Tuesday, February 21, 2017

MAGICAL


Look at our magical sunset last night -
could it be a sign that Autumn will come?
Soon?


Weekend date time:  We went to the first Medici Concert for 2017 -
'A Night in Vienna' with pianist Piers Lane celebrating the glorious music of Old Vienna.
From the dainty, exquisite Mozart Sonata in C Major, K545, via Beethoven and Schubert to the Strauss/Schulz-Evler Concert Arabesques on the Blue Danube Waltz, it was a sublime performance.

No recording was permitted of course, and I could not find any of the works on You-Tube...but you all know who he is!
Now based in London and the world, Piers Lane grew up in Brisbane, and went on to international fame as a concert pianist.  He comes back to Queensland each year to perform and to visit family and we try to catch his concerts as often as possible.


Another performer we love, our own Little Aussie, has taken to performing magic tricks.  It is so much fun.  


We found some magicians on You-Tube for him to emulate, and he does it so beautifully, little hands waving gracefully.  
 We have both conquered the disappearing egg in an egg-cup, and the magical pea which flits about under the three thimbles.

He asked me for a cloth with stars, and I found this sparkly fabric which also has hearts...
 I hope it works just the same...


Top hat from a local party shop, and the little bunny among the Easter displays.  And I have finally found out the secret, and a way to produce the bunny out of the 'empty' hat.  Thank you, You-Tube.

Can't wait to show Little Aussie this one...

We went to see Lion...and loved it..
The story of little Saroo Brierley, lost as a small boy in India, and later adopted by an Australian family, brought me to a few tears.
Nicole Kidman is great as his adoptive Mum.
Wanting to know more about him, I downloaded Saroo's book on my Kindle and have been enjoying that too.
So wonderful that as an adult he tracked down his family via Google Earth!


Family is everything...banana and honey muffins anyone?


It might look a bit rustic, but we love old-fashioned lemon delicious pudding..


Meanwhile, when not cooking or doing magic tricks, I have been speed reading these books, preparing for 'Making Modernism: O'Keeffe, Preston, Cossington Smith', coming soon to the Qld Art Gallery.

Back in 2006 we spent a week at Santa Fe, New Mexico, a time I absolutely loved.  The Georgia O'Keeffe Museum was a highlight for me.

I didn't have a digital camera back then, so have no interior photos...


But here I stand, right outside the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum, very pleased with myself to have gotten there...

Here are a few more random shots of Santa Fe:







The adobe buildings were beautiful, and it felt very much like the 'Wild West' of the movies, with the very strong Spanish influence.

Adios..


XXXX



31 comments:

  1. Gorgeous sunset - I love Georgia O'Keeffe too but have not been fortunate enough to visit Santa Fe.
    What fun you are having with Little Aussie - I hope he will be impressed with your rabbit from the hat trick when you show it to him.

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    1. I can't wait to work on the Georgia O'Keeffe exhibition - thinking I should wear black with a crisp white shirt?
      We will have a weekend of magic, starting Friday :)

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  2. Music, magic,movie, museum in New Mexico! All marvelous! Enjoyed this post very MUCH!

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    1. Hi Kay, I really got in the M mood, he he
      Glad you enjoyed.

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  3. That sunset picture is stunning, Patricia! That is great that your grandson has developed an interest in magic, and that you are able to help him along with it. I'm sure he'll love the heart covered cloth. Maybe you could tell him they are heart shaped stars. :-)

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    1. Thanks Kristie, I was startled to see that vivid sky, as we don't get many of those. Good thinking, as only an experienced granny would come up with. Yes, heart stars it is!

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  4. Little Aussie is very advanced, we might see him on tv in 20 years time, eh? Lovely sunset, and I am very keen on adobe buildings as long as they are well looked after and not crumbling away.

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    1. That would be cool, a famous magician in the family. The adobe buildings in Santa Fe were beautifully preserved, and of course they continue to build new ones as per the local legislation. We also enjoyed the old Peublo at Taos, which is maintained with annual coats of that distinctive mud render.

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  5. Glad to hear your heat has subsided a bit. Love the sunset photo. When I was little I too wanted to do magic tricks and received the same little cups to work my magic! Love the props you have found to encourage your magician. There is a Georgia O'Keefe exhibit coming to our art gallery (or maybe it's there already). I'll have to encourage my husband to head into Toronto with me to check it out. We have a membership there so it's an inexpensive outing.
    Enjoy your week Patricia ;)
    Wendy

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    1. Oh yes, it is so nice to have the odd day with a max of only 31c. We had those little cups too as children, I guess it is the case of No 1 trick to learn. So interesting to hear you also have a Georgia exhibition coming to Toronto. I am going to Google and find out about it. If Santa Fe are sending two groups of paintings off into the world, now I wonder if they are doing renovations, which is often the case when a group of works travel. I'll be checking that out too. Happy week Wendy.

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  6. Wow a great exhibition to look forward to, thanks for the heads up. The book 'Australian Women Artists' is on my coffee table at the moment I have been enjoying browsing through it on our days confined inside with the air conditioner! You often mention a garden centre where you occasionally lunch. I wonder whether you would give me the name and location. I live in Ferny Hills and take my soon to be 97 year old Dad out for coffee and cake. We love garden centres particularly...Eden Gardens and Cafe Legarto at Samford but if I can add another to my bow........ Cheers Lindsey Back.

