poppies: in art & in the garden

Hanging on in our hallway are bright and colorful pieces of art. Two of my favorites are of the same subject - poppies. The first is a painting I bought at the Madison Art Fair on the Square a few years ago. The colors and subject caught my eye, and this painting - with its happy hues - still delights me every time I pass by.

My dad is an excellent photographer and in his office/studio he has many of his great photos. He being the very generous dad that he is, let me have a photo he took of a poppy. My photo of this photograph doesn't really do the original justice - but it's gorgeous in person. He was able to capture the delicate, paper-like poppy petals with real precision.

I captured these next two images in my parents' backyard garden. 

a close-up

poppies just look happy, don't they?

Poppies of course have been favorite subjects of many painters too. Perhaps it's that poppies are so vibrant and lend such a punch of color. Here are a few poppy painting I find particularly beautiful.

Monet's "Poppies Blooming" 1873
at the Musee d'Orsay, Paris

Perhaps less famous than the Monet pictured above,
but no less beautiful.  This is by William Blair Bruce -
"Landscape with Poppies", 1887

the iconic American painter, Georgia O'Keefe's,
"Oriental Poppies", 1928

Aren't they gorgeous?

a picture paints a thousand words

Taken in Korea in 1953, this iconic photograph leaves me speechless. 

Marine Sergeant Frank Praytor feeding an orphaned kitten -
Praytor adopted the kitten and named her Miss Hap because
she was born at the wrong place at the wrong time

the beauty of a curve

I came across this gorgeous black and white photograph of a ballerina en pointe exuding incredible grace and feeling of weightlessness. I think the ballerina is stunning and the photograph is breath-taking.  

from: http://a-ballet-blog.tumblr.com/
check it out for more beautiful ballet shots

The ballerina's gracefully arched back, perfectly curved hands, and feet en pointe got me thinking about the beauty of a curve. Straight lines are, to me, very orderly and can be very modern looking -- both which can be great things. But wouldn't you agree, there is a softness to a curve that can be quite lovely? Here are two of my photos that are of simple subjects, but capture the beauty of a curve.

a very simple floral arrangement - borage from my garden
beautifully curving into an arch

I think a curvy path is so much more
interesting than a straight one

inspired

Ralph Waldo Emerson's famous words, "Live in the sunshine, swim in the sea, drink in the wild air" are some of my favorite words ever written. I came across a colorful print of this quote from the Etsy shop, The Wheat Field, and ordered it to one day frame. The happy hues brighten up even the greyist of winter days. 

print by The Wheat Field

I put together 3 of my photos that I think sum up Emerson's inspiring quote. Hope you enjoy!

living in the sun

swimming in the sea 

drinking in the wild air 

Check out The Wheat Field's Etsy shop: 

http://www.etsy.com/shop/thewheatfield?ref=seller_info. 

I think so many of their colorful and happy prints would be a great addition to a nursery or child's room.

flowerful friday

If you're looking for a little bang for your buck in the flower department, look no further than a few paperwhite bulbs. I planted 10 bulbs that I picked up at the local nursery, and at only $2 each, the are a great way to enjoy some flowers indoors during these colder months, plus they last for weeks!

Now one of the bulbs is in full bloom, and its many delicate blossoms are delightful. I can't wait for the other 9 bulbs to bloom as well!

backlit - looks as if they're glowing!

Happy Friday!

a winter's walk

With nearby parks, beautiful old homes, and proximity to so many things, I feel incredibly fortunate to call my neighborhood home. On a recent sunny day, I went for a nice long walk and captured a few images of some of what I love about this locale here in Madison.

a beautiful winter scene at a nearby park

heady hydrangeas, even in the winter,
are quite lovely

birds of a feather...
not sure what kind of birds these are, but
they were awfully chatty when I approached them
to pass by 

a sign-post in a neighbors yard

walking back home through a park -
I love the arch of the oak trees here!

read: the charles lenox series

A book is like a garden carried in your pocket.
-- Chinese proverb 

I believe there are different books for different occasions. I can't read certain books before I go to bed - my mind needs to wind-down and relax to ensure a good night's sleep and more importantly, a good tomorrow! But, at the same time I can't be bothered with books I find uninspiring fluff. Enter the Charles Lenox series. 

