Go to Sleep, Darlings...
“I wonder if the snow loves the trees and fields
It covers them snug, you know, with a white quilt; and perhaps it says, Go to Sleep, Darlings, till the summer comes again.” Lewis Carroll
No filter, just my phone, the garden, the scarecrow and, the sunflowers in the snow.
All winter through I bow my head
beneath the driving rain; the North Wind powders me with snow and blows me black again; at midnight 'neath a maze of stars I flame with glittering rime, and stand above the stubble, stiff as mail at morning-prime. But when that child called Spring, and all his host of children come, scattering their buds and dew upon these acres of my home, some rapture in my rags awakes; I lift void eyes and scan the sky for crows, those ravening foes, of my strange master, Man. I watch him striding lank behind his clashing team, and know soon will the wheat swish body high where once lay a sterile snow; soon I shall gaze across a sea of sun-begotten grain, which my unflinching watch hath sealed for harvest once again.
O is for the only one I see V is very, very extraordinary E is even more than anyone that you adore can Love is all that I can give to you Love is more than just a game for two Two in love can make it Take my heart and please don't break it Love was made for me and you L is for the way you look at me O is for the only one I see V is very, very extraordinary E is even more than anyone that you adore can Love is all that I can give to youLove is more than just a game for two Two in love can make it Take my heart and please don't break it Love was made for me and you Love was made for me and you Love was made for me and you
~ "CATPHABET ~Your cat's name & persuade your cat to pose for a photo with an object that starts with the same letter."
"This year I'm going to be Batman, said Bat"!
And I'm going to be The Cat of Monte Cristo, said Maggie!
“Ah, lips that say one thing, while the heart thinks another,” ― Alexandre Dumas, The Count of Monte Cristo
"Oh, how I wish I could fly like the Bats on the Clock, said Bat!"
Combine the two, cats and a pandemic and, what have you got? Infinite time to think!
Ah, captivity, house arrest, hours spent in barred boundaries between four walls, and if you are lucky, a garden to soak in the sun while the weather is still warm although now a little too chilly. Nothing like being an outdoor cat! I miss having no boundaries, so what do we do?
Well, we join groups, cat lovers group, art group, writing group, music group, garden group, you find yourself pretty much forget you're living in a pandemic, almost. I still miss visiting family, thrifting, shopping, movies, and eating out. So for the time being this will help some.
THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO
“What would you not have accomplished if you had been free?"
"Possibly nothing at all; the overflow of my brain would probably, in a state of freedom, have evaporated in a thousand follies; misfortune is needed to bring to light the treasures of the human intellect. Compression is needed to explode gunpowder. Captivity has brought my mental faculties to a focus; and you are well aware that from the collision of clouds electricity is produced — from electricity, lightning, from lightning, illumination.”
― Alexandre Dumas, The Count of Monte Cristo
Until life returns to normal keep focus on the treasures at hand. Stay safe♥️
"Dormir sous un cyprès, or “to sleep under a cypress” means to be dead."
I left it for dead.
When I was inspired to paint The Quiet Garden, it was after I had come upon a beautiful garden behind The Saint John the Baptist Anglican Church in Richmond, Ontario, next to the church graveyard. But, I failed in capturing the serene landscape of The Quiet Garden and tossed the painting into the woodpile.
Sometimes, what I have in mind does not always turn out the way I conceive it in my mind. Now, I have arrived where the road leads to though not so sure how to go on. I will need to give it some thought before I make my next brush stroke.
THE ROAD NOT TAKEN
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both And be one traveler, long I stood And looked down one as far as I could To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair, And having perhaps the better claim, Because it was grassy and wanted wear; Though as for that the passing there Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay In leaves no step had trodden black. Oh, I kept the first for another day! Yet knowing how way leads on to way, I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh Somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.
A glory of gold And russet and grey, The tree-tops old Glow in the day; And, one by one, The dry leaves fall, And the Autumn sun Smiles on them all.
Where all is still The rabbits play, And pheasants fill Each woodland way; And, one by one, The dry leaves fall, While the Autumn sun Smiles on them all.
