tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-370398092024-03-12T21:21:26.707-05:00Prismatic Palette" . . . painting the looser side of realism . . ."
Writing about my life as an artist, plein air painting, traveling and whatever else might intrigue me.Sri Debihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13746864792684762134noreply@blogger.comBlogger702125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37039809.post-9000907339562672932018-01-05T18:48:00.000-05:002018-01-05T18:49:06.639-05:00Wedding Day<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyirZVuZLpuOTYGlwZj_lpBC2vNEh8qdRX5b0pLsROo39FUf70VhkB2FzNhtvfMHoJhYJlpFEYU_zwgFIbWH8W0Q7bypqSSgRBXh6-o-wzhEVsysPoE1Hl1lJLKzSmKkaN31-d/s1600/20180105_154055-746708.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyirZVuZLpuOTYGlwZj_lpBC2vNEh8qdRX5b0pLsROo39FUf70VhkB2FzNhtvfMHoJhYJlpFEYU_zwgFIbWH8W0Q7bypqSSgRBXh6-o-wzhEVsysPoE1Hl1lJLKzSmKkaN31-d/s320/20180105_154055-746708.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6507717905285063090" /></a></p><div dir="auto">It's finally here! Tomorrow is the wedding of Martin's niece, Georgie, to James. Since we arrived here in Southampton on New Years Day evening, and folks have been in various spirals of nervousness, or as I prefer to say, excitement.<div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">I wish the couple all the best in their life together, and offer an endearing historical account for your enjoyment.<div dir="auto"><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">Consider 'The Tulip Staircase', the first centrally unsupported stairs in England, copying a Venetian model. The stone treads lock perfectly into each other and the wall, requiring no central structure, and creating the famous upwards view.</div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">The spiral resides beautifully within The Queen's Palace, in Greenwich, England. You see, in 1616, James I of England gave his Queen Anne the land to build a house. It was an apology for swearing at her after she accidentally shot his dog. </div></div></div></div> Sri Debihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13746864792684762134noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37039809.post-66121810340584233792018-01-04T18:15:00.001-05:002018-01-04T18:15:54.337-05:00Watercress in Alresford<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrYYWzepiiNBwps-xoo3nWKeC_woWLYO5dInzCYuRa0dscT69tDq_tVUTil_8Zux7q-V8Ab8cYkICzWslvXxw4aE3z7XQWg74mgLbkHZ11P-igR4ZKmHTkMFn7SbNSQMlJsQ3U/s1600/20180103_110703-754341.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrYYWzepiiNBwps-xoo3nWKeC_woWLYO5dInzCYuRa0dscT69tDq_tVUTil_8Zux7q-V8Ab8cYkICzWslvXxw4aE3z7XQWg74mgLbkHZ11P-igR4ZKmHTkMFn7SbNSQMlJsQ3U/s320/20180103_110703-754341.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6507338262581428194" /></a></p><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWatZ2AiL1HX-f8DTZC9fFaNfGH65pZ5g-q2T0tkv7gjOvJ-AtBzSEzulvXSxEeAvbRSpxqGMbTsov8OZOwKe8ZxWwDtScbgedwq3hazE2wlOyNfLHBXBs0zMV__fM-_vU3hd3/s1600/20180103_123025-758081.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWatZ2AiL1HX-f8DTZC9fFaNfGH65pZ5g-q2T0tkv7gjOvJ-AtBzSEzulvXSxEeAvbRSpxqGMbTsov8OZOwKe8ZxWwDtScbgedwq3hazE2wlOyNfLHBXBs0zMV__fM-_vU3hd3/s320/20180103_123025-758081.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6507338276183684162" /></a></p><div dir="auto">Yesterday was our second wonderful day out with Martin's brother Pete. We left Southampton driving through many villages on the southwestern edge of The Downs. We passed through an area known for its watercress fields and made a stop at a small farm to study just how this peppery green was cultivated.<div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">Watercress thrives in clear, slow moving water, and the small watercrest field in my photo sits beside a clear running stream that feeds into the Itchen River. The grower controls and directs the flow of water through the field divisions, a bit like rice paddies.<div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">Next, we headed for Alresford and The Watercress Line Railway. We wanted a look at the old steam train engines, but they were all at another station for the two months that they would be 'on vacation'.</div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">So we walked along the trendy High Street ane came upon The Tiffin Tearoom. We entered in. Pete glanced at the menu and said he knew what he wanted, and when I saw it, I ordered the same. And so it was, I had my first ever egg and watercress sandwich on grainery bread. As you can see, a scone with clotted cream and strawberry jam came with this 'tea for one'. I chose an award winning Honey Himalayan tea to go with it. Yummy, yummy, yummy.</div></div></div> Sri Debihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13746864792684762134noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37039809.post-84354835304966174182018-01-04T13:08:00.001-05:002018-01-04T13:08:44.930-05:00Pantomime<div dir="auto">Wow! I've just experienced my first pantomime at the Mayflower Theatre in Southampton. We attended a matinée performance of "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs".<div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">It was all great fun, lights, smoke and magic mirror. The Wicked Queen is fantastically played by Craig Revel Horwood who is equipped with a magnificent evil laugh, impressive singing voice, and interesting stage voice. After all, he is a queen playing a queen, wearing glittery over-the-top costumes and majestic headgear! A scene where The Queen attempts to seduce The Handsome Prince into marrying her is more sweet transvestite than wicked queen, with the prince loosing his shirt, piece by piece, until his entire muscular torso is on display.</div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">The pantomime is meant for all ages, and the jokes are on all levels.</div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">The Chuckle Brothes gave frequent and goofy comedy to groan or roll in the aisle laugh at, and involved squirting water, throwing marshmallows and other things into the audience, and the ever popular pie in the face of at least 4 audience members.</div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">Flawless, an 8-man dance troop were amazing.</div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">Snow White was there, the Dwarfs, played by men moving around on their knees with fake legs hanging down, was nicely done.</div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">Audience participation is encouraged, and I did join in, but I found that I liked the Evil Queen way to much to boo her.</div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">I highly recommend it.