The Great Wave

 Sometimes, when you can't get away, a day trip can almost feel like you've had a short vacation. 

Last week I met a friend at the Cleve Carney Museum of Art at the College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn, IL to see Hokusai and Ukiyo-E:The Floating World. Billed as a "multi-faceted exhibition experience" it did not disappoint. 

Hokusai is the artist who created "The Great Wave off Kanagawa," more commonly known as "The Great Wave." The first section of the exhibit delves into his life and works, and additional portions of the exhibit contain paintings and woodblock prints by the masters of ukiyo-e, including original works on loan from the Edoardo Chiossone Museum of Oriental Art in Genoa, Italy.

I learned not just about the artist(s) but also a bit of Japanese history.

Moving through the separate rooms and exhibits takes one through a collection of works of local landmarks done in the ukiyo-e style by local artist Richard Lo, a life size street scene, a fun room of Manga and Anime history and backdrops, a kids area, where one can create Japanese inspired crafts and even a woodblock, some costumes used by Warner Brothers, an outdoor garden, and on weekends, Edo Eats - a taste of Japanese food. And of course a gift shop with all sorts of temptations.

My friend and I spent several hours there, immersed in the beautiful culture. Check the website for times, special rates, and all that good stuff. And if you go, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

As always, words and photos are my own, and require permission to reprint.

                                       However, feel free to share the blog in it's entirety. In fact, I encourage it!

  Interested in photo prints? Contact me! maureenblevins@yahoo.com

See more photos at http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/1-mauverneen-blevins.html

and visit my website: http://mauverneen.com

Positively Photos

 by Mauverneen

Me, in Prague. We climbed to the top of this multi terraced garden (I'll have to look up the name of it) the first of two such gardens that day. There was a wedding shoot going on, and when our group snuck in to take our pics against this wonderful view, someone in the professional group took our phones, posed us, and took our photos! 

Everyone knows I take photos - lots and lots of photos. I have boxes of them from when I had a film camera, and a couple more boxes from my relatives who have passed on. And now, in the digital age, I have hundreds if not thousands, stored on my computer, on camera cards, on thumb drives, on - well, you get the picture.I've been trying to clean up my digital files lately, so as to free up space on my pc, spending a little time each day on the effort. A daunting task, given my trigger finger. If I had been doing this all along, as I downloaded new batches... but I didn't, so... Going forward, I'm going to be more diligent. I have been deleting duplicates, blurry pics, and those that make me think 'why did I take that?' 

I took this during Covid. We all had a lot of time on our hands. Since I have always liked puzzles, it was a good way to pass the time, and many of us were posting our puzzle progress on FB. Do I need to save it? Not really. But it does remind me of that time and how isolated I and everyone else felt, and how we did just about anything to keep from going crazy.

On my trip to Prague and beyond, I took right around 2,000 photos. Sounds like a lot, but one of my daughters pointed out "you were there 10 days, so that's 200 a day. Not a lot for you." My kids know me well. 

I did not take this photo. I'm the one in the white jacket. One of our group was speedier to the top of the hill while the rest of us debated about going up now (it was raining) or waiting until later and hoping the rain would stop. There was the option of lunch - soup was a high priority at the moment. The rain got heavier, so we opted for lunch. The rest of us never did make it up that hill.

The point of all this is not that I take photos, but what they mean to me. Yes, they are a record, yes they are fun to look at, but to me, they are more than that. When I look at a photo that I took, I remember almost everything about it. I know where I took it, when, who I was with, and whatever little tidbit of information associated with that moment is stored in my brain. It often takes me down the rabbit hole. Sometimes it's fun, sometimes it's poignant, sometimes it's downright sad. But it's always like taking a little trip in a time machine. 

June 2018. My family was attending a graduation celebration and we ended up at the London House at the end of the day. It was just getting to sunset, a fog was rolling in, the air was cool, and we all sort of wandered around, taking in the view for a bit. 

Photos - A time machine. We all have our own.

As always, words and photos are my own, and require permission to reprint.

                                       However, feel free to share the blog in it's entirety. In fact, I encourage it!

  Interested in photo prints? Contact me! maureenblevins@yahoo.com

See more photos at http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/1-mauverneen-blevins.html

and visit my website: http://mauverneen.com

Prague (part two) It's all about people

  by Mauverneen

I promised more of Prague...

Love locks

It's hard to condense two weeks of experiences into a few words, a few pictures. Where does one even begin? It's easy enough to describe the museums, the churches, the restaurants, the walks along the river, but to convey the feeling? Is that even possible? Perhaps if I were a better writer. 

