The Woodland

I have never seen the Hunger Games and don't intend to. But this beautiful song and video, yes, that is more in line with what I'd want to see. The sheer beauty of it will haunt and stay with you.

The woodland calls, I will always answer.

Wind-Loving, Autumn-Craving Girl

There is a little art shop on Etsy that sent me a beautiful fall journal with the original umbrella girl art work that I bought from her (read the quote from this art work on my page below). This journal was a gift and it could not have been more perfect for this wind-loving, autumn-craving girl. I am very happy with it, and glad to know she'll be offering them in her shop soon.

Here is the front of the journal, walking in the wind.

And the back, which resembles a Pre-Raphaelite girl,
joyful in the fall wind with beautiful leaves all stirred up behind her.

Not only is her art unique, original, and gorgeously colorful and bright, but

her words also add so much to her work. Check her out and find a gem for yourself.

And here are the words from the Umbrella Girl, that led me to her shop:

"The Rain she loved,

Because ...

She got to use

Her umbrella"

 ~Deanna, Painting the Moon ~

A Little Piece of Poetry

A little piece of poetry that is on its way to me, ...written by Brooke Schmidt who holds the copyright to it., ...cut from books and cleverly pieced together. She calls it Talismans Within. I call it perfectly written for me.

COPYRIGHT BROOKE SCHMIDT

The Perfect Kind

There is a delicious storm outside tonight ... not harsh at all. The perfect kind ... breezy and cool, cloudy, trees swaying in the wind, quiet except for mother nature. I am outside right in the middle of it all and intend to be here all evening.

Thank you God 

For making Fall  

I've held my breath for it

All summer long

Simplicity

I love the simplicity of a summer supper - fresh garden tomatoes with a smattering of salt, paired with a side of scrambled eggs and cheese. For dessert, a bowl of newly picked summer peaches, sprinkled with a little sugar. Seriously one of the best and most simple of meals in a long time.

Simplicity can be of our own choosing, or be forced upon us. It can be cultivated and welcome, or rushed and feared. Whichever way, it opens up a whole new way of thinking along the lines of Thoreau, one who grasped the concept and value immediately, which ultimately led him to the woods.

I love the beauty and contentment that I see in these photos of various homes, there is peace, not clutter ... yet each is decorated simply but carefully, and sparingly.  Beauty seems to follow peace around like a little sister.

These really are the most beautiful of spaces, and there is no clouding of thoughts possible here. I am a firm believer that a cluttered house reflects what is going on inside your own head while homes like these free your thoughts and let them run wild with fervor and intensity. Sort of like going to the woods does for me.

I know what I want, for thoughts have come together in sense and sensibility.

From Heaven's Walk

From Good Bones, Great Pieces

From Poppies and Posies

Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.  ~Confucius

All goes back to the earth,
and so I do not desire
pride of excess or power,
but the contentments made
by men who have had little:
the fisherman's silence
receiving the river's grace,
the gardener's musing on rows....
~Wendell Berry, "The Want of Peace"

 

You have succeeded in life when all you really want is only what you really need.  

~Vernon Howard

Pretty Little Clouds

Rest. less. ness. Look it up in the dictionary and you'll see me there.

As I watched the late August sky tonight, I swear there were little heart clouds everywhere I looked, ...as if Heaven needed to tell me something. Then as the night progressed, a bright moon appeared over the clouds, ...but to me there were only love beams, not moonbeams. The Light brightened up the murky sky as a love note to me. 

Pretty little clouds just for me

Saying you are loved more than you know

Whispered love notes to see

Spread across the sky 

Tenderly aglow

Photo Source - Patrizi's Place (she has a cute post about heart things there, too)

EDIT: I just read Patrizi's post all the way through, AFTER writing my post, ...and I am amazed again. Love overflowing. Go read her post which was written in May 2011. 

My Art Room

Recently the UK's Guardian posted the top ten art works for Great Britain. You can see their choices here. In response, these would be my own choices of favorite art work.

#1 JOHN WILLIAM WATERHOUSE
My absolute favorite painting is Waterhouse's Ophelia. She will always be my favorite (as is pretty much anything by Waterhouse did), ...so he gets number one all to himself as a general nod to his work. Shown here: Ophelia, La Belle Dame Sans Merci, Lady Claire, The Flower Picker, and The Lady of Shalott.

#2 ARTHUR RACKHAM
I also love Arthur Rackham dearly (who was a children's book illustrator). Here are three of my Rackham favorites because I cannot just choose one: Undine in the Wind, Undancy, and Blowing Leaves.

