Happy Father's Day!!

Beacons of Light and Truth ... A Father is pillar of strength looking out for those he loves, the lights of his life. He makes the path easier for his children to tread, with his strength, leading by example and with a heart overflowing with love. ♥ 

Happy Father's Day to ALL of the wonderful Dads out there!!  God Bless one and ALL!!

"Sepia Angel" ... Bass Hall, Fort Worth, Texas

@Copyrighted Image.  All Rights Reserved.

"Starry Night" ...

Van Gogh paintings, among them the timeless vision of "Starry Night", set to the music of Don McLean also by the same title "Starry Night." This song was inspired by Van Gogh's famous painting and is a poem set to words about the artist and his life.


Beautiful ... thought provoking ...
 
 

I need to FLY today!!

This young man has found a way to FLY with his bicycle.  I love it ... So uplifting!  And what talent ... fearlessness.  Danny MacAskill is truly an inspiration.  Enjoy! 








Peace & LOVE!!  Pass it on and together we will change the world ♥


~M

Scary Eye-Opener!!

[ Hmmmm ... Want to watch your blog sputter, spiral and plunge to the abysmal depths of the blogspheres' lower levels?  Then just mention the name "Glenn Beck" in your post. ; )  ... Ah what a world, what a world!!  Free speech is m-e-l-t-i-n-g .... I honestly think that the ONLY WAY "free speech" will survive during this administration is if the American people WAKE UP and put some genuine effort into their search for truth and information instead of just sitting back, while lazily being spoon fed by the egnimatic "Big Brother".]

I have not been watching a lot of Glenn Beck these days.  His gloom and doom, ranting, raving and tears on air were just getting to be a bit much for me.  Today, however, I have been down with a bad headache, so I decided to listen to his show during lunch  and I have to say that today's show was a real eye opener for me. 

I find the study of various religions, their history and beliefs, to be fascinating.  I like to think that I have a fairly good grasp on various world religions, but I heard something on the Glenn Beck show today that sent chills down my spine ... something that made me realize that while we all share a belief in the same Creator there are still fundamental differences in our religious beliefs that perhaps may never ever be able to be reconciled.  I will have to do more research to verify the information presented on the Glenn Beck show today, but if it bears even an ounce of truth then it is a wake-up call indeed!

So what was this religious belief that sends chills down my spine, makes me stop dead in my tracks and think:  a belief among religious scholars of Islam that a man can forgo the sins of adultery and fornication if he owns a sex slave and uses her for his satisfaction.   The show even ran a clip where a Muslim woman was shown speaking for ... condoning ... the selling of slaves into the sex trade as a viable alternative to POW's being put to death.  This woman further believed that use of sex slaves would in fact exempt her sons and husband from sin should they seek to have sexual relations outside of marriage. 

I am sorry, but I cannot see ... especially in this day and age ... any religion openly condoning the selling and owning of slaves, especially for the explicit purpose of sexual assault!!  God our Creator is fundamentally about free-will and LOVE:  slavery and assault are polar opposites to His way.

I have to say watching this show was LOUD wake-up call for me today!  I will look further into the matter for myself, but my eyes are wide open now.  May God Bless women and children everywhere and protect them from such crimes.

Gone Fishing ...

It was a "free fishing" weekend this past weekend, here in Washington, so we tried our hand at fishing.  Didn't catch anything, but the kids had fun being outdoors and exploring new places ... a local river and a lake. We wrapped with dinner at a nice local seafood restaraunt since we didn't catch any fish of our own.  : )

Here are some of my photo captures from the weened:  Lazy clouds drifting by and some unusual tri-log fixtures standing in the river.  Don't know what they were for?  Maybe part of an old boat dock?

"Dreamy clouds floating by with the river"

@Copyrighted Image, 2011.  All Rights Reserved

@Isabelle Black Smith.

"Riverscape in IR Black & White"

@Copyrighted Photo, 2011.  All Rights Reserved.

"Shadows on the River"  ... This one turned out nice.  Looks like a painting to me : )

@Copyrighted Photo, 2011.  All Rights Reserved.

"River Clouds, Drifting By Black & White"

@Copyrighted Photo, 2011. All Rights Reserved.

Hope you and yours had a fabulous weekend!!


