We visited the Ardfern studio of artist Hannah Tofts whose warm welcome and wonderful energy inspired us. Do browse around her website - she teaches, writes books, gardens, cooks, campaigns against plastics in our seas (she has a seven year collection of plastics from beach cleans!) and paints. A colourful antidote to this winter weather..
We visited the Ardfern studio of artist Hannah Tofts whose warm welcome and wonderful energy inspired us. Do browse around her website - she teaches, writes books, gardens, cooks, campaigns against plastics in our seas (she has a seven year collection of plastics from beach cleans!) and paints. A colourful antidote to this winter weather..
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..by Matisse. In the sense of creating something truly original - I think that takes a certain audacity. Would you agree? ..the story of the Shackleton Antarctic expedition. In this Royal Geographical Society exhibition at The National Library of Scotland in Edinburgh - it is so well told and so worth seeing. www.nls.uk/exhibitions/enduring-eye A novel way to guide you to the right place And a welcoming sign. In many ways it is an old fashioned exhibition - photographs and words, some original film and artifacts - but such stunning photographs and such moving words.. Endurance was the word. ..if you can to this beautiful tribute to cellist Jacqueline du Pre (no hype/glamourous makeover/scandal/gossip/trash).
A perfect programme www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b09bdyfz/jacqueline-du-pre-a-gift-beyond-words I came across this quote from Matthew Arnold.. Is it so small a thing to have enjoyed the sun, to have lived light in the spring, to have loved, to have thought, to have done, to have advanced true friends? (I am slowly composing my own version.) ..by the abundance and beauty of Jennie's garden.. and this evening by the second half of the first night of the Proms which I hope you can see here. The astonishing talent and dedication of the musicians in John Adams' Harmonium (reminds me of Carl Orff's Carmina Burana) is truly to be celebrated. Listen out for Wild Nights about 40 minutes in! About 8 minutes in is an entertaining short review of the BBC's involvement in broadcasting the Proms (since 1927). We are so lucky. Half an hour in the hammock in hot sunshine was an added bonus! What inspired you today? ..for YouTube. Here is a link to my favourite programme so far in the wonderful BBC Four Japan series. Watch the artist about 30 minutes in - so exciting! And towards the end the typical apartments of young people - 'the real Japan is anything but zen' says presenter James Fox - make you understand more about Marie Kondo. What resonates with me particularly is architect Fujimori's statement that 'Humans need to be close to natural elements, like earth, water, plants.' I wonder if any of you know who wrote the poem that includes these words We were not meant for escalators....we were meant for thunder... I have googled it and searched my collection of Mary Oliver, but to no avail and I would love to find it again.... I kept pausing the programme last night to photograph the dramatic sky! ..without books?! Atul Gawande in his clear-sighted and compassionate book Being Mortal describes courage as 'finding the strength to face reality', Not just facing reality but accepting and even welcoming it, is the theme of Leo Babauta's free 44 Day Training Turning Uncertainty and Discomfort Into Mindful Openness which I have been dipping in and out of. The ideas are pretty challenging and I will start over with it more than once probably. Sheryl Sandberg and Adam Grant have written Option B - Facing Adversity, Building Resilience and Finding Joy. Although from a very different culture to mine I found a lot to like in this book. There is also a website here. On one of my favourite radio programmes Private Passions, I heard voice coach Patsy Rodenburg talking about being present. I was so impressed by her clarity and conviction that you can learn to use your positive energy, that I have ordered her book Presence and am looking forward to that arriving any day now... I often start the day by reading the Daily Affirmation on Susan Jeffers site. Some I like better than others of course but for me it is a better start to my day than the news! Are there books and websites which have inspired and motivated you? Both inspire me to redouble my efforts. (Much can be achieved despite presidents and governments, don't you think?)
..or my perceived lack of it. I am reminded in Karen Ruimy's recent posts about energy that if I am open to it, I can tap into the resurgence of energy that is spring. Imagine, she says, an energy of stillness coming into your body reducing the pressure from the world. This energy is coming to you and going into each part and cell of your physical body. Let that fresh new energy come in. You are made of sunshine says Thich Naht Hahn. Maybe that is true.. I make no apology for linking once again to these videos by Hans Rosling who died recently. He took the long view of the bigger picture. I really admired him and his unique perspective on the world gave me hope, and reason to be optimistic. See Five Ways The World Is Doing Better Than You Think This obituary includes his most famous and entertaining 4 min Joy of Stats video, and this Five Final Thoughts interview is well worth reading too.