I love people-watching, and day or night, there were masses of people everywhere in Prague, especially on the weekend. It was hard to tell the tourists from the locals, until they began taking selfies. I tried taking one of myself eating a 'chimney cake', but the vendors were laughing at my struggle with the cake, my camera, my purse, my phone, and took pity on me and asked me to hand over my phone. Besides which, it was raining. I greatly appreciated that!  

On the trams, I think most of the riders were locals. The people were all very considerate, generally giving up their seat for myself, or other older women whenever I and my companions got on. Everyone was just generally considerate... the police officer who tried his best to give me directions when I was confused about which direction the museum I was looking for was in, and the elderly gentleman who rode the tram with me for one stop so he could better tell me how far to ride. In both cases, my bit of czech and a lot of gesturing got us through. In the heart of the city, nearly everyone spoke English - quite good in most cases - but venturing a bit further out, not so much. Especially the older population. 

Crowded Streets - cobblestones and amazing architecture

Old Town Square

Walking across Charles Bridge, with it's towers. Street performers, vendors and very talented artists set up their wares.

Early morning on Charles Bridge brought some delightful surprises... a fashion photo shoot

- and a portrait shoot.

The bridge is always crowded - even in the rain; a parade of umbrellas.

There's even fun under the bridge. You can ride a boat, have a dinner cruise, or rent paddle boats, some, shaped like a car, and some even shaped like swans.

Rush hour is the same in every city. Here in Prague, trams (streetcars) have their own lanes. It's a much quicker way to get around. Or, go on foot, which is what I did most of the time, clocking a little over nine miles on my last day.

Ah those famous chimney cakes! The delicious smell pulls you in. The cake is toasted, brushed with butter and sprinkled with sugar as it turns.

The finished product is filled with ice cream. Oh so delicious and filling! 

As always, words and photos are my own, and require permission to reprint.

                                       However, feel free to share the blog in it's entirety. In fact, I encourage it!

  Interested in photo prints? Contact me! maureenblevins@yahoo.com

See more photos at http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/1-mauverneen-blevins.html

and visit my website: http://mauverneen.com

 

Prague

 by Mauverneen

I've always heard Prague was one of the most beautiful cities in the world, so when I had a chance to join a small group of like-minded folks interested in photography, I quickly signed up, even though I knew none of them. 

I spent some time over the following months learning some basic Czech, looking into what I might want to see while I was there, and endlessly debating whether I should go, or not - I don't like flying, there is so much unrest in the world, could I keep up, and on and on, worrying about all those things there are to worry about. Covid, I think, has made us all a bit more complacent, a bit more hesitant, a bit more afraid. I decided to go and I am so very happy that I did!

Prague is truly beautiful! It was not bombed during WWII (with only a couple minor exceptions), so the architecture is original, and amazing. I'm not sure when it shines more brightly - during the day or at night. The streets are filled with people; locals going about their lives and tourists going from one historical site to the next. I walked miles each day, putting in a little over nine miles on my last day there. I sampled the food, the sights, the sounds - my senses were bombarded, and I loved it. 

Our little band of photographers blended well - I feel I have made some new friends. It was rather nice to be with people who totally understood when one of us wanted to stop and snap something that caught our eye. No one was impatient, patting their foot, or silently wondering 'What? Another one?' And we all took pictures of our food!

Midweek we took a train to Děčín, where a guide picked us up and drove us to our accommodations at the Bohemian Cottage in Krásná Lípa, detouring along the way for a hike, for which we weren't quite prepared. Lunch, homemade dinner and breakfast at the cottage, a short walk to check out the area, another hike down into a canyon and then of course, back up (I thought I might die), a beautiful sunset, a glass factory, whew! I'm sure I'm leaving something out. Then back to Prague.

Inside the Prague Train Station

On this trip we got to sample not just the city of Prague, but some of the countryside, namely the
famous Bohemian Switzerland on the Czech/German border, meet some locals, visit museums, and, importantly, take unlimited photos! 

Sunset near Krasna Lipa

This is just a short overview of my two weeks in Prague. In future blogs, I will try to do justice to at least a few of the places I visited. Stay tuned, and join me on the journey.

As always, words and photos are my own, and require permission to reprint.

                                       However, feel free to share the blog in it's entirety. In fact, I encourage it!

