Slavko Writes: Merry Christmas!

"Hope you're enjoying the dinner, we just had a dried cod fish brudetto, as  traditional meal for Christmas Eve.

Wishing you and whole family Merry Christmas and all holidays."

And . . .

"Thank you for oranges and lemons, Lukrica left them by the door thinking you were in your house, so this morning we discussed such a dispute. Delicious."

(Ed:  Lukrica is our neighbor.  A sweet old lady who basically lives on our little street all alone except when seasonal folks like us show up.   We exchange small gifts now and then and this time Slavko got the benefit: a bag of fresh oranges and lemons!)

Slavko is doing some work for us, including adding a double wall behind our house and coating it to try to prevent the water seepage we get in our back room (my studio!).  That's the photo above.

Here are two haiku he wrote about this:

Brandy at Julia's

plum or grape

almond tree is naked

Heavy toil

with scent of sage

oranges are ripe

(Ed:  Julia referenced above is a neighbor and art dealer.  Slavko has to walk through her yard to get to the back of our house.)

Dark

So dark today, all day long so very dark.  But we made it past the Solstice so there's hope ahead.

Fashionista

Julia wearing the lovely designs that Eason applied to the back of her robe.

At Spencer's

Spencer and Sally's Townhouse decorated for Christmas

Spencer, Sally, Mitzie and Santa!

S & S toast their new closet system that we installed today.

Update: Lori's Christmas Tree

Lori writes:

Doesn't do the color justice in the picture and the background doesn't help! You get the idea though. There is a little snow on the tree and the red ornaments have gold decor on them.  

(Ed: Beautiful!! "background doesn't help"???? Continue to ignore goose with baseball cap.)

Lori is on the mend and making her horseshoe art again. This seasonal piece is awaiting decoration and is already sold.  (Ignore goose wearing baseball cap in background!)

Three Haiku by Jack Kerouac

Men and women
Yakking beneath
the eternal void

I went in the woods
to meditate -
It was too cold

Walking on water wasn't
Built in a day

Disrupt. Graffiti at Donovan Park just below our house.

Bee Lolitas

For Charles

Charles Writes: Introduction to "Because I Bee"

Introduction

First I need to qualify how I feel tonight

I am sort of on my heels and leaning backwards

Tonight and I am sitting here wondering how in the hell

am I going to write a catchy description of 

Because I Bee

and then give you the key words

therein for readers to do internet searches with

because the keyword is a made up word

that I made up

you know the beeing sort of word in this

alive kind of world that we bee in

and I don't think google or amazon or even

kolossus will accept my word beeing as a real word

in their sort of alive kind of world but

I most decidedly am convinced that

Beeing is a nu way to describe my spiritual

life and the choices I make as an artist

and as a living kind of person in the Alive kind of World

because now whenever I am faced with any  

sort of sticky situation in 

my funny little life I can now run my funny little problem

or  important loving matter through my Beeing filter and I

find I am so much happier and more contented

and more self realized as I might imagine Henry Miller would say

about beeing alive and as you have undoubtedly 

heard from me that for some reason I want to share this joy

of beeing with all of you so much that I have written a

book about it and I have called it Because I Bee

and really the book is in three parts aesthetics, poetic

memoir and then a collection of my personal messages to the

universe of all poetic endeavor and finally the ending is in

complete support of Beeing Alive in the Alive kind of

World by letting you all know that I absolutely love

beeing among you and I Like Beeing And I want you 

to Love your Beeing and Beeing Alive in the atmosphere of

your now and to finish with a flourish  and bring

this book to a close I have written a Conclusion that sheds

a little more light on me and on Buddha and my lovely wife Melanie.

And after that I might add one more thought which is 

To God Bee the Bee but I'm not sure about that and 

it's a kind of moody and possibly a vainful brooding idea

to think that you can write a story about god

so maybe I won't include that piece in Because I Bee

However I just might instead

make a full length movie out of To God Bee the Bee.  And what a big moody and broody idea that could be and I guess we will see how that big idea turns out because that is probably how I will Bee in that kind of

Beeing Moment.

Charles Grimes

Ann Arbor 2014

(Ed: Charles and I are getting his collection of writings from the past 2 years assembled and formatted to be available for Kindle on Amazon.  The collection is titled, "Because I Bee."  It will include some reproductions of his Bee paintings.)

