Where are the Words for Wednesday

River provided the prompts last month for which we thank her.

April 2022:  Messymimi is providing the prompts on her blog

May 2022:  Wisewebwoman will be providing the prompts on her blog.

June 2022:  Charlotte (MotherOwl) is providing the prompts on her blog.

July 2022:  Hilary Melton-Butcher is providing the prompts but they will be here again.

August 2021:  I am providing the prompts here.

September 2022:  David M. Gascoigne will be providing the prompts but they will be here.

October 2022:  River is providing the prompts on her blog.

 
November 2022:  Messymimi is providing the prompts on her blog.

 
December 2022:  Me again.  Here again.

Given that the prompts are provided from both the Northern and the Southern hemispheres the prompts can appear from as early as Tuesday your time until Thursday your time. 

This meme definitely falls into the 'more the merrier' category.  I hope that lots of you will visit whoever is providing the prompts and play - or applaud.  Commenting on other people's creations -whether they post them on the host's blog or their own, is hugely important.  We ALL need encouragement.  So please, take a few extra minutes to comment on the participant's creations. 

 

Sunday Selections #575

 

Sunday Selections was originally brought to us by Kim, of Frogpondsrock, as an ongoing meme where participants could post previously unused photos languishing in their files. 

Huge thanks to Cie who gave me this wonderful Sunday Selections image. 

The meme was then continued by River at Drifting through life.  Sadly she has now stepped aside (though she will join us some weeks), and I have accepted the mantle. 

 

The rules are so simple as to be almost non-existent.  Post some photos under the title Sunday Selections and link back to me. Clicking on any of the photos will make them embiggen.  

 

I usually run with a theme. This week I am taking you to an amazing exhibition we went to during Enlighten.  I have long loved Van Gogh's work, and went I heard that Van Gogh Alive was coming to my city (finally) we HAD to go.  And were not disappointed.

It was staged in a giant marquee and judging by the comments we heard everyone loved it as much as we did.  If it comes to your city - GO.  The works were projected onto the walls, the floor, the ceiling of the marquee and music and a limited commentary played.  Some of the projections were so large you could see individual brush strokes.

You will be shocked and surprised to learn that lots of photos follow.

This is his bedroom.  You could actually walk into it, and some people took selfies there - which I found a little sacrilegious.

He painted lots of self portraits - perhaps in part because he could afford to pay the model.

Cafe Terrace at Night - in connection with a WEP challenge I wrote a poem about this painting which you can find HERE.

You could even sit down in the middle of the sunflowers...

There was even a facsimile of his Cafe Terrace at Night where you could sit down and have a coffee, a glass of wine or a meal.

It was incredibly moving, very beautiful and I am so very glad that it came to our city.  I hope you find beauty and gratitude in your week too.  Coincidentally sunflowers popped up in another venue in my city later in March.  I will post photos from that event later.  And, just at the moment sunflowers make me think of Van Gogh and of Ukraine.
 

 

Sunday Selections #574

 

Sunday Selections was originally brought to us by Kim, of Frogpondsrock, as an ongoing meme where participants could post previously unused photos languishing in their files. 

Huge thanks to Cie who gave me this wonderful Sunday Selections image. 

The meme was then continued by River at Drifting through life.  Sadly she has now stepped aside (though she will join us some weeks), and I have accepted the mantle. 

 

The rules are so simple as to be almost non-existent.  Post some photos under the title Sunday Selections and link back to me. Clicking on any of the photos will make them embiggen.  

 

I usually run with a theme.  I am continuing to post about the Balloon Spectacular this week.  After the success of my first visit with my brother, with weather conditions looking promising, I decided to go back the next day - to a different vantage point.  Himself indicated he would like to come which surprised and worried me.  He loathes early starts and the launching of the balloons is by no means a given.

 

So I woke him up early, and we headed down to the lake...

 

It was still fairly dark when we arrived.  Dark and still.

 
 And then the sun came up - in a truly dramatic fashion, and balloons started to appear...

 

 

Kayakers, canoeists and paddle boarders flock to the lake, for the view, and because some balloons will give lucky people a tow.  Mind you, the previous day I heard a balloonist say that when he misjudges the landing on the lake he spends the rest of the flight dripping wet.

I really like the Air Force's feature balloon - though that mask always makes me think of Darth Vader.

 

It really was a delightful morning, and the spectacular sunrise perfectly suited the occasion.  When asked later himself (grudgingly) admitted it was worth getting up early for, and that he liked the vantage points I had chosen.

 

We finished the morning watching some of the balloons land, close to the arboretum and our Governor General's residence.  

 

 

There will be more colour and whimsy in the next few posts too, but (probably) no more balloons.   I will try and be a bit more restrained with the photos too.  Have a wonderful week.

 

PS:  For Australian readers the Dignity Drive is on again (finishing at the end of the month).  Woolworth's Supermarkets (and I believe Bunnings) have drop boxes where you can donate period products (tampons, pads, cups and period pants) and continence products for distribution to those in need.  No-one should be forced to choose between food, paying rent and their dignity.  And sadly I suspect dignity is often the loser in that choice.  The goods and services tax has finally been removed, but they are still a significant and ongoing expense.