</div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto"> <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Craig_Revel_Horwood" target="_blank">https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wi<wbr>ki/Craig_Revel_Horwood</a></div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto"><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chuckle_Brothers" target="_blank">https://en.m.wikipedia.org/<wbr>wiki/Chuckle_Brothers</a><br></div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto"><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flawless_(dance_troupe)">https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flawless_(dance_troupe)</a> <br></div></div> Sri Debihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13746864792684762134noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37039809.post-30118180382650916652018-01-04T07:14:00.001-05:002018-01-04T07:14:36.079-05:00England, January 2018: Winchester wonders #1<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUfLGU4NPYBBX4ucKxsSA4AHMGS87BcCPwOV0vD_8MAdoeTgRGGm99YJbdvopMPEQk98Na_q23_i_yljkm_iVHn8oY3_G7rb9v2FWioGW_mmnHGJBFR4cyb_UoZd_Vwr_difio/s1600/20180104_115923-776082.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUfLGU4NPYBBX4ucKxsSA4AHMGS87BcCPwOV0vD_8MAdoeTgRGGm99YJbdvopMPEQk98Na_q23_i_yljkm_iVHn8oY3_G7rb9v2FWioGW_mmnHGJBFR4cyb_UoZd_Vwr_difio/s320/20180104_115923-776082.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6507167845656500482" /></a></p><div dir="auto">You never know what you might find when you're traveling. Sometimes things seem to appear out of nowhere, and are nice oddities on a long journey.<div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">Years ago Martin and I drove down through the West Country and found many references to the legend of King Arthur, the Lady of the Lake, and Uther Pendragon.</div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">Yesterday, we had a morning out in several villages, and an afternoon in the city of Winchester, ending in my brother-in-law's office. On one wall was a large map of the city printed in the 1700's. As the brothers discussed the history of the city, I saw this reference to Arthur, and his round table. We never saw the actual object, but it exists as listed on the map: 18 feet across, divided into sections with the names of all of Arthur's Knights. Again, it makes me smile.</div></div> Sri Debihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13746864792684762134noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37039809.post-64936235906178520602018-01-02T06:06:00.001-05:002018-01-02T06:06:51.703-05:00Gift shop St. Denis<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhorRa6Ita5FkQ6ZwCLt6P2It52MY9EWzt8SUVHhyphenhyphen2qcxIEoy5zihlCarUezdrrT41avDhzVqoWWs_g8y5AF-rSR05EPyf25G3cwL2Ksb70FPh-VdXeT813i05z_yF_Zh-lGXs0/s1600/20171218_100442-711775.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhorRa6Ita5FkQ6ZwCLt6P2It52MY9EWzt8SUVHhyphenhyphen2qcxIEoy5zihlCarUezdrrT41avDhzVqoWWs_g8y5AF-rSR05EPyf25G3cwL2Ksb70FPh-VdXeT813i05z_yF_Zh-lGXs0/s320/20171218_100442-711775.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6506408219206440706" /></a></p><div dir="auto">Apologies for the missing St. Denis <div dir="auto">photo, which was zapped when the email was saved to a draft.</div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">In a future post I will present a grander version of St. Denis, but for now here is the humble version available for purchase just inside the entrance of the basilica. I truly did contemplate acquiring this little guy. His myth makes me smile.</div></div> Sri Debihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13746864792684762134noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37039809.post-33886801574382224422017-12-31T14:39:00.001-05:002017-12-31T14:39:33.641-05:00Paris, Dec. 18, 2017: who was St. Denis?<div dir="auto">I've visited many beautiful and interesting Priories, Friaries, Abbeys, small village churches, soaring cathedrals, and just a few basilicas in Ireland, England, France, Spain and Italy. In my History of Western Art class we eventually came to the architectural bit on the building of cathedrals, and I dutifully memorized all the terminology for the exam. But, rarely did you get a glimpse of the paintings and sculpture involving the Saints apart from the biggies like St. John and St. Peter. I find the legends of the lesser know saints, pretty fascinating.<div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">For instance, St. James, better known on the Camino as Santiago, was martyred in Jerusalem, and legend has it that his followers placed his body on a stone boat, placed in the river and it sailed all the way to Spain where in the late 900's a farm found his bones while digging in one of his fields. The farmer called the Bishop, and when the bishop saw the remains promptly confirmed the identity of the remains, and the the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostella was begun. The magic of these myths engages me, leaves me smiling, while shaking my head, as well.</div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">And so it came to pass that a few weeks ago, I came face to face with the myth of St. Denis, patron Saint to the French Kings has a remarkable myth, too. He is early and described in "The Life of St. Genevieve", written around 520, as a bishop ordained in Rome by Pope St. Clement I (90-100 A.D.), who gave Denis the mission of evangelising the Celtic Gauls. He is said to have been martyred at Montmartre and to have carried his head in his hands as far as the cemetery of Catulliacus (now Saint-Denis), a distance of four leagues, or 13.809 miles.</div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">St. Genevieve is thought to have had a basilica erected over his tomb. Pilgrims visiting his tomb found a railing around the slab, and would squeeze under the railing and rub themselves on the slab to soak up the Saintly dust that may have collected there.</div><div dir="auto"><br><span style="font-family:sans-serif">The photo of this sculpture of St. Denis was taken in one of the oldest churches in Paris, built ontop a Roman temple in Montmartre.</span><br></div></div> Sri Debihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13746864792684762134noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37039809.post-91776955947365868632017-12-26T19:31:00.001-05:002017-12-26T19:31:21.642-05:00Boxing Day 2017: Packwood House<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0hFHpfpyNbm4MYG6ePB3TuGWV7Qtx6w_Sn5MyFkWWdswCt9PIZmgxZ4652mzWChy6j6UyX0aDVJ0z9qW0Brk8yGb9Q6RHwFLDQ-9ox3un75UBmxaJAykD5YmDmQq4hwYJjESI/s1600/20171226_130035-781658.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0hFHpfpyNbm4MYG6ePB3TuGWV7Qtx6w_Sn5MyFkWWdswCt9PIZmgxZ4652mzWChy6j6UyX0aDVJ0z9qW0Brk8yGb9Q6RHwFLDQ-9ox3un75UBmxaJAykD5YmDmQq4hwYJjESI/s320/20171226_130035-781658.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6504017934538466930" /></a></p><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU0o8uiKtA-W67292cEQXj5QiYVXbizo6uaAE3hmkUZXLpwRzSLkBiDhOTPB8RlsEQRAHMYaEN8dkcvUDc5mT5jDyFIxDfLlww8QpVIkEMlyQ266sv1FPKoENwl1Evv3ANo3o4/s1600/20171226_225154-783525.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU0o8uiKtA-W67292cEQXj5QiYVXbizo6uaAE3hmkUZXLpwRzSLkBiDhOTPB8RlsEQRAHMYaEN8dkcvUDc5mT5jDyFIxDfLlww8QpVIkEMlyQ266sv1FPKoENwl1Evv3ANo3o4/s320/20171226_225154-783525.