tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-90656673866683079182024-03-15T19:54:52.527+00:00To Discover Ice"Many years later, as he faced the firing squad, Colonel Aureliano Buendia was to remember that distant afternoon when his father took him to discover ice."<br>
Gabriel Garcia Marquez: "One Hundred Years of Solitude"bazzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14794010156639774028noreply@blogger.comBlogger424125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9065667386668307918.post-87493484612498999932024-03-02T11:45:00.002+00:002024-03-02T11:45:40.662+00:00The Caveman's Lament<p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I haven't posted for quite a long time because I've been very busy with other things (and also we've just moved house) but this poem amused me and I wanted to share it!</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm82r2hFGmwqcyYRfjhGVmC0PD6oBpMTRAGtF5E_LjZzmomD0Otp08yTsPDFyeZDboO0dGlUuKeanmZ_sh207jOMT5NzIl3ZtFKSu2a6GVAYjX_Ijim3EG4HQ482oUNErPKEPgQH3Tdw43P-whC_nM7CsY985B6KXOeUpr6D20VCtAf4pxO488siTw7RWc/s475/Lament.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="649" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm82r2hFGmwqcyYRfjhGVmC0PD6oBpMTRAGtF5E_LjZzmomD0Otp08yTsPDFyeZDboO0dGlUuKeanmZ_sh207jOMT5NzIl3ZtFKSu2a6GVAYjX_Ijim3EG4HQ482oUNErPKEPgQH3Tdw43P-whC_nM7CsY985B6KXOeUpr6D20VCtAf4pxO488siTw7RWc/w430-h649/Lament.JPG" width="430" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-family: courier; font-size: medium;"><b>I'm listening to Jackson Browne's evergreen classic, <i>Linda Paloma</i>. Listen <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWnUAnacm0c" target="_blank">here</a>.</b></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p>bazzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14794010156639774028noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9065667386668307918.post-1801325201536392532023-08-24T21:41:00.003+01:002023-08-25T08:59:29.340+01:00Empire of the Sun<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b><span style="line-height: 115%;">EMPIRE OF
THE SUN</span></b><span style="line-height: 115%;"> is a novel
written by <b>J G Ballard</b> and published in 1984. It is semi-autobiographical
and based on his own experiences as a young boy, born and brought up in the
British community in Shanghai during the second world war. Jim, the protagonist
of the story, is clearly based on the author’s own experience of living in the
cossetted, wealthy atmosphere of an idyllic childhood replete with huge house,
servants and busy, mostly absent parents. When the Japanese invade and occupy a
large part of China, Jim’s life changes dramatically; the Empire of the Sun name
has its origin in the etymology of the name ‘Japan’.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF6j6oH22MANwZuKDwjStXASXClEGIjzfxVwyQg6DZ6XCq8VyIYqWrlNe7qf2PjoXnGDnb1iai-ygvl3cGVjYNDUy-x4jzaOb_1kut-5bZBo-BQwAZWtBcbvcVE-JAjvFx0kteH7MrXW1AJx87qjsEfrdM859ZuJOzgMlJvNW18KeRB4b1XR9DqKHS3Zk7/s788/Empire.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="788" data-original-width="519" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF6j6oH22MANwZuKDwjStXASXClEGIjzfxVwyQg6DZ6XCq8VyIYqWrlNe7qf2PjoXnGDnb1iai-ygvl3cGVjYNDUy-x4jzaOb_1kut-5bZBo-BQwAZWtBcbvcVE-JAjvFx0kteH7MrXW1AJx87qjsEfrdM859ZuJOzgMlJvNW18KeRB4b1XR9DqKHS3Zk7/w264-h400/Empire.JPG" width="264" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">He wants to
grow up to be a pilot and idolises the Japanese Army and Air Force. He lives
for three years in an internment camp, separated from his parents, where he
survives with the help of some American soldiers, especially Baisie. Jim
realises that Baisie is basically a crook on the make but he doesn’t seem to
mind. At the end of the war, he is reunited with his parents and travels
reluctantly to England for the first time having grown physically and mentally
during the ordeal. </span><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Three years after the publication of the book, Stephen Spielberg made a film of the story. Both the film and the book are marvellous at conveying Jim's story and his experiences. He is played by a thirteen year old Christian Bale and Baisie</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large; text-align: justify;"> is played by John Malkovich. I thoroughly recommend both film and the book.</span></span><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div><span style="line-height: 115%;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><b style="color: #ff00fe; font-family: courier; font-size: x-large;">I'm listening to The Rolling Stones singing a very early song that I have always had a soft spot for. Listen to (and watch) <i>You Better Move On</i> live <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EILVwE4PCyE" target="_blank">here</a>.</b></div></span></div></div></div>bazzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14794010156639774028noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9065667386668307918.post-40415338186055634762023-08-03T09:31:00.005+01:002023-08-03T12:24:46.382+01:00Rabbit-Proof Fence<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Rabbit-Proof Fence tells the true story of three mixed-race Aboriginal girls who, after being forcibly removed from their families, are shipped to a 'camp' where they will be trained to be domestic servants. In each case they have white fathers and Aboriginal mothers. They decide to escape and return to their families by walking all the way across desert and scrubland using the rabbit-proof fence as a guide. The fence, which ran over 1800 kilometres (1100 miles) north to south across the whole continent, was built by the Australian Government in a misguided attempt to stem the devastating advance of rabbits and other destructive animals into Western Australia from the East. It didn't really work.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQx6BzHIO7QRi_yEDQJCGyOry4PERrXxJT0Tj8GAWNHHf04vOM01J37YSYB-9xUVy8naHafusuJrl4bwbEN3D9sfdvdscQiDwpQOD5rdTDfRDSzID_-xNuXbO5wTpK46KN-n0s0XDOIz4sjKpCR6yz2lmWYxxW4JuV1gKJhmjBa3K2Z1ejAS6CkRZnek5F/s566/Rabbit-Proof.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="566" data-original-width="378" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQx6BzHIO7QRi_yEDQJCGyOry4PERrXxJT0Tj8GAWNHHf04vOM01J37YSYB-9xUVy8naHafusuJrl4bwbEN3D9sfdvdscQiDwpQOD5rdTDfRDSzID_-xNuXbO5wTpK46KN-n0s0XDOIz4sjKpCR6yz2lmWYxxW4JuV1gKJhmjBa3K2Z1ejAS6CkRZnek5F/w429-h640/Rabbit-Proof.JPG" width="429" /></a></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Rabbits are not indigenous to Australia but were introduced by the <i>First Fleet</i> of eleven ships in 1788 and later, in a devastating way, for sport. The book was written by the daughter of one of the three young girls who were very clever at evading capture and were not sent back to the camp. It's not a particularly well-written book but the story is captivating and written in a fairly matter-of-fact style so that one only realises the true horror of the situation at a later time.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><b>I'm listening, appropriately, to Eric Bogle's wonderful song about about Australian soldiers in World War One. It's very moving. Listen to <i>And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda</i> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WG48Ftsr3OI" target="_blank">here</a>.</b></span></p>bazzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14794010156639774028noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9065667386668307918.post-22266540115469588572023-07-05T16:41:00.002+01:002023-07-08T20:52:47.709+01:00Artist of the Month (6): Edward Hopper<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b>Edward Hopper</b> was probably the pre-eminent American realist painter in the years between the wars. Although he had made several trips to Paris, he spent nearly the whole of his career in Greenwich Village, New York. He claims to have been uninfluenced by his time in Europe and not to have heard of Pablo Picasso while he was there; to me this is very believable because there is little sign of influence of contemporary artistic movements.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiniYwfoKP7gzyEmqespY62bCTsdV4cJ5GeCNhUBNf3E7YbSePxmW-rREf4MWeDpu9hApnXjZu710G-D3GctHFQSUf-qCAiK8I8R2K0C0x8p9N4UrndfN72GW7F2AzeN_y1odxlxAr5nSZBv7lrfLPa_D2L9lSLQHKBYjY_I7s5kAwWbJETvl6hviO9V4lY/s645/Hopper%201.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="392" data-original-width="645" height="388" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiniYwfoKP7gzyEmqespY62bCTsdV4cJ5GeCNhUBNf3E7YbSePxmW-rREf4MWeDpu9hApnXjZu710G-D3GctHFQSUf-qCAiK8I8R2K0C0x8p9N4UrndfN72GW7F2AzeN_y1odxlxAr5nSZBv7lrfLPa_D2L9lSLQHKBYjY_I7s5kAwWbJETvl6hviO9V4lY/w640-h388/Hopper%201.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Hopper's people, (if there are any), don't seem to interact with the viewer, each other or the world about them in general but I see beauty in these pictures.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">He was interested in the isolation and loneliness</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> of the people around him in the Big City. Indeed, his most famous, iconic work, </span><i style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Nighthawks</i><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">, clearly depicts that sad situation. Almost paradoxically, his paintings show lonely people but remain attractive to look at. He was a consummate</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> artist and his paintings seem to be full of a nostalgia for an earlier time. The rise of Abstract Expressionism completely cut him off from the artistic movement of the time. He was born in 1882 and died in 1967. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRxGW1JzmIabYltt_4z2Rl5NTq8nGWjUPCg0LAtC72Q7s7avn-mpoMBHENzOd6uqg38DtRHm1eUM4aReIUvIP9K0jx_dS_7njXj9HkoP3yIhQoF00JZU6NzBKYTgf_AZ82LeahuSbcUau6Jc6qysf3r25B0u7fm0KW4Qinq6mwRWrZ2HbMhOWTtdW9PCWy/s405/Hopper%202.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="332" data-original-width="405" height="524" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRxGW1JzmIabYltt_4z2Rl5NTq8nGWjUPCg0LAtC72Q7s7avn-mpoMBHENzOd6uqg38DtRHm1eUM4aReIUvIP9K0jx_dS_7njXj9HkoP3yIhQoF00JZU6NzBKYTgf_AZ82LeahuSbcUau6Jc6qysf3r25B0u7fm0KW4Qinq6mwRWrZ2HbMhOWTtdW9PCWy/w640-h524/Hopper%202.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">She is sitting alone and seems to be contemplating her situation. No one else is in the picture. Does she have any friends?</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6-SvZ0OHOOEB2f_Rhrtj9zEeq02DZyvdRiFWkT9SaVp34qC9iH14SeM3OxtVzSixjtxBZEr0fj2ws1BrSxnd4oNsdecrVtZ0Gic2Yp4A2jT2rjEXbLg5rrghimeaQ_gQww29Li8bUmVJNpO7kDYf_G7KAUFPoZRKA8W2QvEJw8gVdrYBNGQ5stJJDhg8B/s524/Hopper%203.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="347" data-original-width="524" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6-SvZ0OHOOEB2f_Rhrtj9zEeq02DZyvdRiFWkT9SaVp34qC9iH14SeM3OxtVzSixjtxBZEr0fj2ws1BrSxnd4oNsdecrVtZ0Gic2Yp4A2jT2rjEXbLg5rrghimeaQ_gQww29Li8bUmVJNpO7kDYf_G7KAUFPoZRKA8W2QvEJw8gVdrYBNGQ5stJJDhg8B/w640-h424/Hopper%203.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">An empty painting. Or is it? There are no people in the early morning sunshine but there is a strong intriguing narrative. Are the shops open? Are they <i>ever </i>open?</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCUcJZVIEhbhL74q-xEAypL8BwF-KUNaUfQwPu2VEtxuXk1cz6nHyvfVij7bECNGy4N4RlUJRySzSF2o9YVcOG5E8JTLm_v0C1WADHClM6fHycUtoyXP3QCfjChkibo3hyXVhRA3nx2n_oOXT38ZrwHHMmiibl7SC1IAGjq1uxTQAahDiH_1HGAMSyMG3o/s451/Hopper%204.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="348" data-original-width="451" height="494" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCUcJZVIEhbhL74q-xEAypL8BwF-KUNaUfQwPu2VEtxuXk1cz6nHyvfVij7bECNGy4N4RlUJRySzSF2o9YVcOG5E8JTLm_v0C1WADHClM6fHycUtoyXP3QCfjChkibo3hyXVhRA3nx2n_oOXT38ZrwHHMmiibl7SC1IAGjq1uxTQAahDiH_1HGAMSyMG3o/w640-h494/Hopper%204.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Bright sunlight but still a single figure looking away from the viewer.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi19uetwH_wEiB7XddZriOCNGeXjDt9PIc_gkb58l4xVWTr5cc-eNmwwo4QP_DbIxlFxWsWJoC2ShP67RfO1V0YZJheH6D6Xe7MHt0m6MfVmaRw_qDAkbbrtvul7m7PG54X-YwOcr_jHpiXrIDnw5X8jA7fNP64x-_O3Uorgnv9wevO-zxjuOq0yqqsgmKE/s409/Hopper%205.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="330" data-original-width="409" height="516" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi19uetwH_wEiB7XddZriOCNGeXjDt9PIc_gkb58l4xVWTr5cc-eNmwwo4QP_DbIxlFxWsWJoC2ShP67RfO1V0YZJheH6D6Xe7MHt0m6MfVmaRw_qDAkbbrtvul7m7PG54X-YwOcr_jHpiXrIDnw5X8jA7fNP64x-_O3Uorgnv9wevO-zxjuOq0yqqsgmKE/w640-h516/Hopper%205.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">A later painting filled with gorgeous sunlight - but empty of people.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><b>I'm listening to The Velvet Underground. I like this one: <i>Who Loves the Sun?</i> Listen <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqVWBVbytXo" target="_blank">here</a>.</b></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p>bazzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14794010156639774028noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9065667386668307918.post-15756608921226327412023-06-27T18:16:00.000+01:002023-06-27T18:16:00.473+01:00The Pinball Wizard has played his last concert in the UK<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">7.6 million people watched Elton John on UK TV performing at Glastonbury last weekend. He claimed this would be his last ever UK concert - but he has said that before! At 76 years old he still has the magic and his singing and playing were superb. He really looked like he was having a great time although he looked a little unsteady on his feet as he walked out on stage but the years melted away when he began to play.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC03a470VDdcJhD1NQX-LiShX5m2B6u5c3YQEEL-TOPq8Oa4FuxJAgZzuewmja-DcvPEZxv_bQ6G_9t2xTKRV4zow1mhR1yY6VytxTwt-hj_-CmD6VPCr4iKvSKoCPKEdne4cIKWrVYloc7BTflIoegUmHObh9uhrIMnSkSwPG1pGG16JXauOBd91SZxr4/s593/Elton%201.