listening for sleigh bells

Red and green for Christmas--who doesn't love to see them getting along so nicely? Above is a painting made by Karl Larsson of his daughter decorating their tree. I see her red stockings, red stripes in her apron, cap and shawl as well as a few ornaments. A quietly festive scene.

Called Out in the Snow by Mela Koehler who was part of the The Wiener Werkstätte (Vienna Workshop) in the early 20th century. I love the lines and movement especially from the floating scarf and ribbons, not to mention the bright red gloves and the big red bow in the girl's braid. A happy scene.

I don't know who made this bucolic scene but it has hung in my kitchen for a long time. The lambs near the fire always make me smile as does the white cat sleeping in the window. Then there's the red stockings, towel and fire's glow. A warm scene.

More red creativity @ Ruby Tuesday.

a little gift on Tuesday

'. . .my purse is empty. . .'

Being an inveterate people watcher, I can't stop myself from a) watching and b) photographing the watchees. These three were admiring Marc Chagall's paintings in Philadelphia this spring. I liked the progression of the smaller work and short lady to larger painting and taller women, with Erica listening and viewing. So, I present you V for viewing, viewers and viewee [me]. Visit ABC Wednesday for more vees.

My name is Marc, my emotional life is sensitive

and my purse is empty,

 but they say I have talent. 

Marc Chagall

From red to redder, tis the season of peonies. Ants are busy helping loosen the many petals in each bloom.

A sure sign of spring.

Maedchen mit Pfingstrosen [Girl With Peonies] by  Alexej Von Jawlensky, 1909

Von Jawlensky was part of the early 20th century  Blauer Reiter movement along with the father of Expressionism, Wasilly Kandinsky, August Macke, Lionel Feininger, Albert Bloch and my favorite, Franz Marc, among others.

mysterious silver threads and a Finnish recipe

The color du jour for Favourite Things Thursday is silver--which had me wondering: when does gray become silver exactly? There's the silver in everyday utensils, paint brush ferules and palette knives, the bright sun on water, duct tape and so on.





two holiday fruitcakes or

soft sculpture or

the lackluster paint on the doors of my uncle's gray Chevy

Do these gray clouds over the Japanese Embassy have a silver lining? What about the gleaming silver guard hairs on this rabbit hiding in the rain? Rhetorical questions all.
Here's silver for sure--David's hair and beard. He's been sporting gray hair since he was in his 20's and now it has a luminous silver-white hue, inherited from his Irish grandma, Lucille Feagan. This photo was taken on New Year's Day and because we were sad our nest was empty again--and before I was to fall on the ice later in the day--Dave made Ropsua for breakfast. It is a baked pancake his mother always made on holiday and birthday breakfasts. The recipe below is a variation of her recipe and another I found on line. Its really easy and delicious but you have to eat it the minute it comes out of the oven...enjoy with butter and syrup.

Ropsua (pannu kaku)
Makes 1 large pancake

3 eggs, well beaten

3 c. milk (or new milk) Dave's mom uses part evaporated milk+water

1- 1/4 c. flour

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp. baking powder

couple Tbsp. sugar

Melt about 2-4T butter in 9 x 13 pan and put in hot oven (425 degrees) until butter melts and sizzles. Pour in mixture above not stirring, return to oven for about 30 minutes until set. It will puff up, then fall when taken out. adapted from Mojakka

Thanks to clever Blue and her fun meme, Favourite Things Thursday for giving me an opportunity to share this bit of our family tradition. By the way, only one of our two daughters likes Ropsua. Surprising?

Creamsicles and goldfish--orange you sweet!

Orange, glorious orange!

Favourite Things Thursday highlights.

"Orange is red brought nearer to humanity by yellow." -- Wassily Kandinsky

Improvisation XIV--Wassily Kandinsky (Russian, 1866-1944), 1910, Georges Pompidou Center, Paris.

Visit Blue's fun MeMe here to see more orange dreams.

