Lily, Rosemary

and the Jack of Hearts. Man, I have to change the subject (sort of). It should be about the Rolling Stones because Keith just said "honey, you tried" to Terry Gross on Fresh Air. It was a fine interview, as always. (Link to listen, also expanded Jon Stewart interview) (Tim Walker photograph via Lori at automatism.)

Chimes of Freedom

The Nobel Peace Prize 2010 was awarded to Liu Xiaobo "for his long and non-violent struggle for fundamental human rights in China".

Note: It's not you, I've turned off comments on this post. Reason at bottom in italics.

Liu Xiaobo was sentenced on 25 December 2009, the day after a two-hour trial and more than a year after he was first detained. Articles he wrote about the June 1989 pro-democracy movement were also cited in his verdict as evidence of “inciting subversion”.

Amnesty International has campaigned for his release, along with that of other activists who signed Charter 08 including Liu Xianbin, who was arrested in June.

Several other signatories of Charter 08 have asked to share the responsibility with Liu Xiaobo and a group of senior Communist Party members have questioned the legality of Liu Xiaobo's sentence.

Former president of the Czech Republic Vaclav Havel and Nobel Peace Price Laureate the Dalai Lama were among those who supported the nomination of Liu Xiaobo for the 2010 award. Vaclav Havel co-wrote Charter 77, the 1977 document calling for respect of human rights in Czechoslovakia on which Charter 08 was modeled. (Amnesty International website)

Note: Comments are turned off for this post, as they are permanently on Julie's innocent leetle blog. The spam level reaches heights of absurdity whenever something like this appears. Yes, even on theese leetle blog. I'm still searching for photography attribution; I have had it in a file for months & did not save with info. It's just perfect, to me, though & so I dug it off a CD of pix. (Update - photograph by Ricardson Williams via flickr)

Week's End - Down the Highway

Well, I’m walkin’ down the highway/ With my suitcase in my hand...Dylan

OK, well, I'm not walking down the highway but expecting a ride down one tomorrow. (Though you should have seen me tromping down a highway last night, soaking wet, with a flashlight & fueled by indignation & a bit of fear.) And I'm trying to pack what I'll need/want. We've been without power AGAIN for the last few days. To say enough already is not adequate. Finally finally finally our Governor has had it, our County Executive has had it & who knows who else. I've been on a Campaign of Fury the past few days on the phone & radio stations. It will continue--not here--but at a place where the power rarely goes off & then for really good reasons. Like a hurricane. For Instance.

I've lost the contents of the fridge yet again. Not enough ice in the neighborhood. Until late last night, it was pitch dark, over 100 degrees in my apartment, & nearly as humid. Julie was about to sprout mushrooms from her little red head (for the uninitiated, that's the cat). Meanwhile, thank goodness for a fully-charged iPod (lent indefinitely) filled with hilarious & thought provoking podcasts by Stephen Fry. That darling devil.

Ciao for now. I'll visit everyone on the weekend/early next week as I take little breaks from off-line writing & trouble-making.
PS: As Julie's blog is on break, I cannot emphasize enough - somewhere - that millions of people are literally treading water in Pakistan. More than were affected in the tsunami. If you are so inclined--man, I hope you are--please go to Giulia Geranium for a list of places to help. Thanks. [photograph by Tim Walker]

Update: after posting this, the power went out again for 1.45 hours. (This is for record-keeping).

Ghost of Electricity

That's all that remains in this apartment, as I walked in arms full of flowers & perishables from the farmer's market. Storms you ask? Why, no, that would be understandable. One outlet & I'm supposed to be happy for it? I actually know how this stuff works (or doesn't). Yeah, that stuns me too.

I'm deducting the cost of all perishables from the damn PEPCO bill. Apologies to nice people who arrive here for the first time. I am rather excitable, yes, but this is the limit. I have lived/travelled in places where this is to be expected. Archaeological digs, countries at war, etc. But. The whole country (& connected Canada) will go this way if people continue to snooze at the mention of the power grid. Really. I've jokingly told friends I will in the future consider only dating men who have generators (or the ability to rig something up that won't kill me). Not survivalist types. Egad. We'd fight to the death in 10 minutes, politically speaking. I'd win, too.

I'm now looking at typewriters online. I suppose the old pedal sewing machine is next.There goes the rest of the power. Fume.

Friday update, 1.15pm: off again; on a bit; bound to go off again completely soon (the electricity)

[second photograph by Eugenio Recuenco]

One Too Many Mornings

Happy Birthday, Bob Dylan, you cranky cuss. I was slow off the mark (again!) & La Clever Pup beat me to it. Here's her post Not Dark Yet.