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="469" data-original-width="593" height="506" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC03a470VDdcJhD1NQX-LiShX5m2B6u5c3YQEEL-TOPq8Oa4FuxJAgZzuewmja-DcvPEZxv_bQ6G_9t2xTKRV4zow1mhR1yY6VytxTwt-hj_-CmD6VPCr4iKvSKoCPKEdne4cIKWrVYloc7BTflIoegUmHObh9uhrIMnSkSwPG1pGG16JXauOBd91SZxr4/w640-h506/Elton%201.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Yusuf/Cat Stevens also performed a great set at 75 years of age. It was wonderful to see and to listen to. Of course, he does have an extensive back catalogue of material and songs from fifty years ago still sounded fresh and vibrant.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #ff00fe;"><b>You can see and hear the song that he closed the show with; a spectacular version of Rocket Man. Ten minutes of fabulousness! See it </b></span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GwqJX3ZjRrs" target="_blank">here</a>!</span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p>bazzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14794010156639774028noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9065667386668307918.post-4437470099773148392023-06-15T09:50:00.000+01:002023-06-15T09:50:04.625+01:00Ghent, Belgium<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">We have just returned from a few days in <b>Ghent </b>in Flanders, in the north of <b>Belgium</b>. We have visited there several times before but this was the best time and we all decided (four of us) that we now place the city above Bruges, that most-popular of tourist destinations. It's <i>slightly </i>less packed with tourists and <i>slightly </i>less overpriced!</span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNHRptwdaS_zRgyz0cl84QSvNPc5_JWq47qL4ZYeUO_RE9PlsGHOV_d8Y_s6nfcoTKKRCNh2VYPjZZEckEXFG-SLyE_mjeAvS5alvWPst1FSMwZOTe-gl2u9y0t002BIDu0yl3zR2r0N6Z2U62xy-Mh4hmyBW2JxrHzB3D54U40EnjHT-aw0JfzxRi_A/s517/Ghent%201.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="326" data-original-width="517" height="404" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNHRptwdaS_zRgyz0cl84QSvNPc5_JWq47qL4ZYeUO_RE9PlsGHOV_d8Y_s6nfcoTKKRCNh2VYPjZZEckEXFG-SLyE_mjeAvS5alvWPst1FSMwZOTe-gl2u9y0t002BIDu0yl3zR2r0N6Z2U62xy-Mh4hmyBW2JxrHzB3D54U40EnjHT-aw0JfzxRi_A/w640-h404/Ghent%201.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">A typical Ghent canal-side view</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Belgian is of course famous for it's hundreds of varieties of top-quality beer, of which my Son-in-Law and I are huge fans!</span><p></p><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJNIgg2xGsezERvfzgzRqrcjDx6SRDV0422NB3hSOp0uSYqCKoUt3tKKyiAMqfHiuhSsohzD1l_gS0S85xHzMCJC6Ik76t5DpQ7RmLYe5MKLgttfHtsSiwx3dGsPwySyELCWbgduHkUnOk8eA1JcFnbTvjIYfNBP7YQThCt0fnCk5eeeysf1bNCJKj0Q/s426/Ghent%203.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="361" data-original-width="426" height="542" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJNIgg2xGsezERvfzgzRqrcjDx6SRDV0422NB3hSOp0uSYqCKoUt3tKKyiAMqfHiuhSsohzD1l_gS0S85xHzMCJC6Ik76t5DpQ7RmLYe5MKLgttfHtsSiwx3dGsPwySyELCWbgduHkUnOk8eA1JcFnbTvjIYfNBP7YQThCt0fnCk5eeeysf1bNCJKj0Q/w640-h542/Ghent%203.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b>Westvlteren </b>beer is very interesting as, until a few weeks ago, it was only available from their off-the-beaten-track Monastery. They are concerned that it is only sold to end-users and not to businesses. Applying to buy it was like asking to join the Secret Service! We were given a thirty minute time slot to collect it and paid only <b>two Euros </b>for each of 24 bottles; I have seen it advertised at 18 Euros...</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBckf1p63Ppng-ZEGGWuoc7FWQvowKE00fUmqxx5NfQGr7K6sE34XeV6Pk-l08UMmZZXDS1p-wJKt2HPKqt3t1zeiHy3sGvaE1CwAq1if1Y4Mb6v-YLz9rco9pok_uIeURC6fMXVzQgijiHQT6ZlLpJTaBDfqEpXxo2jyA_Kf9Ls09EZ3maSDyCUUyGg/s532/Ghent%202.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="478" data-original-width="532" height="576" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBckf1p63Ppng-ZEGGWuoc7FWQvowKE00fUmqxx5NfQGr7K6sE34XeV6Pk-l08UMmZZXDS1p-wJKt2HPKqt3t1zeiHy3sGvaE1CwAq1if1Y4Mb6v-YLz9rco9pok_uIeURC6fMXVzQgijiHQT6ZlLpJTaBDfqEpXxo2jyA_Kf9Ls09EZ3maSDyCUUyGg/w640-h576/Ghent%202.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-family: courier; font-size: medium;"><b>I'm listening to Helen Shapiro singing <i>Little Miss Lonely</i>. She was one of the most talented of Britain's female pop-singers and was very mature when she recorded most of her hits as a teenager. Listen <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWcaW2t6Z5Y" target="_blank">here</a>.</b></span></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div>bazzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14794010156639774028noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9065667386668307918.post-46478914301245998982023-05-05T17:54:00.008+01:002023-05-05T18:16:44.449+01:00The Coronation of Charles III<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAo_s2RbSnzhKc3KrKrRdxpWgHZVDMFxP2599UQtRpRz3jnqKTiZrzi6QWHqBos0p-lmkwxynjcWTgTovzl-SIQl21o4Q2ySE7PvLzrpo1_vQa6lF0mqHtI_fQ9BKJvmBsr3iGTSbqDLzXtZd6JnfTwp_LXJwkLyVJMHuYVyS6nfIMPH1AJDehlrNUrg/s407/Charles.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="407" data-original-width="342" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAo_s2RbSnzhKc3KrKrRdxpWgHZVDMFxP2599UQtRpRz3jnqKTiZrzi6QWHqBos0p-lmkwxynjcWTgTovzl-SIQl21o4Q2ySE7PvLzrpo1_vQa6lF0mqHtI_fQ9BKJvmBsr3iGTSbqDLzXtZd6JnfTwp_LXJwkLyVJMHuYVyS6nfIMPH1AJDehlrNUrg/w538-h640/Charles.JPG" width="538" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Tomorrow is the coronation of <b>King Charles III</b>
in <b>Westminster Abbey</b> where our monarchs have been crowned forty times since
1066. I’m not particularly a Royalist but having a Royal Family is a good way
of bringing the country together and I like to have a non-political Head of
State; it tends towards stability. Although there are those reject monarchy,
having a powerful one is something that many countries look at with envy. Even
the French are very interested in ours and the number of American visitors for
tomorrow is huge. (Hello Myrna & Herb!) Charles is King of 15 countries and he wanted a very different
style from the 1953 event when his mother was crowned. He is keen on
inclusivity and he invited the Chief Rabbi to stay overnight in his home in
Clarence House so that he could attend. God Save the King!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-family: courier;"><b>I thought that Handel's Music for the Royal Fireworks would be appropriate. You can hear it (and see the fireworks) <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZuG1t2smdCQ" target="_blank">here</a>!</b></span></span></p>bazzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14794010156639774028noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9065667386668307918.post-86531132351400807532023-04-07T15:58:00.000+01:002023-04-07T15:58:18.072+01:00Artist of the Month (5): Dutch Tobacco Poster Artists<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">It's hard to believe but there was a time when the full implication of the health risks of smoking were not known (or were ignored). Adverts would often portray an image of manliness & masculinity and appeal to the opposite sex. None of that changes the merits of the design and appeal of these poster ads. I love poster art and here it is in it's best manifestation.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7lwT7V6n9R6yEqhM8TXmI_FN7cXhRpTRpLDLPFdaay6YmqudDFk9IyQH-0euw212OzzdYaGz4dwYWPFdozhAkOIRwJKnsyaPERt23RN2OekZjTMjXgNjg7JoR1AH3qGZ8sPIk9PS6W1LME29PBLGJUKXkSDogiwTtAiiwGipmK9PRsozVz7uV3TevPw/s373/Dutch%201.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="373" data-original-width="272" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7lwT7V6n9R6yEqhM8TXmI_FN7cXhRpTRpLDLPFdaay6YmqudDFk9IyQH-0euw212OzzdYaGz4dwYWPFdozhAkOIRwJKnsyaPERt23RN2OekZjTMjXgNjg7JoR1AH3qGZ8sPIk9PS6W1LME29PBLGJUKXkSDogiwTtAiiwGipmK9PRsozVz7uV3TevPw/w466-h640/Dutch%201.JPG" width="466" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj304nJ-sJ3zJ3DuTQ5s0Bw8pflTOtSckzcl53BulVawZFY2KNVq2d12Cg68J73GtoipUyxe27VNgDHBoz0zq65dfVgX0MdnjKO2bmDVr31jmmAnK1sfmI5TwJT_uBOsE6A5R3XCG1lZpkty5Q0ZMM67HBaAcV3wxBofQppoMYVPLii3buA4UmbGIuoxg/s377/Dutch%202.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="377" data-original-width="267" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj304nJ-sJ3zJ3DuTQ5s0Bw8pflTOtSckzcl53BulVawZFY2KNVq2d12Cg68J73GtoipUyxe27VNgDHBoz0zq65dfVgX0MdnjKO2bmDVr31jmmAnK1sfmI5TwJT_uBOsE6A5R3XCG1lZpkty5Q0ZMM67HBaAcV3wxBofQppoMYVPLii3buA4UmbGIuoxg/w454-h640/Dutch%202.JPG" width="454" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA7wvHvDL-ompy_9-pYC0q3rmD9UG88wjp-5wturhTqx1Y-CoMytczXKLz3T9ClVGApWdMXA658n8lyNez8vTG7CdDpHd4iuONlP_vWSdsM6tE1RhP1CNzTHq27sDVUoMJH6F0Pgixe0KeFYSrRZHLKuQbVqGZ5sTGDznBvaRfJA1o0nub8EhP7oSkKw/s368/Dutch%203.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="368" data-original-width="270" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA7wvHvDL-ompy_9-pYC0q3rmD9UG88wjp-5wturhTqx1Y-CoMytczXKLz3T9ClVGApWdMXA658n8lyNez8vTG7CdDpHd4iuONlP_vWSdsM6tE1RhP1CNzTHq27sDVUoMJH6F0Pgixe0KeFYSrRZHLKuQbVqGZ5sTGDznBvaRfJA1o0nub8EhP7oSkKw/w470-h640/Dutch%203.JPG" width="470" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKwTZMRVdZnmwo5XZD7JRSnlDhJiuCZIsKfYfwFB78WqiabBXGQayDucpIXmLi_Tqo06ZvvSV9UOEGbsOxkFo0rroXGJA2tVjahzsOpJ8BxEUbYeblvUcDsRjRlrvMSYSl0-VGJUwPCePcfNoJv_GqlRP6CwhgQh0JrfmqRzo7bPqWCToIz34dx1Long/s380/Dutch%204.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="380" data-original-width="283" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKwTZMRVdZnmwo5XZD7JRSnlDhJiuCZIsKfYfwFB78WqiabBXGQayDucpIXmLi_Tqo06ZvvSV9UOEGbsOxkFo0rroXGJA2tVjahzsOpJ8BxEUbYeblvUcDsRjRlrvMSYSl0-VGJUwPCePcfNoJv_GqlRP6CwhgQh0JrfmqRzo7bPqWCToIz34dx1Long/w476-h640/Dutch%204.JPG" width="476" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><b>I'm listening to Kiki Dee's beautiful song <i>Loving and Free</i>. You can listen to it <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWNTDo3xARM" target="_blank">here</a>.</b></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p>bazzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14794010156639774028noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9065667386668307918.post-43721867324762296952023-04-02T11:05:00.000+01:002023-04-02T11:05:04.385+01:00John Donne: No Man is an Island<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeAkfGxfghKoyTiyh63ENfm1y53Yv1yyd8xvLyZuDoHk7P5sE6ezoK6nTIijhJu7mDphlkr0SUXY5-UuWxa_8Zq6PBueH27DLwdmNTNHkP7eZ4PWOqqEZpXWPOpBqTHnMgzH1nBti9fkGKyi27m3gIMlTTfIMK9K1tzVXo2jCi7k5NifggiHtdfIgoOg/s503/Donne.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="474" data-original-width="503" height="378" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeAkfGxfghKoyTiyh63ENfm1y53Yv1yyd8xvLyZuDoHk7P5sE6ezoK6nTIijhJu7mDphlkr0SUXY5-UuWxa_8Zq6PBueH27DLwdmNTNHkP7eZ4PWOqqEZpXWPOpBqTHnMgzH1nBti9fkGKyi27m3gIMlTTfIMK9K1tzVXo2jCi7k5NifggiHtdfIgoOg/w400-h378/Donne.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The phrase </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">No man is
an island</i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> is often assumed to be Shakespearean or from the Bible but it’s
neither. John Donne (pronounced ‘Done’) was among the greatest of English posts
and wrote some of the most beautiful love poetry of all time. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">However, this isn’t
originally a poem at all; it’s from a sermon given by Donne when he was the
Dean of St Pauls, London.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> <b>No Man
is an Island by John Donne, written in 1623</b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 72.0pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="font-size: medium;">No man is an island,<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 72.0pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="font-size: medium;">Entire of itself,<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 72.0pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="font-size: medium;">Every man is a piece of the continent,<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 72.0pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="font-size: medium;">A part of the main.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 72.0pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="font-size: medium;">If a clod be washed away by the sea,<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 72.0pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="font-size: medium;">Europe is the less.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 72.0pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="font-size: medium;">As well as if a promontory were.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 72.0pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="font-size: medium;">As well as if a manor of thy friend’s<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 72.0pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="font-size: medium;">Or of thine own were:<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 72.0pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="font-size: medium;">Any man’s death diminishes me,<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 72.0pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="font-size: medium;">Because I am involved in mankind,<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 72.0pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="font-size: medium;">And therefore never send to know for whom the bell
tolls;<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 72.0pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">It tolls for thee.</span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">It was originally
published in </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Devotions Upon Emergent Occasions. </i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Its subject is the
interconnectedness of all mankind and, more subtly, examines the relationship between man and
God and enquires what it means to be alive.
