18 Comments
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Andrew Jazprose Hill's avatar

Lovely!

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man of aran's avatar

Thanks, Andrew!

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Ronald Drimmel's avatar

Nice one..

The first photo immediately reminded me of Henri Matisse's painting "Dance".

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man of aran's avatar

Yes, definitely Matisse! Thanks, Ronald.

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Mike Warwick's avatar

love it

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man of aran's avatar

Thanks, Mike!

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Ann Collins's avatar

Pure delight!

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man of aran's avatar

:-)

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Dian Parker's avatar

So sweet!

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KR (Kenneth Rosen)'s avatar

This is interesting, and quite well-managed--quietly, like the photos themselves capture quiet joy.

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man of aran's avatar

Appreciate it, Kenneth!

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Richard Blaisdell's avatar

he Greeks believed the Gods invented dance. The Round dance is ancient and performed in a circle within a circle, and often spiraled outward. The circle symbol reflects the cyclical nature of existence. The spiral is associated with cycles of time, season, birth, growth, death, and rebirth. These are the universal life cycles. Spirals were etched on megalithic rocks, like snail whorls doubling like they were mating or the double helix of the Dog Star where the spiral continuously reaches out from the center, yet circles within a helix (spiral-like) shape like a DNA molecule, the genetic essence of life--Spiral path = Creation. The spiral is the symbol of goddess, womb, fertility, feminine, serpent force, continual change, evolution of the universe.

'Ring around the rosie,

A pocket full of posies

Ashes, ashes,

We all fall down'.

This children's rhyme is a reminder about the life and death cycle. 'Rosie' is the name for the rosary beads that are still made today from fragrant rose petals. This "Rosie" rosary was carried along with other fragrant flowers to mask the air that reeked with death from burned bubonic plague victims, who were burned to prevent the spread of the Black Death Plague of 1345-51 A. D. It was a time of cold, wet weather (A cyclic occurrence). The rats that carried the plague came into people's houses, and the infectious fleas on the rats infected the people. There was no space or time to bury the thousands of corpses. Ashes were all that was left of many victims. These ashes symbolized the idea and the fear at the time that eventually, we all deteriorate ('fall down'), and die. Life's cycles end in death for us all--plants and humans alike.

Could not send a photo but if you look up my book One Green Thumb and Nine Sticky fingers, there's more information that is illuminating.

I appreciate your research. "We have no hands that caress my face. "

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man of aran's avatar

Thanks, Richard. Very illuminating, not only the insightful connections to mythic archetypes, but also the knowledge that you are a master gardener by trade. Very unique book you have out, impressive. It's interesting, the plague origin of the rhyme, which you elaborate so thoroughly, is a popular interpretation that makes sense, but not the only one out there, I discovered, since there are a few other versions of the rhyme with different lines, less plague amenable. I think I go with the plague on this one. Cheers to you!

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Kathleen Hobbs's avatar

Looks like they're having a jolly good time

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man of aran's avatar

For sure! Thanks for reading, Kathleen.

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Kathleen Hobbs's avatar

You're welcome

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Brendan's avatar

Life and death had no crisper emulsion than here!

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Margaret Ann Silver's avatar

So lovely.

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