No.49

Leonardo da Vinci

1452-1519
Nationality - Iŧalian

Lady with an Ermine

1489-90
Oil on Wood Panel
54 cm x 39 cm

The Ermine, (Mustela erminea) is also called stoat, short-tailed weasel or the Bonaparte weasel. In the late 19th century, stoats were introduced into New Zealand to control rabbits, where they have had a devastating effect on native bird populations. It was nominated as one of the world's top 100 "worst invaders".

Ermine luxury fur was used in the 15th century by Catholic monarchs, who sometimes used it as the mozzetta cape. It was also used in capes on images such as the Infant Jesus of Prague.

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No.48

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A thing of beauty is a joy for ever:

Its loveliness increases; it will never

Pass into nothingness; but still will keep

A bower quiet for us, and a sleep

Full of sweet dreams, and health, and quiet breathing.

- John Keats

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The tree which moves some to tears of joy is in the eyes of others only a green thing that stands in the way. Some see nature all ridicule and deformity, and some scarce see nature at all. But to the eyes of the man of imagination, nature is imagination itself. - William Blake

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The Orchard

painted by Thomas Cooper Gotch

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The tall tree looked down at the little reed growing below and said, “Why don’t you plant your feet deeply in the ground, and lift up your head in the air as I do?"
"No. no,“said the reed, "I’m quite happy as I am, and I think I’m safer down here."
"Safe!" sneered the Tree, "I’m sure I’m much safer - I’m big and strong.“
The next day however there was a tremendous storm, the tree was torn up by its roots, and flung down - a useless log. The little reed was able to bend in the wind and, when the storm had passed, was standing up straight, completely unharmed.
And the moral is - Obscurity often brings safety.

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No.47

A Lavender Farm at Hokkaido, Japan

The ancient Greeks called the lavender herb nardus, after the Syrian city of Naarda (possibly the modern town of Dohuk, Iraq). It was also commonly called nard. 
Lavender was one of the holy herbs used in the biblical Temple to prepare the holy essence, and nard ('nerd' in Hebrew) is mentioned in the Song of Solomon.

nard and saffron,

with henna and nard,

nard and saffron,

calamus and cinnamon,

with every kind of incense tree,

with myrrh and aloes,

and all the finest spices.

During Roman times, flowers were sold for 100 denarii per pound, which was about the same as a month's wages for a farm labourer. Its late Latin name was lavandārius, from lavanda (things to be washed).

The well-known song "Lavender's Blue, dilly dilly" dates from the 17th century. There are around 30 verses to the song and there are many variations to the words. However, there's just one verse in a children's book "Songs for the Nursery" which was published in 1805 and here are the words -

Lavender blue and Rosemary green,

When I am king you shall be queen;

Call up my maids at four o'clock,

Some to the wheel and some to the rock,

Some to make hay and some to shear corn,

And you and I will keep the bed warm.

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What is this thing called love?

A love letter

Yes, I now feel that it was then on that evening of sweet dreams - that the very first dawn of human love burst upon the icy night of my spirit. Since that period I have never seen nor heard your name without a shiver half of delight, half of anxiety. For years your name never passed my lips, while my soul drank in, with a delirious thirst, all that was uttered in my presence respecting you. (Edgar Allan Poe 1809-1849)

and

A love poem

True love is a sacred flame

That burns eternally,

And none can dim its special glow

Or change its destiny.

True love speaks in tender tones

And hears with gentle ear,

True love gives with open heart

And true love conquers fear.

True love makes no harsh demands

It neither rules nor binds,

And true love holds with gentle hands

The hearts that it entwines. 

(Anon)

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No.46

JOHN BETJEMAN - Poet, essayist and broadcaster was born on 28th August 1906 near Highgate, London. He had a great love for all things Victorian and during his life did much to encourage interest in the preservation of fine architecture.  In 1969 he was knighted and he became Poet Laureate in 1972.