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6504017944105543202" /></a></p><div dir="auto"><div style="font-family:sans-serif;font-size:12.8px" dir="auto"><div style="height:87px"><span style="font-size:12.8px">The mistletoe is still hanging in my second story window. Heavy rain yesterday gave way to glorious sun this morning. We've have been working a Christmas puzzle, since the 23rd, and it's a tough one alright.</span></div><div style="height:87px" dir="auto"><span style="font-size:12.8px">After tea and porridge, we all piled into the car and drove to Packwood House. Martin and I walked in the gardens that were open, while brother and sister-in-law walked the dogs in the woods.</span></div><div style="height:87px" dir="auto"><span style="font-size:12.8px">The estate is known for its large yew garden of over 100 trees. It was laid out in the mid-17th century with the clipped yews representing "The Sermon on the Mount". Twelve great yews are called the 'Apostles', and four big specimens are 'The Evangelists'. A tight spiral path climbs a hummock named 'The Mount', and a single yew crowning the summit is called 'The Master'. Smaller yews representing 'The Multitude' were planted in the 19th century replacing an orchard. Some of the trees are 50 feet in height.</span></div><div style="margin:16px 0px"><div dir="auto"><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-size:12.8px"><br></span></div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">The oldest section of the house began as a modest farmhouse built in the mid-1500's, and after 300 years in the same family, it was purchased by industrialist Arthur Ash. It was his son who, starting in 1925, spent 20 years turning it into a Tudor house. The property was donated to the the National Trust in 1941.</div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">The day was very cold and windy. We were all happy to get back into the car and search for a pub for a drink. That took some doing as the pubs were open for only a portion of the day and filled with gobs of people.</div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">This evening, we watched a program called "The Miniaturist", based on a 2014 novel by Jessie Burton. It's been made into a 2-part mini-series. Part 1 was intriguing, and ended with a cliffhanger. So very glad that part 2 is on tomorrow night. The story is set in Amsterdam, and the author was inspired by a 1686 dollhouse owned by Petronella Portman, which is on display in the Rijksmuseum.</div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">As I write to you from my bed, the whole house is asleep, and a heavy rain has given way to a few snow flurries.</div></div></div></div></div> Sri Debihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13746864792684762134noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37039809.post-59559355445452808102017-12-26T13:38:00.001-05:002017-12-26T13:38:16.927-05:00Forgot to attach: Akim photos, Dec14th<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKJTM6H1IYpBW042HWBc6m8rcFW9tSrpgDmO-Hb0jw8kbFeJhNk6cEVM6P5hFgMgFBazhL8e2Fm6xMkj104PYx2fEHWaZzPeYCG0DR2JBcIVhd7Cm4iCTyhnyP1k-Hq6icI39s/s1600/20171214_215754-796999.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKJTM6H1IYpBW042HWBc6m8rcFW9tSrpgDmO-Hb0jw8kbFeJhNk6cEVM6P5hFgMgFBazhL8e2Fm6xMkj104PYx2fEHWaZzPeYCG0DR2JBcIVhd7Cm4iCTyhnyP1k-Hq6icI39s/s320/20171214_215754-796999.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6503926957924338498" /></a></p><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpNx6LAgilo5nAGwlXkrwf5ofzOoB7v9rKdSqDSsRjrQqvz9LjJDf24cv1nymfTp21g4wEbo-eQJF3m78f2d2oPnxTbt3O2WF7Wbn1ziocz4zQ6M3211LN41AoqS-RT3Ayi4r-/s1600/20171226_170551-700470.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpNx6LAgilo5nAGwlXkrwf5ofzOoB7v9rKdSqDSsRjrQqvz9LjJDf24cv1nymfTp21g4wEbo-eQJF3m78f2d2oPnxTbt3O2WF7Wbn1ziocz4zQ6M3211LN41AoqS-RT3Ayi4r-/s320/20171226_170551-700470.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6503926968146688706" /></a></p><div dir="auto">Don't know why my phone zapped out the photos.</div> Sri Debihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13746864792684762134noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37039809.post-11001422759143015772017-12-26T12:19:00.001-05:002017-12-26T12:19:23.343-05:00Dec. 14th, first night in Paris<div dir="auto"><span style="font-family:sans-serif">My anal chronological tendencies are kicking in as I try to share things from France two weeks ago while sitting in England at the wanning of our 6th day in Warwick.</span><div dir="auto" style="font-family:sans-serif"><br></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family:sans-serif">I am thinking back to our hotel and its small bar/reception area. When we checked in at 8:30pm, a band called Akim was playing, and I liked immediately their sound. We dropped our luggage in our second floor room (3rd floor for Americans) and went off for a quick dinner.</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family:sans-serif"><br></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family:sans-serif">When we returned, the music had changed to a duo with a woman singing. Didn't like her much, but, the original band came back on, and were great. We enjoyed this band for three consecutive evenings, despite the fact the songs were all the same, which gave me the chance to try and understand what I missed the first night. Each night, Akim played a set, then a short break followed by a duo of some sort performed for an hour, then another break, and Akim finished out the night.</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family:sans-serif"><br></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family:sans-serif">The photo shows the writer and singer, Akim, the man. He was 'raconteur extraordinaire'. In addition to him were a drummer, bass guitar, and a piano, with the piano man and/or bassist singing harmonies. It was a small room, with the hotel reception tucked into one corner, and of course a small bar in addition to the seating area, which doubled as breakfast room in the morning.</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family:sans-serif"><br></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family:sans-serif">Akim was the oldest of the musicians, and I could tell he'd been performing for years. He led into each song with a story, and fully engaged the members of the audience with his eyes and his smile. It was all in French of course, and he used his voice, whether in the storytelling or in the singing, to its full advantage. He understood dynamics, mood, style, and created a continuous flow from song to song. We were carried through a suite of songs where we traveled through images of boats, storms, candles, and we arrive in New York City's harbor where he sees the Statue of Liberty for the first time. His discourse comes into present times, how America has changed and become a destructive force in the world, and how Liberty needs to be freed: "Libérez la Liberté".</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family:sans-serif"><br></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family:sans-serif">I include a few drawings I made of Akim while he was singing. He had a hairdo I adored, from the side, and I hope to paint him from a photo when I return to America. I wish there had been a CD.