Shadow Shot Sunday

It's Shadow Shot Sunday time again. That's good because I get to visit Harriet's blog. She's the host of SSS and she lives in Australia, a place that I'm determined to visit one day.

House Shadows

These were taken in my entryway in the early morning, with the East sun pouring in slowly over the wall.

lamp shadow



plant shadow

hanging shadow

This is a photo of a detail of a painting we have hanging in our entryway. It's an original painting by a South American artist whose name is hard to make out on the canvas. One of my favorites from WP's small (and humble) collection of art.

The green of the wall is the new color I recently painted my entryway. It sets off the painting rather nicely. I'm liking this little corner of the house as it is redecorated my way.

The Friday Evening Nudes

Andrew Wyeth

click to visit the official website

July 12, 1917

Black Velvet
(this reminds so much of Manet's Olympia)

On Her Knees

Day Dreams

Lovers 1981

Thanksgiving Greetings

Thanksgiving greeting card
1900

Happy Thanksgiving

"Ohenton Kariwahtekwen"

Greetings to the Natural World

The following words are based on the Thanksgiving Address, an ancient message of peace and appreciation for Mother Earth and all of her inhabitants. They come to us from the Native people known as the Haudenosaunee, also knows as the Iroquois or Six Nations - Mohawk, Oneida, Cayuga, Onondaga, Seneca and Tuscarora, of upstate New York and Canada. These words are still spoken at ceremonial and governmental gatherings held by the Six Nations.

To be a human being is an honor, and we offer thanksgiving for all the gifts of life.
Mother Earth, we thank you for giving us everything we need.
Thank you, deep blue waters around Mother Earth, for you are the force that takes thirst away from all living things.
We give thanks to green grasses that feel so good against our bare feet, for the cool beauty you bring to Mother Earth's floor.
Thank you, good foods from Mother Earth, our life sustainers, for making us happy when we are hungry.
Fruits and berries, we thank you for your color and sweetness. We are all thankful to good medicine herbs, for healing us when we are sick.
Thank you, all the animals of the world, for keeping our precious forests clean. All the trees of the world, we are thankful for the shade and warmth you give us. Thank you , all the birds in the world for singing your beautiful songs for all to enjoy.
We give thanks to you, gentle Four Winds, for bringing clean air for us to breathe from the four directions.
Thank you, Grandfather Thunder Beings, for bringing rains to help all living things grow.
Elder Brother Sun, we send thanks for shining your light and warming Mother Earth.
Thank you, Grandmother Moon, for growing full every month to light the darkness for children and sparkling waters.
We give thanks, twinkling stars, for making the night sky so beautiful and for sprinkling morning dew drops on the plants.
Spirit Protectors of our past and present, we thank you for showing us ways to live in peace and harmony with one another.
And most of all, thank you, Great Spirit, for giving us all these wonderful gifts, so we will be happy and healthy every day and every night.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.
Love,
Pagan Sphinx

Ben Heine Cartoon & Ruby Tuesday

Cartoon by Ben Heine

I usually post a photo for Ruby Tuesday but since I don't have anything that is particularly Thanksgiving-like, I decided not to submit anything. But I hope you'll go over to visit Mary/The Teach and check out some of the other entries, especially this one at Little Bang Theory.

I wanted to share with you a cartoon by the extraordinary Ben Heine, with an accompanying link to an article about The Group of 20 Nations meeting. Also please check out Ben's website and blog. He's amazingly talented and one of the most kind and gentle people I've met online.

Joni Mitchell Playlist

Selections from
The Hissing of Summer Lawns
Hejira
Night Ride Home

This is a long over-due tribute. Joni Mitchell celebrated her 65th birthday on November 7. Happy birthday to her; one of my arty-rock heroes.

And many more, Ms. Mitchell and thank you for the songs and paintings.

Suzanne Vega

1) Book of Dreams
2) Men In A War
3) Tired of Sleeping

Suzanne Vega
Days of Future Hand

Days of Open Hand

Click on this photo to go to the official Suzanne Vega homepage, maintained by Suzanne herself.

Blogging Brings Us Closer

"This blog invests and believes in proximity" [meaning, that blogging makes us "close" - being close through proxy].

Finally. Time to blog about this cool award I was given by my friend Dianne at Forks Off The Moment a few days back. I'm so honored that Di even comments on my blog and that I can count her among my bloggie friends but to get this beautiful award, written in a "forin" language, yet. (My language. Yup. Cuz I be forin).

Dianne is just the coolest woman. She's brilliant, funny and so down-to-earth. Thankfully for us, she's also in touch with love, honesty and what justice means. Dianne also has a great photo blog called Do You See What I See, where she posts to some of the same photo memes I enjoy such as Ruby Tuesday and Shadow Shot Sunday. I just can't say enough about her and what she shares with us on her blogs.

I'm running out of blogs to give awards too, I think. I can think of several I'd like to celebrate this award with but they've already received it.

In light of that, I'd like to give this award to a single recipient; one who comments here and there frequently but does not have a blog: JCF. I've gotten to know jcf through comments at the Priest's place. jcf's comments are straight-forward and very funny. jcf's supportive and kind comments about SG1's particular niche in the GLTB community have been priceless to me. jcf is one of the people who has gone out their way to contact me by email about interesting things that were posted about me at Mad Priest's. (tongue in cheek). That was hilarious, I must admit. Thanks, jcf!

Ok, so I rambled. I just really like this person, okay!

(It'd better be, cuz if mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy!)

It's such a nice award that it really should be spread around. So I hope you will do just that. Perhaps you could pass it on to your most proximo blog-less commenter.

Peace & Proximidade,
Pagan

Shadow Shot Sunday

Hey, Harriet! Thanks for hosting this meme. I succumb to it again and again.
Thanks also for bringing me the delight of seeing what it's like in Brisbain.

Love Those Barn Shadows
North County