  Interested in photo prints? Contact me! maureenblevins@yahoo.com

See more photos at http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/1-mauverneen-blevins.html

and visit my website: http://mauverneen.com

Bryce Canyon

  by Mauverneen

Looking at these canyons, and the mountains, I often wonder what the explorers and the settlers thought when they first saw this. I'm sure many people have that same thought. You're driving down the road and suddenly the earth opens up before you, revealing miles and miles of canyons and multi-colored rock formations. It is mind boggling. Especially for someone coming from the flat land called Illinois. 

I've been to the Southwest before, but I never cease to be impressed, or amazed. Each time, the experience is different. And I always look forward to going back. It's never soon enough. A part of my heart is there.

A little about Bryce and this trail ...(from the National Park Service website)

By definition Bryce Canyon is not a real "canyon". Canyons are carved by flowing water. Most of the "canyons" of Bryce are carved by ice forming in cracks - a process known as frost wedging.

This canyon known originally as Water Canyon, might look like any ordinary Bryce Canyon kind of canyon. It's not. From 1890-1892 mormon pioneers labored with picks and shovels to carve an irrigation ditch from the East Fork of the Sevier River, through the Paunsaugunt Plateau, into this canyon. Every year since its completion in 1892 (except during the drought of 2002), this canal known as the Tropic Ditch has supplied the communities of Tropic and Cannonville with irrigation water. Even though the Tropic Ditch has been flowing for a century it has changed the geology.  The higher elevations of this "canyon" have the lumpy, broken, and random texture typical of Bryce Canyon and its hoodoos. The lower section is without hoodoos, and has smooth angled sides looking like a 'V' in cross-section. Because of this little water course, it is unlikely that hoodoos will form here. The existing ones will eventually crumble and Water Canyon will have completed its metamorphosis into a "real canyon." The presence of water makes this canyon unique. A wide diversity of animals come here regularly to quench their thirst, particularly at night as animals tend to avoid busy trails - especially in daylight hours. 

Water in the desert...

On the Mossy Cave Trail - a short, easy walk with great views!

As always, words and photos are my own, and require permission to reprint.

However, feel free to share the blog in it's entirety. In fact, I encourage it!

Interested in photo prints? Contact me! maureenblevins@yahoo.com

See more photos at http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/1-mauverneen-blevins.html

Views from 30,000 feet

  by Mauverneen

First off, let me say, I don't like to fly. Makes me a little nervous, especially when there is any turbulence. Any turbulence at all. (shudder)

That said, let me tell you about my most recent flying experience. I enjoyed it. Not only was it very smooth, but the views out the window were incredible. As anyone who knows me will tell you, I always have my camera. So it's no surprise that I like to take pictures out the window of the plane. But for the most part, they haven't been very good. You're traveling at a high rate of speed, even though it doesn't feel like it, so unless you can finagle those camera settings like a pro, you might not get the clearest shots. Plus, the zoom... 

So, what was the difference this time? Well, I actually had the window seat, which helped, and I used my cell phone! Incredible. The pics I got with my phone are surprisingly good - much better than with my camera. Now, I don't know about enlarging them, that remains to be seen. But I think I have some great images - if I do say so myself. 

Coming over the mountains, still snow covered in May, was a beautiful sight. And bunches of fluffy white clouds, like little sheep, were spread out over them. At times, it was hard to tell the clouds from the mountain peaks! 

The clouds this trip were different too. They were moving so fast! Usually, we just sail through them, but this time, they were apparently not going in the same direction. I could see them coming towards us. It was amazing. 

And then, touching down in Salt Lake City, it was near sunset. Oh how beautiful that was! Coming back to Chicago, I was a little nervous as the plane flew out over the lake quite a distance before turning to aim for the airport. I thought he was lost. The city is stunning from the air! 

Ok, I'll stop talking. I'll just show you... 

 

As always, words and photos are my own, and require permission to reprint.

However, feel free to share the blog in it's entirety. In fact, I encourage it!

Interested in photo prints? Contact me! maureenblevins@yahoo.com

See more photos at http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/1-mauverneen-blevins.html

Happy St. Patrick's Day

A frosty shamrock for a bit o' luck and some authentic Irish music! (straight from Killarney)

Holocaust Rememberance Day - Dachau

by Mauverneen

      Yesterday was Holocaust Rememberance Day. It made me think of my trip to Germany, and my visit to Dachau.              

      Dachau  stirred up some very mixed emotions.  Torn between wanting to see it and not wanting to see it, I wasn’t sure what to expect.  What we found was a well-documented memorial of an infamous period in history.  We learned much. 

