The Scream brings $119.9 Million

It took 12 nail-biting minutes and five eager bidders for Edvard Munch’s famed 1895 pastel of “The Scream” to sell for $119.9 million, becoming the world’s most expensive work of art ever to sell at Sotheby's auction house in NYC yesterday. Read more in The New York Times...

Munch's subject matter is symbolist in content, depicting a state of mind rather than an external reality. Munch maintained that the impressionist idiom did not suit his art. Interested in portraying not a random slice of reality, but situations brimming with emotional content and expressive energy, Munch carefully calculated his compositions to create a tense atmosphere. via

Can you believe that was the highest price ever paid for a work of art? via

I am my own hired hand

I took this photo of my feet last night when I had to quit weed whacking at 7:30 pm -- not because I wanted to or was finished -- but because I ran out of day-glo green string. I was almost finished with one section too. Drats. I can't get the spool off by myself. Instead I have to bother Greg at the gas station and he gives it one easy twirl and it comes right off. I don't have the knack with anything that has a motor.

The top of me looked good after my new afternoon haircut. It's just not in the cards for me to be fancy in any way shape or form until I conquer the weeds in my driveway. 

I keep thinking about my grandmother's sage advice and wishing I had followed it.

Goodnight All

G o o d n i g h t

Elizabeth Adela Stanhope Forbes

Canadian, 1859-1912 

I love this painting and the artist's monogram signature. I'm off to bed soon myself after another busy day working outside. via

Both Dogs Can Be First Out The Door This Way :)

Meet Buddy and Luke. This happens every time the door is opened. Luke is the one that's airborne. I love this photo. via

DIY Cement Planters from Food Containers

Aren't these planters lovely? They are molded from used food packaging containers. Instead of throwing away your ice cream cartons and yogurt containers you can make a few troughs for your succulents. You will need:

• Cement (it's the glue that binds the other ingredients)
• Vermiculite (you can use sand instead, but the planters become very heavy)
• Peat moss, pearlite, gravel or rock (add for fun!)
  
  
  
  Full tutorial with step-by-step photo illustrations HERE.
  
  

Martha Stewart has a great hypertufa pot tutorial too. Be sure to watch the video.

Webster Admiring his Yard from Attic Window

While I paid bills upstairs at the desktop computer today Webster looked out on the newly mown back property. I only mowed the left half. You can't see much of the uncut right half. I didn't mow way back either. It doesn't really need it yet. I have sections that I do---front, back, middle, and way back. I almost never cut it all at once. We had rain overnight and this morning. It's starting to shape up and we are having fun doing it. We just got back from our last walk of the day and now it's time to watch a little TV in bed. Goodnight. See you tomorrow.

DragonFly, Up Close and Personal

I took this photo with my Nikon D40 several years ago in 2009 and haven't gotten a better one since.

Our Lady of The Cow Parsley

Don't you love the name of this gorgeous painting by Elisabeth Sonrel, French artist 1874 - 1953? 'Our Lady of The Cow Parsley'. She is a vision of spring and summer for sure. This wildflower grows wild all over the UK. via sofi01 on Flickr