from flower to fruit

I may be stretching the concept of Today's Flowers a bit, but you get it, don't you? Nature's beauty is complete from start to finish.

 See more flowers and such @ Today's Flowers.

Skywatch Friday from the North Woods

These are sky views along the upper north shore of Lake Superior between Grand Rapids and the Canadian border taken in September. The shoreline is so impressive with rocky outcroppings and pine trees but no beaches. Its easy to imagine how this rugged shore could be dangerous for ships.

I've included this view of the lake because if you enlarge it and look toward the bottom of the photo you can catch a glimpse of lake rocks because the water was crystal clear and an incredible blue that day.

More incredible skies here.

'Happiness is an angel with a serious face.'

sculpture, 'Head of a Woman' - 1912 and 'Blue Eyes' [portrait of Madame Jeanne Hébuterne] - 1917

While visiting Erica earlier this year I saw this art at a Marc Chagall exhibit at the Philadelphia Museum of Art which included some work by his contemporaries, in particular Amadeo Modigliani.

'Portrait of a Polish Woman' - 1919

ABC Wednesday's letter du jour is M for Amedeo Modigliani, an Italian painter & sculptor who lived from 1884-1920. He studied in Italy but made his more famous work while in Paris in the Left Bank bohemian Montparnasse with contemporaries like Picasso and Chagall. His work is easily recognizable in the painted figures with elongated bodies and mask-like sculptures. Sadly he died at 36 from drug and alcohol abuse, and finally, tuberculosis.

Visit Mrs Nesbitt's ABC Wednesday for many more uses of the letter 'M'
title quote by Modigliani

hanging on to autumn

From my walks in the autumn woods in September are wildflowers too lovely to forget, even the bane of my existence, Goldenrod.

I still have some die hard herbs and annuals hanging on for dear life. Since our days have been near 90 degrees lately, I haven't the heart to pull them up yet. Photographing flowers make me happy so I am grateful for a place to post them each week @ Today's Flowers, a virtual flower shop meme.

Happy Week!

Friday: truth and beauty

Happy Autumn Weekend!

from Linnea Designs 2011 calendar

October mornings

O hushed October morning mild,

Thy leaves have ripened to the fall;

To-morrow's wind, if it be wild,

Should waste them all.

The crows above the forest call;

To-morrow they may form and go.

O hushed October morning mild,

Begin the hours of this day slow,

Make the day seem to us less brief.

Hearts not averse to being beguiled,

Beguile us in the way you know;

Release one leaf at break of day;

At noon release another leaf;

One from our trees, one far away;

Retard the sun with gentle mist;

Enchant the land with amethyst.

Slow, slow!

For the grapes' sake, if they were all,

Whose leaves already are burnt with frost,

Whose clustered fruit must else be lost--

For the grapes' sake along the wall.

                                       Robert Frost

More beguiling October skies @ Skywatch Friday.

L is for Louis, love and lines

I couldn't let ABC Wednesday's letter du jour go by without posting about one of my favorite Abstract Expressionist/Color Field painters, Morris Louis. He was part of the band of mid-century painters like Kenneth Noland and Barnett Newman, and many more who used this style of painting broad fields of flat color.

Where,1960 @ Hirschhorn Museum

 Dalet Chaf, 1958 @Walker Art Center, Minneapolis

No. 28, 1961 @ Walker Art Center, Minneapolis

Louis lived in D.C. where he banded together a group calling themselves The Washington Color School during the 1950's & 60's. He died at age 50 from cancer attributed paint vapor exposure.        
 I love what he left behind.

More L words today @ ABC Wednesday. They will make you smile.