29 September 2009

Health Care Reform--Who Needs It?



18 September 2009

The Owl and the Pussy Cat







The Owl and the Pussy-cat went to sea
In a beautiful pea green boat,
They took some honey, and plenty of money,
Wrapped up in a five pound note.
The Owl looked up to the stars above,
And sang to a small guitar,
'O lovely Pussy! O Pussy my love,
What a beautiful Pussy you are,
You are,
You are!
What a beautiful Pussy you are!'

Pussy said to the Owl, 'You elegant fowl!
How charmingly sweet you sing!
O let us be married! too long we have tarried:
But what shall we do for a ring?'
They sailed away, for a year and a day,
To the land where the Bong-tree grows
And there in a wood a Piggy-wig stood
With a ring at the end of his nose,
His nose,
His nose,
With a ring at the end of his nose.

'Dear pig, are you willing to sell for one shilling
Your ring?' Said the Piggy, 'I will.'
So they took it away, and were married next day
By the Turkey who lives on the hill.
They dined on mince, and slices of quince,
Which they ate with a runcible spoon;
And hand in hand, on the edge of the sand,
They danced by the light of the moon,
The moon,
The moon,
They danced by the light of the moon.

Edward Lear


art by Margie Van Auken

10 September 2009

The Lost Chord



The lost chord

Seated one day at the organ,
I was weary and ill-at-ease;
And my fingers wandered idly
Over the noisy keys.

I know not what I was playing
Or what I was dreaming then,
But I struck one chord of music
Like the sound of a great Amen.

It flooded the crimson twilight
Like the close of an angel's psalm,
And it lay on my fevered spirit
With a touch of infinite calm.

It quieted pain and sorrow
Like love overcoming strife;
It seemed the harmonious echo
From our discordant life.

It linked all perplexèd meanings
Into one perfect peace,
And trembled away into silence
As if it were loth to cease.

I have sought, but I seek it vainly,
That one lost chord divine,
Which came from the soul of the organ
And entered into mine.

It may be that death's bright angel
Will speak in that chord again;
It may be that only in heav'n
I shall hear that grand Amen.

Adelaide Anne Procter

08 September 2009

Haniwa Figure 埴輪 (Reproduction)


Birdcatcher Figure

Kamakura Raku Chawan 鎌倉楽茶碗



Kamakura Raku Chawan

鎌倉楽茶碗

circa 1982

Koryo Celadon (Reproduction) 高麗靑磁器

Koryo Celadon 高麗靑磁器

Reproduction

The crane symbolized longevity

The color is called 'pisaek' 翡色 or "kingfisher blue," like the color of the sky after a rain.




06 September 2009

Karatsu Yaki Fugu Plate 唐津焼河豚皿



唐津焼河豚皿

Mashiko Ware Teacup Set  益子焼湯飲み



Mashiko Ware Teacup Set  益子焼湯飲み

Mashiko Ware Teacups 益子焼湯飲み #6













Mashiko Ware Teacups 益子焼湯飲み #6

Mashiko teacup 益子焼湯飲み #5







Mashiko teacup 益子焼湯飲み #5

Mashiko teacup 益子焼湯飲み #4







Mashiko teacup 益子焼湯飲み #4





Mashiko teacup 益子焼湯飲み #3







Mashiko teacup 益子焼湯飲み #3

Mashiko Ware Teacups 益子焼湯飲み #1&2





Mashiko teacup 益子焼ゆのみ
#1




Mashiko teacup 益子焼茶碗
#1&2