Those are all beautiful paintings, Mac. Your paintings are getting better with each one, both in color variations and image. In some I feel a good deal of warmth and serenity, in others, there is the feeling of power and challenge, not the challenge of others, but, of yourself. You are very enviable in your new talent with the abstract paintings.
That's beautiful G. My Aloe Vera is growing flowers as well. There are several different plants in the tubs, as the Aloe's pup like crazy. So every year I have to thin the plants and remove the ones that are no longer viable in order to make room for those new ones coming up.
I put a sign up in the Commons Room here in the complex letting other residents that I am looking for new homes for some of the plants to avoid over crowding, and there are always those who are happy to rescue them. (smile)
Their blossoms are beautiful, and they also grow in the winter here in So Cal.
It reminds me of a plant my Mother had in her backyard. When the plant was first blooming it would look similar to the one in your photo. But, as the blossom began to open more, the outside casing would split open and the blossom would open into a very large size. It seemed that the separations of the outside casing is where it would open to allow the blossom to fully expand. The color was always so bright and cheerful.
Thank you Dig. The person in the image is a Medicine Man, and an important member of the Tribe. His headdress is his own design. It is much different from the Tribal Chiefs headdress. You will also see the various headdresses of other important members of the Tribe other than the Chief, who also design and create their own headdresses given their position in the Tribe, such as a Shaman or a High Priest.
Each Tribe is different in some ways, depending on their ancestry and/or their location. Most Tribes are similar, but, do have their differences.
That is a really great series of photos, and what emerges in Spring is the theme I, too, intend to present. If I were that tiny frog I think i'd stay as far as possible as I could from that snake.
"Cows are notoriously languid creatures and make their way home at their own unhurried pace. That's certainly the imagery behind 'till the cows come home' or 'until the cows come home', but the precise time and place of the coining of this colloquial phrase isn't known. It is a long-standing expression and the earliest example if it in print comes from the late 16th century."
Yeppers! That's like my bloomin' Aloes. I don't have a camera to take a picture with of mine. But, hoping to get one soon. I really miss mine that just up and died on me. But, it was only 20 years old.
We have a couple of other small aloes that have not started to bloom yet. We had a few more, but the gopher ate their roots and killed them. Bad gopher.
but the gopher ate their roots and killed them. Bad gopher.
I have two of them making a dirt pile near my front yard. Their dirt mounds are blocking the walkway to my front porch. The exterminator has tried several things and they are still here. So I am going to buy a bottle of ammonia and let them see who well they like it.
An animal control officer told me to spray ammonia around my garden a couple of times when the veggies are growing to keep them away, as there is no animal that can tolerate ammonia. So if I find a newly opened hole, or mound that I can open the hole on, I will pout some of the ammonia down them and see if they still hang around. I think the only reason why the exterminator has not done that yet is he wants to have to keep coming back to try (not) to get rid of them.
So I will do his job for him and he can go play somewhere else around here.
I have a total of six of them in bloom now in two different tubs. I didn't do anything to the ones I have other than planting them in tubs on my front porch. The next thing I know they are blooming and pupping all over the place. I have a black thumb for in-house plants, they all die within a short period of time no matter how well I care for them. But, when it comes to growing plants and veggies outdoors I seem to have a really good green thumb.
I really enjoy seeing them grow in front of my front patio window. The bight red blossoms do look like Spring is here,
It's actually an opening under a bridge, which served as a perfect frame for the photo. That pottery is located all over the campus of the Sichuan Fine Arts Institute campus, which is kitty-corner from where we live. My assumption is that pottery is one of the courses, and those urns are a required exercise.
Spring is on the way … and so is Saturday … keep the good stuff comin' … and thank you all for making this Group a positive place in an often, negative world.
Would be my kind of place as well, but I've not been anywhere like that since having sold my lakeside home. There was a nearby creek running into the lake up which I could canoe.
That may not be her child, but, a younger sibling, or perhaps a cousin she is looking after. In many, if not most, Native American Tribes, the children are looked after by others than their own family. The younger girls of the Tribe look after the younger children which the Mothers do their work. This means that younger girls would look after children who may not be members of their own family.