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    1. Hello Lindsey, glad you like reading about Women Artists too. Preston and Cossington Smith have been favourites of mine for years, and I am looking forward to this unusual combination of women artists very much.
      So nice your Dad is still going at 97; I lost my Dad last May at 95, and until then the blog frequently featured our excursions, drive and coffee. His favourite place was Tamborine Mtn. We visit several places, The Garden Way at Sumner Park, and at Brookfield Garden Centre the Wild Canary cafe, and another garden centre nearby but it has no cafe. Both are on Moggill Road. I am taking note of your garden centres too. Cheers P.

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    2. Thank you for those suggestions Patricia, It will be nice to take him somewhere different. I am sorry to read that your Dad died last year, we almost lost Dad but he rallied and is now back at home cooking, caring for his orchids, washing and ironing. A real trooper and I am so proud of his independence....a real trooper!!

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  7. That sunset is spectacular, Patricia! Magical indeed! And you are having such fun with little Aussie and his magician's outfit. I love it. As always, there is something for everyone in your posts! How I'd love to go to a concert or two, but I never seem to have time for such things. One day, maybe!

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    1. I do like a lot of randomness on my blog! You must go to a concert Val - I bet there are many world-class performers come to your vicinity, after all you are in Europe!

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  8. I am sure the concert must have been magic - I miss that sort of thing stuck down here. And magic tricks - what fun! And Rustic cooking is always the best, and usually goes down well! And I hope you are enjoying your art studies - always good to know something about an exhibition before going.

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    1. I love being a Gallery Guide, particularly when it is something which hits all the right notes for me. Talking about women artists always enthuses me - I might even try wearing severe black suit and boots, with a crisp white shirt a la Georgia!

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  9. Gorgeous sunset! How cute is your little Magician! I am looking forward to seeing Lion....thanks for the recommendation. Love all your baking x

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    1. I think you will like Lion too Michelle. It has something for all of us. Must work on my magic rabbit trick today...

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  10. How cute that Little Aussie is practising magic! Little the perfect props.

    Oh I wish I could have witnessed that beautiful red sky.

    And I have never been to New Mexico, but eveyone I know who vacations there returns home to plot a move there, an idea that occupies their thoughts for several months before their feet hit the ground again. One day I hope to visit!

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    1. Typo: Meant to say "love" the props.

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    2. I can imagine people reacting that way to New Mexico. We, or at least I, were the same: I remember saying Santa Fe is a city where I could happily live. I hope you get there one day, it is quite a unique place, different from any other part of the States I have visited.

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  11. Always so lovey catching up with you dear Trish!
    Your concert date sounds like it was lovely! And I love the new "magical" things in your life. How fun that he's getting into that. Both of my kiddos went through the wanting to know magic tricks phase too. My Annie is still into card tricks right now. Lol! Always fun. Love the pretty fabric,hat and bunny. Magical perfection! Lol

    And such pretty photos of your time in Santa Fe. I want to see that Lion movie too - I've always loved Dev Patel. He's been so good in all the other movies I've seen him in as well.

    Blessings on the rest of your week! xoxo

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    1. Card tricks will be on the agenda by next year, I suspect. Aussie is a bit young for them yet. When we were kids our parents had a couple of friends who were amateur magicians, and we had some little concerts in our home. I loved it, but had no idea how any of the tricks worked. Now it is much easier to find out, via the internet. Dev Patel is so lovely in the movie, and I am really enjoying the book which explains much of what happened later.

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  12. Catching up after too long away. What fun you must be having with Aussie and the magic tricks. I saw a clip for the movie Lion and an interview with some of the movie cast and actual family. I must look for the book.

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    1. Hello Darla, welcome back :)
      It is fun with our little guy, enjoying him at different age and stage. I hope you get to see Lion, and then the book which continues with what happened later, as well as information about his missing father.

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  13. That sunset is just beautiful, Patricia. How fun that little Aussie is into magic tricks lately. What boy doesn't love pretending and using their imagination when they're little? Santa Fe looks so charming with their adobe buildings. We visited Mexico many years ago, and it was a fun adventure. The lemon pudding looks Yummy. I love anything LEMON.

    Enjoy the rest of the week, Patricia.

    love, ~Sheri

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    1. Hi Sheri, Santa Fe is certainly a charmer, and a real artists colony - there are hundreds of galleries in one long street, and the adobe buildings are beautiful.
      We enjoy our citrus flavours too, especially lime and lemon, which go in so many recipes.

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  14. Hell Patricia,

    Lovely to see your post and my apologies for not visiting you more often.
    What a sunset. I also love your images of Santa Fe, a place on my list to soon visit. Perhaps this year we shall visit.
    That sounds like a very worthwhile art exhibition coming to Queensland. Good for you doing your homework and research prior to the exhibition.
    Have a wonderful weekend.
    Helen xx

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    1. Hello Helen, I do hope you visit Santa Fe, it is a wonderful artistic city, and of course I'd love to see what you would paint! Lovely to have you visit and happy painting days to you.

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