Peace & Love,
M

Storm Clouds Unfurl ...

"Storm Clouds Unfurl"

@Copyrighted 2011.  All Rights Reserved.

(clarification:  "to shoot" below means as refering to photography ... "to shoot photos"!!)

Okay ... So update on working up to photograph actual peole in my photography.  Still haven't quite gotten there yet.  I have lots of ideas, but just haven't found it in me to start yet.  I don't get my hang-up on trying to shoot people?  But I'm working on it.  I'll get there ... I've pushed myself places harder than this.

A Walk on the Urban Side ...

A Walk in Seattle ...

"Urban Lines" ... Gasworks Park, Seattle,Washington

@Copyrighted Photograph, 2011.  All Rights Reserved: Isa Black Smith.

Urban lines

Jungle of metal vines
Sprawling endless sea of rhyme
Subtlety sublime



@Isa Black Smith 2011




"Running with Scissors" ...

An old photo ART render revisited.  Don't recall ever posting this one?  Well, this is me in a nutshell ...

"Running with Scissors"

@Copyrighted Photo, 2010.  All Rights Reserved:  Isabelle Black Smith.

"If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away."

~Henry David Thoreau

Peace & Love to ALL ♥

... Have so much reading to do to catch up with other blogs.  Please be patient.  I will get there : )

Memorial Day 2011: We are ever grateful for your sacrifice!

Image Source

God Bless all those brave men and women who have so valliantly served our great nation and made the ultimate sacrifice to maintain the flame of Freedom.  We will never forget your sacrifice!




Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place, and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

~John McCrae





AMERICA'S ANSWER

Rest ye in peace, ye Flanders dead.
The fight that ye so bravely led
We've taken up, And we will keep
True faith with you who lie asleep
With each a cross to mark his bed,
In Flanders fields.

Fear not that ye have died for naught,
The torch ye threw to us we caught.
Ten million hands will hold it high,
And Freedom's light shall never die!
We've learned the lessson that ye taught
In Flanders fields.


~R.W. Lilliard






(Thank you, Jackie, for sharing these poems. They are wonderful!)

"Homesick for a place you ain't never been ..."

This write is inspired by a line from the movie that I happened to watch tonight: "The Mechanic."

I tried to write this in keeping with the character who gave the line:  A wise old dockhand that kept watch over the boats ... from a comfortable, beat up, old recliner ... in the marina where Jason Straham's character parked his river boat when he came into town via one of the New Orleans area bayous.

Funny thing is, this line is probably the best thing about this movie.  Don't get me wrong, I happen to love Jason Straham ... the script on this movie just wasn't that great in my humble opinion.  Anyway, maybe that's why my mind went off onto the tangent of developing this line into a poem?

The line in the movie was ..."Homesick for a place you ain't never been ..."
For some reason, these words just stuck in my head and wouldn't go away. Before I knew it, they had spun themselves into this ... poem?

"This is Audubon Park in New Orleans, looking toward the Tulane and Loyola campuses:

The Finger Points to the West?  Or is it East?"

Image Source: Seeking focus

"Homesick ..."


Homesick for a place you ain't never been
I know you hear it ...
A hidden longin', been buried deep within
Somethin's gone and awakened it,
Though you may'n ever know'd who pulled the trigger
So what you gonna do?
Just walk away? Thinkin' you be bigger ... Bigger
Than it is?
Unexplained yearnings a whisperin' your name
Calling out to you, it is ...
Unquenchable flame, hidden pain
It's a calling your name, sayin' gotta get in the game
It ain't never gonna go away!
Always be a whisperin', haunting echoes stir
Reminders around every corner ... become a blur,
As you be turning,
Running faster and faster ... Thinkin' you can get away?
Looking for any place you can hide ...
You just be hopin' the fear in you's gonna subside:
But it ain't ... Ain't never gonna go away!
Yes, you got it bad ...
Homesick for a place you ain't never been ...




@Copyright Poem, 2011. All Rights Reserved: Isabelle Black Smith.



Photo By: Seeking focus ... A very talented artist, in my humble opinion.  The story behind this photo alone is worth a visit to this artist's page.

Supression of Truth?

My last post was "Where will we find our truth?" ... Today, after the White House announced the appointment of a "Social Media Czar":  I think the better question would be "Do we really want to live in a country where our top elected official openly and aggressively supports suppression of the truth?"