Donne is saying that people are social creatures and that no one can be
truly self-sufficient; people need each other and are better together than they
are apart. He argues that “any man’s
death diminishes me” and tells the reader not to ask "for whom the bell
tolls." That is, they don’t need to ask who death is coming for, because
it’s coming for everyone. Another implicit point here, then, is that people
should cherish being alive, and, while alive, embrace being part of the wider
human family. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Donne uses an extended
metaphor, comparing the joining together of all people to a geographic land
mass; each separate part belongs to a whole.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-family: courier; font-size: medium;"><b>I'm listening to another poet; Bob Dylan's <i>It's All Over Now Baby Blue, </i>a song from a lifetime ago! You can listen to it <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1jMQyJxTmI">here</a>.</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 72pt; text-align: left;"><br /></p>bazzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14794010156639774028noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9065667386668307918.post-77009062475371330092023-03-23T09:21:00.004+00:002023-03-23T09:21:50.744+00:00Sea-Fever by John Masefield<p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I was once asked what, apart from my family, would I want to save if my home was burning. I realised then that my most treasured possession is a copy of <b><i>Palgrave's Golden Treasury</i></b> that was presented to my mother as a school prize in 1934. <b><i>Palgrave's
Golden Treasury of the Best Poems in the English Language</i></b> is probably
the most famous poetry anthology ever compiled. Originally published in 1861,
it quickly established itself as the most popular selection of English poems.
This edition is dated 1933 “with additional poems”. </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Inside, it is inscribed:</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGoEnV9efNXp_ZpsCwZlXzavrl1L_xkOfmHCYdyWOT3mjB1EEIBydGrJF6RFvGxglQ1YjkF8p4DrnZnBYlHCF-Ngck-sFAoJfphoGz_LdSfVvieQ5CEJPYuaXPU51nfTEX0Peod1yZnab2haZuLUa39j6dRuBXfegu1ht3risT85raHmW04wqR8KeEAQ/s468/Pearl%20Kahansky.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="428" data-original-width="468" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGoEnV9efNXp_ZpsCwZlXzavrl1L_xkOfmHCYdyWOT3mjB1EEIBydGrJF6RFvGxglQ1YjkF8p4DrnZnBYlHCF-Ngck-sFAoJfphoGz_LdSfVvieQ5CEJPYuaXPU51nfTEX0Peod1yZnab2haZuLUa39j6dRuBXfegu1ht3risT85raHmW04wqR8KeEAQ/w320-h293/Pearl%20Kahansky.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I learned a lot of poems from it and developed a life-long appreciation. Sea-Fever and Cargoes by John Masefield, who would have been Poet Laureate at the time of this edition's publication, were my two favourites.</span></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: medium;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif"><span>I must go<b>*</b> down to the seas again, to
the lonely sea and the sky, <b>/</b> </span></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">And all I ask is a tall ship and a star
to steer her by;</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: medium;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif"><span>And the wheel’s kick and the wind’s song
and the white sail’s shaking, <b>/ </b></span></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">And a grey mist on the sea’s face, and a
grey dawn breaking.</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: medium;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif"><span>I must go down to the seas again, for
the call of the running tide <b>/</b> </span></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Is a wild call and a clear call that may
not be denied;</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: medium;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif"><span>And all I ask is a windy day with the
white clouds flying, <b>/</b> </span></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">And the flung spray and the blown spume,
and the sea-gulls crying.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: medium;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">I must go down to the seas again, to the
vagrant gypsy life,<b> /</b> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">To the gull’s way and the whale’s way
where the wind’s like a whetted knife;</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: medium;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif"><span>And all I ask is a merry yarn from a
laughing fellow-rover, <b>/ </b></span></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">And quiet sleep and a sweet dream when
the long trick’s over.</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: times;">(*The word ‘go’ does not appear in
Masefield’s original poem but seems to be included in every current anthology.)</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">This poem is very straightforward and accessible so I don't think it requires much analysis but I will say that it is a great example of <b>alliteration </b>& <b>onomatopoeia</b>. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-family: courier; font-size: medium;"><b>I'm listening to Bette Midler's wonderful cover of Bob Dylan's <i>Buckets of Rain</i> (and he is also featured on this recording!). </b></span><b style="color: #ff00fe; font-family: courier; font-size: large;">Listen <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1fGlaqsKJo" target="_blank">here</a>.</b></p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"></span><p></p>bazzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14794010156639774028noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9065667386668307918.post-78961103378586455942023-03-16T09:50:00.003+00:002023-04-06T09:27:59.892+01:00Artist of the Month (4): Ronald Searle<p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd2iQqSBtXgsOntL25weP7aclzjhYfQPteo2w4QMAFvYBOcFZ2GWeJdAInBoegzKwckNf5JwQko--3gMcG5apKcVlzWxiNWN00AGFEDIiVNalA8hMaMki6tVrHsFZ0Xk2_lglD6bsfLVAdpsDyAzq7mxSv69b0i5LMwXjPu813PiOr9H_ssE-t-Yysfw/s179/Searle%201.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="179" data-original-width="159" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd2iQqSBtXgsOntL25weP7aclzjhYfQPteo2w4QMAFvYBOcFZ2GWeJdAInBoegzKwckNf5JwQko--3gMcG5apKcVlzWxiNWN00AGFEDIiVNalA8hMaMki6tVrHsFZ0Xk2_lglD6bsfLVAdpsDyAzq7mxSv69b0i5LMwXjPu813PiOr9H_ssE-t-Yysfw/w159-h179/Searle%201.JPG" width="159" /></a><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b>RONALD SEARLE</b>
(1920 – 2011,) was an English artist and satirical cartoonist, comic artist,
sculptor, medal designer and illustrator. He is perhaps best remembered as the
creator of <b>St Trinian’s School </b>inspired by his sister's school in Cambridge. Searle
was born in Cambridge and started drawing at the age of five. In 1939,
realising that war was inevitable, he abandoned his art studies to enlist in
the Royal Engineers. He spent much of the war in a Japanese POW camp where he witnessed awful conditions. After the
war, he served as a courtroom artist at the Nuremberg trials and later the
Adolf Eichmann trial in 1961. Searle was
extraordinarily prolific producing a huge volume of work, including drawings
for <b>Life</b>, <b>Holiday</b>, and <b>Punch</b> magazines. His cartoons
appeared in <b>The New Yorker</b>, the <b>Sunday Express</b>, and the <b>News
Chronicle</b>.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYaG6_qRltMCUiV4BZJ_z0SQoJGcllfI5AwxCxlqcUPDX3jmGCJcu7v_Xmmyv9tUHIFVBjzJ0u3TiP0Xc7L7iNifbulh8uZVcOjsldbT2NnFB8B897M3-e2nRc7MFsMiIP1zr4-edF3j44L2FGjl_qnjqOKiasfW3V8i_LCJpjn3i9MAmELoJ2_JHR2g/s890/Searle%20Burma.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="795" data-original-width="890" height="572" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYaG6_qRltMCUiV4BZJ_z0SQoJGcllfI5AwxCxlqcUPDX3jmGCJcu7v_Xmmyv9tUHIFVBjzJ0u3TiP0Xc7L7iNifbulh8uZVcOjsldbT2NnFB8B897M3-e2nRc7MFsMiIP1zr4-edF3j44L2FGjl_qnjqOKiasfW3V8i_LCJpjn3i9MAmELoJ2_JHR2g/w640-h572/Searle%20Burma.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8_bR2vTx5JDjpjgUvw4uewMqowYlAs6rzqUiHk7lkuQKXm10B5R-HNsnCRWWGYTv9DRmguBPAIEf-pbhHpRLupyqhQ_8s1TfFgA8zKc7IkP3CjL-EuBqO9-FzpC2FHEuGMFWaSVcZl_hsN0_AShX7huTynhwq7XzGZKJhg_2gYBv_DXMab_8tSc8LRA/s372/Searle%202.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="353" data-original-width="372" height="608" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8_bR2vTx5JDjpjgUvw4uewMqowYlAs6rzqUiHk7lkuQKXm10B5R-HNsnCRWWGYTv9DRmguBPAIEf-pbhHpRLupyqhQ_8s1TfFgA8zKc7IkP3CjL-EuBqO9-FzpC2FHEuGMFWaSVcZl_hsN0_AShX7huTynhwq7XzGZKJhg_2gYBv_DXMab_8tSc8LRA/w640-h608/Searle%202.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvSjE9q7qJMID6MLBcXSCCMwS46ZqkHzf0r06yUsjgVWG6vw7xmwR7IQf08fFvJKHUkvD5qW9ltHJAkcFh-VXgKlEJqS8VCO_jtP2K1LI4AXUEflFnK_NnhJgxYK3qVgAYq28Ri-UHq5y5fb4V6cFn0UZAmfCC8HWUt56ip_Yc-658qEZDNeDieif0FQ/s391/Searle%203.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="391" data-original-width="285" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvSjE9q7qJMID6MLBcXSCCMwS46ZqkHzf0r06yUsjgVWG6vw7xmwR7IQf08fFvJKHUkvD5qW9ltHJAkcFh-VXgKlEJqS8VCO_jtP2K1LI4AXUEflFnK_NnhJgxYK3qVgAYq28Ri-UHq5y5fb4V6cFn0UZAmfCC8HWUt56ip_Yc-658qEZDNeDieif0FQ/w466-h640/Searle%203.JPG" width="466" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNojsClhJfzIgD7WeIhKmFirB6Bpn3ZnUBpvxMCX8oAtUxSJHQb1Xp7_htYI146tduXpvM3IsqzcTuwPQfQJYQIFk99L9mXg8nbhs8SMTVcASprnefaSzsWrDDy3P2RWD7bY_Tkw2Q1vZ77wz48LwP8nMGPG5RyvHzOp0HZj61kqe0QRAe6OLHPSmWTg/s398/Searle%205.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="398" data-original-width="280" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNojsClhJfzIgD7WeIhKmFirB6Bpn3ZnUBpvxMCX8oAtUxSJHQb1Xp7_htYI146tduXpvM3IsqzcTuwPQfQJYQIFk99L9mXg8nbhs8SMTVcASprnefaSzsWrDDy3P2RWD7bY_Tkw2Q1vZ77wz48LwP8nMGPG5RyvHzOp0HZj61kqe0QRAe6OLHPSmWTg/w450-h640/Searle%205.JPG" width="450" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigrlO0BADM0nXo5ECFhf4Rug8a1nP40dOYvy5GhbGbeawvXignFoM5v7-RVommtqrj6Agd9gfX2vb885w-_P3_bZBgj8Oht4GJeIiNrkaGEWkzamVl3w1ZGqTR-UNWoucF6feFUSRkXJ3FXgOmI9Dqoz4oGRtzmIBTcROn7Es83cAQF4UK4jcOgeeIHg/s382/Searle%206.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; 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text-align: left;"><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><b>I'm listening to the fabulous Joni Mitchell singing her own song <i>'Carey'</i>. You can enjoy it <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfZJ6sHeA6k" target="_blank">here</a>!</b></span></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"></span></div><p></p>bazzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14794010156639774028noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9065667386668307918.post-4120107281358574102023-03-09T14:10:00.000+00:002023-03-09T14:10:06.204+00:00Artist of the Month (3): Frida Kahlo Self-Portraits<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8tg_NsJyylGbFIE5YitS5trS_PN-8k7ikFoGWo8qE34FtMN727ovhOugdxUGqzTxFqDRPWIUTh_bq7rPwo88YPXWGyczhw4oFhUCcNjHyKrVnKDejDkZCim9UzY7pm2_Ut_Uf5xXqiSgyhivrWmhDr36l0JK0jClsdQi6ArahfsaUF5lRNpms2juJPw/s350/Frida%201.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="334" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8tg_NsJyylGbFIE5YitS5trS_PN-8k7ikFoGWo8qE34FtMN727ovhOugdxUGqzTxFqDRPWIUTh_bq7rPwo88YPXWGyczhw4oFhUCcNjHyKrVnKDejDkZCim9UzY7pm2_Ut_Uf5xXqiSgyhivrWmhDr36l0JK0jClsdQi6ArahfsaUF5lRNpms2juJPw/w191-h200/Frida%201.JPG" width="191" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>FRIDA KAHLO</b>
(1907-1954), was born and raised near Mexico City and was unhappily married to the painter and muralist <b>Diego Rivera</b>. She had a Hungarian-Jewish
father and a Spanish-Mexican mother and grew up in the midst of the Mexican
Revolution, and throughout her life she would face many struggles. She
contracted Polio aged six, was in a very serious bus accident at 18 and died
from cancer aged 47. Although she would eventually heal from the bus accident,
its memory caused her much trauma and she would often have painful relapses.
