They are two years old ~ maybe three years old. Winter togs half on. Tripping over each other. Happily scrambling to dress. Colorful boots, hats, scarves, mitts. Spaghetti legs. Stiff arms. Children not quite old enough to dress themselves. A preschool visit to a retirement home.
Adults lining the walls. Their focus ~ a group of carefree children preparing to leave. This is an experience not commonly occupying their day. Then a teacher's voice, "Shake the grandmas' hands. Shake the grandpas' hands." On cue, boys and girls leap to line up. Circling the room, children touch each expectant grandma and grandpa. The slow procession of young saluting old ~ the old seated in over-stuffed chairs and sofas. The young obediently shaking hands or playfully giving high-fives.
The image will remain in our mind. There are few words spoken ~ the odd "Come again." "Good-Bye." The adults ~ alone in their thoughts ~ will remain seated and silent long after these clowning little folk go back to their daily, busy routine of snacks, naps and playtime.
Friday, January 22, 2010
Thursday, January 21, 2010
World Organization of China Painters
The World Organization of China Painters is dedicated to the preservation of the ancient art of hand-painted porcelain. Pauline Salyer (1912 - 1991) published the first issue of The China Painter in 1962, a magazine that today reaches over 7,000 artists worldwide. The first worldwide convention of the organization was held in 1977 in Oklahoma City, U.S.A.
Author of several books, including Great Artists of China Decoration and Oriental China Painting, Pauline Salyer based her publications on visits to the premier porcelain factories of China.
Molly Cooper ~ known affectionately in The Neat Little Bookshop as "Fascinating Molly" ~ will share with us today some of her own pieces and demonstrate the art of porcelain painting.
Chat with Molly, 1:30 P.M. today.
Thursdays, 1:30 P.M. Series of Fascinating Personalities. Everyone welcome.
Author of several books, including Great Artists of China Decoration and Oriental China Painting, Pauline Salyer based her publications on visits to the premier porcelain factories of China.
Molly Cooper ~ known affectionately in The Neat Little Bookshop as "Fascinating Molly" ~ will share with us today some of her own pieces and demonstrate the art of porcelain painting.
Chat with Molly, 1:30 P.M. today.
Thursdays, 1:30 P.M. Series of Fascinating Personalities. Everyone welcome.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
China Painting ~ Ancient Art
Handpainting on china is a distinctive form of art. This beautiful craft will be the subject for tomorrow's literary hour.
Thursday, 1:30 p.m. at The Neat Little Bookshop where the coffee pot's always on. Everyone welcome.
Tomorrow: Stories and photos of china.
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Your Smile for Today ~
The centipede was happy quite
She dreamed of dancing through the night.
With, fleet of feet and fair of hair,
A many-legged Fred Astaire.
Herb Martindale's "literary fun" included people, places, politics ~ nothing or no one escaped his humour.
The minister lost his spare tire ~
Imagine his anguish and ire.
A ruddy great crow
Picked it up, flying low,
And they found it next day on the spire.
And then there is this one: (Anyone frequenting Herb's bookshop showed up in his verse.)
TO LORNA
Her hips and bust are thirty-five
And everything is so ALIVE.
A work of art to ponder on
And all this stuff belongs to John.
(This ancient verse was found recently by an antique dealer in Devonshire, hand-written on a scrap of faded, lined paper, in the centre drawer of an old bureau which once belonged to the Ridd family.)
Herb -- it must be noted -- collected copies of the old R.D.Blackmore classic, Lorna Doone, 1869.
Our Horses Get to Vote at All Our Meetings, Good Clean Literary fun in Verse and Prose, Herb Martindale, 1992. First owner of The Neat Little Bookshop.
The centipede was happy quite
She dreamed of dancing through the night.
With, fleet of feet and fair of hair,
A many-legged Fred Astaire.
Herb Martindale's "literary fun" included people, places, politics ~ nothing or no one escaped his humour.
The minister lost his spare tire ~
Imagine his anguish and ire.
A ruddy great crow
Picked it up, flying low,
And they found it next day on the spire.
And then there is this one: (Anyone frequenting Herb's bookshop showed up in his verse.)
TO LORNA
Her hips and bust are thirty-five
And everything is so ALIVE.
A work of art to ponder on
And all this stuff belongs to John.
(This ancient verse was found recently by an antique dealer in Devonshire, hand-written on a scrap of faded, lined paper, in the centre drawer of an old bureau which once belonged to the Ridd family.)
Herb -- it must be noted -- collected copies of the old R.D.Blackmore classic, Lorna Doone, 1869.
Our Horses Get to Vote at All Our Meetings, Good Clean Literary fun in Verse and Prose, Herb Martindale, 1992. First owner of The Neat Little Bookshop.
Friday, January 15, 2010
Your Smile for Today ~
The firefly's flame
Is something for which science has no name.
I can think of nothing eerier
Than flying around with an unidentified glow on a person's posteerier.
~Ogden Nash, Amer. poet, 1902 - 1971.
(Anyone who knew the first owner of The Neat Little Bookshop, may make the comparison of Ogden Nash's light poetry to Herb Martindale's whimsical limericks. Herb always had a comical verse for his visitors, usually scribbled on a homemade notepad ~ scrap paper stapled together. One had the feeling that the visitor's response determined whether the verse would see publication.
Tomorrow: Excerpts from: Our Horses Get to Vote at All Our Meetings, Herb Martindale, 1992. )
The firefly's flame
Is something for which science has no name.
I can think of nothing eerier
Than flying around with an unidentified glow on a person's posteerier.
~Ogden Nash, Amer. poet, 1902 - 1971.
(Anyone who knew the first owner of The Neat Little Bookshop, may make the comparison of Ogden Nash's light poetry to Herb Martindale's whimsical limericks. Herb always had a comical verse for his visitors, usually scribbled on a homemade notepad ~ scrap paper stapled together. One had the feeling that the visitor's response determined whether the verse would see publication.
Tomorrow: Excerpts from: Our Horses Get to Vote at All Our Meetings, Herb Martindale, 1992. )
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Eccentric Maybe ~ Definitely Clever
When a person lives with someone for a long time, little idiosyncrasies inevitably surface ~ although, collecting walnuts in quart jars outdoors during the winter months did seem to push the limit a little.
There they were, neatly lined-up on a wooden bench, six glass jars each systematically being filled with nuts. Watching this domestic process, I wondered if the walnut tree could randomly fill jars. It didn't make any sense. Ice and snow came and went ~ drifting over the bench. The strange outdoor pantry was soon forgotten.
With the reappearance of the canned nuts in the spring,it became apparent that the humans were not losing their minds (the discussion had to take place at some point). One by one, the precious morsels vanished.
This winter I cannot help but wonder if our furry little friends are okay or if we could have perhaps made their lives a little easier by not recycling their mason jars.
There they were, neatly lined-up on a wooden bench, six glass jars each systematically being filled with nuts. Watching this domestic process, I wondered if the walnut tree could randomly fill jars. It didn't make any sense. Ice and snow came and went ~ drifting over the bench. The strange outdoor pantry was soon forgotten.
With the reappearance of the canned nuts in the spring,it became apparent that the humans were not losing their minds (the discussion had to take place at some point). One by one, the precious morsels vanished.
This winter I cannot help but wonder if our furry little friends are okay or if we could have perhaps made their lives a little easier by not recycling their mason jars.
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