Box of Tricks

“Man, proud man, dressed in a little brief authority, like an angry ape, play such fantastic tricks before high heaven as make the angels weep”
William Shakespeare 1564-1616

This was a tough one. All I could pull out of my box of tricks was a clown, a chicken, a rabbit, and a bunch of balloons. Mouse over the box and, if you are an angel, try not to weep.

This weeks theme for Corner View is "box of tricks". For more tricky boxes, see the blogs below. Thanks to Francesca for hosting, Mlle Paradis for choosing the theme and Jane for getting this whole thing started.

francesca, jane, theresa, ian, joyce, isabelle, kari, jgy, lise, otli, dorte, skywriting, tikjewit, sophie, daan, wander chow, kelleyn, sammi, anna,  kenza, rosamaría, victoria, mlle paradis, tzivia, tania, nadine, cate, cole, ibb, kasia, juniper, flowtops, valerie, robida, beth, elsa

Positive Pooh

“Nobody can be uncheered with a balloon”
Winnie the Pooh

Some people worry about rough landings but this colorful balloon is making a smooth, happy return to terra firma in Napa Valley.

This weeks theme for Corner View is "a positive thought for bad moments". There are more positive thoughts in the blogs below. Thanks to Francesca for hosting, Ibabe for choosing the theme and Jane for getting this whole thing started.

francesca, jane, theresa, ian, joyce, isabelle, kari, jgy, lise, otli, dorte, skywriting, tikjewit, sophie, daan, wander chow, kelleyn, sammi, anna,  kenza, rosamaría, victoria, mlle paradis, tzivia, tania, nadine, cate, cole, ibb, kasia, juniper, flowtops, valerie, robida, beth, elsa

On My Wall

“The fall of a leaf is a whisper to the living”
Russian Proverb

This is a leaf mask that I smuggled out of Italy to give to my wife for Christmas a few years back. It's now hanging on the wall of our computer room/office/guest bed room. I added some texture by sandwiching in a photo of a wall of a local winery.

This weeks theme for Corner View is "on my wall". Check out what's on some other walls in the blogs below. Thanks to Francesca for hosting, Elsa for choosing the theme and Jane for getting this whole thing started.

francesca, jane, theresa, ian, joyce, isabelle, kari, jgy, lise, otli, dorte, skywriting, tikjewit, sophie, daan, wander chow, kelleyn, sammi, anna,  kenza, rosamaría, victoria, mlle paradis, tzivia, tania, nadine, cate, cole, ibb, kasia, juniper, flowtops, valerie, robida, beth, elsa

M is for Marilyn

“I don't mind living in a man's world as long as I can be a woman in it.”
Marilyn Monroe 1926-1962

I found these two posters taped to a mom and pop grocery store window in San Francisco. Today, June 1, is Marilyn Monroe’s birthday. She would have been eighty-five years old.

This weeks theme for Corner View is "M is for…". For more about M, see the blogs below. Thanks to Francesca for hosting, Valerie for choosing the theme and Jane for getting this whole thing started.

francesca, jane, theresa, ian, joyce, isabelle, kari, jgy, lise, otli, dorte, skywriting, tikjewit, sophie, daan, wander chow, kelleyn, sammi, anna,  kenza, rosamaría, victoria, mlle paradis, tzivia, tania, nadine, cate, cole, ibb, kasia, juniper, flowtops, valerie, robida, beth

Favorite Fiction

“Imagination and fiction make up more than three-quarters of our real life”
Simone Weil 1909-1943

My favorite fiction these days is not a book or movie... it's Photoshop. It makes reality very tweakable. This is a photo of a sculpture in downtown San Jose, California. It looks to be an empty free falling stars and strips aviator suit. I don't know what it's called or who the sculptor is but I like it. I removed it's pedestal with Photoshop to enhance the free falling effect. You can see the pedestal by placing your cursor over the bottom part of the photo. The building in the background is the corporate headquarters of Adobe, the company that makes Photoshop.