Marius's Exhibit of Photos

The entry photo:  A stony path  just below the small church of Sv. Ilijas

Marius titles a couple of prints

Julia & Eason review the photo binder beside a sunset on the road to Milna

On Friday night, Julia, Eason and I went to Anacortes to see the exhibition of Marius's photos from his stay with me in Croatia.  He hung about 6 photos and the rest were in a binder that you could review.  The photos that he printed, framed and hung were exceptionally nice.  They really demand a larger venue with more prints!

(Click on photos to enlarge)

One Day Late Posting and . . . Right on Time . . .

Happy Birthday to us!  Happy Birthday to us!  Sam, Lynne, and me.
Happy Anniversary to Julia and me!

And now, today, Happy Anniversary to Charles and Melanie.

9 Art World Pick-Up Lines Guaranteed (NOT) To Work . . .

From artnet News (http://news.artnet.com/art-world/9-art-world-pick-up-lines-guaranteed-not-to-work-at-art-basel-miami-beach-180754)

1. "If you were words on a page, you'd be fine print."

2. "Call the Art Loss Register, 'cause you just stole my heart."

4. "If I told you your body looked like the Met's Aphrodite, would you hold it against me?"

4."You're so fine you could make an impression on Monet."

5. "Sorry for staring, I thought your face was a work of art."

6. "If I were an art critic, I'd give you a ravishing review."

7. "I'd like to add you to my itinerary…in between V, I, and P."

8. "Are you an antique collector? Because I have some junk that hasn't been touched in years."

9. "How about you and me go out by the pool and brush up on our strokes?"

(Ed:  I dunno . . . I kinda liked # 4 and 5.)

Anacortes Magazine: "Marius Hibbard Visits Croatia"

It says it here, it must be true!  I will report again after I have seen the show.  His photos should look spectacular in the large size that he prints.

To read the article, click on link below:
 http://www.anacortes.net/anacortes-magazine/2014/11/marius-hibbard/

Two Quotes from Tin (Just because . . .)

The realm of the spirit will never reach those who claim that all truths are already known.

 Art never receives the world as we found it nor leaves it so.

Marius's Exhibition of His Photos frrom Brac

OK!  Friday, December 5th, we get a chance to see what Marius did with some of the 400 photos he took during his one week stay.  Looks lovely!

(Click on photo to enlarge.)

Autumn

Back

A Little Day Hike Up Alger Alps to Little Baldy with Julia

Lovely afternoon.  That's the hill we are going up in the background.

Up on Little Baldy

View of Mt. Baker along the way

A Couple of Late Photos

Slavko's finished "white and shining wall."  It's 10, maybe 12,  feet tall! 

Our newly leveled patio and shiny metal downspouts

A view of our house from the neighborhood Mlin.
The sea is to the right of the picture.
(Note the hillside behind that burned a couple of years ago while
Amir, Inela and their little son Mak were staying in our house.)

Ivo's boat and newly built plaza at Bobovisca.

Here's a couple of late photos that were on my camera (rather than tablet) so I wasn't able to upload them while I was in Dalmatia.

Home

After my ferry ride, Slavko and Nada fed me (yet again!) and then drove me to my room by the airport.  Next morning I was up at 5:00 a.m and now am home safe after relatively pleasant and stress-free return flights! Julia was right on time picking me up at the Vancouver Airport in the dark and wind and rain.

Now, to bed!

On the Split-Supetar Ferry

12 years, and yet
At W.C. Muški -- everytime --
I trip.

(Editors note:  A parting poem :  that damn bulkhead door! )

All Hallows Eve -- Edison style

Lori

Best wishes to Lori for a speedy recovery from her shoulder surgery and full use of her arm. 

Oy vai

So I have everything pretty much wrapped up (literally, in plastic) and am doing final chores for departure early tomorrow to mainland,  when suddenly I feel our new drain has a problem and needs some concrete work!  (Well,  actually I felt this for the last 6 weeks but somehow avoided dealing with it.) So,  tools and supplies come back out of the storage shed and I use my skills developed  by living here over the years (and largely taught by Slavko)  to do this lovely concrete work!  Note my clever use of the stone to catch down splash!   But what will it look like next year? 

End of Season

Last night, Austrian yatch brokers; tonight, Libyan oil entrepreneurs.  They buy me a drink, just for the heck of it.

Garden

Have trouble growing anything in my garden.   Dont know why.   Shade?  Water in dry season?untended most of the year?  But this wild mountain thyme that I uprooted on the path up to St. Martins struggles along year after year. Likewise the mint from the roadside to Supetar.  