      Dachau was the first of the Nazi concentration camps and was the model for those that followed.  Audio tours of Dachau take you along the same path a prisoner would walk upon being admitted to the camp.  Through the iron gate with it's proclamation 'Work Makes Freedom' into the open yard, through the main hall and the rooms beyond, where they were registered, gave up their papers, gave up their belongings, gave up their clothes – now filled with signs and photos and documentation of that awful time. 

      Surprisingly the grounds are peaceful – no feelings of foreboding or lurking evil as I expected - the guard towers silent witnesses to all that happened there.  Memorials and monuments dotting the grounds commemorate the persecuted and the fallen.  A wood and barbed wire gate separates the camp from the area that holds the crematorium and it is chilling to read the markers on that other side - the mass grave, the pistol range for executions.  It was humbling to be in this history laden spot.  As we walked out the gate to go back to our car we had one thought.  We were free to leave.

 

Ireland Here I Come

(part one)  
by Mauverneen

Some months back I decided to go to Ireland. The main incentive was a travel bloggers conference and I thought why not? I needed a vacation, the conference would be a good learning experience, and I would spend several days before AND after the conference doing my own thing. It sounded perfect.

I love going new places, seeing new things, trying new food, getting no sleep, rushing from one place to another trying to fit it all in. All the fun things a vacation should be.

I anticipated this trip for months. I looked at guidebooks, researched my destinations online, and asked anyone who had been to Ireland what I should not miss. As always, I overpacked - but I am getting better at taking less of what I don't need and won't wear and although it didn't feel it, my luggage was under the weight limit. In trying to reach that goal I think my carryon weighed as much as my checked bag though.

My plan was ambitious - a bit too ambitious as it would turn out. But I still managed to cram a lot in, see most of what I intended to, and then some. So, without further introduction... Ireland, here we come!

The annoyances began immediately. My video on the plane did not work. It froze up every time I tried to view anything. (All I wanted was to watch Beauty and the Beast.) I ended up napping instead. I lost a favorite scarf upon arrival trying to locate the car rental desk which ended up not being in the terminal as advertised (well, a desk was, but agents and cars however, are not). I got a little lost right out of the airport, trying to follow a map, but it quickly dawned on me that I had a GPS! So, a little lost, but look, Malahide! I didn't think I was going to squeeze this one in but I was so close I might as well! My first Irish castle.

Malahide castle is one of the oldest in Ireland, and home to the Talbot family for 800 years. A guided tour will give you some of the history, and entrance into the walled garden. There are a couple of shops as well, including Avoca - a fine retail Irish experience! One can spend way too much time browsing in there. And spending.

Ruins and Headstones and side entrances and unusual trees 

After a brief time at Malahide, I hit the road. The toll road as it turned out. Driving on the left is not as bad as everyone makes it out to be. After all, everyone else is driving on that side so it's easy to remember. Roundabouts take a bit more getting used to.

My route was from Dublin (or rather, Malahide) to Oranmore, a couple hours drive. Just outside of Galway, it is midway between Connemara to the North and the Cliffs of Moher, to the South, both of which I planned on seeing.

My hotel, Armorica, was a delight! It would be my home for three nights.  A generous parking area in the rear is something I would come to sincerely appreciate and desperately long for later on in this trip.

Breakfast

Dinner

Sunny Breakfast Room

One of three dining areas

 Nicholas and Natasha, a young couple, just opened Armorica in March of this year. Nicholas is the chef too, and what a chef! Fresh croissants for breakfast, a surprising gourmet menu for dinner, and a nice selection of good wines. It's nice to feel spoiled right off the bat.

The name Armorica is the name given in ancient times to the land between France's Seine and Loire rivers, based on the Gaulish phrase are-mori "on/at [the] sea", made into the Gaulish place name Aremorica (*are-mor-ika ) "Place by the Sea". Perfect for this place, as it is not only by the sea but Natasha is from Dublin and Nicholas hails from Normandy, in France.

Next installment: Connemara and Kylemore Abbey

#Armorica  #malahidecastle  #castles of Ireland #gourmetdining

As always, words and photos are my own, and require permission to reprint.

                                       However, feel free to share the blog in it's entirety. In fact, I encourage it!

  Interested in photo prints? Contact me! maureenblevins@yahoo.com

 See more photos at http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/1-mauverneen-blevins.html

                      and visit my website: http://mauverneen.com