I first saw Copenhagen Opera House from the water on my  visit to the Jazz FestivaI last Jjly.  See here. I loved it and when I found out later that it was the Opera  House I decided I had to go to a performance there.
                                                        

There are fourteen floors.

So, on my birthday I watched Madam Butterfly - what a treat! Just a fifteen minute walk from the apartment we were staying at, wvirthday.e enjoyed the park and the views and the dinks beforehand (thank you to my daughters for the bubbly) and the walk home (thank you Mary for the great photgraph). Such a memorable birthday!

Is it vandalism? Graffiti? People's Art?

Or is it just a bit of innocent fun? And I wonder who was the first to think that putting their sticker (given with your ticket to the Art Gallery) on the bench was a good idea. Do you approve?

The SMK in Copenhagen is a wonderful place - the collection, the architecture, the cafe and the shop - loved the shop!
gallery
Everything spacious and airy and clean, and everything in Copenhagen seems to work. I find the city and the gallery  very elegant and at the same time friendly.

The huge modern extension is gorgeous.

We especially wanted to see the collection of Hammershoi's work, which didn't disappoint. He paints two of my favourite things - silence and empty space. I can see why he is sometimes called the Vermeer of the north.

There is nothing like the thrill of standing in front of the original. What a brave painter Matisse was!
I came across the Matisse unexpectedly - I know this painting well from reproductions and did not know the original was here. How different from Hammershoi - extrovert and vibrant.

I love them both.

..Copenhagen!

Ballet shoes and bicybles

Brides! Thank you Grace for the great photograph.

Bouquets

Blossom everywhere

and beautifully wrapped bread

My head was full of Stephen Hough playing Rachmaninov when we came out of City Halls to  this magical sight.

There are times when life is a bit of an emotional roller-coaster aren't there!  It's not simple, and it certainly isn't boring.

May we all celebrate the good and wisely negotiate the bad.

Be well, be safe and be happy.

Back in a week or so.

Next week I will deal with the warmongers, disarm the gangs, sort out the badly behaving politicians and  solve the climate crisis.  This week I have crises of my own, and will concentrate on supporting the people I know who are having a hard time one way and another.

It's the best I can do right now and I will give it all I've got.

Today was dry and sunny and I was so grateful!

Watching the sun rise this morning.

..before I caught sight of myself in a mirror and  realised I was having a really, really bad hair day!

Just had to laugh..

The rescued tulip.

..to save our treasures!

I was trying to protect the dark parrot tulip which had filled with rain and was bent over, but it was too windy to work so I cut the flower and put it under the lamp in the sitting room where I can watch it develop. Tulips do contintue to gow in the vase as I am sure you have noticed. They also drink lots of water and I will keep an eye on that.

There was snow on the tops today.

..whose garden borders mine.

The tulips are standing up very well to the wind and the rain. They are big flowers on sturdy stems and are also packed close together which may help.

I'm very interested in the idea of reilience in people as well as plants. The programme Dan Cruickshank's Warsaw, a History Ressurected is on iPlayer for just a couple more days. It is both a touching memoir and a story of incredible resilience. I thought it was beautifully made and inspiring. Have any of you seen it?

..on the west coast o Scotland can be both rewarding, and challenging. All in the same day.

At last, breakfast ouside. Lovely.

Later that same day!

You do wonder how the plants survive..

..of a full spring day in the garden. (Currently about one day in ten!)

I spent much of it checking that my favourite plants had survived.

I thought I might have lost the bronze leaved celandine Brazen Hussy when we dug the trench for the hedge, but not only did it survive but there is lots of it. Like many plants at this time of year it does its thing then disappears quietly, disturbing nothing.

My favoutie hardy geranium Ann Folkard is planted throughout the garden and I was relieved to see it's distinctive lime green foliage showing in all but one place where I expecred it - thugh it may show yet

Primroses also come and go, surprising me under hedges and in odd corners. Lovely - to pick for tiny glass bottles beside the bed or on the breakfast table.

The wild cuckoo flower, cardamine pratensis appears in odd places too, varying in amount from year to year. No cuckoos yet though. Have they arrived where you are?

..in Port Glasgow is as you would expect, about shipping.

Note the scale!

This however is my favourite. Possibly my favourite public art anywhere. It says so much so eloquently and elegantly.
Four ferries are now being built in Turkey, so I hope the future of Ferguson's can be secured.

See here

On my bus journey to the city I have watched this ship grow in the shipyard, and today I watched her being  launched into the River Clyde. She was named by a young female welder who has just finished her apprenticeship at the yard.

The view from the road.

The moment she hit the water.

The tugs approach.

A great view from Newatk Castle.

There were big crowds and it was quite an emotional occasion for many as it was possibly the last traditionl launch on the Clyde (the modern way is to float a ship out on a barge then lower the barge so that the ship floats off - not nearly as exciting!) and an awareness of the great history of shipbuilding on the Clyde coupled with the fact that there are as yet no more oders on the books of the yard.

I picked the ones which blew over in the gale, along with some foliage of philadelphus aureus which never flowers for me but has beautiful lime green foliage which lasts well in water.

..not in the breeze but in a force eight gale! Relenless rain for my visitors, but we spent it browsing plans and gardening books designing the garden for their new house. Most enjoyable.

Little blog bteak

Many visitors..

The chocolate eggs are still haning on their branches, silently. That is they are not calling out 'Eat me eat me' as chocolate annywhere in the house usually does!

When I came back from the retreat having had three juices and one soup a day for almost a week, I found I could take it or leave it  when it came to cakes and sweets - which is the way I have always wanted it to be. And I have finally lost those few pandemic pounds.

SO pleased!

Just half an hour from home is Benmore Botanic Garden and my sister and I had a beautiful walk there in lovely sunshine yesterday. I had exhibitions there and Barry was a garden guide, so lots of happy memories.