Twist In My Sobriety

All God's children need travelling shoes
Drive your problems from here
All good people read good books
Now your conscience is clear
I hear you talk girl
Now your conscience is clear

In the morning when I wipe my brow
Wipe the miles away
I like to think I can be so willed
And never do what you say
I'll never hear you
And never do what you say

Look my eyes are just holograms
Look your love has drawn red from my hands
From my hands you know you'll never be
More than twist in my sobriety
More than twist in my sobriety

We just poked a little empty pie
For the fun that people had at night
Late at night don't need hostility
The timid smile and pause to free

I don't care about their different thoughts
Different thoughts are good for me
Up in arms and chaste and whole
All God's children took their toll

Chorus

Cup of tea, take time to think, yeah
Time to risk a life, a life, a life
Sweet and handsome
Soft and porky
You pig out 'til you've seen the light
Pig out 'til you've seen the light

Look my eyes are just holograms
Look your love has drawn red from my hands
From my hands you know you'll never be
More than twist in my sobriety
More than twist in my sobriety

Tanika Tikaram ... from her album 'Ancient Heart'

Something a little different from me - for my dear friend Alexander & thank you 'M' ...♥

'Colour and Light'

'Angelique'

'White Satin'

'Timeless' detail

'Auburn Spring

'Winter Garden'

'Warmth'

These powerful and evocative images of the female form, in either an intimate interior, garden or rural setting are the work of American painter Daniel F. Gerhartz, born in Wisconsin in 1965, where he still resides with his wife Jennifer and their children.
I love the sumptuous colours and textures of his canvases and the way he introduces light and shade into his paintings, the light giving them life and a glorious glow of warmth and harmony.
These are only a small sample of his beautiful paintings, some of my favourites, but there are so many more which I could post here and I would recommend you visit his web page 'The Paintings of Daniel F. Gerhartz' at www.danielgerhartz.com where you will be delighted to find more paintings such as these ... as well as landscapes, seascapes and much more ... just click on the link to 'paintings' and you will be opened up to a world of beauty and a powerful visual experience.
These paintings remain the property of Daniel F. Gerhartz and they are copyrighted, I have kindly been given permission by the artist's wife Jennifer Gerhartz to use these paintings in this post ... if you wish to use any of these paintings please contact the artist via e-mail for permission.
I have also added a link to Daniel's web page in my side bar so that in future we can all go and enjoy the paintings of this very talented artist.
Thank you Jennifer for your kind permission in allowing me to post these paintings. ♥

Flowers for my Birthday

Yes it was my birthday today... again, gosh I'm getting old, they seem to come around more quickly as the years progress ... :-)
These beautiful flowers are from Nina, my Vietnamese friend who has adopted me as her 'Mom' here in Australia. She is so thoughtful and spoils me...thank you dear Nina, Marina, Liz and Lyn.
I have had a lovely day, my wonderful daughter called in to see me this morning with my adorable granddaughter, again tonight with more cakes, cards and presents ... I am having a BBQ celebration lunch at her house on Sunday... thank you Rebecca.
My lovely new daughter-in-law to be, Nicole and my youngest son, Andrew cooked me a splendid dinner this evening, it was so nice not having to cook or do a thing...more cards and lovely presents.
Dinner was followed by a delightful birthday cake ... a torte...layers of chocolate and vanilla cake, filled with fresh cream and chocolate ganash (no, not to be confused with Ganesh), the top was covered with fresh fruit, shaved chocolate and a raspberry glaze ... there goes my diet... and no there are no photos of me the 'birthday girl', I am feeling too old.
Thank you Nicole and Andrew...
Sadly, Matthew could not join us for my little birthday dinner, he is at present in Calvary hospital, which is a palliative care/rehabilitation facility run by the Little Sisters of Mary.
He will be there for a while as the 'team' as I refer to them, that is his neurologist, general practitioner and pain specialist are trying to get his pain under control with supervision, some daily physiotherapy and gentle exercise so that his leg muscles don't atrophy from the MS and to help with some of the other unwanted symptoms of this disease ... he is quite happy there and I spent some time with him this afternoon.
I think it is a nice change from being at home, some new faces and people to talk to and mix with. He is allowed to come home for a few hours on Saturday, so we will have a small celebration then.
Thank you also to my dear friends for your thoughtfulness and kind wishes ... ♥

The birthday cake, it was delicious and despite all of the cream and ganash delightfully light!

Pre Raphaelite Women ...some tragic ... some not

Vanity - Frank Cadogan Cowper - 1877 - 1958

Autumn Leaves - Sir John Everett Millais - 1852

Guinevere - Eleanor Fortescue Brickdale - 1871-1945

Ophelia is a fictional character in the play Hamlet by William Shakespeare...She is a young noblewoman of Denmark, the daughter of Polonius and sweetheart of Hamlet and a sad and tragic character.

