48 thoughts on “Surrealists”

1. Cold and windy weather has finally reached Florida, so I am in sync with yours at times. Your photos are surreal.

   Have a great week!

   • Thank you, Marian! You, too. 😊

2. I think you’ve done beautifully here, and while I was buoyed by the elections, there is this disappointment, but we will still stand and continue fighting I’m sure of that, and will win

   • Thank you very much, Beth!

3. Vibrantly surreal Merril. Unlike the ash pit of reality you mention at the end!

   • Thank you very much, Paul.
     “ash pit” or sewer–yes.

4. what a rich post and lovely exhibits and poetry Merril. Stops for pause, thank you! xx

   • Aww–thank you, Cindy! xx

5. This is beautiful, Merril. Your photos and words are in perfect harmony.

   Wow… free drink and salad while you wait? That’s unheard of!

   I don’t pretend to understand surrealism. Few pieces truly grab me and make me stop and ponder. Sometimes I think I am simply too unsophisticated to “get” some of them.

   Those samosas look delish. I am dying for carbs. Two more weeks and then I am feasting. Then back to being good 😉

   • Thank you so much, Dale!

     I don’t love or maybe even like a lot of the work, but I do find it fascinating. I thought the exhibit was curated very well, too, with an overview and then various sections. I found the section on war very powerful.

     The samosas were delicious. You’re not eating carbs at all? I don’t think I could do that. I’m just trying to eat a balanced diet–lots of fruit and veggies, and I workout a lot. Good luck!

     • Yes, that is how I feel. They can be quite fascinating but I wouldn’t want to hang them on my walls.

       None! Well, now I am in the final phase of the six-week program so every other day, I can have a half portion in the morning. This means I have my blueberries with my yogurt every other morning. Last three days will be none at all…

       I miss my fruit!!

     • Yes, many of them are unsettling.

       Well, whatever works for you! 😊

     • That’s the beauty of art. There is something out there for everyone 🙂

     • 😊

6. Two of the senators who caved are from New Hampshire. I feel completely betrayed.

   • I can understand that.

7. Gee, I sure love the art you showed. Dali really is a master at surrealism.

   I guess you could call my recent drawings “Fashion Illustration Surrealism”.

   Loving all the tree pics that go with your magnetic musings, a great reference. I think I have enough leaves on my “Held Inside the Folds of Time” tree now.

   Yes, happy about the elections. One year until a real change can hopefully be achieved.

   Okay, gotta run! The temporary special diet thing is taking extra time.

   OH! I’m a bit jealous of your Lady Bugs. We don’t have any, just snow.

   • Thank you, Resa.

     I’m sure you would have loved the exhibition. It was all displayed and presented very well. I didn’t take too many photos–just sort of a sampling.

     Funny about the leaves. 😊

     Don’t be jealous of the ladybugs. We had so many the other day, that our boys have ripped most of our window shades trying to get them. So now we have to replace them–again!

     Hope the diet and meds are working for Norm. xx

     • I just love going to the Art Gallery. The pics you took are fab. The art is yummy. How wonderful to see some Dali work in real life.

       Aside – Have you heard of the “Group of Seven”?

       Wow, those Lady bugs really invaded. Interesting.

       I hope so too! Hopefully when this regimen is over, they will be able to figure out what’s wrong. I love him so much. Thank you, Merril! xx

     • Yes, we’ve seen some of the works before because they’re in the permanent collection.

       I looked up “Group of Seven”–I assume you mean the Canadian artists? I don’t think I’d heard of them.

       I think many factors contributed, but misinformation/disinformation played a part, and so many people who didn’t vote in the last presidential election.

       You’re welcome, Resa. xx

     • Yes, a famous group of Canadian artists from early last century. They have gotten very famous over the last 20 years. 11.2 mil – highest price paid, so far.

       Beautiful art, but it feels cold, doesn’t pull me in. They painted Canada’s mountains, wilderness (in a unique style) and back then everything was pristine and serene. The majesty, the grandeur, the youthful snowy peaks make me feel chilly, cold as I write this.

       Anyway, last time I went to the AGO, I took in their work. (Canada section)
       What did pull me in, mesmerized me were some paintings by Alex Colville. Wow!
       Horse and train is hypnotic, and one of my fave non gown paintings, ever!

       xxx

     • I will have to look it up! xx

     • xx

8. I love your glimpses of Autumn, Merril. I look forward to your photos and poetry each week. What is wrong with the Dems who voted to open the government? Are they all so out of touch that they don’t understand what’s going on? Angus King said it wasn’t working—resisting the felon. Really? I had to step away. It’s beyond me. 🤦🏼‍♀️

   • Thank you very much, Colleen!

     We heard one of the Nevada senators on Morning Edition, and she kind of made sense. She was very firmly against what the Republicans were doing., and she said the December vote will hold them accountable. But I can’t see them keeping promises, can you? I think all the Dems should have held out.

     • I think they should have held out too. The problem is the bill doesn’t fund the ACA or SNAP. They tricked Schumer months ago. I don’t believe anything the R’s say. I’m not sure whether this will pass the house, but it should get the representative from AZ sworn in. It’s a real mess.

     • No, I don’t believe the Rs either.
       I do hope they get her sworn in soon. Just that alone is despicable and illegal.

