Best New Year To You

In illusion comfort lies...

Throne of Words

Teenaged dancer Wera Ouckama-Knoop's unexpected death inspired Rilke's Sonnets to Orpheus.

I found this passage especially beautiful...

Sonnets To Orpheus I, 4

by R. M. Rilke
translated by H. Landman
Oh you tender ones, step now and then
into the breath, that knows not of you,
upon your cheeks let it split in two,
behind you it quivers, united again.
Oh you blessed ones, oh you whole,
in whom the beginning of hearts appears.
Bows for arrows and arrows' goal,
your smile is always stained with tears.

Don't be afraid the weight will oppress,
give it back to the Earth's heaviness;
heavy are the mountains, heavy are the seas.

The trees that you planted as children, these
have long been too heavy for you to bear.
But space ... but the air ...




(1900-1919)

Shelly Reed... A Natural World.

Soak Them In....

Quietly Lead Astray..

Adorn'd with Tates, I well could Boast, Of Tons and Macaronys Toast;
I once was Fair, Young, Frisky, Gay, Could Please with songs and Dance the Hay
Dear Belle's reflect Ye Morals see, As I now am, so You shall be.

Today.... Out Doors IN

Santé ! À votre santé ! Happy New Year ....

Targeted for physicians of the day ..check out this amazing Antikamnia Chemical Company promotional calendar " Dance of Death", 1900..illustrated by Louis Crucius...

VIA




Death makes no sense
except to people who have passionately loved life.

- Cioran

Monkey Shines, Pigs Fly

Dear Santa,

I know we've been estranged since I was about 6, but I promise to swear you're flesh & blood if you send down this
sparkle zoo dec 25th.

Yours,
Darla

The Burning Breast

If you live in an area of the world where fags aren't necessarily smokable and your fillet most likely doesn't rhyme with skillet, you may not be familiar with the robin legend(s).

The "humble bird" beat his wings to fan the fire that kept the baby jesus warm... it is also said robin visited when He was dying on the famous roman torture device so many like to wear around there necks....

..some conclude the story hails from Pagan beliefs. In any case, I love illustrations of the famed robin who in some versions was burned by said fire, making his breast eternally rosy.







Not completely unrelated is 'Who killed cock robin?' described as an English folksong. The words of "Who killed cock robin" are said to refer to the death of the legendary figure of Robin Hood and not that of a bird. The legend of Robin Hood encompasses the theme that he stole from the rich to give to the poor. The words of "Who killed cock robin" describe how help was offered from all quarters following the death of cock robin thus reflecting the high esteem in which Robin was held by the common folk.





"Who killed Cock Robin?" "I," said the Sparrow,
"With my bow and arrow, I killed Cock Robin."
"Who saw him die?" "I," said the Fly,
"With my little eye, I saw him die."
"Who caught his blood?" "I," said the Fish,
"With my little dish, I caught his blood."
"Who'll make the shroud?" "I," said the Beetle,
"With my thread and needle, I'll make the shroud."
"Who'll dig his grave?" "I," said the Owl,
"With my pick and shovel, I'll dig his grave."
"Who'll be the parson?" "I," said the Rook,
"With my little book, I'll be the parson."
"Who'll be the clerk?" "I," said the Lark,
"If it's not in the dark, I'll be the clerk."
"Who'll carry the link?" "I," said the Linnet,
"I'll fetch it in a minute, I'll carry the link."
"Who'll be chief mourner?" "I," said the Dove,
"I mourn for my love, I'll be chief mourner."
"Who'll carry the coffin?" "I," said the Kite,
"If it's not through the night, I'll carry the coffin."
"Who'll bear the pall? "We," said the Wren,
"Both the cock and the hen, we'll bear the pall."
"Who'll sing a psalm?" "I," said the Thrush,
"As she sat on a bush, I'll sing a psalm."
"Who'll toll the bell?" "I," said the bull,
"Because I can pull, I'll toll the bell."
All the birds of the air fell a-sighing and a-sobbing,
When they heard the bell toll for poor Cock Robin.

Harlequins in the snow...

Happy Holidays.... just thought id swing by,


This time of year sparks so many specific images and feelings ( horrific AND happy ) .... one visual snap crackle pop for me is old timey illustration: naturalistic, seasonal ephemera... I thought id share a site which houses tons of large printable images to nerd out to.

Gander. Vidi. Peep. Print.


Hint.

Good Cheap way to make interesting cards, right? Carry on...

Vintage Printables

It's So Hard to Tell Who's Going to Love You the Best

Changeling...

For those of you who've been posting it up with me on facebook, I apologize for the disappearing trick! As the days get cooler and the daily worries build with the "slow season" I have a growing sense of preservation naturally packing on. I've focused my energies more keenly toward my family and home.... so off goes casual conversation with strangers ( beloved though some are! ) I might even pick up the phone!



New Year is coming soon... sooner than last year and sooner still than the year before !

...Which leads me to one of my 2009's favorite photo picks. I've seen thousands of images this year and this one sticks with me.. The best things seem to be simple yet profound, ugly yet beautiful reflecting of course, what else but our own nature!


Here's the RED FOX honored with humble berries in what appears at first to be merely a sound slumber.. Kudos to the photographer Kimbrini for what she calls " Un Taxidermy".








I love what she did with blades of grass and ice here..... beautiful!










I was never beautiful.
I learned by heart the octaves
of grief and the peculiar phrases
of a man's desires. Mine was the chord
seldom struck; oh they gave me
an arm to walk
over the esplanade. I walked
with the arm. They stood
near the edge, watching,
humming the ruse of the borrowed car
and from their pockets rose the petite chanson
of the hungry key. I walked on alone
and the water came, touched my feet
and was gone...