Still Life & Tabletop

No, I've not turned to drink. But I cannot see my tabletops right now & they are not "still life" in the classic sense. (Yes, I've tried squinting.)

Circumstances conspire to render me mostly silent (aren't you glad?) this week & post photographs & links & other people's giveaways. Circumstances do not involve my imminent capture by a butterfly-net wielding right wing lunatic (although, you never know). It's about the list of things I'm supposed to do/have said I will do. Many of them online.

There's a photography festival on here in DC (FotoWeek 2010). I'm trying to bite my tongue about the cutesy spelling...I've been guilty. More than once.

A couple of giveaways. Bleeding Espresso has one for a new cookbook (also reviewed), My Calabria. It's always fun to visit Michelle in Calabria, Italy.

The lovely & humorous Blue Gardenia has an exceptional giveaway that ends tomorrow (Tuesday, 9 November). It's a random generator winner, not an essay contest, & so can I just say something? Yeah, I can. Why do people shriek "I want I want" & the like on giveaways? It's so degrading. If the giveaway person gives instructions, I follow them. But I do not virtual-scream like a ninny. I'm sure you do not, either. The comments on this one, though, are tame compared to some sites I've seen. So no offense to BG readers. (photographs from Olga's Tabletop series)

Life Creeps Up

However smart we may be, however rich and clever or loving or charitable or spiritual or impeccable, it doesn't help us at all. The real power comes in to us from the beyond. Life creeps up behind, where we are sightless, and from below, where we do not understand. -D.H. Lawrence

Life creeps up & so does bang (fringe) creepage. It will take all my will & strength to make it across town to cure this unacceptable state of hair-affairs. It's a welcome gray, cool day here today. Don't agree (entirely) with the Lawrence quote, but it's how life feels nowadays.

[photograph by Amanda Mason/all rights reserved/via Audrey Hepburn Complex tumblr]

Poppies in July

(Photograph by Olga via flickr)

Update - and now I can't OK comments. It just won't work, so thanks. I'm sorry. Let's see how long Blogger takes to fix it. If ever.

Swedish Midsummer Mystery

I love this photograph by Olga, taken in Sweden. It brings to mind an Inspector Wallander book (& PBS series with a brilliant turn by Kenneth Branagh as Kurt Wallander) & waving fields of golden-yellow flowers...on a midsummer's eve.* The series is shot in a rarely-seen part of Sweden & it's beautiful, wistful, melancholy, tortured, etc. So of course, I love it. (When you're finished reading Stieg Larrson's (sadly) final book, check out Henning Mankell's series, if you've not already done so.)

Speaking of Sweden, Anne's Food, written by Anne (surprise) in Stockholm has excellent (impressively organized) easy-to-print recipes & wonderful photographs. Mother to an adorable baby boy, Titus, who made the scene in May 2009. She has cats. Her profession is "political secretary." All very intriguing & I've only had 3 years to find out more. Here are Anne's labels for 'midsummer'; it may be too late to bake/make anything now...but who says you can't do it later? Don't get into too much trouble tonight.

*Depending on where you are (sorry Antipodean friends, for being so Northern-centric).

[second image via Jane Austen's World - also a wonderful blog. I know. You're thinking, wha??? What's that got to do with Jane Austen. Well, go visit & find out!]

Sicilian Sunbrella

The stripes & umbrellas continue...this time from Giampaolo Macorig's Water & Sky flickr set. I've used a lot of his shots on the Giulia Geranium blog. He's a terrific & generous guy with a painterly eye & imagination. He lives in Rome now, but lived in Palermo (where this was shot) for some years.

Back tomorrow with Fourth of July & other summery stuff. Right now, I'd like to be in Sicily...so off to make some Sicilian food. That's as close as it gets tonight. (Oh, & with an Andrea Camilleri mystery.) ciao, belle.

Painterly Venice

Love, love, love Allison Lince-Bentley's Venice photographs.

Original image courtesy Allison Lince-Bentley