</div></div> Sri Debihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13746864792684762134noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37039809.post-49168876198613737412017-12-23T20:13:00.001-05:002017-12-23T20:13:10.620-05:00Dec. 20 - 21: Warwick<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiny2GfWdUv9y_dcRZ9L4_ibSTsa_yoAK6CiKS9wMXBu59WWv5Sq-tmReK5iHELu7c3cqG-qqSjra9EFgXsUaWGvMOFysycFshsUFg019Lvhlj7__nxmNgTff43tTHwNUQSYT_C/s1600/20171219_212817-790659.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiny2GfWdUv9y_dcRZ9L4_ibSTsa_yoAK6CiKS9wMXBu59WWv5Sq-tmReK5iHELu7c3cqG-qqSjra9EFgXsUaWGvMOFysycFshsUFg019Lvhlj7__nxmNgTff43tTHwNUQSYT_C/s320/20171219_212817-790659.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6502915458728786626" /></a></p><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAHboJdX_RQd6trC45QaRPNTWAvw99fpLigCVZXe5xbDhRd3-zbhIxHk46bcMwpeoFZIMeEGFP7G8mJY3paSwPDZVrsGDL14EKp2CiGDm4A_NGlRWjsg7BzjRkugdmDPNtlK3C/s1600/20171223_123754-792673.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAHboJdX_RQd6trC45QaRPNTWAvw99fpLigCVZXe5xbDhRd3-zbhIxHk46bcMwpeoFZIMeEGFP7G8mJY3paSwPDZVrsGDL14EKp2CiGDm4A_NGlRWjsg7BzjRkugdmDPNtlK3C/s320/20171223_123754-792673.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6502915466709098882" /></a></p><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL3cA3wjqkOx4fKpCjubkLX9pm9XPwWDcSmhxCuqTzaakx_UFi-i0B9Es0mssqhM1BtogwASn7Z6ZdQTL6sKtaGToWHi1NbdHXH5J3Y6XGuBmUj-29kKD3-NtsM04SSxnqyM8o/s1600/20171224_003220-794230.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL3cA3wjqkOx4fKpCjubkLX9pm9XPwWDcSmhxCuqTzaakx_UFi-i0B9Es0mssqhM1BtogwASn7Z6ZdQTL6sKtaGToWHi1NbdHXH5J3Y6XGuBmUj-29kKD3-NtsM04SSxnqyM8o/s320/20171224_003220-794230.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6502915475272516210" /></a></p><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family:sans-serif">We arrived in Warwick, England by train this past Wednesday night.</span><div dir="auto" style="font-family:sans-serif"><br></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family:sans-serif">Martin's brother and his wife collected us at the station at 9:08pm. We greeted the English Spaniels, Poppy and Rosie, had dinner, chatted a bit and went to bed. Our nephew arrived the next evening, and we all attended a Christmas party a few steps down the street.</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family:sans-serif"><br></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family:sans-serif">I had some interesting conversations with people who travel quite a bit: some spoke about invitations to Warwick Castle, just a few meters down hill to the right, when the castle plans special events as part of their 'good neighbor policy'. A second conversation was with a man about his upcoming fishing excursion in BC. He was a jolly sort with rosy cheeks and a resonant voice who has traveled quite a bit in America and other parts of the world.</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family:sans-serif"><br></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family:sans-serif">Next Martin and I engaged in a long and fascinating conversation with John, a Warden of St. Mary's Collegiate Church, which is situated just left of the front door and up the hill a few meters. John gave us a great behind the scenes look at major restorations that have, and are, taking place either due to age, or previous repairs completed during the Victorian era before they understood the devastating effects that the materials used would cause over time.</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family:sans-serif"><br></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family:sans-serif">Two stone angel carvings fell off the west wall of the interior near the gift shop, luckily when no one was around. The building inspectors were called in and discovered that the blocks of stone were melting away due to repairs completed over 100 years before, which trapped water in the stones instead of allowing it to run off.</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family:sans-serif"><br></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family:sans-serif">New sandstone blocks were cut from the same quarry as the existing ones. Stone masons had to be found, and those with the knowledge to complete a job of this nature are few and far between. One of the two masons carved a replica of a Madonna and Child sculpture that had all but eroded away. The mason was able to work from the original drawings completed for that sculpture. </div><div dir="auto" style="font-family:sans-serif"><br></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family:sans-serif">Then one day they walked into The Beauchamp Chapel, where Robert Dudley is buried, and water covered the floor. Further investigation uncovered a leaking roof and rotting beams so deteriorated that in another six months the roof would have collapsed.</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family:sans-serif"><br></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family:sans-serif">When they went up onto the roof, they discovered boot prints in the lead.</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family:sans-serif">Who knew that well over 100 years ago, the men laying in this roof were required to place their boot print in the molten lead and sign and date it! John was amazed to see how small the size of the boot prints were. I would love to see those shoe prints.</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family:sans-serif"><br></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family:sans-serif">Weather here is much warmer than Paris. I don't mind that, but I do miss hearing and speaking my bad French.</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family:sans-serif"><br></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family:sans-serif">I attach photos of the church and one of the double French school desk that I sat at in a small bar our last night in Paris. I felt very happy there writing cards and chatting in French with the young barman about a bust of a famous French chess player.</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family:sans-serif"><br></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family:sans-serif">Goodnight, from our English bed in a beautifully restored 300 year old, 17 room restored home of elegance. </div></div> Sri Debihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13746864792684762134noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37039809.post-21933585108412564222017-12-21T21:50:00.001-05:002017-12-21T21:50:46.311-05:00Dec. 14th: we arrived in Paris<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzdliaZtvIdYEpfTg-L5IBAiLU_ujENuobQlWIcSWg7JJ7nkLLlxg7fv9TbQK0kzgYmDauxW81QJKcggEpZYI2N2FEkI6Fadzr89NHP5qjAuyCeJYMcKWDtSD__fwqTMp47dI7/s1600/20171214_184228-746326.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzdliaZtvIdYEpfTg-L5IBAiLU_ujENuobQlWIcSWg7JJ7nkLLlxg7fv9TbQK0kzgYmDauxW81QJKcggEpZYI2N2FEkI6Fadzr89NHP5qjAuyCeJYMcKWDtSD__fwqTMp47dI7/s320/20171214_184228-746326.