Set in Victorian England, this series centers around the affable gentleman detective, Charles Lenox. In these books, there's enough suspense and story-line to keep me interested, enough history and period details to satisfy my enjoyment of both, and none of the gore and macabre that many murder mysteries contain. 

In the most recent book in the series, "A Burial at Sea" we follow Charles Lenox on a secret mission to the newly built Suez canal in Egypt, leaving behind London - the setting for most of the other novels - for a journey aboard one of Her Royal Majesty's ships, the Lucy. It's an excellent environment for a mystery - very Murder on the Orient Express - in that all of the suspects are in a confined location.

In a particularly poignant part of "A Burial at Sea", towards the end of the story, Charles is reflecting upon his long journey. Finch writes that Lenox, "felt a certain gladness that the world was still a large place; it was getting smaller, it be sure, distances were collapsing -- why, the Suez was an example of that! ... Though he loved progress, part of him hoped the steamship wouldn't make Egypt a mere two-day voyage away, and take that feeling of majesty with it." I think this idea is something we all feel even today when distances have no doubt collapsed greatly. 

All of the Charles Lenox books have been a pleasure to read - I think you'll feel the same. I'm looking forward to the next book in this series, and hopefully the wait won't be too long.

a quote to live by

Life is divided into three terms - 

that which was, 

which is, 

and which will be. 

Let us learn from the past to profit by the present, 

and from the present to live better in the future.  

--William Wordsworth

color therapy: red

It's a sunless winter morning here in Madison, and the shades of grey are many. What better antidote to the weather outside than images of bold red to warm us up on this cold day.

in this painting by Paul Gauguin, a little
burst of red goes a long way

eye-catching red 

red geraniums, Paris

flowers, cars, berries, flags -
even a little red makes a big difference

dreaming of...

Here's what I'm dreaming of today.  

How about you?

inspired

I came across this great example of forced perspective photo. Isn't it beautiful? It combines several things I love - a flower, gorgeous light, dance, and photography - so it's not surprising I find this image completely inspiring. It makes me want to be a better photographer and challenge myself to think outside the box.

Want to see more great examples of forced perspective photography? Here's where I found this image, and there's 98 more to enjoy: http://www.instantshift.com/2011/11/03/99-excellent-examples-of-forced-perspective-photography/.

flowerful friday

It's the coldest it's been all winter, and I'm so incredibly thankful for my cozy home where I can curl up in the evening with a warm blanket by the fire, but there's nothing like a little mind over matter to "transport" ourselves to warmer days.

Waterlilies - perhaps because of their tropical nature, are for me, the perfect "getaway" flower. Let's enjoy some of these warm weather beauties.

notice the dragonfly? 

I like how water collects atop the lily pads 

it's almost dreamlike!

one in Monet's Waterlily series -
at the Musee de l'Orangerie, Paris
click onto the image for a bigger view

inspired by Monet - here is one in my
Waterlily series

Happy Friday!

just a few of my favorite things

what is it that you love?

From a great cup of tea, to the scent of lavender, to travel, to enjoying a great piece of art in person. These are the things I can count on to make me feel quite happy. How about you? What's on your list of favorite things?

golden hues:
sparkly light, dried lavender, a palm tree, tea

art!
here's an extreme close-up of one of Monet's
massive waterlily paintings -
the color combination is sublime

photography: butterflies,
setting my camera up for a shot sans tripod,
flowers, and Nino

travel and getting great candid shots of locals

What are the things that makes you feel perfectly happy?

color therapy: light blue

Light blue can be both warm and cool. I think of a cloudless summer day and can imagine the heat, and I can think of a cloudless winter day and feel the cold. The latter isn't that hard to imagine, as today fits the bill.

There is something particularly calming about a nice light blue, and I think it's a color that appeals to many. Here are some photos I took of different light blues that particularly caught my attention.  

while on vacation in Turkey

right in my back yard

in Alacati, Turkey

hydrangeas from a flower shop