Saturday 12 September 2015

Nostalgia

The slightest breeze whisks a host of Rosebay-willow-herb progeny to float off high above our heads
Schools are back, and we have had our first Fine Art Society lecture following the summer break - Edvard Munch: Mother, Mistresses and Models. The talk was by a brilliant speaker who has inspired me to learn more about him and his life. I have never really understood Munch's paintings which predominately seem to be about his preoccupation with the emotions of isolation, melancholy, and despair. 
National Gallery, Oslo, Norway
Munch's painting of 'The Scream' is a disturbing image, apparently his intention was to show an anxiety ridden vision of the soul. It is the second most universally recognised painting in the world - no prizes for guessing which is number one!
Making the most of these warm balmy September days
Savouring evening walks before the sun slips below the horizon - a little quicker each night

Like the turning hands on a clock the seasons roll on
The hedgerows and bushes are overflowing with seeds and fruits

There is still colour in the garden

folklore predicts and heralds a harsh winter

following a bountiful season of berries
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I am heading off in a few days to the land of my childhood 
My ballet teacher gave my poor mother the task of dying white towelling brown and then the job of making me this fox outfit. I recall my father spending time pulling bristles out of our yard brush for the whiskers, but sadly neither the whiskers nor my mother's embroidered black snout and green eyes are visible on this old photo.

54 comments:

  1. I don't know much about Munch either, Rosemary, which is curious in a way when you think that his Scream is so incredibly well-known. Can't remember seeing any more of his paintings in my travels. I sense that Autumn is closing in on you, beautifully shown in your pictures. Enjoy the land of your childhood, which looks like a happy place. What fun you had playing Mr Fox, always the clever character!

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    1. Dear Patricia - I could never understand Munch's paintings coming from such a beautiful and tranquil land of mountains, and fjords in Norway. Having now learnt more about his early family life I think that I now have a greater appreciation, but intend to find out more.

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  2. Hello Rosemary, Robert Frost's poetry also mingles a sense of the beauty of nature with the darker side of human emotion. Perhaps it is because the Ideal contrasts so strongly with the problems with which people get themselves involved.

    Apropos Munch's Scream, I had a friend who had a car that always needed repair, so when I saw a Scream keychain in a museum shop, I knew I had found the perfect gift.
    --Jim

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    1. Dear Jim - Munch wrote "I do not believe in art which is not the compulsive results of man's urge to open his heart" -he seems to me to share similar preoccupations of emotional suffering with his near contemporary, Vincent van Gogh. I have had a quick look at Robert Frost and note that he lost his father from TB when he was 11 years old. Edvard Munch also lost his mother and sister to TB when he was a similar age.

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  3. Some great macro pictures, Rosemary. Love the old box one.

    Greetings,
    Filip

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    1. Thanks Filip - glad you enjoyed seeing them

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  4. "What does the fox say?" You were before your time.

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  5. I've always found that painting deeply disturbing so have never looked for more of his work. Your photos are wonderful, really looks like autumn. We're still hot and sticky, but they're promising us a change. Love your costume.

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    1. When I look back I realise just how good my parents were at giving me and my three siblings every opportunity they could and also worked hard on our behalf to make it happen.
      The weather here is perfect for me - warm, sunny and what I think of as "soft". The washing dries outside, we can sit in the sunshine for our coffee and take pleasing walks with a hit of a breeze.

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  6. Lovely September photos of berries and flowers and than the fox...... a funny, cute brown towel fox you were.

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    1. Thanks Janneke - I don't think that my mother thought it was very funny when she found it so difficult to dye the towelling brown - I think that dyeing cloth then was not the easy process it is today

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  7. Sounds like a beautiful September there Rosemary - and thankfully today may be the start of our cooler weather as a front comes through later with rain, and a significant temperature drop from the 90's to the low 80's - I hope to breathe again!!!!

    Your berries are gorgeous - and is that your lovely garden gate? Love the stone walls and the landscape across the rolling fields. 'Foxy' you - so cute - and the sweet bunnies - those were the days of real home crafted costumes, not the chintzy things on sale in the big box stores now!

    Yes, many of the great artists in history seemed tortured in their lives - and it's always amazing to hear how TB seemingly hit most families back in those days - it was the scourge of the medical world. Thank you for leaving your kind comment on my Vincent Van Gogh post today - I'm anxious to visit that French village and actually walk in his footsteps at the auberge!

    Have a wonderful weekend - I'm heading into the countryside to search for pumpkins!
    Hugs - Mary

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    1. Dear Mary I expect that you will find lots of lovely pumpkins in all shapes, colours and sizes to buy.
      At the end of our road we have that little private gate which takes us on to the road you see and then almost immediately over a stile onto National Trust Common seen on the next photo

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  8. I love that last picture!!! I hope that the berries are wrong in their weather forecast this year and are just being very beautiful and bountiful berries! xx

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    1. Yes Amy, I don't really believe in old wives tales. Now I am hoping that remark doesn't go and upset the applecart!

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  9. A gorgeous post Rosemary.....Munch et al!

    Ciao

    Robyn

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    1. Thank you for your visit Robyn and kind comment - do please call again

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  10. Sunshine, shadow, stone walls and a sturdy gate. Great!!