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6502198439794079746" /></a></p><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjniWUV1ETv-G8Nk-zc0wQ3ctJXUY0l4UD2uVn_eWnlr-R6JsvUwnNcTiEnJqYZMZBCrFzJCeOlEjV8tz2GANELD2Upwa9KwkE_Im7k-QIY6jkSTCi2eJ0tKUFJRASaHNEXzS-b/s1600/20171214_205706-748294.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjniWUV1ETv-G8Nk-zc0wQ3ctJXUY0l4UD2uVn_eWnlr-R6JsvUwnNcTiEnJqYZMZBCrFzJCeOlEjV8tz2GANELD2Upwa9KwkE_Im7k-QIY6jkSTCi2eJ0tKUFJRASaHNEXzS-b/s320/20171214_205706-748294.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6502198444888961762" /></a></p><div dir="auto"><div dir="auto">It was 33 hours between the time we left our house in Ohio on December 13th to the time we arrived in France the next evening! Thank heavens I fell asleep on the Eurostar train between London and Paris. It may have only been an hour, but it was a profound sleep, and I awoke refreshed.</div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">We exited the station, jumped in a taxi, and I was hoping that my French would be good enough to speak to the driver and check in once we arrived at the hotel. It must have been okay, as the Parisians, so far, didn't answer me in English!</div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">We checked into our room around 7:30pm and immediately went out in search of dinner. We ate a few doors down in an Algerian couscous restaurant. The weather in Paris was chilly on top of the hours we'd spent freezing in St. Pancras Train Station, in London, and soup sounded very good to us both. It was a hot and tasty lamb and couscous in a delicious broth. We followed that with a tasty chicken and veg couscous dinner. We ended with a glass of complimentary hot mint tea.</div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">When we arrived back at our hotel1-1/2 hours later, we went into the bar/reception room/breakfast room, where a four piece French band was playing. Akim was the name of the singer and of the band. We really enjoyed this band, and for the next two evenings, we looked forward to hearing Akim's stories and suite of songs, all in French.</div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">1am arrived and we went to bed with a plan to head out for the huge Gauguin Retrospective at the Grand Palais the next day.</div></div> Sri Debihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13746864792684762134noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37039809.post-10088521474525732742017-12-19T18:33:00.001-05:002017-12-19T18:33:36.394-05:00Fun in Paris<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjofSvJIrrBjykSHhbWANGCBVYlrihoHQCfow0nOsTTEonbV5QaNPNPptA-bbJEfWsc2SzUt-ylCdQ5Z5qHRSK3HxzazOC0_QrIljhVwtwaUWSceuD3-85Zf3iSGHULf5xGMEWZ/s1600/20171218_235922-716425.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjofSvJIrrBjykSHhbWANGCBVYlrihoHQCfow0nOsTTEonbV5QaNPNPptA-bbJEfWsc2SzUt-ylCdQ5Z5qHRSK3HxzazOC0_QrIljhVwtwaUWSceuD3-85Zf3iSGHULf5xGMEWZ/s320/20171218_235922-716425.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6501405461803697538" /></a></p><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5uXqYCsy3YlTr-Rgj7xUgePETr0KEyIVRhNnfgoZTkkE2_Wx6x6zjDU85GytYxGaFh-5MdOzSGDPljdsPF5aBDNdXjXNTuiGokBlxdBVCm3j6v2ioJWOp5dzhCQNA5Uf3M3sD/s1600/20171219_000026-719188.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5uXqYCsy3YlTr-Rgj7xUgePETr0KEyIVRhNnfgoZTkkE2_Wx6x6zjDU85GytYxGaFh-5MdOzSGDPljdsPF5aBDNdXjXNTuiGokBlxdBVCm3j6v2ioJWOp5dzhCQNA5Uf3M3sD/s320/20171219_000026-719188.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6501405470725003346" /></a></p><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnJ5gov4-QzmbNAZ2yu68BP4xzkf_cI7Y_vqRJnG8R84LUHd9c0BHivCNVE2K32_Gme1jXLa49uNpVfDyOezwf5Z-I9mdPsvnXL42vZe8J8HIRe5pTT1pmhZ5BE1v4cil8GJ1_/s1600/20171219_190803-722044.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnJ5gov4-QzmbNAZ2yu68BP4xzkf_cI7Y_vqRJnG8R84LUHd9c0BHivCNVE2K32_Gme1jXLa49uNpVfDyOezwf5Z-I9mdPsvnXL42vZe8J8HIRe5pTT1pmhZ5BE1v4cil8GJ1_/s320/20171219_190803-722044.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6501405484523655330" /></a></p><div dir="auto"><span style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255);color:rgb(33,33,33);font-family:inherit;font-size:36px;white-space:pre-wrap">Schokolade, chocolat, </span><span style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255);color:rgb(33,33,33);font-family:inherit;font-size:33px;white-space:pre-wrap">チョコレート. It doesn't matter when It's so cute, or beautiful!</span></div> Sri Debihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13746864792684762134noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37039809.post-86941966074554755932017-12-19T17:29:00.001-05:002017-12-19T17:29:29.874-05:00Bread<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdL3vXoX7xvJqqvrYQe1S8d8nhVsV1E3I0HGHfnT4k6q84eWieOXe4CmnzsohVA8oh9uUwGDouKQ-wFsTVNwkBGWeMRf2-ts2lJnYEk1zdPqygktg85C4f3ZQ0epd-ljhY1zDF/s1600/20171218_221807-769914.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdL3vXoX7xvJqqvrYQe1S8d8nhVsV1E3I0HGHfnT4k6q84eWieOXe4CmnzsohVA8oh9uUwGDouKQ-wFsTVNwkBGWeMRf2-ts2lJnYEk1zdPqygktg85C4f3ZQ0epd-ljhY1zDF/s320/20171218_221807-769914.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6501388937946219186" /></a></p><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc7Qb1LhNRiYC1wXCVwn1RsG_pG47UO8GhGId6h44q0Dpy_mv2NbPrZpbkMlyMLoxTlgrPt0lsYJSNNpQ69JiHCZlXiExdrJRXU8NS9NLd0-x5RwQrS97UdJ5Np-Qt6jtp1Mtu/s1600/20171218_172238-772192.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc7Qb1LhNRiYC1wXCVwn1RsG_pG47UO8GhGId6h44q0Dpy_mv2NbPrZpbkMlyMLoxTlgrPt0lsYJSNNpQ69JiHCZlXiExdrJRXU8NS9NLd0-x5RwQrS97UdJ5Np-Qt6jtp1Mtu/s320/20171218_172238-772192.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6501388948349398834" /></a></p><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCpb7MMCYEWVqUUtwbGgIyMrXfM2OHbVgCh3cCkiT_PN4fAKLUTM55PohyhQj7Tf_AI3mpbf5j43no7FGnzbax-D8QJRAyGiCFryj9A4vhKbBA0yy8P3PLj7yo2lc0GVtfEMIe/s1600/20171218_171947-774525.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCpb7MMCYEWVqUUtwbGgIyMrXfM2OHbVgCh3cCkiT_PN4fAKLUTM55PohyhQj7Tf_AI3mpbf5j43no7FGnzbax-D8QJRAyGiCFryj9A4vhKbBA0yy8P3PLj7yo2lc0GVtfEMIe/s320/20171218_171947-774525.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6501388955366909362" /></a></p><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIrKahInFU57ji_OkO7YtUmBPW2GHeLeDfenAwjsVGvqr0GHUKfKjofhby_Y0KT7s67U0MoUuLY6aYAcQZdTJIT7HV3ic17D0YrPuTppyTmz7QsKCTvH87oL9BA37BMQyik96W/s1600/20171218_171619-776256.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIrKahInFU57ji_OkO7YtUmBPW2GHeLeDfenAwjsVGvqr0GHUKfKjofhby_Y0KT7s67U0MoUuLY6aYAcQZdTJIT7HV3ic17D0YrPuTppyTmz7QsKCTvH87oL9BA37BMQyik96W/s320/20171218_171619-776256.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6501388966993278562" /></a></p><div dir="auto"><div dir="auto">Tuesday, December 19, 2017</div><div dir="auto">For days I wanted to take Martin to Poilâne for a Chasson aux Pommes, and I wanted him to see the beauty of their bread, even if he wasn't going to taste it.</div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">In 2013, I bought a quarter loaf, sliced, when I stayed for 12 days in a Paris apartment before I walked The Way of St. James. Each morning I ate a toasted slice each with a scramble of plein air eggs. Yum!