She began painting in the Mexican style while confined to bed during her
recovery and about a third of her 155 paintings were self-portraits. I think her
work was a kind of therapy for her from her tragic life. She was popular in the
1940s but her popularity faded after her death until a revival during the 1980s feminist movement.</div></span><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWeg9HojU4CYM76DqpcC1CyDkTmebwd73osdPj6dEFnbkZCKPJd7HmcNoQTCYfV_LYRfsYnDo-bnUZQw-pMcRe5b-iLWOXu2GQz7QJjT-J6MJ9Z0FzIp2Xa6QXGjf_hxlWgBYuxiKjXM4ZHbt2xXheiITvihiyHJs8EbQZIlsHf6fwGL4zl6im_0OoQA/s729/Frida%201.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="729" data-original-width="552" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWeg9HojU4CYM76DqpcC1CyDkTmebwd73osdPj6dEFnbkZCKPJd7HmcNoQTCYfV_LYRfsYnDo-bnUZQw-pMcRe5b-iLWOXu2GQz7QJjT-J6MJ9Z0FzIp2Xa6QXGjf_hxlWgBYuxiKjXM4ZHbt2xXheiITvihiyHJs8EbQZIlsHf6fwGL4zl6im_0OoQA/w484-h640/Frida%201.JPG" width="484" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgDDk1hR26fbOW-_Uo9hlnSgGi1DH2hNYyn_4eoK7hBzENnh3KQq1O7ckdCjHW1NC-kvvkCCSHtWRJ0fVi9zigRMrfJeI42mY_VlZDHkswm9yZH33aIZdezpbo36tTcfQng2VDXYI6ip81SEFcS7pOxSgWtD-zxlI5celW7vqgmlKJ5qUTWXT3shEEgg/s517/Frida%202.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="517" data-original-width="403" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgDDk1hR26fbOW-_Uo9hlnSgGi1DH2hNYyn_4eoK7hBzENnh3KQq1O7ckdCjHW1NC-kvvkCCSHtWRJ0fVi9zigRMrfJeI42mY_VlZDHkswm9yZH33aIZdezpbo36tTcfQng2VDXYI6ip81SEFcS7pOxSgWtD-zxlI5celW7vqgmlKJ5qUTWXT3shEEgg/w498-h640/Frida%202.JPG" width="498" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKZnXHxLpCHvYLQXD6e1htYMfUlVTj4VBNAy1lL6BNyJEoMcphgks_rMxEg0kKugbHNAHMcX37SUFVqrw--Pdm4bHoY16mmPkTQK4jJ9Y1kiAtHikexz6p0rcyaeNEPYdqW2FhEpnADpSbmFSFXwkXoSO6ptQP7fpN_q47UyF4KyXiUUxr1smX06jlqQ/s406/Frida%204.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="406" data-original-width="406" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKZnXHxLpCHvYLQXD6e1htYMfUlVTj4VBNAy1lL6BNyJEoMcphgks_rMxEg0kKugbHNAHMcX37SUFVqrw--Pdm4bHoY16mmPkTQK4jJ9Y1kiAtHikexz6p0rcyaeNEPYdqW2FhEpnADpSbmFSFXwkXoSO6ptQP7fpN_q47UyF4KyXiUUxr1smX06jlqQ/w400-h400/Frida%204.JPG" width="400" /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwFEVoJ5WOgFXJHIKl58JA23I1z86l0Yvp9iJJQv1GYAtuziGbLSHlHa6JwJXY5aR3iFVYDL3cFY9lO-fghefkMgl81IvVs-Lc9pJM7JBm3zspVz_ecirHsDSkSki5UUCU3KBwku-cHHB66IyrlWcmDS97jb2clCt5GTk3SZxZGFFCniX7sjnY4uIIhQ/s393/Frida%205.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="393" data-original-width="279" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwFEVoJ5WOgFXJHIKl58JA23I1z86l0Yvp9iJJQv1GYAtuziGbLSHlHa6JwJXY5aR3iFVYDL3cFY9lO-fghefkMgl81IvVs-Lc9pJM7JBm3zspVz_ecirHsDSkSki5UUCU3KBwku-cHHB66IyrlWcmDS97jb2clCt5GTk3SZxZGFFCniX7sjnY4uIIhQ/w454-h640/Frida%205.JPG" width="454" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyqx3Mu4uC9SnDklMYRJ34a29AwwYyt74W3AYHAXlbTFtd7Lpn_r9tAYTRovjBFFY59TXjYqEruQ4xz_tAlOmG_in_MmZgUBt2xJsNeh8WYK1g05hRj911WzuucZ-V8G7CGDfmH8fwKRIjSekuriUivwb4TGyKldavHq-DFtM3jlMbJf9ZURBzbF0XSg/s436/Frida%201.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="436" data-original-width="317" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyqx3Mu4uC9SnDklMYRJ34a29AwwYyt74W3AYHAXlbTFtd7Lpn_r9tAYTRovjBFFY59TXjYqEruQ4xz_tAlOmG_in_MmZgUBt2xJsNeh8WYK1g05hRj911WzuucZ-V8G7CGDfmH8fwKRIjSekuriUivwb4TGyKldavHq-DFtM3jlMbJf9ZURBzbF0XSg/w466-h640/Frida%201.JPG" width="466" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><b>I'm listening to the original version of <i>Rivers of Babylon</i> by the Melodians. Listen <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXf1j8Hz2bU" target="_blank">here</a>!</b></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><o:p></o:p></p><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div></div>bazzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14794010156639774028noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9065667386668307918.post-51811895490298857872023-03-02T09:21:00.003+00:002023-03-02T09:23:27.360+00:00London's Green Parakeets<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmGm3Kuq6_KTjGHeqtS9UEfBDID7aGksIUflOclQ-ThTN-Jcbj9Cz8JcYxofJFyZwWYWcNG5Tk7HVkyjk34GKQr_YH4CBmOVph8kbIJtPwyPwVKUyIN_5aFrqQgPLJWqWfaI7r1gAg2pWEbIkpoMXOk1p_pWM09DBlwOdcvHrc4KA5NekJZ-1XK2DizA/s1016/Parakeets%201.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="604" data-original-width="1016" height="381" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmGm3Kuq6_KTjGHeqtS9UEfBDID7aGksIUflOclQ-ThTN-Jcbj9Cz8JcYxofJFyZwWYWcNG5Tk7HVkyjk34GKQr_YH4CBmOVph8kbIJtPwyPwVKUyIN_5aFrqQgPLJWqWfaI7r1gAg2pWEbIkpoMXOk1p_pWM09DBlwOdcvHrc4KA5NekJZ-1XK2DizA/w640-h381/Parakeets%201.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The ring-necked <b>green parakeet</b> is the UK's only
naturalised parrot and the most northerly breeding parrot in the world.