#3 CLAUDE MONET
The "Poet of Nature" artist, Claude Monet had to be on my list somewhere. I used to have a print copy of "Woman With A Parasol" hanging in my room for a long time. I love his haystacks, love his water lilies, love his trees. You could stare at his art forever and not get bored for a second.

 #4 LADY OF SHALOTT, IRIS COMPIET
This is Iris Compiet's version of Shalott, which I love. It has been on my sidebar for forever, standing the test of time. I love Shalott the poem so much, and am so inspired by the many artistic renditions that have been created and based on Tennyson's gorgeous poem.

#5 THE STORY OF A MOTHER, KAY NIELSEN
I first saw this on the Silver Swan blog and was instantly smitten with it. Here is the story behind this art work that I find fascinating on many levels. It is sure to mean different things to different people, which is the mark of good art, I think.

#6 THE BEGUILING OF MERLIN, EDWARD BURNE JONES
This is my favorite Burne Jones. Another Pre-Raphaelite Artist. Really, I could have all of the Pre-Raphaelites fill my favorite ten because there are so many of them I love.

#7 HIDE AND SEEK, BEV DOOLITTLE
Bev Doolittle paints these beautiful hidden art gems, many that focus on horses, ... painted horses to be exact. Painted horses have always been beautiful to me so I especially love her Hide and Seek. She has another one of horses and rider hidden in the aspen trees that I love as well.

#8 CAROL GRIGG
Carol Grigg is another modern artist whose general works I admire. Shown here are "Learning the Song" and "Great Plains Warrior." So unique and original. There is something about the rider on the horse and his complete freedom that is compelling. And the bird one is probably obvious, if you've read my blog before, you know I love nature and the freedom that the birds have in flying. So these are beautiful to me.

#9 CARL LARSSON
The name of this piece is one I could not find online, but it is by Carl Larsson. It has hidden pictures inside the painting as the "Red Riding Hood figure" makes her way to Grandma's house. Look closely and you'll see more than meets the eye. I think I love it because the girl is walking in the woods. I've written about these (Red Riding Hood) themes before, so I guess this one just stays with me, speaks to me as the girl who loves to walk in the trees.

#10 EMERALD DREAMS BY MORGAN WEISTLING
Another modern artist, I believe, but in the old-fashioned style that I love. Captures my love of fall and it just reflects a perfect moment of reverie. Kind of like Ophelia, in her own way, (see number one), so... I really begin and end at the same place which makes me think I've gotten it right, full circle.

 This in no way is set in stone, but for this moment these are some of my very favorite pieces of art work, for a variety of reasons. I am sure I've left some out, but I am pretty happy with my choices here. I hope you enjoy them.

(I'd like to thank the rain and thunderstorm that rolled through this afternoon as I finished editing and finalizing my list here. I am not sure I could have finished this without it).

Top Ten

Top 10 favourite artworks: (of the UK)

Here is a recent top ten favorite art work from the UK's "The Independent." I am not surprised at numbers one and two at all, but most of the rest I'd never heard of.  I tend to like Pre-Raphaelite art the most, which explains knowing the first two. Thought it was interesting to see them all together. These would not be my top ten at all. I'll be back with my own top ten art works in the next post.

1. John William Waterhouse, The Lady Of Shalott, 1888.

2. Sir John Everett Millais, Ophelia, 1851-2.

3. Francis Bacon, Head V1, 1949.
(couldn't find this online, after a short attempt to find it)

4. John Singer Sargent, Gassed, 1919.

5. Lucian Freud, Man's Head (Self Portrait I), 1963.

6. JMW Turner, The Fighting Temeraire, 1839.

7. Alfred Wallis, Five Ships, Mount's Bay, 1928.

8. LS Lowry, Going To The Match, 1953.

9. James Abbott McNeill Whistler, Nocturne: Blue And Gold - Old Battersea Bridge, 1872-5.

10. Cornelia Parker, Cold Dark Matter: An Exploded View, 1991.

Source of Top Ten UK Art

I Think Jane Would Agree

God wants us to do more, not less.

As Emma Woodhouse learns lately, after not so gentle nudging from Mr Knightley, as we learn first from the thought then the action. There are many virtues out there to be gained, many things we can do for others, many ways to reach out and help, ...and they are found in doing more and not less. I think Jane Austen would agree.
I also believe that things such as this make life more meaningful and break it down into simplicity, so that more becomes less. Living simply and in a good manner, matters. I think Thoreau would agree, as well.