It was in the summer of 1977, the year of HRH Queen's Silver Jubilee, and Queen was playing in London the night we arrived in England. We never bothered with reserving a room at a hotel, and by the end of the evening, we still had not found an affordable place to sleep. Finding something to eat tho, was less of a challenge: Fish and Chips wrapped in newsprint was perfect for our very first meal in the UK, and the unexpected extra that came with the dinner helped us find a place to sleep: under the park bench of where we earlier sat and ate our meal. What we didn't expect was on company joining us that evening. A young fellow who had attended the Queen concert earlier that night had missed the last train home and asked if we could share one of our sleeping bags with him: of course, we girls obliged. Strangely, in the wee morning hours, he was gone. England, already, was being spooky.
The following night we arrived in Scarborough, again with no reservations. It wasn't too long before someone spotted our Canadian flags on our backpacks, two fellows from a neighboring karate school who graciously offered us a room for the night but, that didn't turn out too well when their coach walked in with the rest of the class and canceled our room. So we resumed our search. Walking past a nightclub closing its doors for the night, Grace Jones singing La Vie En Rose drifting in the night air, I felt a hand pat my backpack: it was a policeman. We had finally found a place for the night, the local police station. They felt sorry for us Canadians and put us up for the night. The morning came early with a hot cup of coffee; I took one last look into the large glass mirror in the room before heading out, paused, and then wondered. Naw!
Side notes: I love keeping old things in small, glass cases reminding me of the past. I bought this pin of the Union Jack when I was in England and pinned it to what I believe to be a Royal Navy WW1 Petty Officers Cloth Bullion Cap Badge. Might be British or Canadian, either one, I love the fact that I now own one.
And this song was playing all over the airwaves in the late seventies. It always takes me back to the night we spent in Scarborough, England, the time of The Queen's Jubilee, and the room with a two-way mirror? lol
Abandoned and forgotten, this painting I started in April may yet see life. I almost burned it on a few bonfire nights but, it somehow escaped. And then, looking at the rough sketches of the painting, I took another look at the wood plank and was intrigued by the light and shading of the colors breaking through the Cyprus trees. I think it might be worth my time to finish what I started.
Where did I get the inspiration for this painting?
The Quiet Garden at The Saint John the Baptist Anglican Church in Richmond, Ontario. In times past, when my daughter was in school, Grace, our golden and I would go to Richmond, take a long walk in the park by the river until M finished her class. Then, one day, Grace and I came across The Quiet Garden next to a beautiful cemetery behind the Anglican church. The garden became our special place to retreat to after a long walk, Grace and I taking a little rest before picking up M. These days, I don't go there often, but when I do, I see the golden girl sitting next to me by the garden bench. 😢🦮
"Today" ~ Mary Oliver
Today I’m flying low and I’m not saying a word I’m letting all the voodoos of ambition sleep. The world goes on as it must, the bees in the garden rumbling a little, the fish leaping, the gnats getting eaten. And so forth. But I’m taking the day off. Quiet as a feather. I hardly move though really I’m traveling a terrific distance. Stillness. One of the doors into the temple.
“Always be on the lookout for the presence of wonder.” ~ E.B.WHITE
When,
at that moment, the secret charm of your cat appears before you: how human is he, reading a book, and in the company of his new friend, Charlotte.
HAPPY CATURDAY!😽
For September 5th/2020 Theme,
"Book Titles".
Charlotte's Web 🕷🕸🐖
~E.B.WHITE
“A library is a good place to go when you feel unhappy, for there, in a book, you may find encouragement and comfort. A library is a good place to go when you feel bewildered or undecided, for there, in a book, you may have your question answered. Books are good company, in sad times and happy times, for books are people - people who have managed to stay alive by hiding between the covers of a book."
~ Oil on wood panel I should have thought of this earlier but its never too late. A neat way to see where the stars would look good before painting them in. I still need to paint a shooting star and some tiny stars around the little white ghostly pumpkins.
"By pumpkins fat and witches lean By coal black cats With eyes of green By all the magic ever seen The ghosts will rise on Halloween" ~ author unknown
I shared this oil painting yesterday but, I got better pictures this morning so, sharing once more. Also, wondering what to do with the pumpkin patch, any suggestions?
Last night's moon was a waxing crescent, and I tried to capture an image with my phone, only I got this. Sometimes, pictures lie. lol
I did, however, paint it in my spooky Halloween painting.