[And as I click "view blog" to see my post ... my browser now goes nuts with 'clicks' as an external source ("client 6") is loaded, updated or whatever?  Hmmmmmmmmm ... So it begins??? ]

Where will we find our Truth?

@Copyrighted Image, 2010.  All Rights Reserved:  Isabelle Black Smith.

"Shadow of Truth"

One God, a church with no walls ... Peace, Love ... Hope.

(Photo taken at Christ's Church Cathedral, Victoria Island, Summer 2010. To this day, I am

unsure as to the actual source for this shadow of this cross upon the cathedral door.)

Awaken Mystery and Magic ...

Loreanna McKennitt, performing "Stolen Child" (live performance)



Awaken Mystery and Magic  ... dancing upon the voice of an angel ...

Poetry Night at the U.S. White House ...

Yes, tonight is Poetry Night at the White House (a.k.a.  "An Evening of Poetry") ...


"Wednesday is poetry night at the White House, as the president and first lady celebrate American poetry and prose by hosting a gathering of poets, musicians and artists.

Those slated to attend include Elizabeth Alexander, Billy Collins, Common, Rita Dove, Kenneth Goldsmith, Alison Knowles, Aimee Mann and Jill Scott. The performers, using music and verse, will highlight poetry's influence on American culture, according to the Associated Press.

As per usual, Michelle Obama will use the event to teach young ones. The first lady will host an afternoon workshop connecting students from all across the country to the evening's performers.

'An Evening of Poetry' is part of White House's music series, which began in 2009 with a jazz studio. Since then, Michelle Obama has hosted a celebration of country music, classical music, Motown music, Latin music, a salute to Broadway, music of the Civil Rights movement and a dance tribute to Judith Jamison."

~The Washington Examiner, May 5, 2011.

[Read more at the Washington Examiner: Washington Examiner.com ].



It looks as if this performance of poets at the White House will not be carried on regular television networks.  It will, however, be broadcast ovthe web, via the White House website, with a live discussion thread running at the same time on Facebook.  Here is the White House official link with detailed information:  m.whitehouse.gov/blog.



Apparently there is some controversy over one of the artists who has been invited to perform ... read ... at tonight's White House celebration.  The controversial artist is the rapper known as "Common" (a.k.a., Lonnie Rashid Lynn, Jr.).  While I personally am unfamiliar with the work of this particular artist, I do support an artist's right to express themselves.  If I don't like what they write or say, then I can choose not to listen to or read their work.  That's what makes us America, right?  The latter being said, however, I do hope that "Common" will use good judgment in the selections that he chooses to present this evening at the White House.  Personally, I am not sure that Common is the best choice for an artist that is representative of the America we want to present to the world, but perhaps his performing shows America is indeed a land where one has the right and the freedom to speak his mind?


In light of this special night, "An Evening of Poetry at the Whitehouse",  here is a poem that I composed just for FUN : )

Ode to Coffee


Enticing, awakening, mind-melding, pain deadening elixir of life.
Though to my poor stomach you bring only greatest of strife.
Dark, velvety, chocolate perfection, where rainbow swirls
Often dance delicately atop your lake, in absence of accessories.
O sensuous seductor, how I long to bring you to my lips, but
Know full well one sip of you would swiftly bring me to my knees.
Heavenly, aromatic blend sing of mysterious and forbidden spices.
O exalted one, your song, to me, it endlessly entices.
Liquid temptation in a pot, for alas I know I can have you not.
Black, no sugar, no cream ... Can't I still dream?


@Copyrighted Poem, 2011. All Rights Reserved: Isabelle Black Smith.

Happy Mother's Day ... Poem

Painting By, Narasoma Art Gallery

MOTHER
Ambiguity interwoven Diversity
Rising as occasion needs it be.
Unconditional LOVE,
Giving spirit wings to rise above.




@Copyrighted Poem, 2011. All Rights Reserved: Isabelle Black Smith.





May God Bless all Mother's this Mother's Day and throughout the year ahead.
Here is a lovely song that goes rather nicely with this poem and image ... evokes the
essence of LOVE and PEACE that is MOTHER.

Song:  Loreena McKennitt - La Serenissima