Only 3 Days Left

All Hallows Eve,

All Saints Day,

All Souls Day.

Beautiful weather to say good-bye.

(Happy trick-or-treating, Eason. . . er, I mean, Darth. . . The Force be with you!)

Reading at Sunset

Flies,

Buzzing, buzzing, buzzing.

How many words to  make Now?

Fwd: Re: Congratulations!

-------- Original message --------
From amir salkanovic <salkanovic@yahoo.com>
Date: 10/29/2014 20:54 (GMT+01:00)
To Julia Hurd <julia@qsoup.net>
Cc 'JRH' <jhurd@qsoup.net>
Subject Re: Congratulations!

Hello Julia and John,

. . . As I was away for two weeks when Lejla was born it got really busy at work. This last weekend we also visited Zavidovici and Zivinice with both kids for the first time, so grand parents were real happy. 

I attached two photos, one with Mak and Lejla, and second one from Zavidovic from this wekend. Mak is playing with my friend girls, and there is Lana, Faik's daughter (with orange hair)..

Hugs,

Amir, Inela, Mak, i Lejla

Tues

Marius took his photos and left!  Off on the ferry!

He plans a showing to Subud this weekend with his new data projector of 150 of the best.  Some pretty gorgeous stuff. He leaves in photographic debt to Pero and Ivo, which I know he will repay.  

I am paying bills,  doing laundry,  baskingnin sun and dreaming of haiku and painting,  and beginning to plan my own departure.  Sun is shining (but nights are chilly).   Slavko is still on the mainland.

The Holiday weekend approaches so I must plan carefully (I forgot when I booked my return flight): All Hallows Eve, All Saints Day, and All Souls Day (Day of the Dead).  There is a brisk business in flowers and candles for this Memorial weekend, as you can see from when I stopped by local garden shop. 

Sunday

Sunday,  the bells --real bells -- ring wildly at Communion.   We take the long drive down the length of the island,  just to say we did it.   Visit old church of St, George.  Snooze under Pines in deserted village of Gazul.  Delicious tuna steak at night at marina.   We are only customers.   Only 2 restaurants left open in town.  We are helping to shut this place down for the season!

Mon

Down the primitive south side of the island today,  and up the new fire road toward Blaca.  Beat the h☆ll out of poor old lady Bella Bijela 2, had to tie her together with old strapping I found on mountain top.

Day 3: Visiting Pero at his Aetelier

Here's a photo Marius took yesterday of Pero Jaksič with a sculpture he is working on.   This will be one of ten he hopes to have ready for exhibition next summer.

Autumn

A truly lovely autumn image by Lynne!

Marius -- Notes

Day 1, we hang out with the guys in Nerezisce, including Ivo and stone sculptor Pero Jaksic.  Then go to dark alchemist lair to watch grape mash transformed to liquid gold... a stop at ancient chapel of St. Ilias on the way home...

Day 2, Skrip, Dol, and a gracious luncheon with Ivo and Lilijana at their remote house in Bobovisce;  we drive the riva in Milna, the beach,  the hill and loop on Mlin.

Today

Tim,  Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday to you!

John

Marius Arrives Safely but Tired

My stone house shudders,

Thunders rend the air,  alas!

A guest at midnight. 

(Ed.:  Here the poet is undoubtedly referring to the change of weather which preceded his guest's arrival although the sunset had been beautiful and resulted in several lovely photographs. Or perhaps it isn't the weather to which he is referring?)

My Patio, Windy Day

This guy knows what it's about ...

Shida Yaba (1663–1740)

Hakisōji / shite kara tsubaki / chirini keri

After I've swept and tidied up, 

Down fall some camellias.

Garden at Sunset

Dry fig leaf clatters down to stone.

Who would believe such racket? 

-- Sun slips into the sea. 

Good-bye

Chris finishes repairs on my front gate,  which I had just painted.   I thank him.   

He says,  "Do not say "Thank you" so much.   We don't do that in Croatia."

"Oh," I say,  "like in Klingon.  No word for Please or Thank you."

"Yes," he says, "or for good-bye."

And he leaves. 