The image here is via BabyBlueOnline. The longish quote because the painter deserves credit (though only the painter's sibling is named. Hmmm.).

"One of our regulars here at the cafe, Dabney Oakley, has sent us a painting done by his sister in 1964. The story is that a "'Bob Zimmerman' was visiting a friend at Randolph-Macon Womans College in Lynchburg. Not looking like the usual prepsters from Hampden-Sydney, Washington & Lee, or UVa, he was asked to 'sit' for a 'Studio Portrait Class.' The portrait shown was done by my sister. I'm sure there are others 'out there,' too."

Would love to know more about those paintings (that college isn't far from here & friends teach/have taught there). Alas, one more cup of coffee is needed on this new morning. (OK, I'll stop.) Still, hey painter lady--get in touch.

Some years ago I attended a Dylan birthday party (no, he wasn't there). My then-newish boyfriend looked at me in muted horror (it's possible, believe me. He was a diplomat's son from a Byzantine culture - well, that's redundant. Levantine with the Byzantine diplomatic background overlay.) I assured him the tiny harmonicas thrust at us upon arrival were party favors, nothing more. He parked himself in a corner with Dylan (the Resident Cat) & fiddled around with the plastic. An hour later, he played something (don't remember what). Not bad though, not bad at all.

Geranium Kiss

The kings of Tyrus with their convict list/Are waiting in line for their geranium kiss- B. Dylan

The top image is by Hazel Smith of The Clever Pup & The Plum Plum. She generously whipped it up at the last moment for Giulia Geranium's 2009 blog anniversary. I've been caught up short again this year & thank her for allowing me to use it.

Always loved the image from Bob Dylan's Sad-Eyed Lady of the Lowlands...& somehow it reminded me of the other photographs. These young women are searching for their perfect geranium mouth. I know that cosmetics were in short supply during & at WWII's end, but what a weird (& funny) way to choose a lipstick. From Nina Leen's wonderful 1945 shoot for LIFE.

I'm too tired to whip up & fold in the kings of Tyrus to the mix. Just enjoy musing on it, if you like.

Mille grazie, Hazel.

The Wind Blows

You don’t need a weatherman
To know which way the wind blows...Subterranean Homesick Blues

It nearly blew me right off my feet. The wind is howling, though it could be the shrieks of villagers with pitchforks & torches.

Good night!

[Photograph via bohemea ]

Gregory in Black & White

Distressed that racial epithets were hurled at civil rights hero John Lewis & others over the weekend. It stings, it really does. Also homophobic (to be polite about it) screams at Congressman Barney Frank. It's at times like these I clutch my copy of To Kill A Mockingbird & re-order the film from the Netflix Fairy. I saw a dreadful production at Ford's Theatre years ago...it was worth seeing for the sake of the young sons of my then-boyfriend (hate that word). These children were (are) biracial as are some of my family members. Their racist grandmother took us to the play; that was one weird day.

Gregory Peck was a card-carrying, proud liberal, too; that makes the film that much sweeter. And did you know he became a friend of Bob Dylan? Yep. Because of Brownsville Girl. When Dylan received the Kennedy Center Honor, he asked Peck (along with Springsteen) to be part of the festivities. Here's the Peck-narrated video.

It's gonna be a long haul.

[photographs via classicmoviekids.com; alt film guide]

Week's End - Love Minus Zero/No Limit

Song lyrics & photo have no connection. The title popped into my head & it won't go away. Hate when that happens. Good weekend to all. [Blue snow in Vermont photograph by Paul Moody]

Haiti

It seems there was an earthquake that/ Left nothin' but a Panama hat/ And a pair of old Greek shoes./ Didn't seem like much was happenin',/ So I turned it off and went to grab another beer./ Seems like every time you turn around/ There's another hard-luck story that you're gonna hear/ And there's really nothin' anyone can say/ And I never did plan to go anyway/ To Black Diamond Bay.

Determined to put something in about Haiti. Plus, it means something to me. Some years ago, as a reply to my plea to help in another disaster, a friend played this song. I have to say, it was a unique way of saying no & he received style points (from me) for it.

Whether you were planning to go or not. Let's not turn our backs. Like my former friend.

There are postings everywhere with suggestions for donations. I made mine to the Red Cross & World Vision. There are links on Giulia Geranium (or scads of other places). Plus every country has their Red Cross chapter. Upate: I see that Wyclef Jean's Yéle Haiti Foundation has its donation site up, now. He donates 100% to relief, too.

