Spring Things

Spring usually means outside work.  This year, a lot of that was done for us by the town.  We have a storm drain/creek/river that cuts our backyard in half.  It can become a roaring torrent in heavy rain, or dry up completely in late August during a drought.  But the banks had become seriously overgrown in recent years, with trees, reeds, shrubs, etc.  Two workers hired by the town came through our yard a while back and cleared out much of the mess.  We have already paid many thousands of dollars ourselves to clear out fallen and dead trees, but this cleanup seems to have been covered by our tax dollars.  There is still one large tree, a poplar, on our property that needs to be taken down.

Closer to the house, we are getting new eaves troughs installed.  During heavy rain our current system is worse than useless.  We now have severely damaged front steps, and a sinkhole in the making in front of our garage.  A concrete specialist came out to have a look, and he will soon begin work on removing the old concrete staircase and installing a new one, as well as repairing the driveway where it is sinking, as well as giving us a new coat of cement on our vast and private front veranda.  We are excited to finally have this work done.  We still need some new windows, and an inside floor to have tiled.  But first the eaves and new cement.  With no travel happening the past two years, we have saved enough money to get some serious issues fixed.  Our two newest doors come in very handy during howling winter winds.  We will have spent about $25,000 on home improvements during the pandemic.

Our Ontario mask restrictions have evaporated, even as other countries which have done the same are now experiencing high levels of Covid.  As a local health employee said, Covid hasn't gone away, just our restrictions to help prevent it from spreading.  Of course masks are still required in hospital and nursing home settings, as well as a very few other places.  And as of April 1st, the border will be open to all vaccinated international travellers without having to provide a negative test.

With the family scanning project now mostly complete, I have turned my attention to our own travel slides.  I am currently transferring our Spain slides to computer from 1982.  We spent an entire summer in Madrid and Barcelona that year, and I shot mostly b & w film.  Then I will do the Copenhagen slides (two weeks spent there one summer), and then on to our three trips to Mexico City and its valley of archeological wonders.

I had a minor medical procedure done yesterday in hospital.  It was very quick, the entire process from parking lot back to the car taking exactly one hour, but once home I just chilled out all day.  I managed to read an entire 280 page novel.  Today everything is back to normal, with piano, exercise, map work, writing, and of course reading.  It is now astronomy season, so I will be hoping for a clear night or three this week and next.  Can't wait to get back into the deep, dark sky!  In further medical news, I had a cortisone injection in my shoulder last Friday, and it is helping to alleviate pain caused by a tear in my right rotator cuff, as well as some bursitis.  It was Deb's arthritis doctor I saw, by a weird coincidence.  I am now awaiting a physio appointment.

In film watching news, I chose a Dutch film called Miss Minoes, about a cat who suddenly turns into a young woman.  Despite its mostly Disney formula plot, the film has much humour and charm, as well as a host of cats that can act (Goddard would be happy about this).  I've often wondered what a cat that turned human would look like, and how they would act.  Now I know.  Lots of fun.

Miss Minoes is showing on Criterion until March 31st. 

The rooftop singing scene is very funny.

The movie features considerable nose rubbing.

Deb's regular weekend choice was All About Eve, a very funny and highly cynical look at backstage theatrical actors, specifically Bette Davis playing the juicy role of one very famous Margo Channing.  It is one of her best roles, and she plays it to the hilt.  Anne Baxter plays the seemingly innocent young fan who adores her, and her breathy charm and delivery of lines is perfect in every way.  With a great supporting cast and non stop witty dialogue, this is one of Hollywood's best productions about actors, writers, and directors.  Recommended.

 

Now showing on Criterion.

There is also young Marilyn Monroe in the cast, not shown.  Celeste Holm is beside Ann Baxter and Bette Davis. 

One of the books I am currently reading is a catalogue of American paintings from the DIA.  I usually study one painting each day.  A few days ago I came across this image of a painting I have seen many times and loved, and am now anxious to see once again.  Called Fifty Avenue At Twilight, it is an eye catching depiction of New York from 1910.  The buildings are all identified, and yet the image goes so much beyond depicting an actual scene from a big city.  It seems to capture a mood that we have experienced at twilight in several large cities, though my clearest memory of such would be from evening strolls in Mexico City many years ago.  It's a perfectly lovely painting that seems to get inside a mood that I love encountering.

5th Avenue at Twilight, ca 1910.  Birge Harrison, American, 1854-1929.  Oil on canvas; 30" x23".  Collection Detroit Institute of Arts. 

