Hello
Happy November from the Red Cardinal nest
Our young Jacaranda tree is excelling this year with more fronds of purple bells than I can count.
Little Aussie has been here, so naturally we started on Christmas.
He is my direct Genetic Descendant when it comes to festive decor...
As we discovered last year, he prefers a circular Nativity arrangement..
and adores constructing the Christmas Village with Choir..
His Town Planning also runs to a circular layout ..
Bought a new tree this year, and donated the old one to Vinnies..
This one is 7' tall - as Mr C says, 'she has so much stuff she needs a bigger tree!' ... Ahem...
Aussie's first question: 'Are we doing the Woodland theme again'.
Well of course we are, if that's what you would like...
He was up the ladder and had a ball with this tree business..
We have been to the movies -
'Loving Vincent', which I loved so much I was quite tearful at the end.
And I rarely cry at movies..
This visually exquisite film was animated in Poland by 100 artists, painted after the style of Van Gogh himself.
The story is fascinating, an investigation after his untimely death, as each of the well-known characters from his paintings tell their version of his last hours.
All through the film, his instantly recognizable paintings appear and come to life, blending into the over-painted filmed scenes.
I found it totally absorbing and thrilling - moments such as when his purple iris suddenly bloom before us, were quite wonderful.
If you love art, you must see this.
And now a few paintings from 'Gerhard Richter: The Life of Images',
exclusive to Brisbane, now at GoMA. It is fascinating. Don't miss it!
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| Gerhard Richter 'Abstract Painting' 780-4) 1992 |
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| Gerhard Richter 'Baghdad (914-13) 2010 |
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| Gerhard Richter 'Townscape Paris' (175)1968 |
Little felt house from Quebec..
Guess we might be popping over the bridge to Quebec from Ottawa this Christmas...
Last night we went to what can only be described as a Civic Function:
There was a lot of purple light....
Be good
XXXX
You are such a good grandmother putting all of those Christmas decorations up for little Aussie even though you will not be there for Christmas.
ReplyDeleteI fell in love with Jacaranda Trees in South Africa - they are magical particularly when offset by a deep blue sky as you have shown.
Must watch out for the Vincent film it sounds very interesting.
Grandchildren wrap their little finger around one's heart! He was disappointed to hear we would not be here at Christmas so of course, I am trying to give him some of the usual fun (which we both enjoy!)
DeleteBrisbane is looking gorgeous with Jacarandas all over the city, a blanket of purple to enjoy.
You look lovely in that purple light!
ReplyDeleteI have heard about the Van Gogh movie on the BBC, I would love to see it!
Will you be in Canada for Christmas this year, or did you just mean that you would be there in spirit? Sorry, I was not sure, I am quite dense at times. (Who am I kidding, I am dense at all times. LOL.) Wherever you have your Christmas, I hope it is a happy one. x
Thank you Kay. Yes, we will be in Canada for Christmas, and hope it is a White one. Little Aussie does enjoy the Christmas decor so much, we are doing it anyway and enjoying it now. At least with the tree in the window, it will look like we are here over the holidays!
DeleteWell your new tree looks pretty good. I must get a new one too.
ReplyDeleteI am so looking forward to seeing Vincent so I appreciate your review. I was bawling when I went to the Van Gogh museum in The Netherland years ago... they had many letters to/from Theo his brother and I never forget how emotional they were. You look great under those civic function lights!
What a thrill to go to the Van Gogh museum, something I have never experienced. Wonderful to see some of those letters which one reads in the art books.
DeleteApparently purple is our colour :)
Your tree is already up! Wow you are a keener!
ReplyDeleteWe will not put ours up until December...
Those Jacaranda trees are so beautiful...I had never seen any until I visited Paris and they were stunning...as is yours.
Hope you have a lovely visit to Canada...we had snow two days ago and its freezing right now and the meteorologists are predicting a really cold winter so be prepared...you may have a white Xmas after all!
Must admit to always putting the tree up quite early, because 1. I love it 2. Little Aussie loves it.
DeleteThis year he will only see it once more before we go away so we are enjoying it through his eyes while we can. Jacarandas in Paris would be fantastic, I had no idea they flowered there. We love them in Brisbane. Good to hear the snow is around for that White Christmas we want to see!
Loving Vincent sounds fascinating, and I'd love to see it! I'm a bit in shock at seeing your Christmas tree already up. I can only bear with the decorations for the month of Dec :]
ReplyDeleteGlad your grandson gets a kick out of setting things up for you. I did used to love seeing my kids rearrange the nativity set (by Playmobil) we have.
You must be excited for your trip! Still raining and mild here in southern Ontario.
Wendy
It does seem I have shocked the world with our early tree, he he. I always like to enjoy it for about 8 weeks, and now have an 8 year old enabler to encourage me. He enjoys it so much. I am saving our big Nativity for his next visit, the last before we go to Canada.