This weeks theme for Corner View is "favorite fiction". There's more fiction in the blogs below. Thanks to Francesca for hosting, Beth for choosing the theme and Jane for getting this whole thing started.

francesca, jane, theresa, ian, joyce, isabelle, kari, jgy, lise, otli, dorte, skywriting, tikjewit, sophie, daan, wander chow, kelleyn, sammi, anna,  kenza, rosamaría, victoria, mlle paradis, tzivia, tania, nadine, cate, cole, ibb, kasia, juniper, flowtops, valerie, robida, beth

Room

“All architecture is shelter, all great architecture is the design of space
that contains, cuddles, exalts, or stimulates the persons in that space.”
Philip Johnson 1906-2005

This is the top of a very tall room… the vertiginous atrium
of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.

This weeks theme for Corner View is "room". There's still more room in the blogs below. Thanks to Francesca for hosting, Cole for choosing the theme and Jane for getting this whole thing started.

francesca, jane, theresa, ian, joyce, isabelle, kari, jgy, lise, otli, dorte, skywriting, tikjewit, sophie, daan, wander chow, kelleyn, sammi, anna,  kenza, rosamaría, victoria, mlle paradis, tzivia, tania, nadine, cate, cole, ibb, kasia, juniper, flowtops, valerie, robida

Motion

“Two stars keep not their motion in one sphere.”
William Shakespeare 1564-1616

Two speedboats race along the River Wye which forms part of the border between England and Wales. I like the contrasts in this one- the still river, the speeding boats and the clouds and sky reflected in the water.

This weeks theme for Corner View is "motion". There's more motion in the blogs below. Thanks to Francesca for hosting, Cole for choosing the theme and Jane for getting this whole thing started.

francesca, jane, theresa, ian, joyce, isabelle, kari, jgy, lise, otli, dorte, skywriting, tikjewit, sophie, daan, wander chow, kelleyn, sammi, anna,  kenza, rosamaría, victoria, mlle paradis, tzivia, tania, nadine, cate, cole, ibb, kasia, juniper, flowtops, valerie, robida

By the Sea

“Break, break, break, On thy cold gray stones, O sea! And I would that my tongue could utter The thoughts that arise in me”
Alfred, Lord Tennyson 1809-1892

This view by the sea was taken along beautiful 17 mile Drive in Monterey.

This weeks theme for Corner View is "by the sea". You can see more sea in the blogs below. Thanks to Francesca for hosting, Lisa for choosing the theme and Jane for getting this whole thing started.

francesca, jane, theresa, ian, joyce, isabelle, kari, jgy, lise, otli, dorte, skywriting, tikjewit, sophie, daan, wander chow, kelleyn, sammi, anna,  kenza, rosamaría, victoria, mlle paradis, tzivia, tania, nadine, cate, cole, ibb, kasia, juniper, flowtops, valerie, robida

Apples and Oranges

"It's like comparing apples and oranges"
American idiom

Sometimes I have apples for lunch . Sometimes I have oranges. Let's compare.
Sometimes photography is "real". Sometimes it is "fake". Is it better to be a "purist" or a "cheat"? Are answers really better than questions? I'm really getting lost here. Can you find the oranges in the picture below? You can "cheat" and see some real fruit by putting your cursor over an orange if you can find one.

This weeks theme for Corner View is "what's for lunch". Let's see what's cooking in the blogs below. Thanks to Francesca for hosting, Dorte for choosing the theme and Jane for getting this whole thing started.

francesca, jane, theresa, ian, joyce, isabelle, kari, jgy, lise, otli, dorte, skywriting, tikjewit, sophie, daan, wander chow, kelleyn, sammi, anna,  kenza, rosamaría, victoria, mlle paradis, tzivia, tania, nadine, cate, cole, ibb, kasia, juniper, flowtops, valerie, robida

Home

“There's nothing half so pleasant as coming home again.”
Margaret Elizabeth Sangster 1838-1912

Somewhere under the rainbow… this is my wife returning to our home in California.
I used this photo for my very first post on this blog. There’s more info over there about the home and the rainbow.

I think of home as largely a state of mind which is why this photo is not “real”. The home is real, the rainbow is real, my wife is real (really real). However, there were some telephone wires and cars in the driveway that I removed from reality. You can see the original photo by placing your cursor over the bottom part of the picture.