I will conclude with an image from Barcelona, showing Deb appearing on a balcony of La Sagrada Familia.  Back in 1982 you were allowed backstage, so to speak, and Deb went exploring.  She surprised us by appearing on the little balcony, calling down to us (my parents were with us at the time).

Deb on the balcony, Barcelona 1982. 

Until we meet again.

Mapman Mike

 

 

 

 

Open Border

 As I write this, we are getting another new pair of doors installed.  The storm door and solid door are being replaced in the music room.  The door leads out to a long, wide veranda, overlooking our front lawn.  It leaks heat badly in winter, and lets heat in during the summer.  We are so pleased with our replaced side front door that we decided to go ahead and get this one done, too.  It will also keep out more street noise.

As indicated in the blog title for today, the USA will finally open it's border to land visitors sometime in early November.  That means I can hopefully visit Detroit before the end of the year!  Won't that be a treat!  Speaking of outings, last Saturday Amanda was in town for a visit to her family.  We went with Deb to Kingsville, which has three breweries on its main street.  Deb went to visit her mom, and Amanda and I settled into a brewpub for lunch and some imbibing.  Original plans were to visit all three pubs, but we got stuck at the 2nd one with some fantastic ales.  Deb eventually joined us before we headed home, for more imbibing and some food.  Proof of vaccination is required if sitting indoors, which we did.

Amanda came over again on Monday, and she and I played a game of Akrotiri, a two-person game that involves earning some cash through shipping, and then splurging to build temples on Greek islands.  She beat me handily.  Deb went to visit her mom again, but returned just as our game had ended.  Amanda stayed for Thanksgiving dinner, which was taken outside on the back deck.  The weather so far in October has been very summery, and it was a spectacular day to be outside.  We played our game outside, ate and drank outside, and finally went inside as it grew dark.  Luckily, the weather today is also spectacular, as several days of rain and cooler temps are to arrive.  Our front door has been open for an hour, and will likely be wide open all morning.

In film news, we continue to immerse ourselves in films of John Huston.  In This Our Life is a Bette Davis scenery chewer, as she places the bad younger sister who runs off with here older sister's husband, leaving her own fiancee in the lurch.  She is such a fun companion that she soon drives her new beau to suicide, before returning home and trying to regain her old boyfriend, who is now in love with the older sister.  Needless to say, this was not my kind of picture, and another reason for me not to like most Bette Davis pictures (there are a few I do like).

Showing on Criterion. 

A Walk With Love and Death was our second picture recently about those wonderful medieval times.  Starring Angelica Huston as a teenage lady aristocrat whose father is killed by peasants during the 100 Years War, the film at first seems like it might be a 60s film in the Ren Fair tradition, actually turns out to be quite watchable and true to its time.  The brutality surrounding two young lovers eventually overwhelms them.  We saw the picture many, many years ago and liked it then, but were not expecting to like it now.  But we did.  It still holds up pretty well.

A young Angelica stars in the film, along with her father (who plays her uncle).  The film is in colour, on Criterion.

Mysterious Object At Noon is a Thai film (not directed by John Huston) from 2000, a slightly avante garde film that allows different character to enlarge upon an on-going story about a crippled boy and his teacher.  As expected, the story takes bizarre turns, especially when children get involved in the telling.  But the story is a mere backdrop for some totally riveting scenes of daily Thai life, both in the city and in the country.  The film kind of loses steam at the end, which the director admits happened in one of the extras we watched.  But there are parts I would watch again.  The film is one of Scorsese's World Film Project rescues.  It was shot in 16 mm and had already deteriorated considerably before restoration.

Now showing on Criterion.  

Next came The Dead, from 1987, a small masterpiece of film making by John Huston, based on one of the greatest short stories ever written (Joyce, from Dubliners).  Set in Dublin on January 6th in the early 1900s, the film captures an evening dinner party and social gathering put on by two spinster sisters every year at this time.  Starring Angelica Huston, her moment to shine doesn't come until near the end of the picture. All of the acting is first rate, as is the screenplay, strongly based on Joyce.  A must-see film, this was our third viewing (but it had been a while).

John Huston's last picture, from 1987, on Criterion. 

Lastly, and bringing readers fully up to date with our viewing, comes Huston's Freud, from 1962.  Montgomery Clift underplays the great professor, daring to go where no man has ever gone before (except the ancient Greeks), delving into childhood needs and passions that shape our later years in ways we still don't fully understand.  Susannah York places the truly disturbed Cicely, helped in one way by the good doctor, but not in other ways.  Marilyn Monroe turned the part down.  About 40 minutes were cut from the film before release.  Somber and serious, it is worth watching for some great photography and a creepy look at Vienna.