ring-necked parakeets are originally from Africa and southern Asia and were
kept as pets in the UK mainly brought in as exotic pets from Pakistan. It is estimated
that there are well over 50,000 of them in <b>London</b> alone. They are mostly
confined to the south-east of England but warmer winters will probably see them
spreading further. They nest in holes in trees in gardens and parkland, and are
often found in noisy, roosting flocks of hundreds of birds and they are frequent
visitors to bird tables and garden feeders, particularly during the winter
months. They eat nuts, seeds, berries, household scraps and fruits. The bird has a very long, narrow tail and a
bright red bill. Males have a black throat and a thin black and pink collar. Despite
their tropical origin, parakeets are able to cope with the cold British winters. </span><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg1RY3jiKFEQY1uIG-xPQAP3h7d9_p9BQEmnxuyAlTtlY30jf0EqboARt7ptBzgkly8SJ0wAfCDM3RZ3MRZt_Ll6qgveM_BUJmLNC5BzT5uKibeMQeKu4CAwfHOD3lCMWDAHRFlp_dw3FGjWiZwmJEeItjUC_1yhBWCCVQHYzLQ6ageJz38UfQwBcd0w/s586/Parakeets%202.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="311" data-original-width="586" height="341" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg1RY3jiKFEQY1uIG-xPQAP3h7d9_p9BQEmnxuyAlTtlY30jf0EqboARt7ptBzgkly8SJ0wAfCDM3RZ3MRZt_Ll6qgveM_BUJmLNC5BzT5uKibeMQeKu4CAwfHOD3lCMWDAHRFlp_dw3FGjWiZwmJEeItjUC_1yhBWCCVQHYzLQ6ageJz38UfQwBcd0w/w640-h341/Parakeets%202.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">They are said to be nearing the point where they are
considered a nuisance but the </span><b style="font-family: arial;">Royal Society for the Protection of Birds </b><span style="font-family: arial;">is
not currently recommending a cull. However, there is now a new factor to
consider. London has about 40 breeding pairs of peregrine falcons – the speediest
animal on our planet. Since the first Covid Lockdown there has been a decline
in the London pigeon population as tourists haven’t been there to feed them. So
the falcons have turned their attention to other prey: starlings and parakeets!</span></span><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOhZ17CX-yQnR5FdA_4SF2BBFZnrxqN8QylPPV6Pj2IzOwl6GRsph6nXPmP17qLbwiNd_1SEInQgAdPvBgKsWexSPtbau1zpEnLie4Vk0rmnxE6yNnvoKRxCDHR4RMLvwFmyBBUKLRaqfkdSUCp5Kh7GY3ncc0jrq-eMd-bey7GSzBLT3JL3xze6shPw/s459/Parakeets%203.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="310" data-original-width="459" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOhZ17CX-yQnR5FdA_4SF2BBFZnrxqN8QylPPV6Pj2IzOwl6GRsph6nXPmP17qLbwiNd_1SEInQgAdPvBgKsWexSPtbau1zpEnLie4Vk0rmnxE6yNnvoKRxCDHR4RMLvwFmyBBUKLRaqfkdSUCp5Kh7GY3ncc0jrq-eMd-bey7GSzBLT3JL3xze6shPw/w400-h270/Parakeets%203.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><div style="text-align: left;"><b>I'm remembering the late Burt Bacharach by listening to one of his early songs sung by The Beatles. Listen to <i>Baby It's You</i> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWUTlM6hz0g" target="_blank">here</a>.</b></div></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p></o:p></p>bazzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14794010156639774028noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9065667386668307918.post-40250765283271477822023-02-26T11:15:00.004+00:002023-02-26T11:16:37.234+00:00<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b>THE
SECRETARY BIRD</b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">This
crazy-looking creature is a large African bird of prey. At first I didn’t believe
it was real so I had to check it out. It’s real and probably the weirdest land animal
of any kind.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span>Although a
member of the order </span><i>Accipitriformes</i><span>, which also includes many other
diurnal birds of prey such as </span><b>kites, hawks, vultures,</b><span> and </span><b>harriers</b><span>,
it is placed in its own family, </span><i>Sagittariidae</i><span>.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span>The bird is
instantly recognisable as a large bird with an eagle-like body on crane-like
legs that give the it a height of as much as 1.3 m (4 ft 3 in). Adults have a
featherless red-orange face and predominantly grey plumage, with a flattened
dark crest and black flight feathers and thighs. It also has very long
eyelashes which I suppose helped to give it the name!</span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjopL_FDilMZAtwvh5YR_5keXTbmhBesMhdDdpDyQEmpPCnzlWHFRgxJELW0WfWNYmOciFEKJsJLWRqY_S0Cn0I6XdrPV_thbnKKvO3eE7nqblsx7vXn3aOrISqO3O8RCRgWFS0U2xNvhovJDb5kcZ-A1e9sv0wBljjeRWktEDS6NszPF_LzFmey5G8mg/s765/Secretary%20Bird.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="765" data-original-width="557" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjopL_FDilMZAtwvh5YR_5keXTbmhBesMhdDdpDyQEmpPCnzlWHFRgxJELW0WfWNYmOciFEKJsJLWRqY_S0Cn0I6XdrPV_thbnKKvO3eE7nqblsx7vXn3aOrISqO3O8RCRgWFS0U2xNvhovJDb5kcZ-A1e9sv0wBljjeRWktEDS6NszPF_LzFmey5G8mg/w466-h640/Secretary%20Bird.JPG" width="466" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><b>I'm listening to the late and tragic Ronnie Lane singing <i>You Never Can Tell</i> on BBC's Old Grey Whistle Test in 1974. Ronnie was a founder member of The Small Faces, Faces (with Rod Stewart) and Slim Chance. He died far too young from multiple sclerosis. You can listen <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_i98QbTuWo" target="_blank">here</a>. (It's best played as loud as you can stand!)</b></span></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p>bazzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14794010156639774028noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9065667386668307918.post-56414966671084729732023-02-20T11:05:00.002+00:002023-02-20T11:05:49.547+00:00Some more funnies!<p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I have always enjoyed laughing in general and puns in particular. Five years ago I was invited to be an administrator on the <b>Tim Vine Joke Appreciation Group </b>on Facebook, which now has 277,000 members! Here are some of the things I have posted in the last few months.😊</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8fqtH8V_ZGseENFLrFKO1X8XvUIB80D0tG40w8tA2AyvwT-CgVWeRcM53CLEGXhtv0ALrL7aIsAmEJXobU9IZZ-pJyUIxWteF1cD4gIrz4-ij6svzGIChrw6LmI6JvRilyda5ev8lO4n7WTpI_Bqp_N7GKpogkSaza-uVO9YsZK_v3IQxgmmSO40FuQ/s748/Jokes%201.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="748" data-original-width="654" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8fqtH8V_ZGseENFLrFKO1X8XvUIB80D0tG40w8tA2AyvwT-CgVWeRcM53CLEGXhtv0ALrL7aIsAmEJXobU9IZZ-pJyUIxWteF1cD4gIrz4-ij6svzGIChrw6LmI6JvRilyda5ev8lO4n7WTpI_Bqp_N7GKpogkSaza-uVO9YsZK_v3IQxgmmSO40FuQ/w560-h640/Jokes%201.JPG" width="560" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzK6F0Pqx2_sx8eaSObtQt7yw652-qwvpf1uddfSwWNr33y52iiSqAVwjRimI2P6oeHBRu81fsQk1IzyEWEtQhen0CillC7DR8dd0AolUDHFBXCiypXudPcZXXECqq6xtehJm676rTPCle_j6qpDKDVXBltt0atQRAAwFTjEDLCEl1SkvNgxb4iX2xBg/s753/Jokes%202.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="753" data-original-width="657" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzK6F0Pqx2_sx8eaSObtQt7yw652-qwvpf1uddfSwWNr33y52iiSqAVwjRimI2P6oeHBRu81fsQk1IzyEWEtQhen0CillC7DR8dd0AolUDHFBXCiypXudPcZXXECqq6xtehJm676rTPCle_j6qpDKDVXBltt0atQRAAwFTjEDLCEl1SkvNgxb4iX2xBg/w558-h640/Jokes%202.JPG" width="558" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfx5j2deMQfBdxuPYNoL2KTRhBm_bGLBG5iFWaLnKoZOH6XJRT_gNLb3Y0OV55saBnxraQ9A2RULwG9v2xQFSjEgAV18enGBTEgdj4iPwmfdNhHTWo1BKIc4yKuShtpBSP5W5nfw3QuhBFg4aJpO_Y4CFL9U1z38dctJ9n5kKEIjGQ8_I8SdX1f7aUxw/s831/Jokes%203.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="831" data-original-width="747" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfx5j2deMQfBdxuPYNoL2KTRhBm_bGLBG5iFWaLnKoZOH6XJRT_gNLb3Y0OV55saBnxraQ9A2RULwG9v2xQFSjEgAV18enGBTEgdj4iPwmfdNhHTWo1BKIc4yKuShtpBSP5W5nfw3QuhBFg4aJpO_Y4CFL9U1z38dctJ9n5kKEIjGQ8_I8SdX1f7aUxw/w576-h640/Jokes%203.JPG" width="576" /></a></div><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><b>I'm listening to Leonard Cohen's <i>Sisters of Mercy</i>. Does a song ever get any more beautiful than this? Listen <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VT9k5NHCdvQ" target="_blank">here</a>.</b></span><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p>bazzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14794010156639774028noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9065667386668307918.post-5357956793284958362023-02-08T19:14:00.000+00:002023-02-08T19:14:50.635+00:00Artist of the Month (2): Banksy<p style="text-align: justify;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH6_FJTd7xxf8Jvd74K26yDUe3iFxz2N2lIfHkn62JK2c-1hRyjQB0x8TNEjuB7xbGBMnPdM9u7qVqJXzikiFD85ejCTeTv3Srln3KzLdH-cePyJ_VCLreiUXlVrkEynjTEhNsYzT9C9uuXyE2LDiF0GyQ24a3IsdkdELYTdHwHLlxLyU3hvuxXINFeg/s291/Banksy%201.JPG" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="284" data-original-width="291" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH6_FJTd7xxf8Jvd74K26yDUe3iFxz2N2lIfHkn62JK2c-1hRyjQB0x8TNEjuB7xbGBMnPdM9u7qVqJXzikiFD85ejCTeTv3Srln3KzLdH-cePyJ_VCLreiUXlVrkEynjTEhNsYzT9C9uuXyE2LDiF0GyQ24a3IsdkdELYTdHwHLlxLyU3hvuxXINFeg/w191-h186/Banksy%201.JPG" title="Robin Gunningham aka Banksy...or is he?" width="191" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Robin Gunningham<br />aka Banksy...or is he?</span><br /><br /></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Banksy</b>, commonly believed to be <b>Robin Gunningham</b> of
Bristol, in the west of England, is the most political of artists. He started
out as a graffiti artist so he wanted to keep his identity secret to avoid
prosecution but he soon moved on to making clever political commentary with his
paintings. They are usually painted onto the sides of buildings which has led
to a debate of who actually owns them and sometimes whole walls have been sold
for extremely large sums. His work is really about where it's made and what it’s
saying rather than being ‘fine art’. That’s OK with me! Here are some of my favourites of his work for you to enjoy... or not!</span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0iR42ILLYJvqqZO5GIjyH2KOvSCOKGjHDw5LlOEGgnAIxSdTnfKFPU3e6O1Xdlu-Cw1zgsxssd5o-JeTfGr_WomCjA7OnHaRSCmQzbSf2JYC-gjlDkTFwBqkF9Kj3ryZzCE2ShkrvDplUA7NcRLWyBTZJJGPhQrOR-r-wC9ZaZWc1-IDzIbq5LVcqCg/s772/Banksy%201.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="772" data-original-width="704" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0iR42ILLYJvqqZO5GIjyH2KOvSCOKGjHDw5LlOEGgnAIxSdTnfKFPU3e6O1Xdlu-Cw1zgsxssd5o-JeTfGr_WomCjA7OnHaRSCmQzbSf2JYC-gjlDkTFwBqkF9Kj3ryZzCE2ShkrvDplUA7NcRLWyBTZJJGPhQrOR-r-wC9ZaZWc1-IDzIbq5LVcqCg/w584-h640/Banksy%201.JPG" width="584" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdpri3VNczJDzb34MB3Pq3zWq1Vqewuqw-xHfEaULoWGiguaCwGotI1KCYYZyZHZ4toomj6J6co0-ksEGQuElHdRy5Mai35iTpizuW35he4ilVa1puZRcN62EX_FbeI2ZUgi-Fnh8ulQV-3T1GChKkjkGmvn2a64mUZ68_BQ2QCzz9rkGHTYVZxbF4iQ/s670/Banksy%202.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="654" data-original-width="670" height="624" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdpri3VNczJDzb34MB3Pq3zWq1Vqewuqw-xHfEaULoWGiguaCwGotI1KCYYZyZHZ4toomj6J6co0-ksEGQuElHdRy5Mai35iTpizuW35he4ilVa1puZRcN62EX_FbeI2ZUgi-Fnh8ulQV-3T1GChKkjkGmvn2a64mUZ68_BQ2QCzz9rkGHTYVZxbF4iQ/w640-h624/Banksy%202.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTd-wOx8JRV8e937iW985K12VzmDFYg2VSGQKc8SMw-BDKR4TiD2mmCcHRfkRRbnYZ9olbZG251mPkJYuxQEak3g0Zji5VZD8rUOSKP0YTNrZZ_oVZBbjJe1Xcr_gwjftXaCNfQMWbchxvrLnbOLwZaA2M-ahQYQbE7r15_XkQ9e-MKQxfbW0G5B8ckQ/s991/Banksy%203.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="818" data-original-width="991" height="528" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTd-wOx8JRV8e937iW985K12VzmDFYg2VSGQKc8SMw-BDKR4TiD2mmCcHRfkRRbnYZ9olbZG251mPkJYuxQEak3g0Zji5VZD8rUOSKP0YTNrZZ_oVZBbjJe1Xcr_gwjftXaCNfQMWbchxvrLnbOLwZaA2M-ahQYQbE7r15_XkQ9e-MKQxfbW0G5B8ckQ/w640-h528/Banksy%203.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS8vbB7q4pZ7VbjBom2-Ez0wzulEYHeSf_EXtT9IeLVKNIO566NE4FRkjio1Xm14N5BhC7VtL1INW84BJfPTW6lvEMkawGyP9UOl5VwS5gXlEvQpM0PswOlfpeppmQbXwymoXTK5p9gfRN5qqXVw-fs0Lx8apU2DbKVQDTVjnlxNJrfjxQY8iqAqhBvA/s767/Banksy%204.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="542" data-original-width="767" height="452" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS8vbB7q4pZ7VbjBom2-Ez0wzulEYHeSf_EXtT9IeLVKNIO566NE4FRkjio1Xm14N5BhC7VtL1INW84BJfPTW6lvEMkawGyP9UOl5VwS5gXlEvQpM0PswOlfpeppmQbXwymoXTK5p9gfRN5qqXVw-fs0Lx8apU2DbKVQDTVjnlxNJrfjxQY8iqAqhBvA/w640-h452/Banksy%204.