Postcard Pictures: February 2012

Wednesday, 29 February 2012

Summer dining al fresco

Dappled light on sun-bleached timbers....

.... twilight by candle light

.... baskets and raffia

.... and a table of friends and laughter

Add the best catch of the day

.... with a glass or two of bubbles

.... and fresh fruit from the harvest

These are the things I love about al fresco dining!

Thursday, 23 February 2012

Sea Fever

I must go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky,

And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by,

And the wheel's kick and the wind's song and the white sail's shaking,

And a grey mist of the sea's face, and a grey dawn breaking.

I must go down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide
Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied;
And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying,
And the flung spray and the blown spume, and the sea-gulls crying.

I must go down to the seas again, to the vagrant gypsy life,
To the gull's way and the whale's way, where the wind's like a whetted knife;

And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover,

And quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick's over.

John Masefield 1878 – 1967 England

Friday, 17 February 2012

Art on the wall

Graffiti – (singular: graffito; the plural is used as a mass noun)
is writing or drawings scribbled, scratched, or sprayed illicitly on a wall or other surface in a public place.
Graffiti ranges from simple written words to elaborate wall paintings, and has existed since ancient times, with examples dating back to Ancient Greece and the Roman Empire.

Melbourne is famous for its little alleyways and laneways adorned with graffiti. They creep up on you when you least expect it and their walls, pavements and even the garbage bins are works of art.

The city has embraced its al fresco artists to such an extent that there are special Graffiti walking tours. You can find maps of them at

Melbourne Graffiti Walks

Walk to Art

Melbourne Street Art Tours
We Make Stuff Good Tours

I love their ingenuity and sense of humour ....

Colour and style....

.... and simplicity

One of my favourite magazines – InsideOut recently dedicated their blog page to Laneway Graffiti in Melbourne

http://blogs.homelife.com.au/insideout/article/laneway-graffiti-melbourne/

And finally,

not strictly graffiti,
but on many churches my guess would be that this could be misconstrued as such.

No?

Monday, 13 February 2012

Sweet sweet love!

The Owl and the Pussy-cat went to sea

In a beautiful pea green boat,

They took some honey, and plenty of money,

Wrapped up in a five pound note.

The Owl looked up to the stars above,

And sang to a small guitar,

'O lovely Pussy! O Pussy my love,

What a beautiful Pussy you are,

You are,

You are!

What a beautiful Pussy you are!'

Pussy said to the Owl, 'You elegant fowl!

How charmingly sweet you sing!

O let us be married! too long we have tarried:

But what shall we do for a ring?'

They sailed away, for a year and a day,

To the land where the Bong-tree grows

And there in a wood a Piggy-wig stood

With a ring at the end of his nose,

His nose,

With a ring at the end of his nose.

'Dear pig, are you willing to sell for one shilling

Your ring?' Said the Piggy,'I will.'

So they took it away, and were married next day

By the Turkey who lives on the hill.

They dined on mince, and slices of quince,

Which they ate with a runcible spoon;

And hand in hand, on the edge of the sand,

They danced by the light of the moon,

The moon,

They danced by the light of the moon.

The Owl and the Pussycat by Edward Lear

Happy Valentine's Day

Our beloved family pets
two white kittens, Europa and Delphi and
Skoopidia
(rescued from a garbage bin!)
who gave me nothing
but sweet, sweet love!

Photos taken in the garden of Villa Olga, Ellinika