A MEETING OF LIKE MINDS

Five years ago, about the time I started this blog, one of the commenters seemed to have the same  (completely bonkers?) sort of view of this world as myself. I thought, vaguely, maybe we’d meet, some day, if the planetary alignments were ever right. A bit like buying lottery tickets…

Anyway,that thing called Life threw all manner of curves our way and the meeting was pushed onto the back burner, along with all the  other metaphors.

Well, guess what? We made it! And, blimey! doesn’t one of us look fantastic!

Yes, she did have to lend me some wellies. Very fetching they were, too. Posh green ones, like what proper country folk wear. None of yer old K-Mart rubbish. Oh, no…

In fact, I’m so fond of those wellies I think I might just go back to Wiltshire and borrow them again.

Off to Fenland today to meet another “blast from  the past.”

I’ll leave you with some  pretty pictures. Though, personally, I think the one above takes some beating.                                         

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BLOGIVERSARY…

…somewhat late!

Those of you who have been idling here for long enough might recall that yesterday, October 23, 2006, saw my blog launched, with great fanfare and popping of champagne corks    somewhat tentatively, 5 years ago.

Yes, I have been boring the pants off readers for 5 years! And I did plan to have a small blogiversary give-away for a lucky reader (drawn from names of commenters by a person above any suspicion of cheating. Of course.)

Friends, one or two other things got in the way of that. First, I had some paperwork to tidy-up. And then I was out to lunch, in the nicest possible meaning of the phrase, and my good intentions went pear-shaped.

So…here’s what I’ll do…I’ll let this “lucky draw” run til next Sunday. That will be October 30 on my side of the IDL. But I’ll hold the draw until  the Monday so that all the lovely readers who are a bit behind also have a chance to win.

What’s that? Oh, the thing to be won? Hmmm…let’s see…

“Beyond the Palisades”                                       

“Torso”

Of course, the prints would be shipped unframed, for obvious reasons.

In the 5 years I’ve been blogging I have come to regard many of my readers as friends. I’ve even met some of you! There is, I find, a genuine warmth among bloggers. Well, on the sites I visit, anyway. 🙂

I really did have to think carefully about the “prize.” Not all of my scribblings would have wide appeal so I tried to go “middle of the road.” Which, of course, is a pretty stupid place to put oneself, especially with some of the bloody hoons on our roads! If neither of these pieces is your cup of tea, that’s fine. I shan’t be offended.

But if you fancy hanging one of these on your wall, just leave a comment before  October 30  and I’ll draw 2 names. First name has first pick.

And now, it’s time to don my chef’s hat…

IS ART A LOAD OF (expensive) RUBBISH?

more art from across the ditch…

Can’t find it in the catalogue. (Maybe Carol will know!)

And here’s another James Wright…

This one is “Rogue Red.” And I love it! At $3,500 it’s a tad too much for my budget. Sorry, James!

“Compass.” John Edgar, basalt

I called it (somewhat flippantly!) “Boxer Rebellion.”

In reality, it is a bronze by Charlotte Fisher, titled “Trunk” and if you have $12,500 it could be yours.

“My Creature” by Bronwynne Cornish (a friend of a friend). $2,200

Flanked by a couple of old girls who are weathering the storms of many summers quite well, I think! Thanks to Carol for clicking the shutter.

I’ve said how much I loved some of the sculpture. And there were some paintings I’d enjoy seeing on my wall, too.

Barry Lett’s “Trees” on plywood. $2,200. Not easy to see the grainy texture, but try clicking it. I loved it!

The Man liked some of th e work, but could not understand the intent (or the price!) of others. But, entering into the spirit of things, he created his own installation and called it “Adjustable.” (The driftwood can be turned to present a different figure at varying angles.Very clever.)

But, it must be said, I didn’t like everything. I could not see the point to some of it. Astroturf??? Really?

But it takes all sorts, doesn’t it? Andy Warhol managed to make some money from a soup can. And when the gallery at home bought a Hepworth bronze someone likened it to “a cat’s backside!”

So I’ll leave you with this and let you make up your own minds. The artist is Florian Primbs. Price? Close to $1,000 dollars for some of the work, $1,890 for one “weaving.”

I’ll be interested to see if any comments here echoed some that I heard over there…

GETTING THE JUMP ON CHRISTMAS

Being on this side of the IDL means I have to “post early for Christmas.”

Mind you, even that isn’t working out terribly well this year, is it? Our postal people have been on strike. Well, we were told they’d be on strike, but I have had things in my mail box every day this week. Some of them mail!

The 10 hour time difference also means I’ll be starting before you northerners. I’ll also be reaching for the aspirin first!

But, wherever you are and however you celebrate the occasion, I hope you and those you love are safe and happy.

Now, not everyone believes in Santa Claus, but someone has been here and has left a collection of packages! Too lazy to trek all around the world, he (she?) expects me to distribute them.