</div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">Here's a link to this small bakery, and some photos I took yesterday.</div><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lionel_Poil%C3%A2ne">https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lionel_Poil%C3%A2ne</a></div> Sri Debihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13746864792684762134noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37039809.post-62524839232827987582017-12-19T13:05:00.001-05:002017-12-19T13:05:49.751-05:00Typing mistakes and Graffiti<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg198bsEAgk1lEQQiW_KPXo7UjsofvJCQJ6iCt160iCKSnI9njMy8L1aPguXgVwxrVaaTaRvY3KVHrGJwtelIACc16JfOa1217RneTSnz4QBJcmNTNN_8TZll4Pj1vvy7rLQmpi/s1600/20171219_154114-749768.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg198bsEAgk1lEQQiW_KPXo7UjsofvJCQJ6iCt160iCKSnI9njMy8L1aPguXgVwxrVaaTaRvY3KVHrGJwtelIACc16JfOa1217RneTSnz4QBJcmNTNN_8TZll4Pj1vvy7rLQmpi/s320/20171219_154114-749768.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6501320990351197490" /></a></p><div dir="auto">You know I hate typing mistakes, and by not re-readng the last couple of paragraphs of the cemetery post, I was horrified to see published so many errors at the end.<div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">Please forgive me. I am working off my phone, tired, and old, but trying to get the story out.</div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">Or as this cool botox gal indicates, shhhhh.</div></div> Sri Debihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13746864792684762134noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37039809.post-73382611493841421902017-12-19T12:47:00.000-05:002017-12-19T12:48:14.743-05:00Oops! Cemitière Monmartre 2<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqCVfKLl0vz3-dLIszyPshNp4feAaIE5KfAOND5mI6iz5Atxktu_V_7EJvOQ-qyqI2FVkXTiQ909h9Z2CaQ2wiD50ZWc2tcRPM4LqmihhflvGXOMkwS7lNRBQw6rLPk7fuwcJl/s1600/20171219_155552-794878.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqCVfKLl0vz3-dLIszyPshNp4feAaIE5KfAOND5mI6iz5Atxktu_V_7EJvOQ-qyqI2FVkXTiQ909h9Z2CaQ2wiD50ZWc2tcRPM4LqmihhflvGXOMkwS7lNRBQw6rLPk7fuwcJl/s320/20171219_155552-794878.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6501316464019699730" /></a></p><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibroWyFlPhs9nyQHsrEAC__INLmDIwTmMGRQnwcNO67M3MihU_Q0aUK6Th4LXBRqBIQs6KDiUijdM02NOoXv5G3AkMVyz4IXdzWnv2hcG_wSJP6gEjIrK8jBiJQaGrcPBOX2bn/s1600/20171219_160026-798207.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibroWyFlPhs9nyQHsrEAC__INLmDIwTmMGRQnwcNO67M3MihU_Q0aUK6Th4LXBRqBIQs6KDiUijdM02NOoXv5G3AkMVyz4IXdzWnv2hcG_wSJP6gEjIrK8jBiJQaGrcPBOX2bn/s320/20171219_160026-798207.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6501316473513394322" /></a></p><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGE3KQvBg3glUDNs82WNdQDICpfobjt6Iotfvqnd5jdho-66vLUp0GYe6Y9eIkygYtEFvefOl5Py7bO334s2gC4G4VYSGWf_Omktr04Xax0KRuMlTX4lVuI3WI4evYbaVrhStV/s1600/20171219_155430-701038.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGE3KQvBg3glUDNs82WNdQDICpfobjt6Iotfvqnd5jdho-66vLUp0GYe6Y9eIkygYtEFvefOl5Py7bO334s2gC4G4VYSGWf_Omktr04Xax0KRuMlTX4lVuI3WI4evYbaVrhStV/s320/20171219_155430-701038.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6501316486084545906" /></a></p><div dir="auto">Oops. Trouble posting from my phone.<div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">Here are the 3 photos I mentioned in my last post. Hope the come through.</div></div> Sri Debihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13746864792684762134noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37039809.post-70618473017129685512017-12-19T12:40:00.001-05:002017-12-19T12:40:15.298-05:00Re: Cimetière Montmartre<div dir="auto"></div><div class="gmail_extra"><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Dec 19, 2017 18:22, <a href="mailto:debrajoycedawson@gmail.com">debrajoycedawson@gmail.com</a> wrote:<br type="attribution"><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><div dir="auto">December 19, 2017<div dir="auto">We've been in Paris for 6 days. Every minute we have been on the move flitting somewhere by Metro in the morning, and walking for the rest of the day, before returning to our garret well after dark.<div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">We're not really in a garrett; we are on the 2ème étage of a quirky hotel in the 11th arrondissement called Les Chansonnières. This establishment is 150 yards from the Ménilmontant Metro stop. Most mornings, we exit the hotel walk a few steps and enter the bakery to buy a croissant, before hopping on the metro to be whisked away to our day's destination. We are walking between 6 to 10 miles a day, and in this manner, we have managed to cover quite a bit of Paris.</div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">Today is our last full day in Paris, and I am so very anal about chronological order that it pains me to start writing about our last full day first! But, here goes.</div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">We decided to do a self-guided walking tour of Montmartre, after which we walked to Cimetière Montmartre. I'd heard that quite a few famous artsy folk are buried there. We arrived at 4:50 pm, with a closing time of 5:30 pm. Hardly enough time, as this city of the dead is wall to wall graves, mausoleums, narrow cobblestone paths, moss, and uneven stairways. It was once a mass burial ground in the time of the Revolution; today, today it is so jam-packed that even if you have a map you are hard pressed to find someone.</div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">The entire place has a heavy feel with so much stone. We felt we had time to locate three graves: two writers, Victor Hugo and Stendahl, and the artist, Degas. We only found Hugo, and search as ee dod the yhe other two, we were forced by time to flee bevause I had no deaire to be loced in a cemetary on a cold and damp winter's night.</div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">I share three photos: Martin with Victor Hugo; and with a monument that reminded me of the Tardis; and a beautiful bronze tomb sculpture.</div></div></div> </blockquote></div></div> Sri Debihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13746864792684762134noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37039809.post-52540705676416265252017-12-16T03:25:00.000-05:002017-12-16T03:26:05.384-05:00Bonjour à Paris!<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8yN-wECbFlQ-nRzRwzEjjr-zDYG-GfwhJkgiyCL7yOHtAR-7hIo-nTtCStEtrX9CJCZyH6cfphWSVj4x6epUFa571brFdNmqLlkGnH6JLLQsPXWE7eHJws15UR0fvlV3SkD11/s1600/20171215_173149-765520.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8yN-wECbFlQ-nRzRwzEjjr-zDYG-GfwhJkgiyCL7yOHtAR-7hIo-nTtCStEtrX9CJCZyH6cfphWSVj4x6epUFa571brFdNmqLlkGnH6JLLQsPXWE7eHJws15UR0fvlV3SkD11/s320/20171215_173149-765520.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6500058341873523570" /></a></p><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQXhKKrhfka_cDPvltrW6CScLu7RVV60dLjUOSG-JuWzc8D6pGxKqLX7iSlGxyy6MWrEMmYcisf5lorIWwJx9w23CbHllU9x1q4vu4RS032lo-sEqBoJKa-NyaBEQOxFFfqr5V/s1600/20171215_204213-769069.