Another update on Thursday: Received this wonderful message just now in a Red Cross e-card:

Ciao Susanna and Giulia,
I was inspired by your posting and have made a donation for the relief effort. I look forward to seeing you on Sunday!
xoxo

[photograph of Haitian bird in a cage by John Leonard/LIFE archives]

Blue Wall(paper)flowers

But Mona Lisa musta had the highway blues/ You can tell by the way she smiles/ See the primitive wallflower freeze/ rest
[1960 Vogue via myvintagevogue/sidebar]

Spanish Manners

In a Spanish mood, flamenco chic on GG...& I love this photograph. It reminds me of a friend who grew up mostly in Madrid & Barcelona (though she is American-by-passport). Her father was, uh, a diplomat. (It took a few years to convince her that there were very few opera emergencies in 1960s Saigon, no matter her memories.) I loved her father, too, despite it all. We had shared Graham Greene Syndrome. (Dangerous place? We're there. I'm over it.) Sorry to say, he's been gone for...I don't know. Before September 11, anyway. Otherwise, I'd remember calling him in Barcelona.

I needed major protection for an event once (actually more than once). Sunglasses, a person on either side, & hauteur weren't enough & so out of my friend's Spanish closet came The Very Beautiful Thing. An enormous, black, embroidered antique flamenca's mantilla. I couldn't believe she would allow it out of the apartment. The fringe was on the floor unless I held myself just so. Which was the whole point, just so. I feel a subject coming on...or perhaps re-obsession. Now, though, time to make dinner.

[On another note: is anyone else about ready to storm the radio station where that oaf-toad Limbaugh lurks? I cannot escape him; everywhere, BBC, CBC, all the BCs. Eek. And no, a Latina judge nominee didn't bring on the Spanish stuff. Poking around GG archives did that...reruns due to same old non-health.]

[by Martha Holmes, LIFE archives, what else? ]

When I Paint My Masterpiece

Oh, the streets of Rome are filled with rubble,
Ancient footprints are everywhere.
You can almost think that you're seein' double
On a cold, dark night on the Spanish Stairs...


...Someday, everything is gonna be diff'rent
When I paint my masterpiece.

Happy birthday, Bobby.

full lyric, here

[vintage postcard image by D Sharon Pruitt/pinksherbert photography/for Creative Commons Use by poor people like, uh, nonprofits; Bob credit, here; random personal photographs in collage; someday, I'll find the flattering ones. Must be some sort of undermining thing.]

Françoise in Light & Dark

So many people send me that American Girl in Italy postcard by Ruth Orkin. Some people (still) use a song's lyrics, too, & think they're complimenting me. It is one of my favorite Dylan songs but please. I was thinking about it when I saw these pix. [She's got everything she needs/she's an artist, she don't look back/ (She Belongs to Me)]

Françoise Gilot, annoyingly referred to only as "Picasso's mistress," in a multi-exposure by Gjon Mili. In the second she is drawing with light. Also by Mili. This was during a 1949 visit to Picasso & Gilot in Vallauris, France. Every time I see similar dates in Europe or Asia on a letter or photograph, I think this is but [ _ ] years after the cataclysm we call WWII. Reading Gilot's books & many accounts of other artists, writers, poets, philosophers, & intellectuals (not to mention everyone--but most did not write memoirs) who stayed -- or were trapped -- in France during the war is harrowing, sobering, & inspiring.

We have Picasso to thank for saving so many of Matisse's works. Of course, there was no small amount hilarity in the old bull's machinations; finally, a worthy use for his extraordinary powers of manipulation: confusing the Gestapo officers on a Matisse canvas hunt. (Picasso hid them in a complicated story. Which is how he tricked the Gestapo.) A synopsis of that some day...unless, hey Pup, Pup? You want to do it? I'm tired. My toof hurts. Well, at least everyone interested in the intersection of art-artists-the-world-in-crisis should (I think) read Gilot's excellent Matisse & Picasso: A Friendship in Art.

Can't get to the TTT tag today but will tomorrow (or ?). It's rainy, drippy, & oof. A creative & peaceful evening to all.

ciao, buona notte

Week's End - Tangled up in blue-black ink...

Update: At 12:07EDT, it's definitely Week's End for archival purposes. Hoped for amusing photos like last Friday's & the time/energy/computer cooperation to do something with them. Not happening. Good weekend to all, wherever you are.

Apologies to Bob. I hate doing that...was gonna use some really obscure Dylan line but I took the easy way out. Not week's end yet...(Waterman pen by Phil/ShutterSparks who has the coolest stuff)

Bob in Black & White

Just felt like it. Visions of Johanna earlier & it's full of keys & locks & cages...(photo credit) New album late this month.