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSVdoDG5HIJm-7TBRFkf4pl6NnIrUKepnXYhmoGxdBMEhAJcvjrG4FsyaTZT5EcAp5aTyP7FOcV2gD0Z1tHiC0W4n8SPPIp25KBULM_YaK2FEiKvpUXcZaQ_j-Ki6FWY61YNLZR1nSgXTQ2cWkVXtVdQnIN7px159u7zv8excyLEZ0AO9Rofx3itgMSA/s884/Banksy%205.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="671" data-original-width="884" height="486" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSVdoDG5HIJm-7TBRFkf4pl6NnIrUKepnXYhmoGxdBMEhAJcvjrG4FsyaTZT5EcAp5aTyP7FOcV2gD0Z1tHiC0W4n8SPPIp25KBULM_YaK2FEiKvpUXcZaQ_j-Ki6FWY61YNLZR1nSgXTQ2cWkVXtVdQnIN7px159u7zv8excyLEZ0AO9Rofx3itgMSA/w640-h486/Banksy%205.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-yill4P7ZU3XPC3PqS60fKPFJN-xOWb8fBivzUYrqeJ-2N8n_STU5rpiqwi-5d9A2Gu2Z68ImEXvBVvMm6qcuHjgfQ9fe0gE-1icI53cfkOc0kt8TR04x6bZiMS5ekLEQEVMWga2OpFJioxNd_bkQML4iwTQZ4OzZSVZz-M-6Ly7rM3vJUDtm0X2zCg/s898/Banksy%206.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="684" data-original-width="898" height="488" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-yill4P7ZU3XPC3PqS60fKPFJN-xOWb8fBivzUYrqeJ-2N8n_STU5rpiqwi-5d9A2Gu2Z68ImEXvBVvMm6qcuHjgfQ9fe0gE-1icI53cfkOc0kt8TR04x6bZiMS5ekLEQEVMWga2OpFJioxNd_bkQML4iwTQZ4OzZSVZz-M-6Ly7rM3vJUDtm0X2zCg/w640-h488/Banksy%206.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><b>I'm listening to Bob Dylan's "You Ain't Going Nowhere" from The Basement Tapes. Listen <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUtLZPcThwY" target="_blank">here</a>!</b></span></div><br /><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><br /><p><br /></p>bazzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14794010156639774028noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9065667386668307918.post-46396115639425946622023-01-10T16:06:00.001+00:002023-01-26T09:18:49.898+00:00University of the Third Age (U3A)<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFbQ7sQlSlH9y6hdoC7DzJQt_jaxFzUM0Inj6hxBlNonbqLJzISo7qXshbMxOcReceEgBVgCbCWoneMWjJV01BsfgWkWiksONFduNy9JdGhgPmFCtTk8SqcRPFG6Npu_KqucjB1JtY3Qj_rTBral3kdXUAzZFBGst9ZMZrlmLbwueAn84MFDaACn1r0g/s628/U3A%20example.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="227" data-original-width="628" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFbQ7sQlSlH9y6hdoC7DzJQt_jaxFzUM0Inj6hxBlNonbqLJzISo7qXshbMxOcReceEgBVgCbCWoneMWjJV01BsfgWkWiksONFduNy9JdGhgPmFCtTk8SqcRPFG6Npu_KqucjB1JtY3Qj_rTBral3kdXUAzZFBGst9ZMZrlmLbwueAn84MFDaACn1r0g/w640-h232/U3A%20example.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Founded in 1982, the <b>UNIVERSITY OF THE THIRD AGE</b>
(<b>u3a)</b> is a UK-wide movement loosely based on the original French
version. It consists of locally-run interest groups that provide a wide range
of opportunities for those who are no longer in work, to come together to learn
for fun (although there is no actual minimum age.) Members explore new ideas,
skills and activities together. There over 1,000 branches with around 400,000
members; membership costs less than £20 on average per year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b>u3a</b> has members who draw upon their
knowledge and experience to teach and learn from each other but there are no
qualifications to pass – it is just for pleasure. Learning is its own reward. It
is entirely voluntary and typical <b>u3a</b> will be home to many activity
groups covering hundreds of different subjects - from art to zoology and
everything in between. </span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">From the start, the guiding principles were to promote
non-formal learning through self-help interest groups covering a wide range of
topics and activities as chosen by their members. The u3a movement was to be
self-funded, with members not working towards qualifications but learning
purely for pleasure. There would be no distinction between the learners and the
teachers – everyone could take a turn at being both if they wished.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;">The movement grew very quickly and by the early 1990s,
a u3a was opening every fortnight. 2022 saw the 40th Anniversary of the
movement in the UK and they are celebrating with a year-long programme of
events and celebrations. There is also a National Scheme of lectures, currently
mostly on Zoom. These often feature national experts in various fields.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Personally, I run a twice-monthly Political Discussion
Group and lead occasion guided, historically-based walks and occasionally I speak
on various subjects, usually about art. I take part in various groups; my local
<b>Redbridge & District Group</b> features language conversation classes,
many discussion groups (general, science, art, psychology etc), pub lunches,
weekend walks, knitting, gardening, cooking, play-reading, table-tennis and so on. The
movement is now international in USA, Australia and elsewhere but each country has
its own unique model.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">UK:</span><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;"> </span><a href="https://www.u3a.org.uk/" style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">https://www.u3a.org.uk/</a><br /><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">Australia:</span><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;"> </span><a href="https://u3aaa.org/" style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">https://u3aaa.org/</a><br /><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">United
States: It’s covered by the Lifelong Learning Institute</span></span><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-family: courier; font-size: medium;"><b>I'm listening to Colin Blunstone's wonderful cover of Denny Laine's Say You Don't Mind. You can listen to it <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFf5f1EoBSY" target="_blank">here </a>and the original version <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPOIdZI3mjk" target="_blank">here</a></b></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 36pt; text-align: justify;"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 36pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p></div>bazzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14794010156639774028noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9065667386668307918.post-85084711424788611752022-12-23T11:33:00.004+00:002022-12-23T11:36:23.055+00:00Naomi Blake, Sculptor<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span color="var(--primary-text)" style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-weight: 600;">NAOMI BLAKE</span></span><span color="var(--primary-text)" style="background-color: white;">, who was a sculptor, an Auschwitz survivor and a human rights campaigner died in 2020 aged 94. She had the most incredible life-story. In spite of her Holocaust experiences, Naomi believed “there is something positive in the human figure – there is a lot of good in people…with my past, if I were pessimistic, somehow, it wouldn’t have been worthwhile surviving”, thus proving her affirmation of hope and faith in humanity.</span></span></p><div class="x1e56ztr" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; margin-bottom: 8px; text-align: justify;"><span class="x193iq5w xeuugli x13faqbe x1vvkbs x1xmvt09 x6prxxf xvq8zen xo1l8bm xzsf02u" color="var(--primary-text)" style="line-height: 1.3333; max-width: 100%; min-width: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; word-break: break-word;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">She was born as Naomi Dum in the former Czechoslovakia, the youngest of the ten children. Most of the family did not survive the war but she and her sister were put to work in a munitions factory where they learned to sabotage the bombs they were making. After their camp was liberated, they managed to escape from a death march while being fired upon by retreating German soldiers. She made her way to Palestine where she was imprisoned by the British and later helped to defend the new sate of Israel. She was wounded by shrapnel while a sub-lieutenant in the IDF. She met and married a German refugee, Asher Blake and they moved to Britain where she learned to sculpt. She is widely exhibited, with 50 of her works currently on public display all over Britain. They include Norwich, Bristol and Portsmouth Cathedrals, Great Ormond Street Hospital and Norris Lea, Kingsbury, Oxford and Leeds Synagogues. Her sculptures are also in The Hebrew and Tel Aviv Universities.</span></span></div><div class="x1e56ztr" style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 8px; text-align: justify;"><span class="x193iq5w xeuugli x13faqbe x1vvkbs x1xmvt09 x6prxxf xvq8zen xo1l8bm xzsf02u" style="line-height: 1.3333; max-width: 100%; min-width: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; word-break: break-word;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: var(--primary-text); text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNELNM3Ms063J0FCj12u52dGtvw0qTIH3HN0NhS8xVS7NhmdVnY_xRcqe6_igXcslGR_Ru8tSMsU4NrE_sX06GA-OtOjIjcfE4UMEhI24RQrJwQ6kj48RFcsKh5A_YvdGXnXXDGw7CM0sRLCulz1DZcdHr3TB1mpdgjZSRSnKqsJcdENHJ1uj9vmunrQ/s1136/Naomi%20Blake.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="759" data-original-width="1136" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNELNM3Ms063J0FCj12u52dGtvw0qTIH3HN0NhS8xVS7NhmdVnY_xRcqe6_igXcslGR_Ru8tSMsU4NrE_sX06GA-OtOjIjcfE4UMEhI24RQrJwQ6kj48RFcsKh5A_YvdGXnXXDGw7CM0sRLCulz1DZcdHr3TB1mpdgjZSRSnKqsJcdENHJ1uj9vmunrQ/w640-h428/Naomi%20Blake.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><span style="color: #ab3a9a; font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><div style="text-align: left;"><b>I'm listening to The Kinks singing Ray Davies's evergreen piece of social commentary, <i>The Village Green Preservation Society. </i>You can here it <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lc7dmu4G8oc" target="_blank">here</a>.</b></div></span><span color="var(--primary-text)" style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></div>bazzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14794010156639774028noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9065667386668307918.post-75642805456945180852022-11-29T21:42:00.001+00:002022-11-29T21:46:01.439+00:00Artist of the Month (1): Raoul Dufy<p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">After publishing 100 <b>Paintings of the Month</b>, I am starting a slightly different series: <b>Artist of the Month. </b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFOhdsAi4mtyyw-MA4FgSiX6UizD0PkHBjuVobrN2RMjmbyWz1kIFViX63-sGHcnmq9KE5urvPEU2PCN2rPjvLzPqY8HwtGQJOBLh82rgXJm8Y0DKTAOuzzvA08Li6x10NWN9G__itErfA8QmKvxRTZWa-nGVIJRzF2uMSzrZgO1oyLctNU1Jt92dn9A/s473/Dufy%201%20Self.JPG" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="473" data-original-width="468" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFOhdsAi4mtyyw-MA4FgSiX6UizD0PkHBjuVobrN2RMjmbyWz1kIFViX63-sGHcnmq9KE5urvPEU2PCN2rPjvLzPqY8HwtGQJOBLh82rgXJm8Y0DKTAOuzzvA08Li6x10NWN9G__itErfA8QmKvxRTZWa-nGVIJRzF2uMSzrZgO1oyLctNU1Jt92dn9A/w198-h200/Dufy%201%20Self.JPG" width="198" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Self-portrait 1899</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The first artist is <b>Raoul Dufy</b>, (1877-1953). Born at Le Havre, France, he was noted for brightly
coloured and highly decorative scenes of luxury and pleasure. He went to Paris in
1900 to attend the École des Beaux-Arts. He painted in an <b>Impressionist </b>style
in his early work, </span><span style="font-family: arial;">but by 1905 he had begun to employ the broad brushstrokes
and bright colours typical of the <b>Fauve </b>artists. They favoured painterly
quality and strong colour over the representational or realistic values
retained by Impressionism. He started to design textiles and ceramics but in
the early 1920s Dufy rededicated himself to painting and began to produce what
are now his best-known works. His distinctive style is characterised by bright
colours thinly spread over a white ground, with objects sketchily delineated by
sensuously undulating lines. Dufy took as his subjects scenes of recreation and
spectacle, including horse races, regattas, parades, and concerts. </span><span style="font-family: arial;">Though very popular, his lively, carefree, elegant
paintings have been criticised as occasionally bordering on the superficial.