    Ms Soup

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    1. The coming winter is not all gloom and doom is it? especially when you have lovely days to cherish like these

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  11. The berries...we have those in Tasmania and it means the same....a cold winter.
    My mother used to sew my ballet costumes too...was the done thing back then..

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    1. Hopefully it wont be true Margaret, but if it is there is nothing we can do about it except weather it

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  12. There is such a special mood to the lovely month of september, an awaiting of the gorgeous autumn colours and still enjoying the warm weather and the mature fruits and the last flowers of summer.

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    1. At first I did not recognise your new avatar Jane - yes, I really don't sense autumn as yet because the weather is warm and pleasant, and the trees have yet to turn. Plenty more to look forward to this year.

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  13. Dear Rosemary, I knew that you would be the one to lead the pack. I recognized you right away.
    Wonderful photographs of plants and flowers which are unusual and not often photographed. Looking forward to seeing a few pictures of your childhood home. Happy travels.

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    1. Thanks Gina - I shall be revisiting some places that will bring back memories of day outings spent with my parents and siblings.

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  14. That shot near the end.....are those berries? They almost look like balls of cotten.
    What a darling little Fox you are.

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    1. Yes, they are berries and they feel spongey to the touch. They are Symphoricarpos albus - Common Snowberry - the berries develop from those tiny pink flowers.

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  15. Early fall is a wonderful time of year here in Oregon, too. Frequently we enjoy an "indian summer" which is occuring this year. Your photo of the garden gate and lush greenery is sooo inviting! I was lucky enough to have a Mother who sewed me costumes for those ballet/dance events, too! You and your darling bunny-friends must have been a joy to watch in the ballet!
    How clever to use toweling to represent fox fur. I never would have thought of it! Keep showing us some of those kid-photos!
    I can't wait!

    Mary in Oregon

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    1. I am enjoying our Indian Sumer better than the summer itself - it is softer, mellow, and golden.
      I suspect that my ballet teacher had a bale of white towelling, the bunnies are in towelling too, and that is why it was used. My poor mother drew the short straw, life would have been much easier for her if I had been a bunny too.

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    2. Yes, Mother bought a good, dark red pleated wool skirt (at a flea sale or something) for me that she thought she could dye black. (first time and last time we tried to dye!) I was not pleased at the ugly dark brown skirt. I probably wore it once... Aaah, the trials and tribulations of Mothers everywhere!

      M in Oregon

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    3. Dyeing today is so easy in comparison - just pop a dye in the washing machine and away you go - success every time

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  16. Lovely photos, as usually.
    Have a great school weeks.

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  17. Hello dear Rosemary,
    The cutest photo of you as a bunny.
    I am slowly catching up with everyone.
    Sending special thanks to all who sent me well wishes, during my bad time.. with my back and my hand. I have had the plaster off and am typing slowly now.
    The views down to your valley are so spectacular. You do live in a beautiful part of England.
    I wish you a happy trip to Derbyshire !! if i am not mistaken !! Enjoy it all.
    happy days..
    val xx

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    1. Lovely to hear from you Val and pleased to know you are making good progress - heading off tomorrow - by the way I am the fox!

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  18. Have a good time Rosemary! Lovely photo of you as a fox :-) Have a good time in Derbyshire. Wish I could join you!

    Madelief x

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    1. Thanks Madelief - just need the weather to be good

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  19. Those are wonderful images of autumn! I hope you have a wonderful time revisiting the land of your childhood and hopefully avoid the rain! Sarah x

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    1. The weather has been so lovely, but the rain today feels like a big setback - whats that song - rain, rain, go away

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  20. Has anyone mentioned that nostalgia isn't what it used to be? But at least YOU can remember the outfit, and that's the most important thing. I love summer and regret its passing, but we are lucky to have the seasons; there is so much in each one. You really do take astonishingly good, and clear, photos. I see you have photographed snow berry - an invasive weed in our garden - if you have any tips on how to get rid of it, I'd be glad to hear them!

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    1. Hello Mike - can you imagine living in a country without seasons? we wouldn't enjoy summer half so much if it was hot all the year round.
      No tips for the snowberry - that one is growing in a hedge in our road and not in our garden.
      Thanks for the kind comment re: photos - I only have a little point and shoot.

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  21. Those photographs are stunning, esp. the first.-Hart

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    1. Thank you for visiting Hart and for your kind and generous comment which I appreciate

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  22. Hello, Rosemary! There’s something sad and lonely about the passing season into winter in spite of the bountiful harvest. This sentiment might be similar to the existential fear shown in Munch’s. But your lovely photographed memory reminds me of how life is beautiful though mixed with something sad! You look so lovely with the hand-made fox outfit.

    Yoko

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    1. If we did not have our seasons Yoko I am sure you will agree with me that we would not enjoy each one so much. I shall be back here again with you soon.

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  23. Heading through your gate seems an idyllic way to start a country walk or a trip down memory lane.

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    1. Thank you Susan - I am already headed down that lane - back shortly

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  24. Some lovely photographs here Rosemary ... September is such a lovely time of year for walking, the colours are amazing.

    All the best Jan

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    1. Thank you Jan - I always appreciate your kind and thoughtful comments

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  25. Lovely pictures and a air of autumn...beautiful Rosemary!
    Warm hug,
    Titti

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    1. I have been away Titti and just found your comment - thank you♡

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“You can't stay in your corner of the forest waiting for others to come to you - you have to go to them sometimes”

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