Monday, June 19, 2006

'Use the light that dwells within you to regain your natural clarity of sight.'- Lao Tzu-

I love to take photographs of doors, I also love collecting art images of views from windows, especially open windows. I think looking at beautiful views from windows in a painting can be a very peaceful and serene thing to do. There is something tranquil and fresh about an open window with a vase of flowers in it. I love doors, especially old doors like the one in my photograph, and I like to wonder what is behind them. I would also have come to a nasty end as Bluebeard's wife, I feel a door is meant to be pushed open to see what is behind it. I think my fascination with doors stems from my childhood when I read books such as 'The Secret Garden', with its hidden garden door, and famous five books with their hidden doors and mystery passages. The painting from a window is called 'Easter Morning' by Winifred Nicholson, who is an artist I love, and she also lived in my area for some of her life; it is the Cumberland hills in the distance in this painting. I have a print of this painting framed and hung on my bedroom wall opposite my real bedroom window. I love the yellow spring flowers, though this image I have uploaded is rather harsh in its colouring, the actual painting has more delicate colouring.

You will notice I have started this post with a quote, I love quotes and copy them frequently into my journal. I thought once a week I would select one and post it for us all to enjoy, not really original, I know I'm not the first to do it but I don't care, I like to think of a quote as a gift for people's souls. It might not be the same day every week but it will be once a week. I am also periodically going to post some of my collection of doors and windows. Does any one else collect images of certain things. Oh, and I also collect art postcards with people dancing, either solo, with a partner, in a circle or a group. Its just fun finding new ones.

After all the sunshine of the past two weeks, it has rained yesterday and today, but I am not complaining because the garden desperately needed a good soaking, that no amount of running backwards and forwards to the barn tap with watering cans was going to achieve.
Here is a photo of my bedding begonias, although mine are all in pots, they are really growing and look cheerful and sunny. I spent one rainy afternoon making two more sets of ATC's, I have only made them once before. One set I wasn't too pleased with, but was not bad for a second attempt, I'll post them here next time. But the last set of three I made, yesterday, I was pleased with, I am sending these three as a swop with another blogger, so I won't be posting them here for a while, as I don't want her to see them before I have sent them to her.

Don't forget, for those who are interested, this Saturday, 24th June, is Fairy Day. You can visit the Fairy Day website and find out more about it and upload a poster.

7 comments:

Miss Robyn said...

oh my, you have a fairy day over there? how lucky are you.
as to the being original - I believe nothing is original in this life - someone must have done it before in the past,surely..but like you say who cares. as long as you enjoy it is all that matters. I so much love your blog xoxo

Sherri Williams said...

Oh Daisy, I love the quote! It is definitely good for the soul. Thanks for sharing.

I love the photos too. I have a thing about doors. My sister started it for me but now doors are important to me. Ironicly though, I hate the doors on my house. Hmmm.... I'll have to add new doors to my honey do list.

RusticateGirl said...

I'm taking a class and working on my first painting (ever) - the object I chose to paint was the scene of an old door in Europe. I agree, doors are cool. Perhaps sometime in this lifetime I will finish it and post a pic on my blog LOL.

Naturegirl said...

I LOVED this post! The door truly beckons a story be told..the water color of pastels..I want it! The fairy
day..for sure the grandchildren and I shall view!I know you will love "Night
Gardening!"

Naturegirl said...

Daisy I had to return..You keep referring to midnight gardening...I hope you ordered the book in my above comment!!!

Beth said...

The quote is awesome,,and I too love doors! And mirrors,,for some reason. We too, got some much needed rain this past week-end,,it had been well over a week,,and my flowers don't like the tap water as much as the wet stuff that Mother Nature provides. I could actually hear them singing after the rain started! I still want to trade ATCs with you. E-mail me at Tntallgal@comcast.net,,so we can decide how many. Your ATCs are so cool,,great ART!

Annie Jeffries said...

Very fine door, Daisy, and a lovely post. I find images of doors and windows enchanting. I've been photographing them for decades. There is something so beckoning about them. "Open me. Come in." they seem to say. And I can't count the number of times I've read The Secret Garden.