Ophelia - Arthur Hughes - circa 1863 - 1864

Ophelia - John William Waterhouse - 1889

Ophelia - John William Waterhouse - 1894

Ophelia - Sir John Everett Millais - 1852

The Lady of Shalott - John William Waterhouse - 1888

In the stormy east-wind straining,
The pale yellow woods were waning,
The broad stream in his banks complaining.
Heavily the low sky raining
Over tower'd Camelot;
Down she came and found a boat
Beneath a willow left afloat,
And around about the prow she wrote
The Lady of Shalott.

And down the river's dim expanse
Like some bold seer in a trance,
Seeing all his own mischance -
With a glassy countenance
Did she look to Camelot.
And at the closing of the day
She loosed the chain, and down she lay;
The broad stream bore her far away,
The Lady of Shalott.

An excerpt from the poem 'The Lady Of Shalott' by Alfred, Lord Tennyson

'seer' a visionary: a person with unusual powers of foresight.

Pre Raphaelite Movement - A link to Wikipedia ... ♥

Of Flowers White ...

Le Roses - Marie the artist's wife in the garden at Skagen, 1893

Marie in garden chair at Skagen - 1893

Marie in the garden at Skagen - 1893

Peder Severin Krøyer - Norwegian born - Danish painter
1851 - 1909

Of flowers white
on branches borne

In fields of green
delight the morn

Of purest white
reflect the moon

In morning's rays
bright the dawn

Pretty petals
display their charm

In meadows wild
their scents adorn

Blooming in hedgerows
or jardins faire

A heady fragrance
fills the air

Their beauty
delights us

Everywhere ...

by Dianne D ♥

Over The Top Award

I have just popped over to All Atwitter to see who had won this weeks Haiku competition and have found that my dear friend Sparrow has so generously passed this lovely award on to me, her words being and I quote "Dianne because she leapt into blogging with all of her heart and is so good at it"... gosh, I had no idea, what a nice surprise, thank you Sparrow, that is quite a compliment coming from someone as lovely and generous as yourself. ♥

This award also comes with a one word meme,so here goes....

Where is your cell phone? purse

Your hair? golden

Your mother? deceased

Your father? deceased

Your favorite food? salad

Your dream last night? romantic

Your favorite drink? juice

Your dream/goal? security

What room are you in? office

Your hobby? gardening

Your Fear? loneliness

Where do you want to be in 6 years? relationship

Where were you last night? friend's

Something that you aren’t? insincere

Muffins? English

Wish list item? love

Where did you grow up? Sydney

Last thing you did? phoned

What are you wearing? black

Your TV? digital

Your pets? kitties

Friends? close

Your life? busy

Your mood? happy

Missing someone? yes

Vehicle? Corolla

Something you’re not wearing? watch

Your favorite store? Target

Your favorite color? yellow

When was the last time you laughed? today

Last time you cried? today

Your best friend? children

One place that I go to over and over? supermarket

One person who emails me regularly? Rebecca

Favorite place to eat? Thai

I am to pass this award on to six people, there are more than six who deserve this but I would like to give this to the following friends ...

Foamy, because you are such a sweetheart and you're always here for me and never let me down.

Chickory/K9, because you too are a sweetheart, are always here for me and protect me.

Sarah Sofia, because you are kind and generous and have offered me your help in the past.

Lil Lamb, because you are such a lovely, sweet girl and I like you to visit.

Pug, because you have been such a good friend to me, given me good advice and you make me laugh.

HLiza, because you have had a bad experience this year, you are a lovely person, I love your blog and your photography.

This has been difficult, there are so many who should be here and I don't like leaving anyone out... so I will mention April, because she needs cheering up and she works so hard; Mayden, because you are a sweetie and everyone's friend; Diane, because you are a lovely girl and a great Mom; Helene, because you are lovely and always cheerful; Shweta, because you are a lovely girl and need cheering up; Corby, because you are such a sweet girl; Anna, because you are such a brave, adventurous girl; Phos, because you are a lovely guy; J Cosmo, because you are a gentleman and very kind to me; Ruela, because you are so hot; Alexander, because you are a gentleman and kindred spirit; Glyn; because you are a lovely guy and have given me some good advice and /t., because you are such a talent and I love your comments...and of course Sparrow, for the lovely, generous person that she is...I guess I have most likely left a few people out, if so I apologise... and sadly some who don't visit here any more. ♥

Dancing in the Rain

" Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass ... it's about learning how to
dance in the rain." ♥