Team work among the members of a Tribe is a way for them to survive as a whole.
It also sort of holds with the saying, "It takes a village to raise a child."
Thanks for the reference, Buzz. While the saying may have originated in Africa, it is a tradition among many other Tribal ethnic groups, such as Native Americans and other Indigenous people to whom the children born of their village are a great blessing to them and the future of their Tribe and/or village.
It goes along with the saying that "The old help the young, and the young help the old."
That's really beautiful, Kavika. I would expect to see that through a telescope, or maybe a picture from one of the space exploring orbs. But, to see it just from ones own backyard is really amazing. Thank you for sharing it with us.
Sunday not far off … again, I thank everyone for making the Group the fine entity it has become!
A Hangout of Mine; I am strongly opposed to organized religion, but if anyone were to ask me if this was my "place of worship," I would not hesitate one second to answer, "yes".
Don't know about your location, G, but, the Inland Valley was really chilly today. It's been in the 80's the past three days, and suddenly turned cold again today.
I took that photo at least 12 years ago in Zijingshan Park in Zhengzhou, Henan Province. I used to go there on Sunday mornings to lead "English Corner", when Chinese people of all ages would gather round to practise their English. Here's a photo of me leading a big group of them. I really enjoyed volunteering my time doing it back then.
It kinda sucks, though. I should've put my spring peas in today, but it's too wet. I haven't even built the trellises for this year yet. I've been playing around with the camera too much.
We have definitely been in drought conditions this year. We need something like 7 inches of rain to reach our normal average. It's not going to happen.
Weren't you under several feet of snow two weeks ago?
Weren't you under several feet of snow two weeks ago?
Nah, not that much. I think it was about 10 inches, and that was the week of Feb 16, so about 5 weeks ago. Time flies sometimes.
It actually snowed again for about 3 hours just a few days ago. It was really pretty coming down, but the ground was too warm for it to stick. It was in the mid 30s that morning, so the air must have been colder above to make it come down as snow. It didn't damage anything, not even the early flowers. I expect that was the last of it for this winter.
Don't let the ABSTRACTIONS cause any distractions … post whatever you care to post.
I really like the last one amac.
Much appreciated; thank you.
I like all 4 of them, but I think the 3rd one with the gold and red has the most impact.
Those are all beautiful paintings, Mac. Your paintings are getting better with each one, both in color variations and image. In some I feel a good deal of warmth and serenity, in others, there is the feeling of power and challenge, not the challenge of others, but, of yourself. You are very enviable in your new talent with the abstract paintings.
Very well done, and most enjoyable. (smile)
Your paintings are becoming more interesting as you progress with your experimentation. I agree with dev. that the last one is really good.
It was windy on Tuesday so we had waves on the ponds but it didn't bother Mr. Heron.
That is a great photo.
I agree that it is a great photo.The clarity is awesome, and the waves on the pond behind the very clam Heron adds to the photo's power and beauty.
Kavika, that is a PERFECT photo.
That's a fantastic shot, Kav.
I almost got one of a flying hawk earlier. It was right over me for a few seconds, but I couldn't track him well enough to adjust the zoom in time.
The Hydrocotyle Tripartia "Japan" growing out of my betta fish aquarium is flowering this week.
Wow EG. That is really lovely. It is enjoyable to see plants growing and flowering in your aquarium. I am sure your fishies enjoy them too.
Not only watching the fish is fascinating and meditative, but even watching the flora grow is as well.
Nice, EG.
A succulent flower from our garden.
Good shot G2, very tropical
Well, thanks!
That's beautiful G. My Aloe Vera is growing flowers as well. There are several different plants in the tubs, as the Aloe's pup like crazy. So every year I have to thin the plants and remove the ones that are no longer viable in order to make room for those new ones coming up.
I put a sign up in the Commons Room here in the complex letting other residents that I am looking for new homes for some of the plants to avoid over crowding, and there are always those who are happy to rescue them. (smile)
Their blossoms are beautiful, and they also grow in the winter here in So Cal.
