Throw The Book At Them All

And here's a lawsuit waiting to happen --

Renaissance: The Blood and the Beauty

I just finished watching a recent BBC docudrama series (shown here on PBS) called Renaissance: The Blood and the Beauty about Michelangelo and his rivalry with Leonardo da Vinci and Raphael. It was excellent -- highly recommended! In particular, it did a great job of exploring the political, religious and cultural turbulence of the Renaissance itself in which these artistic geniuses created their masterpieces.

I've been a Michelangelo fanatic since I was a teenager. When The Rare One and I were in Italy in 2008, it kind of turned into a Michelangelo Road Tour in many ways -- it was such a "bucket list dream come true" to finally see in person so many of his best works of art!

And now this series has reignited that old passion for Michelangelo again. Can other post(s) be far behind?

Be Sure to Groan IN TUNE

Puppy Love

Cool Photos From The Internet

Hummingbird nesting on cactus,

Living Desert Gardens in Palm Desert, California.

Cat resting on the cross of an Orthodox church

in Perast, Montenegro.

Stairway to Elements Bar in Torreblanca, Spain

"empowerment . . . with each step"

Photo and quotation by Mitchell of Moving With Mitchell blog,

used with permission.

Horse and volcano in Iceland.

A storm captured from the upper atmosphere.

Owl door in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Art Nouveau wrought iron seahorses,

Rotterdam, Netherlands.

Two hummingbirds sheltering inside a rose

(found on Mistress Maddie's blog).

Alan Cumming Rocks!

I have always adored the Scottish actor Alan Cumming.

Well, let's face it -- who doesn't?

Recently he guest-hosted on Jimmy Kimmel Live

and let loose on Trump and MAGA.

If you've got 13 minutes to spare, treat yourself

to his comedy and insights!

And here's another take on his equation of

trans people with superheroes!

[Trans!Steve Rogers/Captain America

fanart by t100thpasteface]

Friday Face OFF -- "Monk"

For this week's Friday Face OFF link party

of art featuring faces, hosted by Nicole of

DVArtist, Art, Food, Gardening blog . . .

In 1974 when I was in high school,

I sketched this monk's head in blue pen

on a little pad of pink newsprint.

I copied it from an original 17th century

Italian drawing which was part of

a small touring art exhibition

at a local community art gallery.

I was so taken by the original that

I had to try drawing it myself while

I stood in front of it. I hadn't come

prepared to do so, which is why my

art supplies were so unorthodox.

The artist was an Italian Baroque painter

named Guido Reni (1575-1642).

I think his best painting is

Saint Matthew and the Angel

which he painted near the end of his life.

I love the rapt intensity of Saint Matthew's face

and his direct eye contact with the angel who is

telling him the points he should cover in his gospel.

It's a very intimate depiction of the process of inspired creation.

And I like the triple illumination of

brilliant white light on Matthew's hair,

the angel's shoulder, and the manuscript.

It evokes the doctrine of the Trinity, I think.

I also like the warm spotlight on the saint's heart.

The Secret World of Amphibians and Reptiles