Click here if you want to see more of my street... telephone wires, cars, rainbow and all.

This weeks theme for Corner View is "home". There's someplace like home if you go to the blogs below. Thanks to Francesca for hosting and Jane for getting this whole thing started.

francesca, jane, theresa, ian, joyce, isabelle, kari, jgy, lise, otli, dorte, skywriting, tikjewit, sophie, daan, wander chow, kelleyn, sammi, anna,  kenza, rosamaría, victoria, mlle paradis, tzivia, tania, nadine, cate, cole, ibb, kasia, juniper, flowtops, valerie, robida

Time

“The only reason for time is so that everything doesn't happen at once.”
Albert Einstein 1879-1955

This is twenty five seconds happening at once on the California coast.

This weeks theme for Corner View is "time". There's more time on the blogs below. Thanks to Dorte for the theme and Francesca for hosting.

francesca, jane, theresa, ian, joyce, isabelle, kari, jgy, lise, otli, dorte, skywriting, tikjewit, sophie, daan, wander chow, kelleyn, sammi, anna,  kenza, rosamaría, victoria, mlle paradis, tzivia, tania, nadine, cate, cole, ibb, kasia, juniper, flowtops, valerie

Reflection

I have always preferred the reflection of the life to life itself.
Francois Truffaut 1932-1984

This is a sideways view of a Norwegian hillside reflected in a motionless lake. I added yellow and blue because they are complimentary (opposite) colors in the additive color system. If you stare at the middle of this picture for about 30 seconds and then move your cursor over the image you should see an afterimage of the compliments of these colors. The blue will become yellow and the yellow will become blue. The afterimage will fade after a second or two. It's a reflection in your head.

This picture can also be viewed as a Rorschach test. What do you see?

This weeks theme for Corner View is "reflection". There's more to reflect on in the blogs below. Thanks to Francesca for hosting.

jane, theresa, ian, joyce, francesca, isabelle, kari, jgy, lise, otli, dorte, skywriting, tikjewit, sophie, daan, wander chow, kelleyn, sammi, anna,  kenza, rosamaría, victoria, mlle paradis, tzivia, tania, nadine, cate, cole, ibb, kasia, juniper, flowtops

Communication

Self-expression must pass into communication for its fulfillment.
Pearl S. Buck 1892-1973

Was it just me or did this lonely telephone pole have a brief moment of enlightenment?

This weeks theme for Corner View is "communication". There's more communication in the blogs below. Thanks to Flowtops for the theme and Francesca for hosting.

jane, theresa, ian, joyce, francesca, isabelle, kari, jgy, lise, otli, dorte, skywriting, tikjewit, sophie, daan, wander chow, kelleyn, sammi, anna,  kenza, rosamaría, victoria, mlle paradis, tzivia, tania, nadine, cate, cole, ibb, kasia, juniper, flowtops

Wood

“Before enlightenment; chop wood, carry water.
After enlightenment; chop wood, carry water.”
Zen Proverb

During enlightenment; solar heating, indoor plumbing.

This weeks theme for Corner View is "wood". There could be more wood in the blogs below. Thanks to Isabelle for the theme and Francesca for hosting.

jane, theresa, ian, joyce, francesca, isabelle, kari, jgy, lise, otli, dorte, skywriting, tikjewit, sophie, daan, wander chow, kelleyn, sammi, anna,  kenza, rosamaría, victoria, mlle paradis, tzivia, tania, nadine, cate, cole, ibb, kasia, juniper

On My Kitchen Counter

“I'm at the age where food has taken the place of sex in my life. In fact, I've just had a mirror put over my kitchen table.”
Rodney Dangerfield 1921-2004

I'm reflecting on my latest happy meal.

This weeks theme for Corner View is "on my kitchen counter". There's more counter intuitiveness on the blogs below. Thanks to francesca for hosting.

jane, theresa, ian, joyce, francesca, isabelle, kari, jgy, lise, otli, dorte, skywriting, tikjewit, sophie, daan, wander chow, kelleyn, sammi, anna,  kenza, rosamaría, victoria, mlle paradis, tzivia, tania, nadine, cate, cole, ibb, kasia, juniper

Blue

“Somewhere over the rainbow, skies are blue,
and the dreams that you dare to dream really do come true”
From The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
Lyman Frank Baum 1856-1919

I saw this blue truck on the Big Island of Hawaii.
It was leaving Waimea but headed towards Oz.