Now, I am thinking, what I need to do with the haunted pumpkin patch being very careful not disturb the little spooks. Of course, you might have guessed if you read about our pumpkin patch how I got the idea for this painting. And did you notice the pet rock? Nature sure presents inspiration: one only needs to put on their glasses and take a closer look. Well, at least I know I do, reading glasses and an early morning coffee helps me to see more clearly.
Black Bats, Werewolves, Pumpkins & Cats & Haunted Trees *** Under this dark and dreary October sky, an otherworldly atmosphere occupies my space. Still painting but the light is escaping the room or maybe it's me : ) Love this little black velvety /rusty pumpkin I made using vintage fabric and a real pumpkin stem. Most of what you see on display are vintage treasures I collected on my country road trips to my favorite haunts. The German Werewolf Beer Stein is a recent find and the spooky cute haunted candlestick is even more adorable because it holds a wine cork candle with my birth year 1957 @ ghostales1957. The black velvet glass dish fits perfectly under the mini pumpkin. Love collecting the vintage Velvet glass and it doesn't look black in the light but sometimes it's purple or red when you place it in the light...bLACK mAGIC!
The old haunted tree candlestick and German Werewolf Stein also found treasures@ Sally
Found these sparkly bats and the starry candle votive@Sally Ann
Something about this room, the cats just can't keep out. This time it was Maggie's turn to keep me company.
I dressed up our Witch for Halloween last October and gave her my vintage Old snuff perfume bottle necklace to keep her secret potion and a beautiful blue Victorian beaded bag to keep her special herbs in but little did know I would soon be giving her a little black kitten , a real one🐱Just a wee bit of a touch up obscuring the messing background since it was a spur of the moment photo; we were so excited and afraid of hurting him we took a real quick pic without any setup. Looks better now, I think.
Little whispers floated in the night air and ..........
I BELIEVE.....
THEY SAID .....
"DON'T DREAM IT BE IT"......
BE THE GHOST IN THE GHOSTALES BANNER ......
And if you love Peter Cushing's quote so much , why not place it on the banner?
AND SO I DID!
AFTER READING A COMMENT LEFT ON MY "ZOMBIE QUEEN" ART PIECE ON FLICKR,
IT MADE ME THINK AND I THOUGHT SHE WOULD MAKE A RATHER PERFECT GHOST, SO I MADE MYSELF A NEW ETSY SHOP BANNER THIS MORNING AND I MUST SAY, I AM QUITE PLEASED WITH THE END RESULTS.
OCTOBER SPIRITS LINGER IN MY ROOM ONLY BECAUSE IT'S THAT TIME OF YEAR ....
"WHEN WITCHES GO RIDING, AND BLACK CATS ARE SEEN,
THE MOON LAUGHS AND WHISPERS ,
TIS NEAR HALLOWEEN"!
AND IF THE SPIRIT IS WILLING WHICH MINE CERTAINLY IS, AUTUMN IS A PERFECT TIME TO SIT BY THE HEARTH WITH DELICIOUS TREATS AND SOME LOVELY SPIRITS IN A GLASS TO RID OF YOUR SHIVERING CHILLS WHILE WATCHING GHOSTS ON T.V.
ONE VERY LOVELY SPIRIT I LOVE IS CRYSTAL HEAD VODKA AND IF YOU COULD HAVE A NON-ADDITIVE VODKA, WHAT VODKA WOULD YOU CHOOSE?
CRYSTAL HEAD VODKA WITHOUT QUESTION ....PURE VODKA LESS THE LEMONENE (USED IN BUG EXTERMINENTS) AND GLYCERIDE (USED IN ANTIFREEZE) FOUND IN OTHER VODKAS.
CRYSTAL HEAD VODKA WAS AWARDED GOLD IN RUSSIA..BEST TASTING OUT OF 400👀👀👁👁👀🍸 OTHER SPIRITS!
DAN AYKROYD AND JOHN ALEXANDER, THE ARTISTS WHO COLLABERATED IN THE ORIGINAL CREATION OF CRYSTAL HEAD VODKA HAVE CREATED A FINE SPIRIT AND THE MOST RECENT ADDITION TO THEIR CRYSTAL HEAD VODKA LINE IS THE "AURORA" . A BEAUTIFUL CRYSTAL SKULL BOTTLE IN AN IRRIDESCENT FINISH THAT MIMICKS THE AURORA.
