Art Animalia - Le Poisson

Around the Fish
Paul Klee
1927

Winslow Homer
Fish

Bonnard
Fish in a Dish
1921

Nick Bantock

Aquarium
Margret Hofheinz Döring

Rainy Friday Stay-in Music

all of you pretty girls



Last Chance Texaco



Wild Horses

Beauty Break

Rossetti

(I actually saw this live at The Tate. I believe WP had time to take a nap in Trafalgar Square while I stood riveted to this painting)

I'm feeling rather gloomy and grumpy. Firstly, WP has been in California for the last ten days (due home tomorrow). Then there is the matter of our sadness and dismay over Prop 8 passing, as well as very ill feelings toward Washington regarding the "bail- out".

I needed me a beauty break.

The Peace Tree

My post Questions for the Obama Administration is up at The Peace Tree. I'd love your participation in comments if you have the time to stop over.

Peace.

Sky Watch Friday

Sky Watch Friday

More photos of our glorious river view. These were taken early last month.

If you'd like to see sky photos from all over the globe, check out Sky Watch!

Armistice/Veteran's Day

They have sacrificed mightily to perform their duties; their minds, their limbs and their lives. Isn't it about time we brought our own U.S. veterans home from Iraq? And when they return let us give them the hero's welcome by giving them the services , support and respect they deserve at home. Decent healthcare, housing, and jobs.

I , like many in this country, have put our hope on Barack Obama to end this nerve-wracking, senseless war. I hope that he will do what early on in his campaign he said he would do: an exit strategy over the span of sixteen months , I believe it was.

I don't mean to burst anyone's bubble over Obama's victory; I share in your hope and enthusiasm. But I think those of us who value peace need to be ever vigilant that our new president will not let us down in helping to end this war and decreasing American -led conflicts that serve to alienate us further from the world community.Lastly, I'm posting the video below not to be divisive but to help shed some light on a perspective that rarely makes it to the corporate media. And, I happen to see value in it, too.

No More Hate

This is the preeminent civil rights struggle of our times. I think that one day, people who stand silent now on this issue will regret not having spoken up.



I did find it interesting that Olbermann stated that he can't think of "even a collegue" who was affected by this issue. Rachel Maddow is gay. Not to take away from what Keith has so passionately stated; just sayin'.


10, 000 Protest Gay Marriage Ban in Los Angeles

Ruby Tuesday

Coleus

Ruby Tuesday is brought to us by Mary "The Teach"

Thanks, Mary!

Go visit; you won't be disappointed in the array of beautiful photo submissions containing a lot or a little red.

Don't Burn the Flag, Wash it!

George, when you smile your confident smirk remember this; it is the sneer of a failed monarch in a country of presidents.

~ The Poetry Man

available at Poems & Noble

That's the title of Mark Prime's compilation of poems, with cover artwork by the equally talented artist, Ben Heine.

Wash The Flag, Don't Burn it is a collection of 165 poems about peace, war, justice and liberty. Mark Prime is known to a lot of us in the blogosphere simply as Poetryman. He is the author of A Poetic Justice and started the Peace Tree, a blog that features the writing of several people including my own occasional contributions.

Every time I open the book, I do so randomly. Here is the first poem I turned to today.

TOM

They grow closer together each passing day
You know the vine I mean
The knitting of nature, green
Canopy aloft with life
Even when it's not
They tussle together like schoolchildren
Holding tight the other's hand
Moving 'cross the ground, trees
Weaving a needlepoint of intricacy
Tapping into new little worlds
Breathing time into tiny planets
The labor is far from over
Heavens hold lips in wait

And the less subtle, more powerful voice of this poem:

The War on Peace

When men squander their waking lives
God-jawing 'bout peace intent on war
The world's roads will soon be ruined
In man's self-strewn ambush
And our cities will crouch like snipers
Shelling their own decayed manifestation
Humanity then becomes the blinded child
Searching recklessly for its original eyes

It was hard to pick which poems to feature in this post; there are so many good ones. That is why it became necessary for me to choose them randomly. There is power, love, passion, anger without bitterness, clarity and real talent in this collection.

I'm pleased and proud to count Mark among my blog friends. I admire him not only for his talent as a poet but for his ability to live the life of a peaceful human being. It shows in his every word. Thanks Mark, for what you bring tirelessly to the blogosphere on a daily basis.

Artist of the Week

Janet Fish

A Biographical Sketch

Monochrome Monday

The home of Monochrome Monday

The Green River Bridge Green River Vermont

Boston Day Trip

I had a great day in Boston with my daughter SG2 who is a sophomore at Boston University. It was in the mid to high 60's, cloudy and breezy. People were out in droves.

SG2 and I decided to invest in time together and not try to take the T anywhere too far from her dorm. So we walked around Newbury Street together and poked in shops full of things we cannot readily afford. Then lunch at a cheap, pretty good Thai restaurant. Followed by a lot of walking in Boston Common. And we chatted up a storm and held hands a lot. What a sweet, affectionate, assertive, level-headed and deep-thinking person I helped to raised. It's hard to believe. Almost 20 and thinking so much about her future. It's all she talks about. I'm getting all sappy and teary-eyed now, so I'm just going to show you some photos from our day together.

Make Way For Ducklings Sculpture

Public Garden
Boston

SG2 Walking