DeleteRaining and mild: hmmm, you will have to do better than that in December!
Patricia, that is such a pretty exotic white bird. Oh my, you already have your Christmas tree up! It looks so charming with the woodland theme. I bet little Aussie loved to help decorate it. The little felt house is sweet. I've always wanted a vintage Christmas village - I just love the carolers.
ReplyDeleteWishing you happy days in November, Patricia.
love, ~Sheri
Thank you Sheri, that is the closest shot I have ever done of a white Cockatoo. He just sat there while I fiddled with the camera and took his pic. Aussie was in a state of high excitement, up the ladder, crawling under it, had a blast doing that tree. The vintage Christmas village began with a little set of 5 houses I found in a cheap shop, and I have added to it over the years, with any little Christmas church or house I find. If it has a battery and little lights, so much the better! The carolers I found one year in Vancouver. You can start one for your new grandchild Sheri.
DeleteI just love that your little Aussie gets to help you decorate and get festive!
ReplyDeleteThat's what is important Patricia. Bravo!👏🏻
Rain today....but still mild.
Enjoy your week...
Cheers!
Linda :o)
So true, let the inner artist emerge in the child! He really has an artistic bent, and loves to re-arrange the ornaments - started as a toddler.
DeleteRain in November is OK, but could you please order up some snow for Christmas? Pretty please?
Cheers to you Linda.
Hi Patrica how special to have Little Aussie to help you decorate he did an awesome job of the village.
ReplyDeleteLovely pic of you and hubby and how exciting that xmas is getting closer,i love the festive season xx
Little Aussie and I have such a good time with the Christmas decor. He climbs into the dark cupboard under the stairs and pulls things out for me and loves every minute of it. I let him choose and arrange as much as he wants, which brings him such delight. I liked the purple pic too; put it on FB.
DeleteI'm sure an artistic girl like you enjoys a lovely Christmas too. xo
Well done to your fledgling Jacaranda. Love that your Grandie got the Christmas decorationing gene....shoukd be more of it. Really want to see that film.....time! Another lovely post Trish xxx
ReplyDeleteDon't miss Vincent Michelle - you must go! It is such fun watch our Grandie doing his 'thing', whether it is the Christmas tree, or just the things around the house. He really has an eye for it and says he want to be an artist.
DeleteGosh, Christmas tree up already., you are an early bird! Are you going to Canada for Christmas then? That sounds marvellous. I love all the ‘Van Goghs’. And what a great photo of you, even if it is all purple!
ReplyDeleteYes, we are going to Canada for Christmas - so exciting. Have never seen a white Christmas so hoping this is the year. I could say the early tree is so Aussie can enjoy it prior to our leaving, but the reality is, I love to start early on The Tree - because I love it too :) Glad you like our purple pic.
DeleteI am seeing the stores getting ready to sell their Christmas items here in American. Trish, you may put out alot of decoratons, but all tastefully done! Little Aussie will have lovely memories and always love Christmas, I'm sure!
ReplyDeleteLove your flowers and art postings, as usual.
xoxo
Debbie
America has wonderful Christmas decorations, which I always enjoy. Also look forward to picking up a couple in Canada this year. Once I used to decorate the whole house, but am cutting down. Really I am :)
DeleteWasn't Loving Vincent amazing? We went to a "live screening" at our local cinema, which also had a Q & A session with some of the people involved. Usually I don't like Q & As much but I was so intrigued by this that I listened attentively to every word! Glad you have Little Aussie to help you with the decorations, it's such fun, isn't it! I'm wondering if it is time we got rid of our tree, but it's now so old it's starting to feel like a family heirloom....
ReplyDeleteOh yes, Vincent was amazing, I thought so too. Not to everybody's taste of course. The Q&A would have been really interesting as well. I know what you mean re the old tree - if I hadn't taken it away immediately, I would have become sentimental and it would have languished under the stairs forever...
DeleteI wondered how you managed to decorate such a tall tree - and there was the answer - a young energetic decorator! The film sounds very interesting - my film theory find this so, at least - the technique of 100 different stories is quite interesting, theoretically, but I shan't write an essay about it here! Looks like you are going to be very busy during the next few weeks.
ReplyDeleteThat kid was up the ladder in a flash Sarah Liz, and loved every minute of the tree decorating. We are saving the Nativity and the Choir of Angels for his next visit. The film technique re the stories was interesting, although I was not bothered one way or the other about the stories, I was just transfixed by the paint!
DeleteWonderful that your Grandson likes decoration and tradition as much as you do. It must have been so much fun sharing the "chore" with him.
ReplyDeleteHaven't heard of the "Loving Vincent" film but you can bet that I'll be on the watch for it now that you've given me a hint at how wonderful it is.
I'm sure you would like to see 'Loving Vincent' Darla, it is such fun to see the paintings move into life. Hope all goes well with you.
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