This weeks theme for Corner View is "blue". For more blue bop on over to the blogs below. Thanks to Theresa for hosting.

jane, theresa, ian, joyce, francesca, isabelle, kari, jgy, lise, otli, dorte, skywriting, tikjewit, sophie, daan, wander chow, kelleyn, sammi, anna,  kenza, rosamaría, victoria, mlle paradis, tzivia, tania, nadine, cate, cole, ibb, kasia, juniper

The Climb Begins

“When you reach the top, that's when the climb begins.”
Michael Caine 1933-

I found this mural of aspiring folks on the side of a hotel in Walnut Creek, California.

This week’s Corner View is “favorite actor”. Michael Caine is a great actor but he is also an inspiring teacher. Listen to a bit of his advice here. There are more favorite actors in the blogs below. Thanks to Theresa for hosting and Skylar for the theme.

jane, theresa, ian, joyce, francesca, isabelle, kari, jgy, lise, otli, dorte, skywriting, tikjewit, sophie, daan, wander chow, kelleyn, sammi, anna,  kenza, rosamaría, victoria, mlle paradis, tzivia, tania, nadine, cate, cole, ibb, kasia,

Evening Sky

"To me at least was never evening yet
But seemed far beautifuller than its day."
Robert Browning, The Ring and the Book


Is beautifuller a word? Was it ever? Poetic license?
Anyway, this is a piece of the most beautifullest evening sky I saw last week.

This weeks theme for Corner View is "evening sky". The sky's the limit in the blogs below. Thanks to Theresa for hosting and wander chow for the theme.

jane, theresa, ian, joyce, francesca, isabelle, kari, jgy, lise, otli, dorte, skywriting, tikjewit, sophie, daan, wander chow, kelleyn, sammi, anna,  kenza, rosamaría, victoria, mlle paradis, tzivia, tania, nadine, cate, cole, ibb, kasia, juniper

The Most Wonderful

“Life itself is the most wonderful fairy tale.”
Hans Christian Andersen 1805-1875

This week’s Corner View theme is “ my favorite artist”. About fifteen years ago I bought a book at a flea market called Hans Christian Andersen- The Fairy Tale Of My Life with illustrations by Niels Larsen Stevns published in 1954. I was taken by the strength and color of the childlike illustrations. I had originally intended to cut out the artwork to frame but I couldn’t bring myself to rip up the book. So now I just take out the book a couple of times a year to soak up the pictures. I haven’t actually read the whole book yet- it is an autobiography but is believed to be part fact with a good dose of fiction. Hans Christian Andersen did know how to embellish!

Anyway, here are a few of the illustrations by Niels Larsen Stevns .


Hans Andersen sees Copenhagan 1819

Awaking in Paris

 Hans Andersen and Ingemann on Soro Lake.

At the Royal Theater.

Hans drawing during his stay in Rome.

See more favorite artists in the blogs below. Thanks to Theresa for hosting.

jane, theresa, ian, joyce, francesca, isabelle, kari, jgy, lise, otli, dorte, skywriting, tikjewit, sophie, daan,wander chow, kelleyn, sammi, anna,  kenza, rosamaría, victoria, mlle paradis, tzivia, tania, nadine, cate, cole, ibb,

Organic Form

“True ornament is not a matter of prettifying externals. It is organic
with the structure it adorns, whether a person, a building, or a park.”
Frank Lloyd Wright 1867-1959

Wright may be right but we used this pumpkin to prettify our interior
for last year’s October festivities.

This week’s Corner View theme is “organic form”. See how things are shaping up in the blogs below. Thanks to Theresa for hosting.

jane, theresa, ian, joyce, francesca, isabelle, kari, jgy, lise, otli, dorte, skywriting, tikjewit, sophie, daan,wander chow, kelleyn, sammi, anna,  kenza, rosamaría, victoria, mlle paradis, tzivia, tania, nadine, cate, cole, ibb,