Thanks, Raven Wing.
A Medusa blossom?
Some type of succulent. We have two of them flowering now.
It reminds me of a plant my Mother had in her backyard. When the plant was first blooming it would look similar to the one in your photo. But, as the blossom began to open more, the outside casing would split open and the blossom would open into a very large size. It seemed that the separations of the outside casing is where it would open to allow the blossom to fully expand. The color was always so bright and cheerful.
Cool flower! With a vignette, too.
The bud looks almost waxy. Are succulents cactus-like?
I just discovered vignette on my cell phone camera. I like it.
All cacti are succulents, but not all succulents are cacti. The bud in the photo is fairly thick. You could call it waxy.
Introducing Luna bear. One of the best gifts I have ever received. That is my granddaughter’s heartbeat. I can’t wait to meet her!
That is a beautiful little Bear, and such a wonderful heart beat that makes it even more wonderful.
Congratulations of becoming a 'Grandma'. For me, being a Grandma is such a wonderful time of my life.
My heartbeat should only be so regular....that's the perfect gift for your granddaughter.
© CZG 2021
Lovely, pink!
Thank you sandy
That is a truly lovely painting, Pink. And the frame is a perfect compliment for the painting.
Very well done indeed.
Thank you Raven Wing. The painting is in that frame hanging in our house.
Thank you so much for sharing it with us. What a beautiful reminder of a fun time you both shared.
That is a beautiful painting. The reflection in the canal is outstanding.
Thank you G2
I really enjoy your paintings. They have a personality that is missing in photographic-style paintings.
Thank you Buzz
Venice
California or Italy?
Italy. It is from a photo my husband took when we were there.
This is one of my latest artworks......
Powerful to say the least, R.W.!
Thank you very much for the compliment, Mac. I truly appreciate it.
Very great image.
Thanks G. I'm glad you like it.
A.Mac said it best - a powerful image, and your use of colour-coordination is better all the time as indicated by a perfect frame.
Thank you very much, Buzz.
Really cool, RW.
Is the headdress and adornment unique to any particular tribe? I don't think I've seen that kind of styling before.
Thank you Dig. The person in the image is a Medicine Man, and an important member of the Tribe. His headdress is his own design. It is much different from the Tribal Chiefs headdress. You will also see the various headdresses of other important members of the Tribe other than the Chief, who also design and create their own headdresses given their position in the Tribe, such as a Shaman or a High Priest.
Each Tribe is different in some ways, depending on their ancestry and/or their location. Most Tribes are similar, but, do have their differences.
It may not be official yet, but as far as I'm concerned spring has sprung!
Chipmunk
With a face full of feed corn
A pair of purple finches
Cowbird
Flicker
Blue jay wing spread
Chickadee
Rabbit
Ribbon snake
Tasting the air
Teeny-tiny frog
Teeny-tiny wildflower (corn speedwell, I think)
Hyacinth, not fully opened yet
Another one
Crocus
Another one
Jonquil
Happy spring, everyone!
Great essay, Dig.
Beautiful photos, Dig.
Your contributions are wonderful.
A beautifully photographed and presented essay; a real feather in the Group’s metaphorical cap.
Great essay of beautiful flowers, birds and furry animals. Very delightful.
That is a really great series of photos, and what emerges in Spring is the theme I, too, intend to present. If I were that tiny frog I think i'd stay as far as possible as I could from that snake.
Thanks, Buzz; and everyone else, too.
I'm thinking that teeny-tiny frog is actually a teeny-tiny toad (dry and warty looking), but it's too late to fix now. Sorry about that, guys.
Either way, he was safe from the snake. Plenty of distance between them, and the snake was heading off into the woods.
OK... A chippy.... I'm in
The gang headed to the feed barn. Photos of the cattle ranch surrounding much of our community.
Great photo, Kavika. Are they Brahmans?
Some of them are.
They really are beautiful animals.
The phrase 'Till the cows come home' - meaning and origin.
