Planking, or the Lying Down Game

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lying_down_game

Margam Castle, Wales

Margam Castle is a large Victorian manor house and not really a castle at all. It was commissioned by Christopher Talbot in 1830, took 10 years to build, and was designed in the 19th Century Gothic Revival style. It sits on a site dating back 4000 years. The site was also an abbey dating to the 11th Century. The Margam estate was used by British and American forces during World War II, but fell into disrepair in the 1970s, followed by a large fire, and had to be restored by the local council. In 2010 it was featured in the Syfy channel's Ghost Hunters International TV program.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margam_Castle

The fascinating pistachio nut

Pistachios originated in Western Asia, Iran and Syria, and is one of two nuts mentioned in the Bible. In the United States they are grown mainly in California, and Americans eat 80,000 tons of them each year, second only to China. A pistachio tree grows 30 feet tall and it takes about 10 years for a tree to produce fruit, and it peaks at around 20 years. The iconic shells crack open on the tree and it makes an audible sound. There are many foods made with pistachio nuts, including baklava and biscotti.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pistachio

American wildlife artist John Nieto

 

"Coyote" 

1993

The artist resides in New Mexico.

http://tinyurl.com/6d9kybd 

Submersible seating

How to beat the 

heat on a 100° day.

A passion flower

Scottish photographer Michael Murphy

Loch Garry at Sunset

Highlands

http://www.scotcolour.com/

Peace and Love to Ringo

Happy 71st birthday to our favorite All-Starr Band leader, Ringo Starr.

Still married to Barbara Bach and still (perpetually) on tour.

We love you yeah yeah yeah.

http://www.ringostarr.com/

Backyard pool

A very nice backyard pool.

American Impressionist Frederick Frieseke 1874-1939

 

"Woman with a Parasol"

Frieseke studied at the Art Institute of Chicago and 

studied at the famous Académie Julian in Paris. He was
heavily influenced by painter James McNeill Whistler.

http://tinyurl.com/638e3xf

Kitten running

 

Saturday morning at my house

The Beachcomber in Pompano Beach

"Morning on the Atlantic"

2006

Self-portrait

Pompano Beach Florida 2006

The Bata Shoe Museum, Toronto

Shoes from the 18th Century, circa 1720.

http://www.batashoemuseum.ca/

American cliff dwellers

Montezuma's Castle in Arizona

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montezuma_Castle_National_Monument

Built by the Sinaqua people dating back to 700 AD,

the structure has nothing to do with the Aztec ruler Montezuma

nor is it a castle, but rather a multi-storied apartment dwelling.

Driftwood art

The purple foxglove flower

English painter Charles Burton Barber 1845–1894

A Special Pleader

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Burton_Barber

July is:

National Blueberry Month

National Anti-Boredom Month

National Cell Phone Courtesy Month

National Hot Dog Month

 National Ice Cream Month

 

Week Event:

• Week 2 is Nude Recreation Week

Individual Days:

1 Canada Day

1 Creative Ice Cream Flavors Day

1 International Joke Day

2 World UFO Day

3 Build A Scarecrow Day 

3 Compliment Your Mirror Day

3 Stay out of the Sun Day

4 Independence Day (U.S.)

4 National Country Music Day

4 Sidewalk Egg Frying Day

5 Work-a-holics Day 

6 National Fried Chicken Day

7 Chocolate Day

7 National Strawberry Sundae Day

8 Video Games Day

9 National Sugar Cookie Day

10 Teddy Bear Picnic Day

11 Cheer up the Lonely Day

12 Different Colored Eyes Day

12 Pecan Pie Day

13 Barbershop Music Appreciation Day

13 Embrace Your Geekness Day

13 Fool's Paradise Day

14 Bastille Day

14 Pandemonium Day

14 National Nude Day

15 Tapioca Pudding Day

15 Cow Appreciation Day

17 National Ice Cream Day (third Sunday of the month)

18 National Caviar Day

19 National Raspberry Cake Day

20 Ugly Truck Day

21 National Junk Food Day

22 Hammock Day

22 Ratcatcher's Day

23 National Hot Dog Day

23 Vanilla Ice Cream Day

24 Amelia Earhart Day

24 Cousins Day

24 Parent's Day  

25 Culinarians Day

26 Aunt and Uncle Day

28 National Milk Chocolate Day

29 National Lasagna Day

30 National Cheesecake Day

30 Father-in-Law Day

31 Mutt's Day

 

Goin' to the pool

Another nice resort pool. Don't know where it is, though.

Watermelon art

Miniature painting in India

Since the 6th Century AD, India has excelled in the unique art 

form of miniature painting. Today the art form is dying off. 

http://tinyurl.com/6agk6sb

http://www.craftsinindia.com/miniature-paintings/

Sailboat racing

Preparing for race day — the San Diego Sailboat Academy 

(SDSA) offers professional sailboat instruction.

http://www.sdsa.com/SailboatRacing.html

Spanish Surrealist Salvador Dali 1904-1989

"Paranoiac Critical Solitude"

1935

Private collection

http://thedali.org/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salvador_Dal%C3%AD

UK artist Banksy

http://www.banksy.co.uk/

Sol Cinema

This non-profit UK theater is the smallest solar powered cinema in the world. It shows short feature films and documentaries to small groups of about eight people. It also has a red carpet and velvet ropes. They call these caravans in the UK, and this one is a vintage two-berth caravan, much smaller than ones made today. Submissions of 1-10 minutes can be made at their site, below. They are looking for "funny, environmental or any inspiring message including music videos, animation or arty, quirky, counter culture films." http://www.thesolcinema.org. 

Going to the pool with my besties

We all have identical sunglasses. 

It's a beautiful sunny Saturday morning

Going to have lunch on the patio with my sisters.

Oh joy!

Australia's Rainbow Lorikeet

http://australian-animals.net/rainbow.htm

Friday Night Music

Sade

Water taxi

This is a real AP photograph taken in the wild

during a flood in India several years ago.

Italian Master Michelangelo Caravaggio 1571-1610

Young Sick Bacchus

1593

Likely a self-portrait of the artist when he 

came to Rome (from Milan) and fell seriously ill.

From Wikipedia:

"Infamous while he lived, Caravaggio was forgotten almost immediately after his death, and it was only in the 20th century that his importance to the development of Western art was rediscovered. Despite this, his influence on the new Baroque style that eventually emerged from the ruins of Mannerism, was profound. It can be seen directly or indirectly in the work of Rubens, Jusepe de Ribera, Bernini, and Rembrandt, and artists in the following generation heavily under his influence were called the 'Caravaggisti' or 'Caravagesques', as well as Tenebrists or 'Tenebrosi' ('shadowists'). Andre Berne-Joffroy, Paul Valéry's secretary, said of him: 'What begins in the work of Caravaggio is, quite simply, modern painting.^{'"
 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michelangelo_Merisi_da_Caravaggio}

'50s vintage advertising

 

A field of lavender

Going to the pool

An infinity pool at some resort somewhere.

Looks inviting!

Tommy James and the Shondells

Heard "Crimson and Clover" on the radio this morning.

Sent me waaaay back.

Quote by Bob Marley

Artist Karen Tarlton, Henderson NV

"King of the Roost"

Oil with palette knife

http://www.etsy.com/people/Karensfineart?ref=ls_profile 

Feng Shui Buddha painting

As found on ebay.

http://tinyurl.com/6c67g78

Buckingham Palace gates and garden, London