement for a debut novelist.

For another book on octopus intelligence and ingenuity, be sure to read The Soul of an Octopus by Sy Montgomery.

Stockholm Bus Stop

Catherine, who moved to Stockholm from Saskatoon, sent me a photo of a Stockholm bus stop, complete with folk art, a little lending library (with books in multiple languages!), a plant/seed sharing box, and ample benches protected from the weather. She notes that the contrast between public transit in Saskatoon and Stockholm is “SUBSTANTIAL”. Thank you for sharing the photo and ideas, Catherine.

Embroidering the Beach

Sandrine Torredemer began embroidering alongside her grandmother and great-grandmother when she was five years old. “Torredemer is inspired by beaches, and interprets photos by combining old fabrics with embroidery to create intricate vacation scenes. ‘I have always loved summer,’ she says. ‘Everything seems lighter and carefree, problems are put aside. There’s a whole little world organising its life around a parasol and a few colourful towels.’ ” Do take a look at her photos for a breath of sea air. The detail is truly remarkable. [The Guardian]

Banksy Animals

Banksy’s series of graffiti animals are great fun. There’s a pelican helping itself to supper at a fish and chip shop, monkeys dangling from a wire on an overpass, and animals escaping from the London Zoo – at the London Zoo! [BBC, ArtNet]

Footnotes to a Conversation is a weekly Monday feature covering an assortment of topics that I’ve come across in the preceding week – books, art, travel, food, and whatever else strikes my fancy. I also post occasional articles on other dates, including frequent book reviews and travel tales.

If you share my love of nature, check out EcoFriendly West, an online publication encouraging environmental initiatives in Western Canada, and Nature Companion, a free nature app for Canada’s four western provinces.