Very interesting information, Buzz. I know a lot of folks have likely heard or read this phrase, but, didn't know who said it first or where.
That's a cool photo, Kavika.
Raven Wing mentioned aloe in bloom. Here is one we have.
Yeppers! That's like my bloomin' Aloes. I don't have a camera to take a picture with of mine. But, hoping to get one soon. I really miss mine that just up and died on me. But, it was only 20 years old.
We have a couple of other small aloes that have not started to bloom yet. We had a few more, but the gopher ate their roots and killed them. Bad gopher.
I have two of them making a dirt pile near my front yard. Their dirt mounds are blocking the walkway to my front porch. The exterminator has tried several things and they are still here. So I am going to buy a bottle of ammonia and let them see who well they like it.
An animal control officer told me to spray ammonia around my garden a couple of times when the veggies are growing to keep them away, as there is no animal that can tolerate ammonia. So if I find a newly opened hole, or mound that I can open the hole on, I will pout some of the ammonia down them and see if they still hang around. I think the only reason why the exterminator has not done that yet is he wants to have to keep coming back to try (not) to get rid of them.
So I will do his job for him and he can go play somewhere else around here.
'Aloe there. 'Ow are you?
Awright mate! (In my best Cockney accent)
I have a total of six of them in bloom now in two different tubs. I didn't do anything to the ones I have other than planting them in tubs on my front porch. The next thing I know they are blooming and pupping all over the place. I have a black thumb for in-house plants, they all die within a short period of time no matter how well I care for them. But, when it comes to growing plants and veggies outdoors I seem to have a really good green thumb.
I really enjoy seeing them grow in front of my front patio window. The bight red blossoms do look like Spring is here,
Les fleurs du printemps - photos taken over the years in China
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Another exceptional photo essay!
Beautiful, Buzz.
What's the story with the cave and pottery?
It's actually an opening under a bridge, which served as a perfect frame for the photo. That pottery is located all over the campus of the Sichuan Fine Arts Institute campus, which is kitty-corner from where we live. My assumption is that pottery is one of the courses, and those urns are a required exercise.
Beautiful flowers all, Buzz. They do make me think that Spring is indeed in the air.
Wonderful essay, Buzz.
Fantastic!
Thanks to all. If it helps to bring thoughts of Spring, it did what it had to do.
Spring is on the way … and so is Saturday … keep the good stuff comin' … and thank you all for making this Group a positive place in an often, negative world.
My Kind of Place
© A. Mac/A.G.
Another spring beauty, Mac. So refreshing.
Would be my kind of place as well, but I've not been anywhere like that since having sold my lakeside home. There was a nearby creek running into the lake up which I could canoe.
Nice location. Great photo.
One last artwork for Friday...
That is very beautiful, Raven Wing. You are truly a great, amazing artist.
Thank you so much for your very kind compliment, G. I truly appreciate it.
She seems so young to have that child.
That may not be her child, but, a younger sibling, or perhaps a cousin she is looking after. In many, if not most, Native American Tribes, the children are looked after by others than their own family. The younger girls of the Tribe look after the younger children which the Mothers do their work. This means that younger girls would look after children who may not be members of their own family.
Team work among the members of a Tribe is a way for them to survive as a whole.
It also sort of holds with the saying, "It takes a village to raise a child."
Okay. I checked where that saying came from. I think it's a very appropriate one.
Thanks for the reference, Buzz. While the saying may have originated in Africa, it is a tradition among many other Tribal ethnic groups, such as Native Americans and other Indigenous people to whom the children born of their village are a great blessing to them and the future of their Tribe and/or village.
It goes along with the saying that "The old help the young, and the young help the old."
That really is a sweet work of art, Hal. And your background and framing are perfect compliments.
It's quite a treat to see your fascinating menagerie. You display them well with your editing skills.
Saturday, and Spring approaches!
A. Mac/A.G.
Great photo, Mac. I feel like I'm right there.
One for Saturday.....
The Goddess of Fire
Flamingly beautiful.
