Art should evoke feelings within...

This woman's eyes intrigue me.
The pleasing highlights of the curls in her hair as they fall over her shoulders.

At times, it is the colors and textures of a painting which attract.
Then, as you revisit the work, one notices more familiar aspects.

And, of course, Monet evokes feelings of softness and calm.
Restful colors and themes in blue cause one to wonder who he really was as an artist.

Venice is more than a city of water.
Vivaldi lived there, the Carnival lives on.
The attraction of lovers remains despite the years of tourism.
I believe it is the light as well as the water which mesmerizes lovers.

At home in Canberra

We arrived on 11th of June in 2008, a Wednesday.

Excited to be in Australia's capital, Canberra; we entered our host home.
From the moment we arrived, as we explored the rooms, we had a sense of calming peace.
As we experienced this home in a practical way daily; our awareness of who our hosts are became more evident. These are some images of the space we will call "home" until our hosts return from their traveling time away.

I am feeling as though I am beginning to know the woman of this home; and find we share similar tastes in music, art, movies, theatre, and spiritual disciplines. Meeting her for the first time face to face will be an event I look forward to greatly.

Of special interest, is the private garden which greets us each morning. A lovely wall of camelias frame the space. Large terra cotta pots with kumquat and lemon trees frame the windows. I can't express the gift I receive each morning when I open the curtains to allow the early morning sunlight into the open living space which make up the kitchen dining and living room.

One of my host's library has proven to be one of great interest. THere is a fabulous book titled "Monet's cookery notebook" and I have been feasting on the pages filles with a glimpse into his life and family. Monet was meticulous when it came to eating lunch precisely at 11:30 a.m. each day. He did this to enable himself to paint in the afternoon light. Both he and his daughter painted regularly. Along with this information, are actual recipes Monet selected for his table. His second wife prepared them for Monet. Her hand written recipes were recreated by others in connection with the book. Photos of Monet's home in Giverny, the gardens, the rooms, the water, his boats, the waterliles, the bridge from his paintings... all is included. So what else could I do? I ordered a copy of the book for my own library.