“Do not let your fire go out, spark by irreplaceable spark, in the hopeless swamps of the approximate,
the not-quite,
the not-yet,
the not-at-all.
Do not let the hero in your soul perish, in lonely frustration for the life you deserved, but have never been able to reach.
Check your road and the nature of your battle. The world you desired can be won. It exists, it is real, it is possible, it is yours.” Ayn Rand

[photo by Yves Perton]

p.s. I post this mostly for me because I have another week to wear the splint on my hand and we are expecting another freeze starting this weekend--both events are definitely tolerable, when I consider the alternatives. The photo above was taken during our subzero weather a week before last. Amazing natural art on the apartment front door. . .

Happy Friday!

Remembering my favorite things makes me blue.

Ever since I was little and was dressed in blue more often than not I thought that the color blue belonged to me. Then came pre-adolescence when I wanted to paint my bedroom blue that my dad informed me blue was for boys and I endured a pink room for a long time. Today I can say with assurance that blue, with its many variations, is one of my favorite things.

There is no blue without yellow and without orange.

Vincent Van Gogh

Mrs. Beauregarde: [after Violet has turned into a blueberry] I can't have a blueberry for a daughter. How is she supposed to compete?
Veruca Salt: You could put her in a county fair. [from Charlie & the Chocolate Factory]

Thanks to Blue at Behind Kyanite's Door for her Favorite Things Thursday. To join in or see more favorite things, go here.

Word-less Wednesday

I *usually* know what I like!

Anonymous (Flemish School), Boy Looking through a Casement, ca. 1550-60.

On into the third week of Favorite Things Thursday, I add my love of art--art history to be exact. Looking at art makes me happy, even if I don't particularly care for what I'm seeing, because I have a general idea of what it takes to make art. I enjoy the challenge of trying to decipher what the artist was recording about the time he or she was living, the pop culture and philosophy embedded in a particular decade or century. Also, it is intriguing to me to study and think about what made that artist tick, what her story was or what he could pass on to me about life. And I have the luxury of making many choices of what appeals to me, since I have a problem making up my mind most any other time.

Georgia O'Keefe, Radiator Building at Night, New York, 1927

Wassily Kandinsky, Circles in Circle, 1923

The study of art history is vast and fascinating at every turn from the yellow ochre cave paintings of prehistory to the incredible but inevitable discovery of linear perspective in Italy in the 13th century. I especially like the 19th and 20th century for its departure from tradition, an expression of inner feelings and the bold use of color. Stables (Stallungen), Franz Marc 1913

Birthday Party, Marc Chagall

Self Portrait Pablo Picasso, charcoal on paper

and so many more.

Thanks to Blue for hosting her meme, Favorite Things Thursday so I get the chance to think on what makes my life uniquely mine. Stop by her site and see more favorite things from her friends.

Every artist dips his brush in his own soul,

and paints his own nature into his pictures.

Henry Ward Beecher

Mysterious, invasive. . .deeply rooted.

Today's ABC Wednesday letter is 'w'-- I captured these budding water lily pads last week at a small local lake. Though representational, my photo's colors reminded me of Claude Monet's water lilies series that he planted and painted at Giverney for over two decades.

I've included just four of this series showing how his eyesight and style changed from 1903-1926. 1897-99
Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Moderna - Rome

1906 The Art Institute of Chicago

1916-19
Musée Marmottan-Monet - Paris

1920-26
Musée de l'Orangerie - Paris

FYI, white water lilies are the national flower of Bangladesh.

and he said:

It took me time to understand my waterlilies. I had planted them for the pleasure of it; I grew them without ever thinking of painting them.

Visit Mrs Nesbitt for more contributions to ABC Wednesday or to join in the fun.

Orange you sweet!

Orange--one of my favorite colors--so much so, I used to have orange Formica countertops in my kitchen. Of course, that was the 1970's and wasn't so weird then. Said to prompt eating binges, orange is lively and hopeful, I like to think.

Today Mrs Nesbitt has chosen the letter O for ABC Wednesday. To join or enjoy fellow orangines, squeeze here.