Thank you very much, Buzz. Thought I'd add a little extra 'warmth' to the group. (grin)
Is that from a Native American legend?
A Zen moment, Stone Creek Ocala, FL.
The photo was taken by our neighbor.
That's really beautiful, Kavika. I would expect to see that through a telescope, or maybe a picture from one of the space exploring orbs. But, to see it just from ones own backyard is really amazing. Thank you for sharing it with us.
WOW
You're Fortunate, If your area was more populated you would not see that. Sadly, the city lights would hide most of the stars.
Very Pretty Picture !!
Ocala has a population of around 65,000. When I lived in So Cal never saw anything like this but did see amazing sunsets.
That is so amazing. We to go outside the city to see that many stars. I haven't seen the Milky Way for years.
We have to go outside the city to see that many stars.
Sunday not far off … again, I thank everyone for making the Group the fine entity it has become!
A Hangout of Mine; I am strongly opposed to organized religion, but if anyone were to ask me if this was my "place of worship," I would not hesitate one second to answer, "yes".
© A. Mac/A.G.
I so agree, Mac. And a beautiful place it is.
You've pretty well made this article a great promo for the movie "A River Runs Through It".
True that, Buzz.
Beautiful.
That is a beautiful stream. Someone must be keeping the brush down on that one side.
Sunday … and certain scenes SPRING into mind.
© A. Mac/A.G.
A lovely spring surrounded by budding trees. Spring is definitely in the air.
Dreamy, and good dream invoking.
One more for Sunday...
That is a terrific image.
Thank you very much G. I'm glad you like it.
Excellent symbolism
Thanks Buzz.
Lovely, RW.
Thank you Dig.
Hanging out in the backyard late on a Sunday afternoon.
I would never want to leave a place like that.
I almost never do.
Well, if you have to social distance, this looks like a great place to do it!
It is. I'm very happy to stay at home most of the time.
That's wonderful.
Thanks, Dig.
Don't know about your location, G, but, the Inland Valley was really chilly today. It's been in the 80's the past three days, and suddenly turned cold again today.
It was about 70 today. We didn't get as high as 80 this week.
The colours of Spring to brighten our days.
Wow!!!!
I took that photo at least 12 years ago in Zijingshan Park in Zhengzhou, Henan Province. I used to go there on Sunday mornings to lead "English Corner", when Chinese people of all ages would gather round to practise their English. Here's a photo of me leading a big group of them. I really enjoyed volunteering my time doing it back then.
That would be fun.
That's awesome. The flowers are the bird's tail!
LOL. I never noticed that before.
Beautiful array of flowers, Buzz.
Yep, it's definitely spring. I saw an eastern towhee today, and honey bees were going to town on the hyacinths.
The grass is greening up nicely, too. It's about time for me to start playing in the dirt (my veggie garden). Really needs to dry out some, though.
Yep, Dig, It's about time to "dig".
It is, but I got 7 inches of rain this past week and the ground is still wet and squishy. It's supposed to rain again tomorrow, too.
Well, when it's ready for digging, you sure won't need a jackhammer.
LOL. Sure won't.
It kinda sucks, though. I should've put my spring peas in today, but it's too wet. I haven't even built the trellises for this year yet. I've been playing around with the camera too much.
We have definitely been in drought conditions this year. We need something like 7 inches of rain to reach our normal average. It's not going to happen.
Weren't you under several feet of snow two weeks ago?
Nah, not that much. I think it was about 10 inches, and that was the week of Feb 16, so about 5 weeks ago. Time flies sometimes.
It actually snowed again for about 3 hours just a few days ago. It was really pretty coming down, but the ground was too warm for it to stick. It was in the mid 30s that morning, so the air must have been colder above to make it come down as snow. It didn't damage anything, not even the early flowers. I expect that was the last of it for this winter.
Another strong showing as we near the end of this weeks article; I'll lock it down in the morning.
Thanks to all!
You can say that again.
Another strong showing as we near the end of this weeks article; I'll lock it down in the morning.
Thanks to all!
Oh, you did. LOL