They fill me with joy!</span></span><p></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlwREy0-TbuHNck7tgojaljwsX09wqrx7nRXslbIAoj_BzbgxppAbRFaiJRJXF82uF61ysz3ZXG2uJ6geQLT9-WJbtfY6LB21dOm3d-howXKqyBx1CNESQ2OPBCMX4BzjOixE4NGPxHultrRoIeVryjY17VvZli1g3uIfD9Bfkii_POpiRRVYvGZ3g0w/s928/Dufy%202%20Still%20Life%201928.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="741" data-original-width="928" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlwREy0-TbuHNck7tgojaljwsX09wqrx7nRXslbIAoj_BzbgxppAbRFaiJRJXF82uF61ysz3ZXG2uJ6geQLT9-WJbtfY6LB21dOm3d-howXKqyBx1CNESQ2OPBCMX4BzjOixE4NGPxHultrRoIeVryjY17VvZli1g3uIfD9Bfkii_POpiRRVYvGZ3g0w/w640-h512/Dufy%202%20Still%20Life%201928.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Still Life 1928</span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Km9Xu3ZHszYWYrXEhMVF6kS4c1xI6CwStTs95V94CUuwDfv2LIGjVZ7i2CTJW5R9TnO1hm06gRadKXC_TY2wJPI7jLYd-SXnEuyIhKFV6LRCZUbMx-MG5R8MjvFh6_nieIgABawYHvEGWLXAys5NUD7dLTTOQh9l9kd3fbn1SieVD2HtD8Vtewb14w/s1035/Dufy%203%20Window%20Opening%20on%20Nice%201928.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="833" data-original-width="1035" height="516" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Km9Xu3ZHszYWYrXEhMVF6kS4c1xI6CwStTs95V94CUuwDfv2LIGjVZ7i2CTJW5R9TnO1hm06gRadKXC_TY2wJPI7jLYd-SXnEuyIhKFV6LRCZUbMx-MG5R8MjvFh6_nieIgABawYHvEGWLXAys5NUD7dLTTOQh9l9kd3fbn1SieVD2HtD8Vtewb14w/w640-h516/Dufy%203%20Window%20Opening%20on%20Nice%201928.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Window Opening on Nice 1928</span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqHh1kaXJND_JA4ZZGvzvbWn78T5jaDWiMUqa08MSiW_dsCbTTnlgdMlK1VWRG1OBN9rZcniKqTHeryKEC37vBWyHPY3SJmzkjkUfipeGk8E_8eaJXkVbmZKR2MlHN1ypfp88Lwnb4sjksydJ0cnTdrOhKro0NrKy_6BeaLLspmdFqudgLApb6MeEilQ/s932/Dufy%204%20Anemones%201953.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="777" data-original-width="932" height="534" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqHh1kaXJND_JA4ZZGvzvbWn78T5jaDWiMUqa08MSiW_dsCbTTnlgdMlK1VWRG1OBN9rZcniKqTHeryKEC37vBWyHPY3SJmzkjkUfipeGk8E_8eaJXkVbmZKR2MlHN1ypfp88Lwnb4sjksydJ0cnTdrOhKro0NrKy_6BeaLLspmdFqudgLApb6MeEilQ/w640-h534/Dufy%204%20Anemones%201953.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Anemones 1953</span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGruS05hcrD8GJfxkFKramGdZT0SyNG1be7cvgflIaAtxiCqdwtQ7twnWNnpKmI1W5jWYqHo0TH9bcPcjUo48fhTk75uK_Zv7sa9QWEtshIV-xRkUtpiLL7GZRboXaQgVmNIQy94lLXgNc7qoM0hEdeIYmi4iL4wMW_E0uKN-K-1AgRUsVsjpZPcETSA/s606/Dufy%205%20Venice%201937.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="442" data-original-width="606" height="466" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGruS05hcrD8GJfxkFKramGdZT0SyNG1be7cvgflIaAtxiCqdwtQ7twnWNnpKmI1W5jWYqHo0TH9bcPcjUo48fhTk75uK_Zv7sa9QWEtshIV-xRkUtpiLL7GZRboXaQgVmNIQy94lLXgNc7qoM0hEdeIYmi4iL4wMW_E0uKN-K-1AgRUsVsjpZPcETSA/w640-h466/Dufy%205%20Venice%201937.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Venice 1937</span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjztBAtAJLP_1P39mwLhGCvZZ9XLSRenlvNb4pBxGrVOThBlZIyvn3P2kUvFNQNNXsS1UTovqokWN0WKAtFpeyir7qHEAUF2c7kYKzZYvFhAqWiLIhqTVrJDnXfz2H43c-anFZLI8_vVJ_dwCEUe--TEqdhC4C_mYtq0qdEbpgRvFwoTKQ3lfKOh8V1CA/s758/Dufy%207%20Textile%20Design%201920.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="758" data-original-width="609" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjztBAtAJLP_1P39mwLhGCvZZ9XLSRenlvNb4pBxGrVOThBlZIyvn3P2kUvFNQNNXsS1UTovqokWN0WKAtFpeyir7qHEAUF2c7kYKzZYvFhAqWiLIhqTVrJDnXfz2H43c-anFZLI8_vVJ_dwCEUe--TEqdhC4C_mYtq0qdEbpgRvFwoTKQ3lfKOh8V1CA/w514-h640/Dufy%207%20Textile%20Design%201920.JPG" width="514" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Textile Design 1920</span></b><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #ff00fe;">I'm listening to </span><span style="color: #800180;">Smokey Blues Away</span><span style="color: #ff00fe;"> by </span><span style="color: #800180;">New Generation</span><span style="color: #ff00fe;"> who later became </span><span style="color: #800180;">The Sullivan Brothers</span><span style="color: #ff00fe;">. Do you recognise what piece of classical music the melody is taken from? Listen </span><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9mkdDVWz1UY" target="_blank">here</a></span><span style="color: #ff00fe;">.</span></b></span></div></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p></blockquote><p> </p><p><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p>bazzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14794010156639774028noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9065667386668307918.post-680933794819757512022-11-11T14:45:00.007+00:002022-11-11T14:47:13.668+00:00The Eleanor Crosses<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">ELEANOR CROSSES</span></b><span style="font-family: arial;">
were a series of twelve extravagantly decorated stone monuments topped with
crosses and erected in a line down part of the east of England. They were built
at the instigation of <b>Edward I</b> between 1291 and about 1295 in memory of
his beloved late wife <b>Eleanor of Castile</b>. The King and Queen had been
married for 36 years and she stayed by the King’s side through his many travels
including on a Crusade when he was wounded at Acre. She had died in Harby, a
village near Lincoln in 1290. The crosses, erected in her memory, marked the
nightly resting-places along the route taken when her body was transported to
Westminster Abbey in London. The
crosses stood at Lincoln, Grantham and Stamford, all in Lincolnshire;
Geddington and Hardingstone in Northamptonshire; Stony Stratford in
Buckinghamshire; Woburn and Dunstable in Bedfordshire; St Albans and Waltham
(now known as Waltham Cross) in Hertfordshire; Cheapside in London; and Charing
(now Charing Cross) in Westminster. Three
of those medieval monuments – those at Geddington, Hardingstone and Waltham
Cross – survive more or less intact; but the other nine, other than a few
fragments, are lost. The largest and most ornate of the twelve was the Charing
Cross. Several memorials and elaborated reproductions of the crosses have been
erected including, the Queen Eleanor Memorial Cross at Charing Cross Station built
in 1865.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDnuAv1SrmN00q9gr2o6og1biRVeGz-y0PxW4eWjB0ozIthZ1uZTrT5bqj05dm97aOU-1Rh1dB6gLekye_mwOUcBvdgq1P9vwPqAGF2z3SoStIuuJ4P3cyzFmyRQ7PYUpVTs40kHg6gWWi-RRsNktZ2kJMdzmzIzX_yWwCM8RrYUWWTAPA_8O7Qv5mTA/s542/Eleanor%20Cross.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="542" data-original-width="364" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDnuAv1SrmN00q9gr2o6og1biRVeGz-y0PxW4eWjB0ozIthZ1uZTrT5bqj05dm97aOU-1Rh1dB6gLekye_mwOUcBvdgq1P9vwPqAGF2z3SoStIuuJ4P3cyzFmyRQ7PYUpVTs40kHg6gWWi-RRsNktZ2kJMdzmzIzX_yWwCM8RrYUWWTAPA_8O7Qv5mTA/w430-h640/Eleanor%20Cross.JPG" width="430" /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDnuAv1SrmN00q9gr2o6og1biRVeGz-y0PxW4eWjB0ozIthZ1uZTrT5bqj05dm97aOU-1Rh1dB6gLekye_mwOUcBvdgq1P9vwPqAGF2z3SoStIuuJ4P3cyzFmyRQ7PYUpVTs40kHg6gWWi-RRsNktZ2kJMdzmzIzX_yWwCM8RrYUWWTAPA_8O7Qv5mTA/s542/Eleanor%20Cross.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfE4GSvXcxeYR3JwXaVSPhN8vTatjDGWqEvgEkYR-WH3jPyLD-AIsfhx3OY4sx2dqVk-G0r52XrKHFoxMsCyyfNPgQePWia1gklH3VfPkSg15K38syIJ6W-9WuyeQ3w5C_UnqJ0pc4dvg0-xkD1EVwkVzJKIbco2w0GbkqvIAi7Yy3NN6vrwZdUrQ12Q/s533/Charring%20Cross.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="365" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfE4GSvXcxeYR3JwXaVSPhN8vTatjDGWqEvgEkYR-WH3jPyLD-AIsfhx3OY4sx2dqVk-G0r52XrKHFoxMsCyyfNPgQePWia1gklH3VfPkSg15K38syIJ6W-9WuyeQ3w5C_UnqJ0pc4dvg0-xkD1EVwkVzJKIbco2w0GbkqvIAi7Yy3NN6vrwZdUrQ12Q/w438-h640/Charring%20Cross.JPG" width="438" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: medium;"><b style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #ff00fe;">I'm listening to Nina Simone's stunning, soulful version of </span><span style="color: #351c75;">He Ain't Coming No More.</span></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-family: courier; font-size: medium;"><b style="background-color: white;">Listen to it <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDufEYVEZ1A" target="_blank">HERE</a></b></span></div></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p>bazzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14794010156639774028noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9065667386668307918.post-28235753154701769002022-10-28T10:41:00.005+01:002023-02-24T18:50:58.784+00:00Cezanne at Tate Modern<div class="separator"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1NEVDN0tBDYZ5XPy0-_j8HY2dU9IoJoknxw_YLkK9BEVl2axYS6DEpgohvIzFlmm_-MyUThO2Uq7iDJqOEJSvkh7iquY1Id9YYhhe1zcvCKU_C76l8t7OFItt_oXcm4MRlpn7_vi1MKVJdyEmd89a0vO0nFb0qwVVqEIb24LeIcFU2D9BnsYDlkyntA/s157/Cezanne%20SP.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: arial; font-weight: 700; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="157" data-original-width="145" height="157" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1NEVDN0tBDYZ5XPy0-_j8HY2dU9IoJoknxw_YLkK9BEVl2axYS6DEpgohvIzFlmm_-MyUThO2Uq7iDJqOEJSvkh7iquY1Id9YYhhe1zcvCKU_C76l8t7OFItt_oXcm4MRlpn7_vi1MKVJdyEmd89a0vO0nFb0qwVVqEIb24LeIcFU2D9BnsYDlkyntA/s1600/Cezanne%20SP.JPG" width="145" /></a></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Strangely, </span><span style="font-family: arial;">I have not posted anything since April and now I am posting on the same topic as then - </span><b style="font-family: arial;">Paul Cezanne</b><span style="font-family: arial;">.