It appears that his childhood was a lonely one - in fact his only friend seems to have been his teddy bear Archibald.

This is a short extract from his blank verse autobiography "Summoned by  Bells"  (In the first line, the reference is to the 1914-18 war)

Safe were those evenings of the pre-war world

When firelight shone on green linoleum;

I heard the church bells hollowing out the sky,

Deep beyond deep, like never-ending stars,

And turned to Archibald, my safe old bear,

Whose woollen eyes looked sad or glad at me,

Whose ample forehead I could wet with tears,

Whose half-moon ears received my confidence,

Who made me laugh, who never let me down.

I used to wait for hours to see him move,

Convinced that he could breathe. One dreadful day

They hid him from me as a punishment:

Sometimes the desolation of that loss

Comes back to me and I must go upstairs

To see him in the sawdust, so to speak,

Safe and returned to his idolator.

John Betjeman died on 19th May 1984 at his home in Trebetheric, Cornwall and was buried at nearby St.Enodoc's Church.

"Summoned by Bells" was published in 1960 by John Murray and a later edition with illustrations by Hugh Casson was published by Murray in 1989.

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This is Dove Cottage, Grasmere where William Wordsworth lived with his sister.

Wordsworth wrote this poem just before they were leaving home for a few months.

Sweet Garden-orchard! of all spots that are

The loveliest surely man hath ever found.

Farewell! we leave thee to heaven's peaceful care.

Thee and the cottage which thou dost surround -

Dear Spot! whom we have watched with tender heed,

Bringing thee chosen plants and blossoms blown

Among the distant mountains, flower and weed

Which thou hast taken to thee as thy own -

O happy Garden! loved for hours of sleep,

O quiet Garden! loved for waking hours.

For soft half-slumbers that did gently steep

Our spirits, carrying with them dreams of flowers -

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No.45

Charles Edward Perugini

1839-1918

Girl Reading

c.1870

Oil in Canvas

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This lovely picture shows part of The Butchart Gardens on Vancouver Island, Canada. They have more than a million visitors every year.

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"And Spring arose on the garden fair,
Like the Spirit of Love felt everywhere;
And each flower and herb on Earth's dark breast
rose from the dreams of its wintry rest."
-  Percy Bysshe Shelley, (The Sensitive Plant)

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Mary Cassatt
1844-1926

Lilacs in a Window
1880
Oil on Canvas
61.5 cm x 51.1 cm

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No.44

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I expect we would all agree with the following -

“If we gathered our impressions from the newspapers alone, it would be easy to believe that there were no happy marriages, no honest bank officers, no incorruptible politicians. The discordant makes itself heard above the harmonious. Ugliness pushes beauty aside and crowds its hateful visage into the foreground.”

That comment was made more than a 100 years ago in “The Girls’ Empire.”

Well, well. as the French say "Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose" - the more things change, the more they stay the same.

"The Girls' Empire" was described as "an Annual for English-speaking girls all over the world." Examples of some of the subjects covered in the 1903 edition (and this is perfectly true) are how to avoid the evils of excessive tea-drinking, the pros and cons of cycling in a full-length skirt and how to get the best out of your carrier pigeon. I wonder if I can order a pigeon from Amazon . . . 

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The River Clyde, near Abington

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No.43

Fanny Brate

1861-1940

Nationality - Swedish

A Day of Celebration

1902

Oil on Canvas

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The Negro Speaks of Rivers

by Langston Hughes

1902-67

I've known rivers:

I've known rivers ancient as the world and older than the

      flow of human blood in human veins.

My soul has grown deep like the rivers.

I bathed in the Euphrates when dawns were young.

I built my hut near the Congo and it lulled me to sleep.

I looked upon the Nile and raised the pyramids above it.

I heard the singing of the Mississippi when Abe Lincoln

     went down to New Orleans, and I've seen its muddy

     bosom turn all golden in the sunset.

I've known rivers:

Ancient, dusky rivers

My soul has grown deep with rivers.

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