Sunday, July 20, 2014

Five Basic Senses ~ Part 2



The 5 traditionally recognized methods of perception or sense are:
SOUND...SIGHT...TOUCH...SMELL...TASTE

William Blake stated:  If the doors of perception were cleansed,
Everything would appear to man as it is ~ infinite!

SIGHT

Our Sense of Sight is all dependent upon our eyes.  A lens at the front of the eyeball helps to focus images onto the retina at the back of the eye.  The retina is covered with two types of light-sensitive cells.  All of this information is sent to the brain along with the optic nerve. The images sent are actually upside down and our brain makes sense of what it receives by turning the vision right side up.  The brain uses the images from the two eyes to create a 3-D image. This allows us to perceive depth.

Some people are not able to tell red colours from green colours. This is called colour blindness. (With imagination, view a snow-capped mountain with forest trees at its base; mid-ground are several tall evergreens; a luscious green lawn spreads to the foreground where lavender flowers bloom; and above an azure blue sky.)  This picture has 5 “depths of field” ~ which, if you are not aware, is strongly conducive to a photo of beauty.

My father considered a walk among the mountains
as equivalent of church-going!
(Aldous Huxley)

A Treasured Photo

The lake is a milky aqua-green.
The melting icy glacier chills its water.
Mountains surround this pristine sight.
Tall evergreens stand on guard.
The wide blue sky is expansive.
Big drifting clouds are on a slow move.
The foreground is wild flowers in bloom
with tall rose-hued cosmos softy waving in the breeze.

Truly, a picture to be had...to be held in hand,,,
to be forever etched into my memory!

Laying on my stomach with Pentax camera focused on this  magnificent vista...the flowers stand tall in the foreground and eyes drift to the lake, evergreens, glacier, mountains and sky.  I press the shutter and captured this scene of Lake Louise and the Victoria Glacier.  Our brief stay at the Chateau Lake Louise
will never be forgotten. Lake Louise is also recognized as a World Class Ski Mecca.

The only thing worse than being blind ~
is having no vision.  (Helen Keller)

Reading Glasses

After several teaching years, I began to have frequent minor headaches.  My doctor arranged an appt. with an ophthalmologist who with understanding voice, patiently stated, “What you have is a touch of senility. My advice is to go to the pharmacy and purchase a pair of 'reading glasses'....that should solve
your headaches.”  I didn't know if I should be insulted or pleased.

Now, over the past couple of years, cataracts have been developing. Direction from my optometrist sent me to Dr. McGillivray, who upon examination, recommended removal of them  As a surgeon, he operated on the right eye last week.  Next morning after the procedure, I glanced at a large painting beside my bed of a Mediterranean seaside city. My right eye relayed brilliant colours...while my left eye only saw dull shades. “Hey, Great...now I anticipate my July appointment for the left eye cataract.”

If I paint a wild horse, you might not see the horse...
but surely you will see the wildness.
(Pablo Picasso)

Five Dollar Suits

Paddy looked in one of the shop windows and saw a sign that caught his eye.  The sign read, “Suits $5.00 each; Shirts $2.00 each; Trousers $2.50 per pair.”  Paddy said to his pal, “Mick!  Would ya look at them prices!  We could buy a whole lot of those and when we get back to Newfoundland, we could make us a fortune.

“Now, when we go inside, you stay quiet, okay?  Let me do all da talking 'cause if they hear our accents, they might think we're thicko's from Newfoundland and try to screw us. So, I'll put on me best English accent.”  Mick agreed, “Roight y'are Paddy, I'll keep me mouth shut. You  do all da business.”

They go inside and Paddy said in a posh voice, “Hello my good man.  I'll take 50 suits at $5.00 each, 100 shirts at $2.00 each and 50 pairs of trousers at $2.50 each.  I'll reverse up me truck round the back ready to load 'em on, so I will.”

The owner of the shop said quietly, “You're from Newfoundland, aren't you?”
“Well...yes, I am that,” said a surprised Paddy.  “What gave it away?”
The owner replied, “This is a Dry Cleaners!”

When wrong facts are given, the mind tries to interpret the intended meaning.  Often, persons fail to consider all aspects “of the picture” before them...and therefore react according to their one conclusive interpretation.  Man should consider all other possible situations. 
“To anything in Life...there is more than one solution!”
Remember the adage:  LOOK before you Leap!

Nothing is more imminent than the impossible;
What we must always foresee...is the unforeseen.
(Victor Hugo ~ Les Miserable)

Watch for my next posting on Senses...TOUCH.

Merle Baird-Kerr...written June 25, 2014
Comments always welcome...e-mail to”

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