As it was our anniversary yesterday, Leah and </span><span style="font-family: arial;">I spent the day in the West End of London. After a lunch by the Thames we were off to the Cezanne exhibition at <b>Tate Modern</b> on the South Bank. The show is exceptionally popular and one can only gain entrance by pre-booking. It was absolutely packed but the paintings were wonderful and I had seen so few of them previously. All the big subjects were there, The Bathers, The Apple & Water Jug paintings a</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: arial;">nd then there’s that incredible mountain. Cezanne painted Mont Sainte Victoire in Provence over and over, from endless angles and viewpoints. It’s hidden behind trees, peeking up over rocks, spied down a valley from miles away, stared at way up close. Its stunted bulk dominates and looms, its face shimmering pink and lilac in the sun, deep blue and hushed grey in the shade. It’s a whole world effervescing, disappearing and melting. While the Impressionists painted light, Cezanne painted ideas!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaYZK7dyC_x2vLcUwBAacq43r7_BqPZnjwDJbIfVLQyAcJvNY1LOkQoTVVnHUz0gVSoiooukjmC9lwnxgG9lb00CAokSeC5ZZROGTbUgIEfCIv2QeTJA4KxjcdotwVdjHRDtCVtlXHT52LqFL1eHWzJTzueMjeYIYG6N0smW-TKLTD4U_D71U5PlREBg/s854/Cezanne%204.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="538" data-original-width="854" height="404" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaYZK7dyC_x2vLcUwBAacq43r7_BqPZnjwDJbIfVLQyAcJvNY1LOkQoTVVnHUz0gVSoiooukjmC9lwnxgG9lb00CAokSeC5ZZROGTbUgIEfCIv2QeTJA4KxjcdotwVdjHRDtCVtlXHT52LqFL1eHWzJTzueMjeYIYG6N0smW-TKLTD4U_D71U5PlREBg/w640-h404/Cezanne%204.JPG" width="640" /></a></div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzEZAS58fYGbpMSYXPKlJNqWMPVctE7zYtPI2S-BXyEu-__lkENw12WjLwjeEFi-u83TERnyIIewkdx8HJJsczoEODcHhY0QUsGYvQg46qusNp-tsJw4VwZ_0HHWkzsM9GZywUDcAXwpFcYScW4qpa2bECwOzzcer1OcRDuADk7_qesNlt8DWru9teDg/s603/Cezanne%201.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="466" data-original-width="603" height="494" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzEZAS58fYGbpMSYXPKlJNqWMPVctE7zYtPI2S-BXyEu-__lkENw12WjLwjeEFi-u83TERnyIIewkdx8HJJsczoEODcHhY0QUsGYvQg46qusNp-tsJw4VwZ_0HHWkzsM9GZywUDcAXwpFcYScW4qpa2bECwOzzcer1OcRDuADk7_qesNlt8DWru9teDg/w640-h494/Cezanne%201.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrs-F7uOhLsxiezqoPDLmN98SqNEUF6sobSuH96JEytP-yBMIhi2PBvmkoSiknjj5P3Rc2xsjHZA4Bu2eZc-cnXOjIHLUiTh209IRFQClRoGMUAmBnjPXAUhB1HZ79KOfeKs3N4el2qCZbfn4xb1_nNuvjT7QHTPnmDBb9SgzLWgCxdFTwnpE6kfay8A/s586/Cezanne%202.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="446" data-original-width="586" height="488" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrs-F7uOhLsxiezqoPDLmN98SqNEUF6sobSuH96JEytP-yBMIhi2PBvmkoSiknjj5P3Rc2xsjHZA4Bu2eZc-cnXOjIHLUiTh209IRFQClRoGMUAmBnjPXAUhB1HZ79KOfeKs3N4el2qCZbfn4xb1_nNuvjT7QHTPnmDBb9SgzLWgCxdFTwnpE6kfay8A/w640-h488/Cezanne%202.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMHfW5W0i3fLdIC9_EM-HJ5VwHqwN8DJvGETuJjU68bILybhJGHl-y4M-MUBw-_GogbNcexWBADdf9s6tMcQ_vwuZspf6Jk2qL8guHCioFIMmClCOG9YkQVRQaXU7EVcdH9NUrU7iahfOQ3VLim38D9MHNyzAE5mhqAgqpOf6Mg5yGlcPD3vq84U7iEQ/s359/Cezanne%203.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="275" data-original-width="359" height="490" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMHfW5W0i3fLdIC9_EM-HJ5VwHqwN8DJvGETuJjU68bILybhJGHl-y4M-MUBw-_GogbNcexWBADdf9s6tMcQ_vwuZspf6Jk2qL8guHCioFIMmClCOG9YkQVRQaXU7EVcdH9NUrU7iahfOQ3VLim38D9MHNyzAE5mhqAgqpOf6Mg5yGlcPD3vq84U7iEQ/w640-h490/Cezanne%203.JPG" width="640" /></b></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">These were all from photographs that Leah took at the exhibition.</span></b><b style="color: #ff00fe; font-family: courier; font-size: large; text-align: left;"><br />I'm listening to an amazing song by Brenda Lee recorded in February 1963 when she was only 18 years old. You can listen to <i>Losing You</i> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rRUk9rIqMA" target="_blank">HERE</a>.</b></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="color: #1a1a1a;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span face="Roboto, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-size: 20px;"><br /><br /></span></div></div></div>bazzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14794010156639774028noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9065667386668307918.post-18086539327705317512022-04-07T09:53:00.000+01:002022-04-07T09:53:14.616+01:00Painting of the Month (100): Cezanne<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">This is the 100th time that I have posted a <b>Painting of the Month,</b> so I am really being self-indulgent today! I have long been intrigued by Cezanne's series of paintings of <b>Mont Saint-Victoire</b>; I have given talks on the topic, blogged about it and deeply researched it. This is one of my favourite paintings of all time!</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixFJWdQ6B5S2jlB2FAbScl_3YsbpuhoH09rjpRlixmzfCWGrem6EiztdV0bwbg4kkVKYxERvFnblmGrEoajd2XmAWTD2LMtB01jVx43TVFld2upozvmBQzWhQ0xpAccsB96POeBwX62Twr6o21ajAdcQ-RwrA_h4UhY3u016r2bklaWUZhGMN6nmAmdQ/s842/Mont%20St%20V.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="590" data-original-width="842" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixFJWdQ6B5S2jlB2FAbScl_3YsbpuhoH09rjpRlixmzfCWGrem6EiztdV0bwbg4kkVKYxERvFnblmGrEoajd2XmAWTD2LMtB01jVx43TVFld2upozvmBQzWhQ0xpAccsB96POeBwX62Twr6o21ajAdcQ-RwrA_h4UhY3u016r2bklaWUZhGMN6nmAmdQ/w640-h448/Mont%20St%20V.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Mont Saint-Victoire, Aix-en-Provence. Depicted more than 60 times by Cezanne.</span><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><b style="color: #ff00fe; font-family: courier; font-size: large;">I'm listening to the late Amy Winehouse singing Don't Go To Strangers with Paul Weller and Jools Holland. What an incredible talent we have lost! Listen <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4xYTspgC4M&list=RDH4xYTspgC4M&index=1" target="_blank">here</a>.</b></div></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>bazzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14794010156639774028noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9065667386668307918.post-55906890774207699472022-02-17T19:53:00.003+00:002022-02-17T19:55:23.615+00:00it may not always be so by e e cummings<p></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Sometimes it seems that the only thing people know about e e cummings is that they think he never used capital letters – even in his name. His poems tend to be untitled so this one is known as ‘<i>it may not always be so’</i>:</span><br /><br /> </span><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>it may not always be so; and i say<br /></b><b>that your lips, which i have loved, should touch<br /></b><b>another’s, and your dear strong fingers clutch<br /></b><b>his heart, as mine in time not far away;<br /></b><b>if on another’s face your sweet hair lay<br /></b><b>in such a silence as i know, or such<br /></b><b>great writhing words as, uttering overmuch,<br /></b><b>stand helplessly before the spirit at bay;</b></span></blockquote><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>if this should be, i say if this should be—<br /></b><b>you of my heart, send me a little word;<br /></b><b>that i may go unto him, and take his hands,<br /></b><b>saying, Accept all happiness from me.<br /></b><b>Then shall i turn my face, and hear one bird<br /></b><b>sing terribly afar in the lost lands.</b></span></blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #050505;">You may have
noticed that there are two capital letters in this sonnet; one in the word
Accept, which is quoted speech and one to begin the final sentence. It can be
read in various places that he wanted his name only to be written in lower-case
but it isn’t so. It was his publishers who wanted to do that (although he
readily agreed). He also used capitals when signing his name. But enough of
that – let’s discuss the poem! </span><span style="color: #050505;">He is writing about
losing the love of his life to another man and conjecturing what this would be
like. “If this should be”…”send me a little word; that I may go unto him”.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #050505;">He is virtually
saying that he would give his blessing although he would be extremely sad – “Accept
all happiness from me”. In other words, if you love someone let them go. </span><span style="color: #050505;">If you </span><i style="color: #050505;">really</i><span style="color: #050505;"> love
someone, then their happiness is your primary desire – even if you are not
included in that love. A very generous attitude don’t you think? Or maybe it’s
paranoia...</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: arial; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiD_E0W8XZtRdqWJBxd2yrcB6KN45KxIDhFoxR4SJ4du3NjEB0ji2MPr8I9j4sVItBWYOyrNl1aQSCSa7vMOHC9_ad3azyGTnL8VQkJqvRpmXyjKZc9UBflAXaqKAu5GPMmrU6IfqlrlTqinwb48oS1GuzBYfTMh4d8GRSrXPt9XM2Bd_1Qd6lSw4uhng=s639" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="525" data-original-width="639" height="329" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiD_E0W8XZtRdqWJBxd2yrcB6KN45KxIDhFoxR4SJ4du3NjEB0ji2MPr8I9j4sVItBWYOyrNl1aQSCSa7vMOHC9_ad3azyGTnL8VQkJqvRpmXyjKZc9UBflAXaqKAu5GPMmrU6IfqlrlTqinwb48oS1GuzBYfTMh4d8GRSrXPt9XM2Bd_1Qd6lSw4uhng=w400-h329" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-family: courier; font-size: medium;"><b>I'm listening to The Perry-Gardner Orchestra playing a tune that will be <u>very</u> familiar to BBC listeners over a certain age. It is possibly the most relaxing music you will ever hear! Click <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFdas-kMF74" target="_blank">here </a>for <i>Sailing By</i>.</b></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><span style="color: #050505; font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p><p></p>bazzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14794010156639774028noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9065667386668307918.post-68128815542569486882022-02-13T11:33:00.002+00:002022-02-13T12:11:10.286+00:00Painting of the Month (99) FEB 2022: Gene Brown<p style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #050505; font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">Brown describes his paintings as representational expressionism. “<i>You
can tell what the subject is, but I exaggerate shapes and colour. Because I
love texture and bright colours, that to me is almost as important as the
composition</i>.</span><span style="color: #050505; font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">” Brown’s work is uniquely his. There will be no head-scratching
wondering who did these paintings. There is an obvious emphasis on strong
design and colour. “Happy” and “joyful” are words that define the emotion of
his paintings. “<i>I have had many people tell me that my paintings are happy
paintings,</i>” Brown said. “<i>They make people feel good. I know all about aerial
perspective and lost and found edges, etc., but rules are made to be broken. I
have fun with bright colors and I enjoy my niche. I had a gentleman, who bought
one of my paintings, put it on his mantle at home so that when he came home, he
could look at it and unwind from his hectic day at work. That’s all I need</i></span><span style="color: #050505; text-align: justify;">.</span><span style="color: #050505; text-align: justify;">"</span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: #f7e3e3;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEijYkypt4PtG7l7FlRwD1oDi80veLjB-KJl2m4AH6qUHGpOlV7QiuUDSn2wlg-EeKhc2wOBsW3gZzvY-8VlJcnH7abGZhYi976TNzOzJCtonEm-Q0zIvi_LQI1BM8NjazEjrE2f6pk44MuNCSbSCRxfune8u2df2FO1joGTIhUmFmd7zmy5kLde4-leFg=s692" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="692" data-original-width="533" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEijYkypt4PtG7l7FlRwD1oDi80veLjB-KJl2m4AH6qUHGpOlV7QiuUDSn2wlg-EeKhc2wOBsW3gZzvY-8VlJcnH7abGZhYi976TNzOzJCtonEm-Q0zIvi_LQI1BM8NjazEjrE2f6pk44MuNCSbSCRxfune8u2df2FO1joGTIhUmFmd7zmy5kLde4-leFg=w492-h640" width="492" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Acrylic on canvas. The artist is American, b. 1938</b></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #ff00fe;">I'm listening to Betty Wright's </span><i style="color: #ff00fe;">Clean Up Woman</i><span style="color: #ff00fe;">. It's a great recording but is mightily enhanced by the </span><u><span style="color: #cc0000;">fabulous</span></u><span style="color: #ff00fe;"> guitar playing of Willie Hale. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1aA8Iw0CSdk" target="_blank">Listen here.</a></span></b></span><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><span style="color: #050505; font-size: 13.5pt; text-align: justify;"><br /></span><p></p>bazzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14794010156639774028noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9065667386668307918.post-74517696136818129782022-02-03T09:26:00.000+00:002022-02-03T09:26:26.542+00:00Ruth's Wedding<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I haven't been around the Internet so much recently because, last weekend, we were celebrating the wedding of my daughter Ruth to Gary in London. Now they're Honeymooning in Tenerife. Here she is just before setting off for the venue.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhkWLygJmRkQfmNY3IKD0IP5oOJJ4kF9X3lMcLuanUKNtIXuFGWieBxZ9M5KZlt4Dd7cQanuuFWlb3vNTOXtV3fmgoQvWUQErBeWL87y-PFLJvnAXWYRggck_nTORUzraSIRu0S1KtaI0v8fZfMi5d4l5WjozrIzHbHXVebYOjGld1POk__A_S7x3N5og=s498" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="498" data-original-width="325" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhkWLygJmRkQfmNY3IKD0IP5oOJJ4kF9X3lMcLuanUKNtIXuFGWieBxZ9M5KZlt4Dd7cQanuuFWlb3vNTOXtV3fmgoQvWUQErBeWL87y-PFLJvnAXWYRggck_nTORUzraSIRu0S1KtaI0v8fZfMi5d4l5WjozrIzHbHXVebYOjGld1POk__A_S7x3N5og=w418-h640" width="418" /></a></div><br /><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><b>I'm listening to The Beatles singing <i>Baby It's You</i>. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWUTlM6hz0g" target="_blank">Listen here!</a></b></span><p></p>bazzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14794010156639774028noreply@blogger.com7