November 4, 2010 Local artists

Come into my house so I can show you some of the paintings done by two of my favourite artists.

The first 2 are by A.D. (Tony) North, whom I met in Mackay. He has now moved to the Sunshine Coast of Queensland where, hopefully, he'll find a larger market. The first painting was done about 2 years before the other. I like the maturation developing in his approach.

He used to start with a black canvas, and work from there; I don't know whether he still uses this approach.

The next artist is Graham Draper, who lives in my town. His "day job", is, in fact, a night job, as shelf stocker at a local supermarket. I really covet his house, it vibrates with life and colour. 

The first painting is an old Queenslander house, still to be seen here in town. The other two are of his parents!

November 3, 2010 Look down

We laud the painters and sculptures who decorated churches of centuries gone by, but how often do we know who designed and created the floors?

November 1, 2010 Calico cats

 

  
You may have seen these cats around; their coats are a combination of black, orange and white, arranged in blocks of colour. 

Generally speaking, calico cats are female. It's a genetic thing!


Coat color in cats is a sex-linked trait, a physical characteristic (coat color) related to gender. Female mammalian animals have two X chromosomes (XX), males have one X chromosome and one Y chromosome (XY). The genetic coding for displaying black or orange color is found on the X chromosome. The coding for white is a completely separate gene. For a male cat to display the calico colours, he'd need to have an extra X chromosome. (Pay attention at the back of the class!)

By the way, they are not a separate breed of cat, and it can be tricky to try to breed for these colours. Calico cats are not to be confused with tortoiseshell cats. The latter has little or no white in their coat colour, and the colours tend to be blended or swirled together.


Many people consider calico cats will bring good luck to their home, especially if they happen to 'adopt' their owners! Some people call them "money cats".

Puschka, my Grand-cat!!

October 30, 2010 It's a shoe-in

Back in "the days", I was one of the many women who love shoes. Oh, I still do, but just don't indulge in the passion quite as much.

But, I do take photos of shoes in my travels, so here are just a few for your pleasure.

And, although not glamorous, necessary for the rain, or aqua alta, in Venice.

For the gentleman in your life, these natty spats, perhaps.

 And, finally, my old favourites, who walked many a kilometer with me. Alas, they are now part of some landfill on Vancouver Island. I mourn.

October 28, 2010 Bookworms of the world, unite!

What are you reading right now??

Here are a few of my favorite books. Many have been read more than once ...

October 27, 2010 Signs

Sign Sign everywhere a sign
Blocking out the scenery breaking my mind
Do this, don't do that, can't you read the sign

 

I cheated: this is from Melbourne

October 26, 2010 This Ole House

This ole house once knew his children
This ole house once knew his wife
This ole house was home and comfort
As they fought the storms of life
This old house once rang with laughter
This old house heard many shouts

 

This ole house is a-gettin' shaky
This ole house is a-gettin' old
This ole house lets in the rain
This ole house lets in the cold

  
(This Ole House, Stuart Hamblen)