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQXhKKrhfka_cDPvltrW6CScLu7RVV60dLjUOSG-JuWzc8D6pGxKqLX7iSlGxyy6MWrEMmYcisf5lorIWwJx9w23CbHllU9x1q4vu4RS032lo-sEqBoJKa-NyaBEQOxFFfqr5V/s320/20171215_204213-769069.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6500058355744619138" /></a></p><div dir="auto">Paris is looking beautiful dressed up in trees and more.</div> Sri Debihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13746864792684762134noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37039809.post-83272815493822218372017-12-14T10:07:00.001-05:002017-12-14T10:07:11.361-05:00Hello, again.<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTfJJIem3c-Wxg4fH0SHjJtJ6vLVLP_itz8CKeUICAJgueipy9nMOxJENMIxArAKrtMUIo6B4txr28naC4RrCKQ7IJ-eN5TSLmobY-JZTf_nckgGfXVGDT6NPrZ7mghcGnpsla/s1600/11874-731396.jpeg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTfJJIem3c-Wxg4fH0SHjJtJ6vLVLP_itz8CKeUICAJgueipy9nMOxJENMIxArAKrtMUIo6B4txr28naC4RrCKQ7IJ-eN5TSLmobY-JZTf_nckgGfXVGDT6NPrZ7mghcGnpsla/s320/11874-731396.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6499419528351159026" /></a></p><div dir="auto">It's been well over a year since I posted to my blog, and I thought I would revive it today. I hope everyone is happy and healthy.<div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">I am sitting with my husband in the Eurostar waiting lounge at St. Pancras, London. We've been traveling for over 24 hours now, and will arrive in Paris in a few hours.</div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">I am sharing a painting that I did in late September of this year. It's the sixth painting of this farm about 5 miles from my home and studio. All the works have been done in a square format, all 6x6", except for this one, which is 8x8".</div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">I am having trouble staying awake, so I will close this until tomorrow.</div><div dir="auto"><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto"><br></div></div></div> Sri Debihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13746864792684762134noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37039809.post-74237770758917471052016-02-29T23:36:00.001-05:002016-02-29T23:36:18.417-05:00You have received a YouTube video!<p dir="ltr">Sending this from my phone and hoping this video trailer opens! Wednesday night, March 2nd, 7:00 PM, on WOSU's #BroadandHigh will highlight the exhibition of Art 360, 48 Ohio artists art on ostrich eggs.<br> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZ3WD9M9Sn8&sns=em">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZ3WD9M9Sn8&sns=em</a> </p> Sri Debihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13746864792684762134noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37039809.post-28925832840613355542015-11-17T16:25:00.001-05:002015-11-17T16:25:17.233-05:00Egg-development<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTeKxyEwTqABLLQAnrawArgwP8hReHgMkNoyJAvhi-0vIaZiFa2VlDJlrHhGAWPV2soB6lYG9tpICJF3rZ5nXiHISWUpkcEsY49sPN1M-UTDPDjRrfSZsh4hnpTDcvg1Xe-Zn9/s1600/20151025_165047-717235.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTeKxyEwTqABLLQAnrawArgwP8hReHgMkNoyJAvhi-0vIaZiFa2VlDJlrHhGAWPV2soB6lYG9tpICJF3rZ5nXiHISWUpkcEsY49sPN1M-UTDPDjRrfSZsh4hnpTDcvg1Xe-Zn9/s320/20151025_165047-717235.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6218234403866835426" /></a></p><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhktfiJQ6K863vATwOiQ1SZ9mV6OBS0sfj5QhYeRdbnBd9fDd5YL1Y3BrpK5pOL0d6L8ZS-iYY3xrCxBkNGxTelxQXgV86c0W6CbU34iY0ykGSpdEoMLyu6_q-te1mgZ93FEyRH/s1600/20151027_181724-719657.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhktfiJQ6K863vATwOiQ1SZ9mV6OBS0sfj5QhYeRdbnBd9fDd5YL1Y3BrpK5pOL0d6L8ZS-iYY3xrCxBkNGxTelxQXgV86c0W6CbU34iY0ykGSpdEoMLyu6_q-te1mgZ93FEyRH/s320/20151027_181724-719657.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6218234409935656242" /></a></p><p dir="ltr">I painted in all the darks of the mannequins first, mixing cool or warm blacks from ultramarine blue, pthalo blue, cad red light and quinacridone red.</p> <p dir="ltr">Acrylics can be very transparent, so I would have to go over sections more than once.</p> <p dir="ltr">These photos show the development of the most elaborately decorated dress on the egg. You see how the graphite was very sloppy, so I quickly blocked in some color to set the design.</p> <p dir="ltr">I don't like acrylic because it dries a different color than I mix, but I fell in love with the quick drying time making it quick and easy to work all around the entire egg. Oils would have been a nightmare of time and logistics for me.</p> Sri Debihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13746864792684762134noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37039809.post-88127154043118040392015-11-17T16:09:00.001-05:002015-11-17T16:09:29.686-05:00Egg-acting work!<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7u14Ro9eRkLeWw1-DAjPukIqSIpmJpxJ2IX7IIl8V9Jb7RbCBH9h0GabdOIt-iCsxgKD3b7mkWS6UBi1FDyvQfDiStY-QbCQBG_pf3BcmTjOJJK16VIXQy_3HjAVxGkj9-3sZ/s1600/20151024_152700-769687.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7u14Ro9eRkLeWw1-DAjPukIqSIpmJpxJ2IX7IIl8V9Jb7RbCBH9h0GabdOIt-iCsxgKD3b7mkWS6UBi1FDyvQfDiStY-QbCQBG_pf3BcmTjOJJK16VIXQy_3HjAVxGkj9-3sZ/s320/20151024_152700-769687.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6218230330104870354" /></a></p><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgarCVhjL5k81D3KCHAPEXbUOsa2IV4YhZaGbGF_-Upd4TzkdxBN5e0RhgrBmKq9Jsl9AvEyZXv8TiS8g0AmXKsa7kKomaVUCCvUOf7FIDlgxEIxzVCx-SP8f_yYpohClJwIS7d/s1600/20151025_195611-772113.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgarCVhjL5k81D3KCHAPEXbUOsa2IV4YhZaGbGF_-Upd4TzkdxBN5e0RhgrBmKq9Jsl9AvEyZXv8TiS8g0AmXKsa7kKomaVUCCvUOf7FIDlgxEIxzVCx-SP8f_yYpohClJwIS7d/s320/20151025_195611-772113.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6218230343534855650" /></a></p><p dir="ltr">I'm sitting in the airport in Baltimore, MD, heading for one of the greatest art capitals of the world, Italy. That means that once again, I am blogging from my phone.</p> <p dir="ltr">It also means that I can only share a couple photos at a time with each post. Here are two photos from October 25, pencil drawings on top of the two coats of clear gesso that I applied to the ostrich eggshell. I was sorry to loose the semi-gloss appearance and lovely color, but I thought I'd paint in oils and wanted the paint to have something to adhere to.</p> <p dir="ltr">The graphite was greasy and smeared easily. I decided to go over the lines in archival brown marker. But, getting bored quickly with that, I just started painting, only not in oils. I used acrylics, knowing that I could go over those in oils later. You know, the best laid plans of mice and men.</p> Sri Debihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13746864792684762134noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37039809.post-41715936255981285872015-11-10T14:20:00.000-05:002015-11-10T14:20:28.187-05:00An Egg-citing Traveling Exhibition!"Welcome back my friends to the show that never ends . . . . come inside, come inside" - my world.