Guess what, Santa? I’m a tad busy m’self so how about  everyone  collecting their own gifts?  Nicely, now. We don’t want that unseemly January-Sales-type crush…

Chris has had a rough time of it this year, but this might help to get him back in the fast lane.

Of course, a race is only a race when there’s more than one horse. So I’ve got a chariot for his best buddy

The artists among you can trawl through some of the biggest stores on the web. It’s OK – they accept Monopoly money! –  ; )

While she recovers from the horrors of spending time with that “Dreadful Dave,” Ziggi could probably find something for these fellows to do.

Another blogger (who’s been a bit busy lately) might find a use for this

And I’m pretty  sure several of you could think of something to do with the keys.

This would be welcome in more than one place! (not hinting, of course. Of course.)

Perhaps, for those in the Frozen North…

Maybe a little (or a lot!!) of this…

Fancy a night out?

But my personal wishes are for and

and, please, fickle gods of the weather…

especially where things are desperate

Idle Thoughts will be idling over the break , but as time allows, I’ll scoot around and see what everyone’s up to.

Merry Christmas to all and to all – a goodnight!

IN WHICH I PLAY TOURIST IN MY OWN BACKYARD

Let me state, right now, that this will be a short n quick post. Why? Well, apart from having a few other things to do, I find typing a little messy when I’m slathered in lotion.

“What lotion?”   “Why?” I hear you asking.

Here’s a clue:

tourists splashing in a pool beacause the tide was low and the beach was “mucky.”

Maybe you need another hint…?

One of the cruise liners that regularly ply the Barrier Reef route. Also, one of the parasailing options for day-trippers.

Any guesses so far?

Well, we drove for 2 hours to catch a ferry to our day’s destination… (Do I hear pages of atlases being flipped? Bet some smarty pants has hopped on to Google-earth!

we saw several of these chaps, snoozing in the heat of the day.

(And there’s another [ four-lettered ]clue.)

No, it is not called “Monty!” The desk attendant had taken “Camilla ” out of the viewing tank because a workman had to adjust a hinge and refused to do so with “that bloody thing inside!”

The reason for the outing…friends from the 1940s who had a day ashore from their cruise ship.

And, from this, you can probably see why the lotion is a necessity!

Still not sure where I’ve been? Not gonna tell ya, so there!(But I know at least one of my loyal followers knows how to find out!)

I AM "CHUMBLED"

Ok, how many of you reached for Webster? Or the OED? Or perhaps you said:”That looks like modern slang” and went straight to Google? In which case you probably went to this site:

which told you that to chumble means to mumble. Hmm…a possibility, but not the meaning I intended.

Any readers North of the Watford Gap (that’s anywhere oop north of Lunn’n , in England) will understand if I say I am chuffed.

To be chuffed means to be delighted; often surprised, as in receiving an unexpected gift. To be “chuffed to little mint balls” is to be over-the-moon with delight.

As was I when I found that Denise had given me this award. I must admit, I did the “happy dance” and felt all warm and fuzzy, people.

And then I really thought about it.

I have been and have done many things in my time. I may have been called something akin to a “rocker.”

Yes, I did wear a poodle skirt!
But that was a l o n g time ago. Simply to be called a “girl” at these (only slightly!) advanced years is something of a fillip to the ego.

To be a “rockin’ girl” on a hot pink ground, on a website for all to see gives one pause for thought and reflection. And, while in no way diminishing the “chuffedness,” makes one a little humble.

Or, as I’ve suggested, chumbled.

So, thankyou, Denise. And thankyou, too, all the people who read this blog and generate interesting comment threads. You all,indeed, rock.With or without poodle skirts!

Because without a readership a blog would be in a vacuum, wouldn’t it? And you all know how I feel about vacuums,right?

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I believe I must now “pay it forward” and pass this award to bloggers whose writing and or photos have shaken me out of complacency. Rocked me, in fact. Could take a while… 

Lorihas a natural eye for a photo and a sharp wit and a fund of poetic quotes. I found her by way ofLauraThis lady manages to cram so much, besides art, into her life!Through my long-time blogwit,Ziggi, I “met” a “spooky little girl”who really does rock – she’s a singer.And does so much besides.

And you never quite know what will turn up on this blog Sometimes, lyrical narrative,sometimes eye-watering mirth, always worth the stop.

Clever digital art and quirky verse over at The Odd Neighbor makes me wish I knew how to “drive” this thing!

You know, of course, that I read many other blogs, but since I have mentioned most of them before I am trying to cover new ground. Certainly, in rockin’ me, these girls have taken me over some new ground.

For that, I thank them, chumbly!

And now…I have some serious work to finish.

 

DO NOT WEEP

 

JOSH.
FEBRUARY, 1995 – JULY 14, 2007.

Do not weep for him. His pain is past.

He sleeps safe in Earth’s cold keep.

Do not weep.

This is, I’m sure you understand, a sad household just now.
I will be away for a few days, but the blog will continue on my return at the weekend.