"Une barque sur l'océan"

One sailboat without a master of the wind perhaps looking on in envy

A fairly substantial number of sailboats floated by just the other day.  It's early on weather-wise for the boating season and the sight made me wonder if it wasn't like robins and red-winged blackbirds suddenly showing up. I suppose on a bright blue, not grey, day with sky and water, green hills, etc., the effect would have been magic to the eye but it was, in truth, white against grey and not so visually compelling. Plenty neat and nifty but I can imagine it better.

Ravel, the French composer, wrote the piece of music below, "The Boat on the Ocean" is part

Paul Sordes, "Street Scene"...plenty of color here.

of a five movement composition called "Mirroirs" (reflections) and dedicated to one Paul Sordes, the painter.  Ravel and his gaggle of Apaches (renegade artists in Paris) used to gather at the Sordes home on Saturday nights, drink and smoke cigars and think great thoughts.   Well perhaps.

I thought earlier that with a bright blue sky and all, if I just colored it up a bit, like a Sores painting, the photo would be more compelling.  That is, of course, until I thought about it.

To be out there, silent in the wind, calm water, just the skill of handling the sails and reading the telltales, a creak and groan as ropes pull tight, a great game of chess, boat and skill against wind and sea.

Now I'm more impressed than ever.