Live Simply Simply Live
  • Blog
  • Studio
  • Home
  • Cards
  • Coronation Wood

Simply Live..it's fun being a grasshopper....

11/9/2012

8 Comments

 
Warning. This post jumps about.

I was once called a grasshopper brain. (I decided to take it as a compliment.)

I get excited about things like the Stendhal Syndrome.

Have you heard of it? No? Neither had I until I read this recent post at one of my favourite blogs - Cornflower. Karen was recommending Polpo. A Venetian Cookbook (Of Sorts) a delightful book, the kind of cookbook I like, a bit of a travelogue. In the introduction which you can read here the author Russell Norman describes beautifully how he felt as a young man seeing Venice for the first time,  and described the Stendhal Syndrome as being overwhelmed by beauty.

Have you ever experienced this?

I feel lucky to have had many such experiences. (Not to the extent of fainting though!)

One of them was in Venice.

I was studying there, and got up very early to explore before lectures began and found myself in the market as the barges were bringing in the day's fruit and vegetables. The stall-holders were setting out the most dazzling displays, and singing snatches of operatic arias to each other across the marketplace! I couldn't believe my ears and looked around to see if there were cameras. Was I on a film set? It certainly wasn't for tourists (it was 5am). It was absolutely thrilling.

What about you? Have you ever been overwhelmed by beauty?

Do share....
8 Comments
Liz B
11/9/2012 08:53:41 pm

Neil Gunn called this intensity of experience an "atom of delight". Most of mine have been in the Scottish landscape or the occasional gallery, but you have to be open to it - no good rushing around in a permanent tizzy, the way so many people seem to these days.

Reply
Freda
12/9/2012 12:50:34 am

Atom of Delight is a much nicer name than syndrome with its overtones of illness/abnormality/problems/medical conditions. Scotland can do this to you!

Reply
Cornflower link
12/9/2012 01:01:57 am

Since I wrote about Polpo the other day and said I'd never been to Venice and longed to go, I discover that I am going there next month! I shall report back on any onset of Stendhal Syndrome.

Reply
Freda
12/9/2012 06:58:02 am

I shall look forward to hearing all about your 'suffering' !

Reply
Sarah link
13/9/2012 04:46:30 am

Venice must have been an amazing place to study and been greeted in the early morning by the scene you describe! I love reading the introduction of his visit to Venice too, how wonderful it would be to visit there again!
We too were overwhelmed by the Scottish landscape and also Ireland.
Sarah x

Reply
Freda
13/9/2012 05:57:24 am

I'm glad you are liking Polpo too (and Scotland!)

Reply
Jill
15/9/2012 05:50:51 am

One of my friends refers to this as "the Divine observing itself" ...

Reply
Freda
19/9/2012 08:50:47 am

That's lovely Jill. Not Devina was it?

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Categories

    All
    Live Simply
    Live Simply
    Simple
    Simply Beautiful
    Simply Bin It
    Simply Chill
    Simply Christmas
    Simply Christmas
    Simply Do A Good Deed
    Simply Draw
    Simply Draw
    Simply Eat
    Simply Fitter
    Simply Fun
    Simply Get Rid
    Simply Grow
    Simply Headspace
    Simply Holiday
    Simply Home
    Simply Home
    Simply Inspirational
    Simply Laugh
    Simply Learn
    Simply Listen
    Simply Live
    Simply Low Maintenance
    Simply Money
    Simply Move
    Simply Move
    Simply Organise
    Simply Paint
    Simply Routine
    Simply Seeing.. Or Not
    Simply Stylish
    Simply Venice
    Simply Write

    Categories

    All
    Live Simply
    Live Simply
    Simple
    Simply Beautiful
    Simply Bin It
    Simply Chill
    Simply Christmas
    Simply Christmas
    Simply Do A Good Deed
    Simply Draw
    Simply Draw
    Simply Eat
    Simply Fitter
    Simply Fun
    Simply Get Rid
    Simply Grow
    Simply Headspace
    Simply Holiday
    Simply Home
    Simply Home
    Simply Inspirational
    Simply Laugh
    Simply Learn
    Simply Listen
    Simply Live
    Simply Low Maintenance
    Simply Money
    Simply Move
    Simply Move
    Simply Organise
    Simply Paint
    Simply Routine
    Simply Seeing.. Or Not
    Simply Stylish
    Simply Venice
    Simply Write

    Categories

    All
    Live Simply
    Live Simply
    Simple
    Simply Beautiful
    Simply Bin It
    Simply Chill
    Simply Christmas
    Simply Christmas
    Simply Do A Good Deed
    Simply Draw
    Simply Draw
    Simply Eat
    Simply Fitter
    Simply Fun
    Simply Get Rid
    Simply Grow
    Simply Headspace
    Simply Holiday
    Simply Home
    Simply Home
    Simply Inspirational
    Simply Laugh
    Simply Learn
    Simply Listen
    Simply Live
    Simply Low Maintenance
    Simply Money
    Simply Move
    Simply Move
    Simply Organise
    Simply Paint
    Simply Routine
    Simply Seeing.. Or Not
    Simply Stylish
    Simply Venice
    Simply Write


    Author

    An artist seeking a simpler life - (but not too simple!)

    All words and images copyright Freda Waldapfel 2010 - 2020

    Archives

    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011
    January 2011
    December 2010
    November 2010
    October 2010
    September 2010
    August 2010
    July 2010
    June 2010
    May 2010
    April 2010
    March 2010

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.