I'm being beckoned ........

Having some time out. Catch you all soon!

Proud Music of the Storm

Storm in the Rocky Mountains
Albert Bierstadt, 1830-1902

Proud music of the storm,
Blast that careers so free, whistling across the prairies,
Strong hum of forest tree-tops - wind of the mountains,
Personified dim shapes - you hidden orchestras,
You serenade of phantoms with instruments alert,
Blending with Nature's rhythmus, all the tongues of nations;
You chords left as by vast composers - you choruses,
You formless, free, religious dancers - you from the Orient,
You undertone of rivers, roar of pouring cataracts,
You sounds from distant guns with galloping cavalry,
Echoes of camps with all the different bugle-calls,
Trooping tumultuous, filling the midnight late, bending me powerless,
Entering my lonesome slumber-chamber, why have you seiz'd me?

Walt Whitman
1st stanza

What's that in the sky?

Yesterday morning, just after 5am, hubby grabbed his camera to take these pics of this strange thing in the sky. It was in the east, travelling south-easterly. Probably a bit of space junk with the rising sun shining on its vapour trail. I lightened the last photo a little; the corner of our house is on the left and it slowly moved over the mountain range. I just caught the end of it at 5:30am as it disappeared over the mountains.

Everyday Views from Within

A reader mentioned the other day that it's nice to see the gardens of their blog friends to get a picture in their mind of where they live and are writing from. I took these photos last Wednesday, a couple through the flywire, as the view above from our bedroom. Enjoy my Australian spring garden.

Family Room

Family Room

Study


Study


Study


Sitting Room


Spare Bedroom


Bathroom, through flywire


Guest Bedroom


Music Room


Lounge Room


Lounge Room


Lounge Room


Front Door

Kitchen

Klytie Pate, Potter, National Living Treasure

Klytie Pate with antiques expert, Gordon Brown
on a recent episode of ABC2's "Collectors" program

Klytie Pate (nee Sclater), Melbourne 1912 -

Klytie, potter, printmaker and teacher, is one of our national living treasures. She began potting in the 1930s and made her final piece, an owl ginger jar, in 1998. Renowned for her carved and pierced pots as well as her beautiful glazes, at an early age Klytie's interest in art was encouraged by her aunt, Christian Waller, who introduced her to an Art Deco style, theosophy and classical mythology.

L to R: Roosters Vase 1980, Decorated Lamp Base, Candlesticks

Klytie was one of a group of Melbourne based potters in the 1930s, now considered pioneers, who developed a style which laid the foundation for the evolution of ceramic art in Australia. Klytie married William Pate in 1937 and began teaching at Melbourne Technical College until 1945, when she resigned to become a full-time professional potter.

L to R: Jug 1940, Pierced work Lamp Base,
Owl decorated Ginger Jar, 1998
The lamp bases can be lit internally and in the conventional manner

Her first exhibition of pottery was held at the Kominsky Gallery, Melbourne, in 1941 and collections can be viewed today at the National Gallery of Victoria, City of Ballarat Fine Art Gallery and at "Beleura", on the Mornington Peninsula, where a wonderful collection of her work is displayed throughout this magnificent historic house. Klytie's work was purchased by John Tallis, a personal friend and owner of the house and after his death the Tallis family and Foundation continued to add to the collection.

Bowl 1940

The leading picture was taken when Gordon Brown caught up with Klytie at the National Gallery of Victoria just a few months ago. Below is an excerpt taken from the ABC's "Collectors" page.

"She is still very spritely and met up with Gordon at the National Gallery of Victoria. She tells him about what inspired her most over the years, while they walk amongst the Chinese ceramic collection. She spent many hours there as a student and it is easy to see how this collection has had a profound influence on her. Now that her work is so highly regarded and valuable, Klytie says she's sorry she didn't keep more!

The National Gallery of Victoria will be featuring a display of Klytie Pate's work from their collection from mid August (2009) until February 2010."

The Melbourne Cup

Michelle Payne - read her story

We're all looking forward to The Melbourne Cup tomorrow, Australia's major annual thoroughbred horse race held at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne.

Wishing Michelle good luck on the day! She's riding Allez Wonder.

The Elegant Birch

Isaac Levitan, Birch Forest Birkenhain 1885-1889

Birch Tree

The birch tree in winter
Leaning over the secret pool
Is Narcissus in love
With the slight white branches,
The slim trunk,
In the dark glass;
But,
Spring coming on,
Is afraid,
And scarfs the white limbs
In green.

Arthur Seymour John Tessimond 1902-1962

Our Birch Avenue

What will it look like twenty,
fifty years from now?