<br /><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi08bB0IpipjIsdYozJtprz9OWbrC_NKFnbD95Esg4jhulCTzLx0x-Ax5FH25-vcJXTJDDU-tBzxf6Lznm4TPmK7GpI4jgtkA_2QBKAI8hUnqkeNjtyaVpftwQxc3AgsSAHdkIm/s1600/15_egg+wrapped.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi08bB0IpipjIsdYozJtprz9OWbrC_NKFnbD95Esg4jhulCTzLx0x-Ax5FH25-vcJXTJDDU-tBzxf6Lznm4TPmK7GpI4jgtkA_2QBKAI8hUnqkeNjtyaVpftwQxc3AgsSAHdkIm/s400/15_egg+wrapped.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My work of art wrapped up for yesterday's delivery.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Enter the door to <a href="http://www.arthatchingacrossohio.com/curators-statement/" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: #660000;">Art 360: Contemporary Egg Hatching Across Ohio</span></b></a>, an exhibition that will be traveling to three Ohio museums in 2016! The concept is the brainchild of Mr. Charles Bluestone, a Columbus lawyer and art enthusiast, and the exhibition will be comprised of 48 ostrich eggs, each decorated by a different Ohio artist who was invited to participate.<br />
<br />
You can read the history of the exhibition and view all the eggs that have been photographed so far. My egg won't actually be on the website until sometime in December, and honestly, I don't know how they will photograph it. It just must be seen in person to fully appreciate it. <span style="color: #073763; font-weight: bold;">But, you will be seeing it here, first, before anyone outside my family has seen it.</span><br />
<br />
In my next few blog posts, I'll give you the title of the work, show progress photos, and talk about the materials and process.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;"><b>Now, </b><b>I want to ask you a question?</b></span> Have you ever worked on a project using unconventional materials? If so you might answer yes or no, or share a photo and/or the story about your creation in the comments.<br />
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<a href="http://www.debrajoycedawson.com/">www.debrajoycedawson.com</a>Sri Debihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13746864792684762134noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37039809.post-23954184607875610212015-08-01T00:37:00.001-05:002015-08-01T00:37:57.376-05:00Paris, August 1st<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimlFUjK61qU_ZLAB_TrWtenK-uJC9cNm1gPXNGjRVok1oCsGxV6yEcDFNYE8L_32hF3AzrrKjsna52hzlNn-A5mhJK4nUrw_sdjc4wNAOX_KlHjWjOBFFSKa04KWS9ESIwChK5/s1600/20150801_065148-777377.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimlFUjK61qU_ZLAB_TrWtenK-uJC9cNm1gPXNGjRVok1oCsGxV6yEcDFNYE8L_32hF3AzrrKjsna52hzlNn-A5mhJK4nUrw_sdjc4wNAOX_KlHjWjOBFFSKa04KWS9ESIwChK5/s320/20150801_065148-777377.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6177913079233091026" /></a></p><p dir="ltr">Wow! I needed to be on the 6am shuttle to the airport. My 4:30 alarm didn't go off and I woke up at 5:26. You never saw anyone get dressed and finalize packing so fast. I made it with time to spare.</p> <p dir="ltr">My suitcase weighed 18.2 kilos. My backpack??? Heavy. And they searched every item in it, every pocket. The last pocket had a glass scraper in it! I didn't even know that I had it.</p> <p dir="ltr">And you know, they gave it back to me! I've since thrown it away.</p> <p dir="ltr">Photo from the airport.</p> Sri Debihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13746864792684762134noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37039809.post-60297219932437637542015-07-31T08:47:00.001-05:002015-07-31T08:47:19.804-05:00July 31st, Friday: Je suis aller á Paris!<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaz_MRNCzs6R7TTl-8-ZzrseM1bT2JK26QWzReychy1d1pTWvgRDlo1h87PnROrAzbfYBDvj7hOW67g4GG0mjJWCNqxkI-UHulaBKz7c4sG9Ld5PjLCH9lY8vohwwC0l6C1ABh/s1600/20150731_085532-739804.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaz_MRNCzs6R7TTl-8-ZzrseM1bT2JK26QWzReychy1d1pTWvgRDlo1h87PnROrAzbfYBDvj7hOW67g4GG0mjJWCNqxkI-UHulaBKz7c4sG9Ld5PjLCH9lY8vohwwC0l6C1ABh/s320/20150731_085532-739804.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6177668105080973218" /></a></p><p dir="ltr">I have changed trains twice this morning and am now sitting in the station in Rennes. I need to use the toilet, so, having a second breakfast just to get some change.</p> <p dir="ltr">I knew there was a reason to keep a little change. But it's so heavy with one and two Euro coins. Martin always spends the change. Today, I feel I am becoming Martin.</p> <p dir="ltr">I don't really care about much today since making my 5 minute connection between trains at Dol-de-Bretagna, down and up the stairs with my suitcase and backpack. Now, all my worries have disappeared.</p> <p dir="ltr">The train arrived at 8:45 and the TGV to Paris leaves at 10:05. Expected arrival time 13h11. If I get bored, I may venture into Paris, but I need the repack my luggage, putting the tubes of paint from my backpack into the suitcase. I sound like someone who thinks they will be in Paris again. I think that I am just plain tired and don't feel like fighting the transpiration any longer today.</p> <p dir="ltr">I have un upgraded room, with a king sized bed, a tub and a shower, and plenty of room here at the Hilton Paris Charles de Gaulle. All thanks to Martin.</p> <p dir="ltr">It's just coming to 4pm here. The day is still young, but I will relax here. I'm sure that you're all shaking your heads saying, "Is she crazy?"</p> Sri Debihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13746864792684762134noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37039809.post-85447482237973311612015-07-31T08:37:00.001-05:002015-07-31T08:37:33.875-05:00July 30, Thursday: street musicians<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh32DSVrU-DDoxSRV0xk-CtbBkLoK3QvzlMzHr2vsD60ug9JdIpcLwjJoBijenXJqSkgqbAZNhR4zwsiLXYWSBg17nA9BA5NsbVXWZYHMjRYhBYpp-vTfo-plM9DIesde-YvpTg/s1600/20150730_190800-1-753876.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh32DSVrU-DDoxSRV0xk-CtbBkLoK3QvzlMzHr2vsD60ug9JdIpcLwjJoBijenXJqSkgqbAZNhR4zwsiLXYWSBg17nA9BA5NsbVXWZYHMjRYhBYpp-vTfo-plM9DIesde-YvpTg/s320/20150730_190800-1-753876.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6177665589689107554" /></a></p><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii6FywOkv1mF8nkCgRGV-88zN4bVps_UF6of2j9No_c0LjFHCE1O2SRqKfHSHNPv-UsoDZ5IWB1A1xw4qt7PAW9YtHzJJYdlAwW272wX43_M0YT5xyRVCXxfN9Zj9Uck16WycM/s1600/20150730_193405-758597.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii6FywOkv1mF8nkCgRGV-88zN4bVps_UF6of2j9No_c0LjFHCE1O2SRqKfHSHNPv-UsoDZ5IWB1A1xw4qt7PAW9YtHzJJYdlAwW272wX43_M0YT5xyRVCXxfN9Zj9Uck16WycM/s320/20150730_193405-758597.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6177665613148074370" /></a></p><p dir="ltr">They were everywhere!</p> <p dir="ltr">In addition to the zither man, and Dame Béatrice, all dressed in white with an elbow length orange cape, there was an Irish fiddler.</p> <p dir="ltr">But, the big jazz band of 12 musicians was the prize of the day. I try to attach a video, but it didn't post.</p> Sri Debihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13746864792684762134noreply@blogger.com0