9. I think your poem is interesting, full of colours and ideas.

   • Thanks, Robbie.

10. I was a bit taken aback at the news. Schumer has to go. If it gets the House back to “work” that will at least be something I guess. Honestly, I don’t think there’s any way out of this mess until Trump is gone. The midterms seem very far away.

    I’ll have to see if I can get to Philadelphia to see that exhibit before it closes. Maybe after the first of the year. (K)

    • The mid-terms do seem very far away, and who knows if he’ll even make it till then.

      If you do plan to get to Philadelphia, let me know, and maybe I can meet you there.

      • I will. That would be fun. (K)

      • It would be!

      • 🌝

11. A. really good combination of poetry, photographs, and artwork in our surreal age. “whispered silvered moon-streams–” an excellent line

    • Thank you so much, Derrick! I appreciate that.

12. The poem does feel very surreal, so I think you CAN write that way! Excellent photos as always. I was surprised some Dems caved. The party doesn’t seem very focused, looking at it from the outside (and from another country).

    • Thank you, Steve. Perhaps components of surrealism. 😊
      It’s hard to know exactly what’s going on. I’ve read some commentaries, and I also listened to Heather Cox Richardson tonight, but it’s still very confusing.

      • You’re welcome, Merril. Hopefully, the recent wins will put things on a better trajectory.

13. There’s a sense of surrealism in your poem, but also groundedness (is that a word?) Your poems are so evocative and descriptive of Nature and that makes me feel grounded, in a very good way 🙂 I know little of surrealism, but I find it interesting. Several years ago we went to the Dali Museum in St. Petersburg, FL, and saw a fascinating range of Dali’s work. His Lincoln in Dalivision was my favorite in the exhibit.

    I read HCR’s newsletter on the 8 senators who “caved.” Her point that the orange felon didn’t get what he really wanted–for the Rs to nuke the filibuster–gave me a spark of hope. Both parties have threatened to nuke the filibuster before, but this was the first time I honestly feared that the Rs would do it since the orange felon was demanding it. The fact that they didn’t makes me wonder if they know something we don’t? Are they finally starting to realize that tRump is only as powerful as they let him be? Maybe Tuesday showed them that tRump is more likely to sink their political careers, given that everyone he endorsed lost.

    I was on pins and needles about the election in NJ. Pundits were saying that it was close, that it could go either way, and then Sherrill wins by double digits. Woot!

    • Thank you so much for your kind words, Marie. I’m so pleased my poem made you feel grounded.

      I enjoyed learning more about Surrealism.

      I’m still not certain what to think about the senators who “caved,” but there does seem to be more nuance and perhaps backroom bargaining than it seemed at first.

      Now, I’m waiting to see what happens with the Epstein files. At least the caving permitted the swearing in of Grijalva. It does worry me though that the bill has to “ripen,” and then the vote has to be scheduled before the files will be released. However, I think there will be a massive outcry if the files are not released. Unless we’re at war, or . . .

      I was SO worried about NJ. I was happy that the vote was not even close. My siblings live in PA, and there were good results there, too.

      • A couple of days ago I read a post by a Miami reporter who explained that the Biden Administration didn’t release the Epstein files likely because of the investigation into Maxwell (no good prosecutor is going to “show their hand” by releasing evidence) and possibly other investigations. Which makes me wonder if tRump’s demand that Bondi investigate people like Clinton will be used to argue that they cannot release the files because there’s an “active” investigation. In my humble opinion, that would be a mistake on their part.

        I think tRump’s base would prefer the files to be released rather than wait through another investigation. He promised their release. They expect (or expected) him to deliver. The emails recently released from Epstein’s estate seem to show that Epstein actually loathe tRump, even writing to someone that tRump had early signs of dementia, that he didn’t have a decent cell in his body (takes one to know one). It can only get worse for tRump.

        I continue to be amazed at just how incompetent tRump and his lackeys are. Their incompetence is scary because it’s also so dangerous (really, a land war with Venezuela?????) But their incompetence might also be what saves our country … ultimately. The more they dig in about not releasing the files, the worse and more guilty they all look.

        I just hope people don’t miss the bigger picture. The Guardian had a thoughtful but chilling opinion piece about the “banality of Epstein,” about how so many people who likely didn’t engage in Epstein’s child sex trafficking still normalized his behavior, seeking out his opinion and guidance. These people knew what Epstein did and what he was. It makes me sick to know that they gave a known child sex trafficker a pass because they thought he was useful.

      • Rebecca Solnit posted that explanation from the reporter, and Joyce Vance today also wrote of the possibility that T-mp would say he wants to realize the files, but his lawyers say no. (As if the law ever stopped him before!!)

        I agree that they are incompetent and scary and dangerous because of the incompetence. If there’s another pandemic, we’re doomed.

        The whole Epstein story is disgusting and reprehensible. Rich men (mostly) protecting each other and getting richer off of women and children. I imagine some boys, too.

14. A beautiful poem, Merril. As Marie says, surrealism with grounding! Who could ask for more in such a beautiful poem and photo. The way you direct your poem to the fiery leaves of beautiful.

    • Thank you for going back to read this one, and thank you for your very kind words!

      • Always the most lovely poetry! 💙

      • 🥰

      • Back to you!🌷

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