A great loss. Ring out, wild bells, to the wild sky, The flying cloud, the frosty light: The year is dying in the night; Ring out wild bells and let him die. Ring out the old, ring in the new, Ring, happy bells across the snow: The year is going, let him go; Ring out the false, ring in the true. Ring out the grief that saps the mind For those that here we see no more; Ring out the feud of rich and poor, Ring in redress to all mankind. Ring out a slowly dying cause, And ancient forms of party strife; Ring in the nobler modes of life, With sweeter manners, purer laws. Ring out the want, the care, the sin, The faithless coldness of the times; Ring out, ring out my mournful rhymes But ring the fuller minstrel in. Ring out false pride in place and blood, The civic slander and the spite; Ring in the love of truth and right. Ring in the common love of good. Ring out old shapes of foul disease; Ring out the narrowing lust of gold; Ring out the thousand wars of old, ring in the thousand years of peace. Ring in the valiant man and free, The larger heart, the kindlier hand; Ring out the darkness of the land Ring in the Christ that is to be. Alfred, Lord Tennyson 1850 I watched this (scroll down to Smiling Face) and gained a different perspective on everything. I found it very moving, and it left me thinking you might as well be happy! What do you think? Thank you to my sister Doreen who put it on her Facebook page. Of course I ask myself What importance can flowers and bird nests and raindrops and umbrellas have in troubled times? I think there is an argument for claiming that they are more important than ever.. ..by the many women I know and read about who live fulfilling and interesting lives and live alone. I have decided to live not so much by myself, or for myself, but as myself.... 'That is very profound.' said Frances. I thought so too when I came up with it! Excuse me while I take a few days to figure out exactly what I mean.... Have a good weekend. I love white. It lifts my sprits. Maybe that is why I love snow. I have always painted the walls of my rooms white and when I walk into a 'white cube' style art gallery - the bigger the better - I feel as if I am floating a couple of inches off the ground! Reading Spark Joy, I was prompted to dig out a simple quilted white bedspread and put it over the dark leather sofa - immediate spark of joy...(photographed in the evening - even sparkier in daylight!) The books I mentioned yesterday are At Home With White by Atlanta Bartlett and Sensual Home by Ilse Crawford which has thoughtful text, beautiful photographs and these chapter headings - harmony balance peace comfort texture space proportion energy spirit light shade sustenance love These rwo books are keepers for me, but we change, and our tastes change, and one of the lovely things about clearing is we make room for the new....
Is there a colour which inspires you? And is there a book about it? We are back to rainy weather here, but I think I'll keep my snowy header photograph for a few days more.... ..Venice!
I have reached the final words of Peter Ackroyd's Venice Pure City - ..vivacity, gaity, radiance, extravagance, energy, buoyancy, spontaneity, urgency, facility, exuberance, impetuosity. Oh! Venezia! Who wouldn't be excited? Here is another Fortuny garment I'd love to wear, and if you scroll down you will see the most dazzling selection of Fortuny gowns. Have you heard of this artist and his Chandeliers Over Venice project? (This is for you Lotta!) There are lots of videos on Dale Chihuly and the full story here. Allow yourself an hour or three if you really love glass! The weather has changed since I took this shot, it is wet and wild and the leaves are falling fast.. I guess it's winter. By way of this episode of one of our favourite radio programmes, Private Passions on Radio 3, I heard about the remarkable work of Sugata Mitra. This 20 minute Ted Talk on child-driven education will I hope, inspire and delight you. A beautiful power station?
Is that possible? Apparently so. See here. It certainly looks beautiful compared to any I've ever seen. Of course there will be problems and an environmental cost, nevertheless I find this pretty impressive and hopeful. As is the website.. What do you think? Japanese Rain on Canvas by David Hockney 1972. I've always loved this. (sorry only in black and white - though interesting!) But enough of rain for now. Perhaps you have seen this brilliant video by my only statistician hero Professor Hans Rosling, which I first posted a few years ago? Here is a new one by the self same man, and his son....fascinating, inspirational, clever and funny. How Not To Be Ignorant About The World.
And I hope you might like to browse the site while I take a blog break.
Have a good week. I like this installation by Michael Stumpfs on The Reid Building at Glasgow School of Art.. It went up exactly as the scaffolding came down. It's like a message to the building itself, and everyone in and around it! |
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