It is less than a week before Sangkran here in Chiangmai. This ancient Buddhist festival that has grown into a five day frenzy, generating millions of baht occurs during the hottest month of the year. However this year things might not be as celebratory as past years; the political discord between the government and the Redshirts have made a huge negative impact on tourism. In addition, here in the north the terrible pollution from crop burning has reached critically dangerous levels. I rarely go out during this time and if do, I wear a mask. Most of the local population do not wear masks, even though it has been advised by various medical alerts and news media. I’m deeply saddened for the state of things here and for the difficulty of so many who have so little. And I pray for the elephants and all the other creatures with whom we share the air.
I’m offering up a little story called ‘The First Elephants’ It’s a gift in PDF format and you can access it from my web site home page.
The PANOM DVD is still available via my site . I’ve just sent off a donation check to Friends of the Asian Elephant Hospital in Lampang. Thank you all for supporting that endeavor!
Also in the creative kitchen is a new series of photographic journies called ‘Meditations and Mandalas’ with hopes that a catalogue will be up on the site by the end of May.
Panom, Galen
The Creek
Is full of snow.
Everything, even the sound of your name,
Lies suspended in the blue ice of night.
When I reach to touch you, you’re not there.
You’ve gone dancing with the stars
And water
And moonlight.
poem and photograph ‘The Creek’ by Galen Garwood copyright 2010
