Jasper Francis Cropsey paintings

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Jasper Francis Cropsey (1823-1900) trained as an architect but made his mark as a painter in the Hudson River School. The group of artists in that school broke away from European painting traditions and found their inspiration in American landscapes. It is the first truly American style of painting. 

Cropsey's works emphasized landscape, lighting, and atmospheric effects. He was quite popular in his day, although later in his life newer painting styles started to push him aside. 

Jasper Francis Cropsey

Lovely Hula Hands

Get ready for a hand-waving weekend with Alfred Apaka.

 

Walking in Nuuk

Well, the U.S. has signed a new treaty with Greenland, so it's off to Nuuk, the capital of Greenland. With only 20,000 inhabitants it is the smallest capital city of any country. There are no road connections from Nuuk to any other city, you can only get there by plane or boat. It has Greenland's largest port. It is surrounded by spectacular scenery. 

It is a very pleasant looking city, well maintained. While the buildings are nice and modern looking, the city's layout appears to be a bit haphazard at times, with streets running off on odd angles and even buildings not always lined up square to their neighbors. I noticed rocky outcroppings in it, so I think the city just follows the lay of the land. There is also a lot of space between the buildings.

The above video is a walk in September. He starts it in his apartment and then winds his way through the downtown until he reaches the shore of the fjord it is located on. Below, since it strikes me that Greenland needs snow, we have a walk through the same area during some winter snow flurries.

Paintings by Edwin Lord Weeks

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Edwin Lord Weeks (1849–1903) was an American painter who was an Orientalist. He was the son of New England spice and tea merchants, and he had a comfortable upbringing. In this adult life he travelled extensively, primarily through North Africa, the near East, Persia, and India. The areas he visited were the subjects of his paintings. He frequently juxtaposed elaborate architectural in the background with mundane daily life in the foreground.   

Edwin Lord Weeks

Happy Halloween

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For as long as I could remember, the person in E23 pasted the same Halloween decoration, a witch with a giant wart on her crone's nose, but whenever kids rang, the tenant wouldn't answer. At first, kids figured they'd just missed the guy: bad timing. But it seemed impossible that all of us missed him every year. - Victor LaValle

  

To Have, or Not to Have

Get ready for a nothingized weekend with Sheng-Xiang & Band.

 

Every breath you take

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Strange Couple - Ravinder Kumar Soni

‘Anxious I am
To know
To whom do I belong? '
Asked the exhaled breath
Damp, warm and smelly,
‘I am always thrown out.'
‘Not to me.'
Said the inhaled breath
Cool, fresh and fragrant,
As the two crossed path
A little distance away from the nose.
‘I do not notice any difference
Between you two and therefore,
You must belong to me, '
Said the meddling nose.
Upon hearing these words
The two breaths collided
As only pockets of air can
The difference was quite obvious
They did not lean towards each other
Because only one of the two
Could feed and fan the fire,
The inhaled breath,
Soon to be exhaled.