East (Manipulated Moon) #2, 2008

To my western eye, this one turned out looking particularly Japanese (although not in a refined style) & surprisingly decorative. No profound Zen parables here. No wabi. No sabi.  By the way, I don't consider this image's highly decorative nature to be a negative thing; in fact I think it would make a very nice kimono pattern… Perhaps to be worn for moon viewing which always seems to enter in my thoughts at this time of the year. In fact I was drinking cold saki last night for the first time this summer so all I need to make it a re-run of last year is my copy of Sei Shonagon's Pillow Book (the Ivan Morris translation, naturally), except it is so hot here the only sections that would have any appeal for me would be the ones written in autumn & winter. One last thing about the photo (although it's been so manipulated that I'm not sure if I still want to call it a photo) The appeal for me is the way the moon visually alternates between being a positive & negative space: a solid then a void.

Well the cats have gone home & this year's temporary pet show has come to an end. Once again it's time to Hoover the cat hair & put the porcelain back out on the shelves. I must confess to spoiling them a bit this year. I happened to have a bag of frozen cooked shrimp in the freezer so I thawed a generous handful & every night they each got a couple of shrimp as an evening treat. Bobo got to the point where every time I went near the refrigerator (toward the end of the week all I had to do was go into the kitchen) he was right there, meowing for shrimp. I expect he will continue to do this once he gets home.

His owners are going to be very annoyed with me.