I spent all day yesterday sitting at my desk, compiling a binder we use to reserve library space and track the librarians' tasks throughout the year. It's much more complicated than it sounds, but now it's done -- and once I've got the magazines sorted and that binder finished I feel like I've leaped my major beginning-of-the-year hurdles. Whew!
Unfortunately sitting at my desk doesn't do much for my blog, so today, I can only pass along some more random iPhone pictures.
First, I saw this rug in the window of a swanky carpet emporium on Piccadilly. What a bizarre combination -- colorful floral carpet and Donald Duck! I bet it costs a fortune.
This is another painting from Lee Krasner's show at the Barbican, which you may remember I saw recently. It's called "Polar Stampede," from 1961. The black forms do look sort of animal-like. It made me wonder whether Krasner started with an idea or title, or if she simply went with the flow and named her creation afterwards. In other words, did she start with a blank canvas and say, "I'm going to make a painting suggesting animals in a snowstorm," or did she paint it and say, "Hey, that looks like animals in a snowstorm!" Know what I mean?
This is pretty much the predominant opinion, at least among people I know.
These are my neighbor's begonias. He's a nice older guy, very talkative, and he always has flowers on display in front of his house. He once told me he bought his place in the 1980s for something like £80,000. Now it's probably worth a million!
I saw this canned drink in the window of a shop. I think it's called Gingerella, which explains the groovy '60s cans. I immediately thought of Twiggy, but they're sort of Barbarella too.
As I was walking home from work I noticed that the church on Priory Road had trimmed its trees and finally, finally removed those mylar balloons snarled in the branches. Remember when I photographed them years ago? They've been hanging limp and discolored in the tree ever since -- once mylar gets stuck in a tree, nothing in nature gets rid of it.
You probably can't see them easily, but the balloons are in these bags of debris, faded to a weak gold color.
Unfortunately this also means that the trees have been pruned to within an inch of their lives!
Looking at the label on the phone box, I must say that obeying that particular command is definitely not for me. I guess that this says something about the people you mix with. Instead of doing that to Boris, I would prefer to feed him to the lions in London Zoo.
ReplyDeleteI love those plants that your neighbor has. I agree, getting back into a routine is comforting. I have a time share in Florida, and that is how they trim the trees. The poor things look so sickly until they start to fill out again. You have a wonderful day, hugs, Edna B.
ReplyDeleteThe tree pruning seems to be the equivalent of the haircut soldiers get at the start of basic training--basically, just short of scalping. Ouch.
ReplyDeletePruning so hard seems like punishment to me. Some people here in Florida prune their crape myrtles this hard ever year and the trees are sadly mutilated. Happy to see some resistance to Boris, tho.
ReplyDeleteI am SO done with Disney images on every blessed thing. At least Walt is happy, up there in Fantasia.
ReplyDeleteFrankly, I thought that painting looked like leaping fish. And your musings about the chicken/egg naming is apt. I'm betting the name came after.
Honestly I thought the Donald Duck rug was some sort of graffiti when I first glanced at it.
ReplyDeleteYour neighbor has certainly figured out how to make begonias bloom.
Gingerella! Great name!
well, if Disney let them use Donald Duck for that rug you can bet it comes with a hefty price tag. and I thought the white in the painting was sort of animal like. that poor tree. I looked at the previous picture, if that's the way they want it to look they out to just cut the poor thing down and be done with it instead of torturing it on a regular basis.
ReplyDeleteThat Donald Duck rug is truly a mystery. It makes no sense at all. And, I can't believe those balloons stayed in those trees for two years especially with all the wind you've had. That Gingerella can is very groovy. The Boris sign made me think that I don't see "dump trump" signs around here even though there is certainly a large contingent of people who feel that way. I bet it has something to do with the fact that so many Americans own guns. We don't want to poke the bear.
ReplyDeleteAs we go about our daily business there's always something interesting to see.
ReplyDeletePoor Boris.. a much maligned and misunderstood man. All those Tory members who voted him in for PM must think he has something to offer the country. Surely they haven't made a decision they will regret. If they have, their names will be plastered all over what's left of the red phone boxes in the UK.along with Boris.
ReplyDeleteAlphie
You see such interesting things there. That Donald Duck rug is crazy!
ReplyDeleteThose poor trees! But thanks to the continuing miracle of nature, they will come back again.
ReplyDeleteAt first I interpreted the white in "Polar Stampede" to be polar bears; then I realized you were probably right, it's more likely to be the dark that is animals - caribou, likely. I don't think polar bears actually stampede :D
ReplyDeleteIt feels good to get those first tasks out of the way when getting back to work. It sort of breaks you in and gets everything off on the right foot.
I'd like that rug - if they would remove the duck from it. Ha! I agree about the tree - what the heck! I was thinking they were pollarding it, but I don't think so since it doesn't look very full in the picture from two years ago.
ReplyDeletegrooviest photos! I do love "Polar Stampede" it gives me the feels. oh and yes, Fuck Boris.
ReplyDelete