Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Unicorn Tapestry


Paris - Latin Quarter: Musée national du Moyen Age - La Dame à la Licorne - "Sight"
Originally uploaded by wallyg

I hope you like unicorns too! I saw this series of 6 tapestries, called "The Lady and the Unicorn", which are housed in Paris in the Musee de Cluny (Musee National du Moyen Age), when my dh and I visited Paris.
These were woven in Flanders of wool and silk ca. 1490 and are one of the greatest art treasures of the Middle Ages.
The Cloisters in New York has a series of beautiful unicorn tapestries too, also woven in ca. 1490.
The unicorn tales are fabulous, and several novels focus on unicorns and painters find them engaging subjects. I wonder how the artists entice these graceful creatures to hold still and pose.

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Unicorn Sign


Unicorn Sign
Originally uploaded by Steffe

Now this is a sign I long to see because I love the idea of unicorns.
I could stay quietly near the unicorn crossing and take photos of unicorns and offer them each a carrot and a sugar cube as a treat. I visited Paris with my husband and saw the wonderful unicorn tapestries, where the white unicorn trustingly lays his head on the lady's lap. These tapestries were woven long ago and are very beautiful.
We also enjoyed the movie Legend which has beautiful and noble unicorns in it. So if you have seen a unicorn, let us know please.

Thursday, June 24, 2010

Nasturtium in salad


backyard salad
Originally uploaded by radicalfutures

Do you grow the pretty nasturtium flowers, in yellow, pink, white and especially in hot orange? The flowers are delicious additions to a salad.
To me the nasturtium flower tastes like a peppy yet mild radish, an ideal radish.
We are having steak on the grill tonight cooked by my dh, rustic baguette with a bit of olive bruschetta, and a favorite salad of mine. The salad has cucumbers, tomato, fresh basil from the garden and nasturtium flowers. They look pretty too!
Dressing at our house is olive oil, red wine vinegar and splashes of Trader Joe's seasoned rice vinegar.
It is so tasty and pretty to add nasturtiums to salads that I am inspired to buy a pack of seeds tomorrow, so we will soon have even more pretty flowers.

Friday, June 18, 2010

Church Sign


Church Sign
Originally uploaded by iirraa

One day recently I was walking in a neighborhood new to us, with my husband, and we saw a church with this sign. I just loved it, it really tickled my funny bone, and now I share this photo from flickr with you.
I think it is funny yet profound.
I believe that there is a church with a seat and a place just perfect for you. You may already have found it, or you may be seeking.
I hope this photo gives you a smile.

Thursday, June 17, 2010

Statue of Liberty's Birthday Today


Statue of Liberty
Originally uploaded by Turkinator

Today, June 17, is the 125th birthday of our beloved Statue of Liberty, actually this is the day it arrived in New York Harbor, packed for shipment in 214 crates. It was completed in France in 1885 by the sculptor Frederic-Auguste Bartholdi, in honor of France and the United States being "the two sisters" united by a love of freedom for our citizens.
The Statue of Liberty was dedicated with an official ceremony on October 28, 1886.
France played a significant role in helping the United States in our War of Independence, with men like the Marquis de Lafayette, a close friend of George Washington's, serving as officers in our army.
In the 1880s there was a movement in France to create a republic and building this statue was a way of symbolizing the love of democracy in "the two sisters".
I hope we honor her by keeping the freedoms that we retain and upholding the Bill of Rights. Let's push back each attempt to curtail our rights.

Saturday, June 12, 2010

Irish blessing and which old cards to keep

May green be the grass you walk on,
May blue be the skies above you,
May pure be the joys that surround you,
May true be the hearts that love you.
   Old Irish Blessing
This is from a birthday card sent to me in 1995 by my uncle Leroy. I am going through old cards and letters and weeding them. Yes, 1995. I keep too many family letters and cards! Do any of you, my blog buddies, do that too? It feels good to weed and lighten papers and possessions.
I treasure and will keep forever the last letters my mom wrote to me, in 1971, the year she went to heaven. Her letters overflowed with wisdom and love.
Two of my blogging friends have blogs where they show old postcards and cards, which are so pretty and full of charm. This makes it hard to decide what to discard and what to keep "forever." I am in the middle on this, I keep a fair amount and discard plenty.
Where are you on this "keep or toss" spectrum?

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Silly McDonald's Sign


Silly McDonald's Sign
Originally uploaded by ConanTheLibrarian

Wordless Wednesday funny sign.

Saturday, June 5, 2010

Cosmos and 10 Summer Flowers


Cosmos
Originally uploaded by ragnar1984

Do you rediscover flowers, like me?
I recently planted some cosmos, which I used to grow. I planted a six pack of mixed colors, mostly of the lavender color in this photo, and a six pack of ruby taller cosmos.
These are great sun loving flowers, with feathery foliage, and I am so glad to see them waving in my garden again.
For tips on 10 flowers with photos of each, that provide summer color, my online article is here:
http://www.positivelyfeminine.org/Creative/garden/th/flowers.htm
What flower that was an old friend have you rediscovered recently?

Thursday, June 3, 2010

My Mary With Her Roses

This photo is of my Mary garden, with the beautiful pink roses sheltering Mary.
I bought this rose bush long ago at a university plant sale, and don't recall its name, but it flourishes in very little sun. Hurray. At her feet are primroses and a prostrate rosemary.
There are 100 plants with Mary stories, including roses, primroses, rosemary, marigold, calendula, forget me not, snowdrop, carnation, clematis and so many more.
I love to see Mary at the back of the garden, with some sunlight shining on her, and when I see her statue she inspires me to pray in my garden.
Do any of you have a Mary garden?

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

The winner is ...


Happy Happy Joy Joy
Originally uploaded by Wolves68450

I found this photo of the joyful dog on Flickr and post it here to announce the winner of the copy of The Last Christian.
Yes, the winner is Sparkles.
Thanks to each one of you who left a comment and I will have another giveaway of a book soon.
I hope Sparkles will have as much fun reading the book as this little dog does when jumping for joy.