I Dig This Soundtrack

A few days ago I funned around with a meme that Ed tagged me for. The last item on the meme list was to feature a clip from a favorite movie. Now, I have a ton of favorite movies, so Breaking the Waves is a recent favorite. I think I saw it for the first time last year on IFC but only partially. So I rented it and have now seen about three times.

I like it in part because the story of Bess McNeill is told in film "chapters" that change with dramatic images and great songs. So I just had to buy the soundtrack CD. It arrived, used from a vendor on Amazon. Under $5 plus free shipping. Being housebound and ill, this was a bit of a bright light for me.

This is about 2o minutes in length; a sampling of my favorite songs from the CD, so I understand if you skip around the tracks or skip it altogether! And I recommend the movie highly, though it's not for the faint-of-heart.

Breaking The Waves

Selections from the soundtrack to the film Breaking The Waves

1) A Broken Dream
Python Lee Jackson, featuring Rod Starwart
2) Hot Love - T Rex
3) Suzanne - Leonard Cohen
4) Cross-eyed Mary - Jethro Tull
5) Goodbye Yellow Brick Road - Elton John

Heart Mandala Award

This is such a beautiful award; both visually and symbolically. I'm very, very honored to have received it from my friend Liberality, whom I grow to admire and respect more with every post of hers I read. And that it was created with love by Susan, the subject of this art post, makes it all that much more special.

So many talented, creative, loving people deserve this award so it's hard to choose from among them. It's also hard for me to recall who likes awards and who does not, so if I pass this one to you and you're not an awards person, please feel no obligation.

For their heartfelt kindness and support:

1.) Steve at Color Sweet Tooth
2) Dianne at Forks Off The Moment
3) Betmo of Life's Journey

(My apologies to all for the delay in posting about my high regard for this award. I've been ill since Monday; struggling with an earache and congestion as well as a whole host of other related and unrelated ailments. Today, in the wee hours, I developed a massive headache that I've been fighting off all day. This is the first time today I have been able to be up and about. )

The Friday Evening Nudes

Self-Portrait

Henri Matisse


Odalisque With Magnolias

Decorative Figure on an Ornamental Ground

Blue Nude

Nude Sitting in an Armchair

Odalisque With Red Culottes

Nude With Raised Arms

An Ear Infection & a New Blog

I've been home sick for three days with a bad cold which has led to an ear infection and I'm bored beyond belief. I can't seem to concentrate on anything for very long; having tried to start a John Lennon biography, began and deleted two new blogs and attempted to write at least five posts which I've trashed.

Today was actually not a sick day as school was canceled due to an early morning icy rain. We were just peering out through a window at the bare trees completely glazed in ice. Tomorrow's health and weather forecasts don't look much brighter.

My ear is fuzzy as an itchy sweater, aching and ringing and popping and my cough gets worse at night. I'm a small train wreck of a woman! You would think that the fertility gods would take pity on me in this state but to add to the misery, I'm also menstruating. Ugh. I know. I'm not usually this forthcoming with the private information but what the hell. A woman can only be so miserable before she has to get it off her chest.

But, hark! I've put the finishing touches on what I hope is a blog I will not trash - The Pagan's Eye, which I will devote to the photo memes I participate in such as Ruby Tuesday and Sky Watch. That way I will have more room here to post about art and perhaps more personal things, who knows. I can't make any promises about my writing, since I have a life-long writer's block. I've tried unsuccessfully for years to journal but the inspiration always seems to be lacking. I'm working on trying a few different prompts to get me warmed up but so far all I have is a bushel full of blogger drafts. Any words of encouragement, advise and critique will be greatly appreciated.

Namaste, my friends.

P.S. Don't forget to check my post on Susan's art work here. You are guaranteed to love it! :-)

Mike Huckabee: The Thoughtful Homophobe

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

Mike Huckabee Pt. 2

I have a feeling we're going to be listening a lot to Huckabee in four years. I'm not familiar with Jon Stewart's show but I thought he handled Uncle Mike just fine. Thanks to jfc, my favorite blogless blogger (and friend), for the heads-up on this video.

Artist of the Week

Garden Cats

Susan Mills

Once again, I have the pleasure of featuring an artist whom I can count among my blog friends. Susan, of the blog Phantsythat. These luscious watercolor paintings have stolen my heart, in part because of the love and tenderness with which Susan paints the animals in her creations, the rich details, the gorgeous colors and patterned borders.

When you visit Phantsythat, be sure to read the posts that accompany the paintings she features, as they connect in some meaningful way to one another. I've included links to a few of my favorite posts.

Susan lives in Portland, Oregon with her husband and has lived and traveled extensively within Canada and the U.S. as well as many places of the heart, mind and imagination. She's an intensely spiritual and delightfully positive human being.

Moonlight Reprise

Read the accompanying post which is about one of my favorite recent novels

Life of Pi

After Science

Accompanying post:

What Else Don't We Know?

Balancing Act

Baby Days
Please read and enjoy this lovely, whimsical story that Susan wrote and illustrated in pen and ink

And this lovely drawing from Adventures Ink, the blog where Susan not only shares with us her drawing ability but also her strengths as a writer. The stories that accompany the drawings are taken from Susan's own interesting life and travels.

60th Anniversity of The Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Today is the Universal Declaration of Human Rights' 60th anniversary.
I believe that Every Human Has Rights! www.everyhumanhasrights.org”

“Where, after all, do universal human rights begin? In small places, close to home -- so close and so small that they cannot be seen on any map of the world. Yet they are the world of the individual person: the neighborhood he lives in; the school or college he attends; the factory, farm or office where he works.”
-Eleanor Roosevelt


Every Human Has Rights - Campaign Highlights from Every Human Has Rights on Vimeo.

Ruby Tuesday

Welcome to my Ruby Tuesday post
&
Special thanks to Mary The Teach for hosting Ruby Tuesday

Downtown Parrsboro, Nova Scotia
August, 2008

A Touch of Red Paint
Ottawa House grounds
Parrsboro, Nova Scotia

Oh, dear. We haven't even had our first snow fall here in The Valley and I'm already longing for summer.

Mandolin Wind

I'm struck by young Rod Stewart lately.

Shadow Shot Sunday

Shadow Shot Sunday
Hey, Harriet! Thanks!

More Pagan Sphinx House Shadows
These were taken Wednesday at around 7:30 a.m. in our living room.

Lamps

Buddha and the Llamas

One of the reasons I felt a connectedness to this house was because when I first visited here nearly five years ago, was immediately drawn to the Buddha in the living room. It belonged to WP's late wife, Anne. She left behind a very discernible sense of peace. The llamas, however, belong to The Girls and me. They're very dear. Those are little turquoise nuggets they carry in their side packs. If anyone can remind me of the name for those sacks, please comment.

Little Wooden Elephant