A PERFECT SPIRIT, CRYSTAL HEAD VODKA "AURORA" IS A DRY, CRISP, SWEET VANILLA TASTING VODKA. ITS NAME SAKE COMMENORATES THE AURORA BOREALIS AND AURORA AUSTRALIS.
THE AURORA BOREALIS ( NORTHERN LIGHTS) AND AURORA AUSTRALIS ( SOUTHERN LIGHTS) ARE THE RESULT OF ELECTRONS COLLIDING WITH THE UPPER REACHES OF EARTH'S ATMOSPHERE. ( PROTONS CAUSE FAINT AND DIFFUSE AURORA, USUALLY NOT EASILY VISIBLE TO THE HUMAN EYE. )"
PICTURE COURTESY OF
WWW.SWPC.NOAA.GOV/PHENOMENA/AURORA
IT'S OTHERWORLDLY, MYSTICAL AND SPOOKY AND LUCKY ME HUBBY SURPRISED ME WITH ANOTHER CRYSTAL HEAD VODKA FOR MY COLLECTION ( WE ALREADY HAVE TWO UNOPENED)WE ARE KEEPING THEM FOR SPECIAL OCCASIONS I.E. RETIREMENT ETC.
WITCHES
AND GHOSTLY WHITE CATS
WIRY SPIDERS
AND SPARKLING WEBS
PUMPKINS
AND OLD HAUNTED TREES
WHEN YOU ENTER INSIDE THIS SPOOKY ROOM YOU KNOW THE OCTOBER SPIRITS HAVE CHECKED IN 👀
SPIDER TABLE RUNNER I BOUGHT AT HOMESENSE
THE DIAMOND CRYSTAL VOTIVE CANDLE HOLDERS ARE FROM PARYLITE BUT I GOT THEM FROM THE LOCAL THRIFT STORE. I DIDN'T LIKE THEIR ORIGINAL GOLD STANDS BUT I KNEW ONE DAY I WOULD FIND THEM A NEW HOME. WHEN I FOUND THIS HAUNTED TREE AT A GARAGE SALE MISSING IT'S TEA LITE HOLDERS I KNEW EXACTLY WHAT I WOULD USE IN THEIR PLACE. I AM STILL MISSING A COUPLE TEA LITE HOLDERS.
MINIATURE PUMPKIN I MADE FROM VINTAGE FABRIC AND A REAL PUMPKIN STEM
LOOK CLOSER AND YOU WILL NOTICE THE CRYSTAL HEAD VODKA MINIATURES ON THE CABINET...EMPTY OF COURSE!
MORE SPIRITS HUBBY BOUGHT ... KILLIBINBIN SCAREDY CAT AND LA CUVEE MYTHIQUE
I ALWAYS LOVED THE MOVIE "SPIDERWICK CHRONICLES AND SO I BOUGHT A GLASS CLOCHE FOR MY CRYSTAL HEAD VODKA. I LOVE THE LOOK OF THE PROFESSOR'S ATTIC LAB WITH ALL OF THE SPECIMENS AND CLOCHE GLASS JARS. I MUST COLLECT SOME MORE GLASS DOMES OF VARYING SIZES SINCE I HAVE MANY MORE SPECIMENS TO DISPLAY : )
I FOUND THE COOL SPIRIT BOOK BOTTLE AT AN ANTIQUE STORE . IT READS "HANDBOOK OF GAY SPIRITS , BY PROF. AL. KOHOL, UNABRIDGED DELIGHT".
I LEFT IT BEHIND WHEN I FIRST SAW IT AND RETURNED THE VERY NEXT DAY TO BUY IT WHEN I THOUGHT HOW COOL IT WOULD LOOK NEXT TO MY CRYSTAL HEAD VODKA BOTTLE!!!
NOTICE THE BLACK VINTAGE GLASS JUG NEXT TO THE AURORA VODKA CRYSTAL HEAD SKULL? IT HAS A NAME WRITTEN ON IT , MAYBE IT BELONGS TO THE CRYSTAL HEAD IN THE DIORAMA?
ONE OF MY FAVOURITE COLORS IS TEAL AND THIS GLASS BALL GOES BEAUTIFULLY WITH THE VINTAGE SPIRIT BOTTLE, GLASSES AND GLASS MOSAIC VASE.
