DAYS OF JOY AND THE COLOUR YELLOW MARCH 2020

THE FRIDAY BLOG PAGE
DAYS OF JOY AND THE COLOUR YELLOW
MARCH 2020

What a month it has been, ending with New Zealand going into “lock down” for four weeks or more. So crazy with most of us unable to slow down the feeling of panic engulfing our way of life.
Please let me share with you some of the magical and joyful moments that have happened in this very interesting time for me. In amongst the unsettling up and downs there have been some great times full of very joyous and brilliant Yellow moments.
Goodness me the library has closed with no notice and me with only five books at home, thoughts ran through my mind but for me, who reads through the night if I can’t sleep, what shall I do? It was as if I, for a few moments had pressed the “negative” yellow button… Doom and gloom. But as we left for our morning walk just after six o clock I looked up and there in a gap between the clouds was a magical sight. A crescent Moon and two stunningly bright stars and a whole host of twinkling stars shone out just as they have always done and will do for evermore to come. I felt the love of the universe surrounding me and big smile arrived on my face. Such a grand feeling as we marched out, Jasper as always taking the lead.
I had never seen the lovely, native to New Zealand, fantails playing tag before but there they were three little birds filtering up and over, and in between, then through the power lines. I did not want to move in case they flew away. I was in fact mesmerized by them, by the swift, fun movements and the joyful twitting, maybe they were practising to be acrobats and hoping to join the circus.
And now, I have actually left the very best moment till last and that happened on the twenty ninth of February when my dearest daughter Serendipity asked her long time sweetheart Sean to marry her (yes a lovely leap year surprise). What excitement and happy tears as I read the wonderful words and looked at the delightful photos. It was really much more than “just lovely” and such a great surprise for I had no idea. Here is a little of what she shared with me.
Serendipity had planned to make something very special happen when they went for coffee and cake to their favourite place The Liberty Tearooms. She had very carefully slit open two fortune cookies, taking out the original thin pieces of paper and replacing them with her own words on one “He Will Say Yes” and on the other “Will You Marry Me”.
As he open his she did the most adorable thing, and got down on one knee and asked him to marry her. He (wise man) said yes, so congratulations all round.

What a wonderful memory. She wanted me to be with them so a while ago she had brought the yellow coat and sneakers as she knew I was doing yellow this year and she also knew that getting engaged was such a joyful moment for the whole family.
So far this year, has brought many unexpected moments of joy and laughter and I’m more than pleased that I decided to take on the idea of dedicating one word and for me always a colour and the colour is Yellow.

THE READING WOMAN MARCH 2020

THE FRIDAY BLOG PAGE

THE READING WOMAN

MARCH 2020

And already I’m turning over a new page on the calendar. The third month has come along as a surprise without me blinking an eye.

The Afternoon Rest.

John Morgan (British, 1823-1886). Oil on canvas.

John Morgan, a skilled painter of crowd scenes and a very successful Victorian artist. He loved to paint scene’s with children playing and many of these are in the Victoria and Albert Museum collection in London. As a young man was apprenticed to a business which designed frames and furniture. He studied at the School of Design at Somerset House, and later spent some time in Paris as a pupil of Couture and Delaroche.

The young woman in this painting is reading a book of poetry, and is about to turn to a new page, when she looks off to her left. Her lovely chestnut hair accentuating the paleness of her skin. The bright blue cushion adds some depth to the pale pink of her blouse. I wonder if left for a while longer she may have closed her eyes for a moment or two. I love the delicate flowers on her skirt with that touch of pale mauve and blue. Then there’s the fine almost gossamer like scarf around her neck with such tiny fragile pink flowers. There looks to be a cloak or some kind of mantle folded over the arm of her chair in rather autumnal colours, that is also picked up in the wallpaper.

The quote for March comes from the writer of the Harry Potter fantasy books J K Rowling.

“When I’m really stressed or overwhelmed I turn to biographies of people who’ve led turbulent lives. I find it soothing to read about people who’ve endured and overcome.”

She is also a film and television producer, Screenwriter and philanthropist. I have been enjoying a series of crime stories set in London, that she has written under the pseudonym of Robert Galbraith. featuring the private detective Cormoran Strike, Really great reading, loving every word

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