Japonisme discovers the lost Chrysanthemum Princess

Thank you for finding this gorgeous image lotusgreen!

"Welcome to the world of f. schuyler mathews,
botanist, gardener and calendar maker.

today is just the introduction; next comes the calendar.
these images are from his book
the golden flower: chrysanthemum,
and the words from his
field book of american wildflowers."

Ten Things To Do Before Midnight

I posted this at "To Do List" which I love and after thinking about it decided to dedicate it to Lotusgreen who so often inspires my poetic meditations.


Ten Things To Do Before Midnight

1) Polish the crystal ball.
2) Leave a note for planchette.
3) Open the moon umbrella and be patient for there are 12 more minutes to wait.
4) Close eyes and try to remember my midnight birth of long ago.
5) Finish reading Midnight's Children by Salman Rusdie.
6) Eat the last bite of Chunky Monkey Ice Cream and recycle the container.
7) Ask the tarot if miracles are still possible.
8) Snap in the DVD of Children of Paradise.
9) Slip into the slinky midnight blue........
10) Listen to the sound of the wind ruffling through tall green Ponderosa pines and remember when listening was enough.

At the stroke of midnight put down the calligraphy pen and curl into bed, smudgy fingers and all, for the dream awaits.

Inspired by Japonisme

Lotusgreen recently posted a "Queen of the Mums" post that has so inspired me that I promised to write a haiku for her. I haven't been able to write recently though, as I have had a headache for two weeks. I am thinking perhaps it is a Spring allergy thing and hopefully, it will be over soon. Japanisme is one of the gorgeous blogs I visit that has Zapped me.

The first Princess Haiku Zap Award to Japonisme!

Garden tours await

I found this beautiful image of Kuniyoshi via one of my favorite spaces, Japonisme. I stopped to say hi to her before I left for my whirlwind garden touring and voila- there it was. Yes, irresistible.

Gardeners in the North Bay are presenting a series of Garden Tours this week-end as a fund-raiser. I have my walking shoes on and extra batteries stashed in my little camera case. This is so exciting.... flowers, flowers, flowers await. A feature attraction of one of the gardens is Sheldon, a 40 year old tortoise who strolls around his garden. Hopefully, I will have a photo of him later.

Hope everyone is enjoying their holiday with friends and loved ones. I am in a good mood even though it is overcast. We just have to take our days the way they come.

Thank you Japonisme, said Princess Haiku, for your kind words

Today has been a very exciting day for me in blogdom, said Princess Haiku. First Chedwick writes a nice tribute for me and then I discover this kind posting at LotusGreen's newest blog, La Depeche. Lotusgreen's space Japonisme is known for its aesthetic beauty and it will be interesting to see how La Depeche evolves.

"Princess Haiku's blog somehow seamlessly insists that you slow down to take it in, in its flowers (often chrysanthemums), its poetry, its music, its dance.

Yes, this blog dances, and plays you special songs and once in a while will remind you (well, maybe once every day) of something that is really important, and you'll be grateful to be reminded."

THANKS LOTUSGREEN

Princess Haiku Visits Exquisite Chrysanthemum at Japonisme

One of the most interesting blogs that I visit is Japonisme. The latest entry on this visually gorgeous and intellectual space, is, "Mums the Word" If you love rare chrysanthemum flowers the way that I do you won't miss this. Chrysanthemums have inspired many of my haiku and other poems.

Japonisme regularly features "lost painters" or artists that have not been acknowledged for their contributions to the development of Western art. As I am not an expert on this field I will leave it to Japonisme to clarify exactly what is and has been the influence of Japanese arts on those of the West.

More information is available via Wikipedia. If you read this page carefully you will see that Japonisme is one of the few external links cited. Kudos to the independent scholarship and aesthetic charm of this blog.

Jody Sperling: Dream and Dance as Elemental Spirits

Jody Sperling/Time Lapse Dance

"A suite inspired by the mesmerizing spectacles of Loie Fuller (1862-1928). Sperling furls her enormous winged costume–designed by Michelle Ferranti from more than 80 yards of white silk—into eddying spiral shapes. The moving fabric catches luminescent rays, orchestrated by Bessie Award-winning lighting designer David Ferri, that evoke the elements Earth, Water, Fire, Air, and Ether. The hypnotic visuals are set to piano music by Ravel, Chopin, De Falla, and others performed by Jeffrey Middleton."

The dancing of Jody Sperling cascades out of the unconscious; billows into clouds becoming swans, tears, wings and an archetypal pathos I know as intimately as my own breath. When dancing is this perfect its various elements, music, text, visuals and movement become an incarnation of the spirit.

I found this information via a lovely space that I encourage everyone to visit, Japonisme.