Eight Years Ago

About eight years ago, I saw a print of this painting by Alan Maley called, "The Promise," hanging in someone's home as a large framed muriel.

Since then, I have been searching to remember the artist's name and to see the artwork again, as it was an instant favorite when I first saw it, and the name remained forgotten 
to me for so long. This week, I was finally reminded of his name and found the print online. 

It is gorgeous and even more amazing as larger framed art. I am hanging it on my "wall" here so the name won't be forgotten again. I hope you enjoy this beautiful piece of art.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Painting is silent poetry."
~Plutarch, Moralia: How to Study Poetry

Open Field

Open Field by Yosvany Baez

"I want to be able to sleep in an open field, 

to travel west, 

to walk freely at night..."  

~Sylvia Plath

The Heaven Tree

When I die, this is where I hope to pass through to heaven...

....using the forest as my stepping stone to move from earth to whatever comes next.


I am sure this is where earth and heaven meet and the angels wait, disguised as fairies, ...I'll walk and walk until I find the heaven tree, and there I will be.

Thunderstorm

We had a terrible and beautiful thunderstorm earlier today..., 

....as I watched it and heard it pass by I was awed by the power of it, ....and I wondered if those up in Heaven could hear it, too.

And I wonder sometimes
If you hear the thunder up in heaven
As it passes by my window
On it's way to your door
Do you see the streaks of lightening
That stretch across my sky
As you walk the floor of heaven
Do you stop to watch and listen

Do the birds outside my window
Sing the songs of heaven here
A beautiful chorus of melodies
Reaching discerning pairs of ears

Is the wind on my face
The same one that stirs for you
On your streets of gold and honey
An unfolding breath of heaven

Carrying words for us to hear

And I wonder sometimes
If you hear the thunder up in heaven
As it passes by my window
On it's way to your door
Do you see the streaks of lightening
That stretch across my sky
As you walk the floor of heaven
Do you stop to watch and listen

And does the sun shine for you
Each and every moment
Is that where it goes 

When it leaves my sight
Leaving me with only 

This pale moonshine at night

Do you laugh at my questions
On the other side of heaven now
Where you have all the answers
We want to know in time
Is it all so simple to understand
In Heaven tonight

And I wonder sometimes
If you hear the thunder up in heaven
As it passes by my window
On it's way to your door
Do you see the streaks of lightening
That stretch across my sky
As you walk the floor of heaven
Do you stop to watch and listen

Copyright A. Rich, 2013

All rights Reserved

Sweet Summer Nights

Picture from Dream Catchers

Ragged Old Flag

Ragged Old Flag

I walked through a county courthouse square
On a park bench, an old man was sittin' there.
I said, "Your old court house is kinda run down,
He said, "Naw, it'll do for our little town".
I said, "Your old flag pole is leaned a little bit,
And that's a ragged old flag you got hangin' on it".
He said, "Have a seat", and I sat down,
"Is this the first time you've been to our little town"
I said, "I think it is"
He said "I don't like to brag, but we're kinda proud of
That Ragged Old Flag

 

"You see, we got a little hole in that flag there,
When Washington took it across the Delaware.
And It got powder burned the night Francis Scott Key sat watching it,
Writing "Say Can You See"
It got a rip in New Orleans, with Packingham & Jackson
Tugging at it's seams.
And It almost fell at the Alamo
Beside the Texas flag,
But she waved on though.
She got cut with a sword at Chancellorsville,
And she got cut again at Shiloh Hill.
There was Robert E. Lee and Beauregard and Bragg,
And the south wind blew hard on
That Ragged Old Flag

"On Flanders Field in World War I,
She got a big hole from a Bertha Gun,
She turned blood red in World War II
She hung limp, and low, a time or two,
She was in Korea, Vietnam, She went where she was sent
By her Uncle Sam.
She waved from our ships upon the briny foam
And now they've about quit wavin' back here at home
In her own good land here She's been abused,
She's been burned, dishonored, denied an' refused,
And the government for which she stands
Has been scandalized throughout out the land.
And she's getting thread bare, and she's wearin' thin,
But she's in good shape, for the shape she's in.
Cause she's been through the fire before
And I believe she can take a whole lot more.

"So we raise her up every morning
And we bring her down slow every night,
We don't let her touch the ground,
And we fold her up right.
On second thought
I *do* like to brag
Cause I'm mighty proud of
That Ragged Old Flag"

 

   ~~Johnny Cash (the one and only!)