Fwd: Ah ha! Part 2 -- Backfire

-------- Original message --------
From jhurd <jhurd@qsoup.net>
Date: 10/20/2014 17:44 (GMT+01:00)
To Dsoup <dbrute.dsoup@blogger.com>
Subject Ah ha! Part 2 -- Backfire


So M☆☆☆ surprises me and drives all the way from Splitska to see me.  Maybe 25 kilometers or so.   I am busy cleaning the bathroom but sit on the patio with her.  "John, " she says,  "I have come to Milna to see you.   Your Black Madonna (Magna Mater) painting is haunting me.   I must have it.  I have collected paintings from all over Europe.... Poland,  Russia, Bulgaria....I have many on my walls in London,  but this one I must have. " 

Well, I didn't really expect to see her again and still I am feeling fairly secure because I know she is going to offer me about $375. USD, which she does and which I intend to refuse..  "All I have is 2000 Kuna, " she tells me. 

"Ah," I tell her, safe in the knowledge that I wont have to part with my painting after all, "I am flattered but I can't sell it for that.   I must keep my prices stable." (Ahem. Clever me.)

There follows a little exploratory discussion to see if I really mean it, then --  "I must have it, " she repeats, "let me see it again. " So I trudge upstairs,  and bring it down. "OK. She says,  "I am haunted by this. That is so beautiful.  I must go get more money. "

Now I panic.   This was not what I expected.  Sell my beautiful painting?  What to do?  Be honest instead of politely dodging?

"M☆☆☆," I say,  "This is generous of you,  but I really don't want to sell it. "  Ouch.

Strangely enough, this she understands. . . "Oh, that is why.  Well, maybe paint a copy.   I am here until Saturday." (Ahem again!)

I expect to hear more about this from mutual friends here.

Bad News

"Bad news,"  I text to Slavko, who is working on the mainland in Solin. "You know those pieces of 3x5 cm wood you bought to make my entry roof? Some sneaky bastard has taken one,  cut it up,  made stretcher bars,  and stretched canvas on it to paint! "

"John," he texts back.   "You just couldn't resist,  could you?   Roberto is gone from your street,  so it is either you or old lady Lukrica."

"You're right, " I reply.  "That d☆☆n old woman.  Who would have thought it of her?!!! "

Johnny Smokva: Food and Drink

1.  The Night Before

This little fish,

Swimming now in olive oil.

Yum!

2. The Next Day

A charming custom, 

A small rakija in the morning --

I'll take coffee,  thanks! 

(Ed.  note:  The first poem deals with the barbarous habit of eating fellow sentient beings once widely practiced at all levels of world society.  Here the poet appears to anticipate and relish such ingestion. 

 The second poem refers to the intake of ethyl alcohol,  here a poison distilled from fermented grape marc with debilitating,  short and long term mental and physical effects.  Also once a wide-spread practice.  The attitude of the poet here is apparently health conscious, or perhaps ironic, or perhaps remorseful.)

Eason and Charlotte

Dream Villa

Wow!  Well, I knew it!  Ivo and Lilijanas cottage in Murvica, where we pick grapes and make wine each year, is selected as one if the top 20 dream vacation houses in Europe.  See Dream Villa Brac at link.  The secluded cove perfect for skinny dipping --as I can attest --  didn't hurt either, I'm sure.

http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2014/jan/10/top-100-holiday-beach-houses-europe

Whachou lookin at?

Update: Abandoned Cinema

Update:  I probably should put on my glasses
and take this out in the sun.
Its certainly not my most polished,
but I think its pretty well done,

Previous coment:

In work.  I am not sure that I can pull this baby through.   Of even if I should . . .  I will figure it out.

Johnny Smokva told me:

Monk,  woman,  stream. . .

Leave the flowers where you find 'em.

. 

But do I listen??? 

No! I am too sharp for that!   I carry them late into the lonely night wondering,  how do I paint a leaf? How do I paint a flower?  How do I paint a wall?   Or do I?  What color,  for goodness sakes?  What is a painting?  And why? 

And 

how can I get just a little more light? 

Painting here

Painting over here,  at least as I do it,  requires a different technique than at home.  I make my stretcher bars and stretch my own canvas,  yes,  but the canvas that I use is 10 oz. Painters drop cloth that I bring from the States.   Then I gesso it with a water based primer that I buy from the village hardware store.   This results in a hard surface that is very rough,  more like a coarse sandpaper.  It is impossible to simply brush on the paint.   It just won't cover.  Instead,  I have learned to make a mixture of paint,  acrylic medium,  and water infused with a flow agent. This results in a juicy paint that I apply liberally with a coarse bristled brush,  grinding the paint into the canvas.  The brushes are quickly worn down by the coarse surface. Lots of paint is required.   The whole act is very physical. 

