Spanish Sunday

May this photograph of Maria Albaicin (for sale, here) becalm a friend who is shouting, what why is there nothing on Giulia's site yet? Must be kidding, but still. Here is José Andrés Made In Spain website. He's tweeting his great big heart out from South Africa. Also, one of my favorite sites, Flamenco World.

Ow. I think I'm being sworn at now. I really must learn Spanish & Catalan. Olé!

Update, 9:02pm EDT-Have just been informed that I did not say, "Congratulations to Spain." That's what this post is, fer Pete's sake. I know some very bossy people. It's karma.

The Diplomat

I've been in love with this cat, Alvar, for over a year. I've used several of animal rescue heroine Marianne Perdomo's photographs on Giulia Geranium & a few early this year on bricolage. Here, Alvar finds himself in a situation quite familiar-to-me. Oof. That's Humphrey on the left & Eli the dog on the right.

Spanish Dancer

Perhaps because stamping my feet & tossing my hair would be oh-so-more-attractive when dressed thusly. Otherwise, I'm just another person in Washington, DC pitching a fit (even if they are for good causes). Who wants to face that? Not me.

The photograph is via we heart it. (There's a winding way back to the original. Will do that tonight.) The papercut is A Night in Seville by Tina Tarnoff of Sylvie Guillem papercut fame; the necklace is the one I could not resist though it is less wearable daily (except I am wearing it under pullovers). The title because it is one of my very favorite songs, ever. I finally downloaded it (& the whole album) because the only version I had was on this thing called a cassette tape--yes, that long ago.

[ papercut & pendant images courtesy of Tina Tarnoff/all rights reserved]

Ferdinand

Vachement! C'est vachement difficile! That wasn't considered swearing when I lived in France. I mean not really. Bad. Or anything. To capture my mood, this should literally be Bull! But this is a peaceful guy, overseeing the quiet brushes & supplies in the studio.

The Polaroid is by the very kind & generous Marta Vallejos Pastor of Spain. I was going to use it for a post on Crete & Picasso & what-have-you. Well, that's not happening anytime soon due to unforseen (aren't they always?) difficulties. Oof, as my friend Isa oofed on Friday, readying herself & family to visit (her family) in France for most of August. Agreed, I did, as we hid from various responsibilities for a quick iced coffee in a soul-less mall thingy. Then I realized I'd unintentionally dissed someone I knew long ago, a writer. Unintentional but still I should've done something about it. By now. It's complicated (isn't it always?). We also laughed amid-the-oofs, to be honest & non-dramatic about it.

By the way, Marta collaborates with another Spanish artist on a variety of projects. They also have an etsy shop, Pocket Memories. It is well worth the time to visit both her flickr sets & the shop.

[sueña que el trigo pueda pintar el cielo de otro color by Marta V./by permission of artist/all rights reserved]

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? ]

Week's End - Humphrey in Black & White

Dear sweet peaceable Humphrey of Grand Canaria (his soul brother is Alvar, here). His human mom, Marianne Perdomo, is very talented (& funny). See her flickrstream, here. Bon weekend!

Un chat blanc

I love this cat, Alvar. Again, from Marianne Perdomo's flickrstream.

I'm all ears...

From Marianne Perdomo, a terrific photographer, animal rescuer, & all-round funny lady. She lives on Gran Canaria & her English is excellent.We hang our head in shame at our inability to claim something similar in Spanish. This is funny Blanquita (with Eli in the background). Blanquita has something to say, it's quite obvious!