Both sides now

Joni Mitchell looked at clouds, love and life from both sides for her famous song that mused about illusions versus reality. There aren’t many illusions these Covid days as we trudge our familiar daily-walk routes. But sometimes, taking a few steps in a new direction, or simply turning our heads a different way, shows us a new side of things. Here are a couple of illusions/reality scenarios that John photographed on recent excursions.

This fine rhododendron bush spreads its lush glory at the edge of  a lawn at the University of  B.C. (All photos by John Denniston.)

John took a trail behind that same bush and was amazed at the different view inside. On one side, greenery and blossoms; on the other, the stark geometrical branches that support it all.

To me, this is the very definition of "greenway." High grass narrowing a winding path, trees arching overhead. But this is not part of Vancouver's vaunted "Arbutus Greenway," even though it runs on a boulevard beside it. 

On the other side of that pastoral path is the city's version of a "Greenway" - a belt of straight pavement unshaded by anything green at all, at least on this stretch at 42nd and Arbutus. Illusions, reality, side by side.