My little atelier measures only about 7 x 14 feet working space.  This size,  I am delighted to say,  works just fine.  It is set about 3 feet below grade (which results in continuing water problems) and has two nice windows which open for the air onto a small field with almond trees and Bird of Paradise plants.  Morning light can be glorious, especially with the white plastered walls.  But except in summer,  or on bright mornings,  it is impossible to actually see the colors I am applying! Shades of green,  red,  blue are impossible to discern!  Especially at night,  when I usually paint.  So painting requires some instinct, a little knowledge,  and lots of guesswork.  Occasionally I fire up a halogen lamp which I purchased for the purpose which brings another dimension altogether. 

A little domestic wine also helps dilation or other discernment.  Occasionally I step out to the patio for a cigar, which I find also helps.  I do have a fan for smoking inside but use it very rarely. 

Outside Sutivan -- A Whole Hillside

Ah ha

Word through the grožđa vine is that M☆☆☆ wants to offer me $350 USD for my Magna

Mater (Black Madonna) painted over the last two years here in Milna.   I sent back word through the same grožđa vine, "No.  This is $700 in USA,  $500. Here. No sale. "

Neighbors....

Well,  for three days I had neighbors on my deserted street!  Roberto and Maria showed up to make a few off season repairs to their place. (Do you sense a common theme? ) Then back on the ferry to Italy.

Johnny Smokva said:

Light across the path!

One less place to watch for toads --

Must watch for people now. 

Repairs

Chris repairs our front gate.   I guess that after 12 years it was time for us to do it.  Now that means I will need paint it too!

End of Season

No mosquito spray! 

Crap!  What do the stores know

That mosquitoes don't? 

J.S.

"Tin" Ujević

There is a story about the well known Croatian lyric poet and author Augustin "Tin" Ujević.  A bust of him stands just below our house on the waterfront by my favorite konobas.  Slavko identified him for me.   His mother was,  I believe,  from Brač.  He died in 1955.

Anyway, he was known as Bohemian and anarchist and he loved to carouse.  One night at a cafe his friends blindfolded him and provided him with glass after glass of wines from the various districts of Croatia.  Whether red or white,  without fail and with a single sip, he could name the wine and the area that produced it.   Until at last a friend filled a glass with water and gave it to him.   Tin took a drink, paused, then took another.  Finally he said,  "This one I do not know. "

Up at St. Martins overlooking the Whole World

1.

Under juniper,
St. Martin's crocus second bloom --
Do I see Solin?

2. 

In juniper shade,
Goat droppings on white stone.
Bees late fall buzzings.

3.

In juniper shade,
Goat droppings on white stone:
A sudden need to piss.

Hunters Moon Eclipse, Oct. 8th, 2014, 6 a.m.

Sun and Moon contend,
Alarm clock joins the fracas--
Bedclothes over head.

Nom de Visite

So,  following Basho, l have a new name as I write little haiku-likes this visit to Milna.   His name came from a banana tree that a disciple planted outside his humble home.   I lack disciples and banana trees, however Pio, a friend's father from Serbia, planted a fig tree for me in my tiny garden several years ago.

Therefore for the last and next few haiku-likes,  as I  seek a Zen-like calmness of mind and mindful appreciation over here, I shall be known as Johnny Smokva!

Radim

Lumber and tile for our new portico arrived today. Nikola hauled it half way up the hill,  as far as his little tractor could go,  then Slavko and I carried it up the steps and the rest of the way.   Hot work.   I had thought that maybe we could get the entry built while I was here but now I see that was overly optimistic.  Plenty of work to do anyway.   Plus I would like to do some sight seeing, photography while Marius is here.   I am already half way through my stay!  I have even already booked a room in Split by the airport for the night before I leave!

What day is it?

Croatia vs Bulgaria football match inside smokey Fjaka on waterfront.   Outside on tour boat someone is singing "those old cotton fields back home"  in an unrecognizable accent.  My beer glass is somehow empty.   Time for bed. 

My Peach Tree (after Basho)

Fallen breskva leaves, 

Autumn's gold calligraphy --

Sweep the patio!

(Ed.: Yes, I know that the second line sucks.)

Independence Day

Fish and spinach at Slavko and Nada's on this national holiday.  (Slavko says there have been 3 different indepence days in his life -- "how can that be?" he asks -- so it doesnt matter to him.) Talk of haiku,  history, petro dollars, plants flowers seeds,   local matters.  Afterwards a solitary walk through the village to this abandoned cinema, still putting on a good show.