OH, CAN'T FORGET ELLIOTT , MY WHITE GLASS GHOST CAT
ISN'T SHE LOVELY?
I BOUGHT HER AT CANADIAN TIRE A FEW YEARS BACK AND DRESSED HER IN A VINTAGE BLACK VELVET DRESS AND BLACK VELVET HAT
MY VINTAGE DOLL "LILY MUNSTER" AND A $1 SKULL I BOUGHT AT A GARAGE SALE. THE SKULL DID HAVE A BODY BUT I'M AFRAID HE WAS BEYOND REPAIR WITH THE EXCEPTION OF HIS SKULL SO I GOT MY HUSBAND TO SAW HIS HEAD OFF.
MAYBE ONE DAY I WILL EMBELLISH HIM WITH CRYSTALS AND PEARLS AND MAKE HIM LOOK LIKE ONE- EYED WILLY
I'M SURE HE WILL NO DOUBT STAND OUT WHEN I PLACE HIM WITH THE CRYSTAL HEAD VODKA COLLECTION WE HAVE.
PUMPKIN CANDLESTICKS, A BLACK PIANO AND FRED ASTAIRE
I ADORE THIS PIANO, A BIRTHDAY GIFT FROM MY HUSBAND. I THINK HE ALWAYS FANCIED A MUSICAL GIRL WHO COULD PLAY THE PIANO AND THOUGHT MAYBE HE COULD ADD THAT TOO TO HIS BUCKET LIST : )
I DID START OFF GOOD TEACHING MYSELF SOME BACH TUNES BUT AFTER A WHILE I WAS DRIVING EVERYBODY CRAZY BY PLAYING IN REPEAT I STOPPED. I MUST GET BACK TO LEARNING SOME TUNES AND WHO KNOWS SOME OF MY BELOVED MUSICAL SPIRITS LIKE VIC MIZZY, BACH, BERNARD HERRMANN, GLENN GOULD, MIGHT JUST DROP IN AND GUIDE ME IN A FEW LESSONS J. AFTER ALL IT IS A SPIRIT ROOM, RIGHT?
A DREAM OF MINE HAS ALWAYS BEEN TO LIVE IN A GOTHIC CHURCH BUT I GUESS FOR NOW I'LL HAVE TO SETTLE WITH AN ORIGINAL PAINTING OF A GORGEOUS CHURCH WHICH FOR SOME REASON REMINDS ME OF "PRIDE AND PREJUDICE"
WITCH BOOTS CANDLE VOTIVES I BOUGHT AT HOMESENSE WITH A COOL VINTAGE POISON VESSEL PENDENT I BOUGHT AT SAINT VINCENT IN AYLMER , QUEBEC.
THE BOOTS SIT ON AN OLD BOOK OF PROPER NAMES
"THE CENTURY CYCLOPEDIA OF NAMES" FIRST PUBLISHED IN 1889.
I HAVE THE 1914 VERSION
THE SPIRIT ROOM 2016
MORE MINIATURE CRYSTAL HEAD VODKA BOTTLES
DIAMONDS, STARS AND MOON ?
COULD BE THE MOON,
CERTAINLY NOT A CRYSTAL BALL BUT CLOSE
.... ON MY VINTAGE HAUNTINGS LIST
WATCHING AND WAITING FOR THE OCTOBER SPIRITS TO ARRIVE
"IN BOTH THE ORIGINAL COMICS AND THE LIVE - ACTION MOVIES,SPLINTER IS THE PET RAT OF A NINJA NAMED HAMATO YOSHI IN JAPAN. INTELLIGENT FOR HIS SPECIES,SPLINTER IS ABLE TO LEARN NINJUTSU ART BY MIMICKING HIS MASTER'S MOVEMENTS WHILE HE PRACTICED." WIKIPEDIA.ORG
AND AS YOU CAN SEE, MY PET RAT , SPLINTER (HANDMADE OF PAPER MACHE ORIGINAL ~ ARTIST UNKNOWN )
IS ALSO A VERY ACCOMPLISHED VIOLINIST.
I FOUND HIM AT SALLY ANN.
I SUSPECT FRED MIGHT DROP IN IF HE HEARS MUSIC PLAYING . ….. LET'S FACE THE MUSIC AND DANCE
