McMullen Museum

The large banner on the front of Devlin Hall on the Boston College Chestnut Hill campus announces the exhibition on Gustave Courbet (1819-1877).   He is known as the chief representative of realism in the nineteenth century.

(Portrait of Madame Leon Fontaine, nee Laure Janne, 1856-570)

He famously stated: "I cannot paint an angel because I have never seen one" expressing his distance to the romantic history paintings favored at the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris.  He taught himself by copying Dutch and Spanish paintings in the Louvre.  

(Woman with Mirror, c.1860)

Looking at the women he depicted, they have angel-like features and perhaps they were 

earthly angels he saw and painted?

http://www.bc.edu/bc_org/avp/cas/artmuseum/

A Newly Painted Historic House

After 13 years in a green house, friends decided to have their large house in a different color.  Not pink, but 'Burgundy  rose'.  A decision was made and six painters went to work.  The neighbors got upset and then calmed down when realizing that it was the base color which offended their eyes.

Now, soon finished, the right 'pink' and the white trim and all the black shutters - it will be beautiful and just as stunning as Jacky Kennedy in the 60's at a Gala Dinner:

(They say that pink combined with black is associated with seduction!  Who are 'they'?)

http://www.empower-yourself-with-color-psychology.com/color-pink.html

"Cute Birds"

It is only the first time - a few years ago - that we got all excited about a wild turkey crossing the street.
Now they have multiplied and are no novelty but just a nuisance.  If scared, they can fly and go for the eyes! Better to wait inside the house until they left the garden.

Raccoons, skunks, rabbits, squirrels and chipmunks we are used to and keeping the garbage locked, we live peacefully side by side.  But now coyotes are seen sometimes and brown bears are in Western Massachusetts and it is not entertaining anymore.

Yesterday morning  there was this proud hawk majestically picking on his breakfast.

From a different angle  I recognize suddenly the rest of a bushy squirrel tail!

Let nature take its course?  I am not so sure anymore.

http://www.entergy.com/2008_hurricanes/Underground-lines.pdf

Autumn Foliage 2013

Middle of October and suddenly the green leaves are changing over night and surprise with their beauty. Driving to buy the groceries I had to stop and admire the double beauty in Bullough pond.

How wonderful that we always have this change of seasons which marks the different months.

Many tourists from the western States in the US come now to enjoy New England:

http://www.massvacation.com/blog/2013/10/explore-massachusetts-fall-foliage-with-activity-suggestions-from-aaa-southern-new-england/

And I, looking in the pond and its reflexion, am thinking about Giverny and Monet's garden.

Anniversary Day

"They have this arrangement. He earns the money and she takes care of the house."


The New Yorker had this cartoon in one of its magazines in the Spring of 1977.  (See the
bellbottomed trousers of the two ladies!) We thought that was very humorous.

At the same time, this was our plan when we decided on a life together 36 years ago.

36 years together - how appropriate that 36 is both a rational number and a composite number.

Composite from  Latin 'componere' which means 'put together'......

Rainbow colors

Remember the Seventies?  Of course you do because it was not so long time ago....... Surprised to see the exhibition of the Textile department in the MFA? (http://www.mfa.org/exhibitions/hippie-chic?gclid=CJb78crI7rkCFYSd4AodDkUAfw)

Three personal surprises:  1) to see young visitors amazed discovering this fashion;  2) to see the flower arrangement in the Information Center with hippie roses and

 3) the music box to choose songs from the Seventies seemed to be the most popular 

feature of the show.

Would you know the order of the colors in a rainbow? Just remember the following mnemonic:

ROY G. BIV   (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet)

Second in New England

We in Boston tend to forget the second largest city in New England - Worcester.  An easy drive 65 km to the West and there is the city with WAM - Worcester Art Museum.  That again is the second largest Art Museum in New England.
From archeological sites in Antioch (Turkey) beautiful mosaics were brought to this museum which impress immediately at the main entrance hall.  For example this 'Vine Scroll Floor Mosaic' with peacock and rooster which is just a small part.  It was made in the 6th century and still a pleasure to discover the intricate details and colors.

This museum was founded 1898 and has now beautiful objects from antiquity to modern art. For museum and art lovers a great place to visit more often.  More info if you click on:
http://www.worcesterart.org/Information/information.html

Another side of Worcester one could experience is at the 10th ROCK AND SHOCK festival which happens between October 18 - 20 at the Palladium and DCU Center. Tickets are still available!