A b & w film by John Huston, showing on Criterion.

Turning now to art from the DIA (which I might be able to visit again next month!), I return to Canaletto, as promised in an early post.  The Tower of Malghera overlooks a lagoon in Venice, and was a much painted structure in the 18th C (see Bellotto's version on-line, as well as Canaletto's).  As much as I wish Detroit had either of those paintings, this print is a truly wonderful version, and would have been an affordable alternative in its day.  As interesting as the tower is, it is the actions of the inhabitants of the lagoon that provide the most interest.  The way that a great artist can use simple lines to create such a masterpiece.  I especially like the face of the tower, showing wear as the plaster has fallen off of much of it.  Great stuff!

The Tower of Malghera, Canaletto (1697-1768), between 1736 and 1746.  Etching printed in black ink on laid paper, 12.75" x 18".  Collection Detroit Institute of Arts.

Detail of right side.

Tower detail.

Detail of home and foreground.

Detail from bottom right, beneath the tower.

Detail of left side. 

Door installation continues (it is VERY noisy in here).  I will now retire to a quieter part of the house.  No piano practice this morning.

Mapman Mike

 

 

 

Late February Ramble

Of course I'll ramble about movies, art, and music.  But there might even be a few surprises, so read on.  My film choice for last week was called Law of the Border, a film from 1966 Turkey that was presumed lost.  The restoration came from the only remaining print, and that was missing a reel and in terrible shape.  After a military coup, all prints were thought destroyed.  It is a strange film, taking place on the border (Iran?).  A poor village survives by smuggling, and the film reminds me of a Mexican western.  There is a lot of gunfire and shoot outs, though the setting is 1960s Turkey.  The border is now fenced and bobby trapped with land mines, and so the missions become more and more dangerous.  This is an eye-opening look into desperate poverty.  The government wants to open a school and hopefully save some of the next generation, but the smugglers fear that the teacher will get wind of what is happening and report them.  Lots of action, but also lots of realism and starkness.  They try farming, but the land is poor, and the competing smugglers run a herd of sheep over the plantings, destroying the crop.  Not a heart warming tale, but it is essential viewing.  The lead actor is totally amazing, and steals every scene he is in.

 Law of the Border, 1966, Turkey.  Now showing on Criterion.

Part of Martin Scorsese's World Cinema Project.

 A still from the film. 

Deb's film choice was Marked Woman, starring Bette Davis and Humphrey Bogart, from 1937.  Five prostitutes stand up to an untouchable gangster to bring charges of murder and mayhem against him.  This is a hard hitting flic, not a soap opera.  And it is highly ironic that we finished watching it on the day that Harvey Weinstein was found guilty on two of five charges brought against him, including 3rd degree rape (and I don't even want to know what that charge stands for).  The battle will go on, and it began a lot earlier than 1937.

 Now showing on Criterion. 

 Eventually, five women stand up for what is right.

Bogart as the prosecutor, puts away the bad guys. 

In weather news, we are getting more Spring-like days than Winter ones.  However, we are still getting winter ones, about 3 out of 7.  More snow and cold are on the way, after a mild weekend.  There were 5 incredibly clear nights in a row, something that boggles my mind.  I was able to get out for the final two with my telescope.  The first two nights were way too cold, far below my threshold of enjoyment while standing around in an open field.  The third night was a howling wind storm.  There was still wind on my two nights out, but I did get some observing done.  I'm still working on my notes.

In music listening news, we have now listened to 92 Haydn Symphonies, as well as works up to Op 92 for Brahms and Britten.  It's quite a ride, with a new Haydn work coming up later tonight.  And I have been practicing my newest piano pieces for three weeks now.  The first month is very frustrating, but things should improve a lot over March.

Today's artwork is brought to you by German Romanticism, a style of painting that I really love.  Sadly, Detroit has virtually no major work in this area, despite the vast and famous collection of German Expressionist art.

The Waterfall, Karl Blechen.  German, 1798-1840.  Oil on canvas.

Unframed, 15" x 11".  Undated work.  Detroit Institute of Arts.

The location is not specified, but it is not difficult to think of The Final Problem, where Holmes encounters Moriarty.  It's worth it to Google some of his other pictures, especially something like Mountain Canyon In Winter.  Great stuff!!

While we still hope to jet off to San Diego next week, we are keeping a close watch on the latest Corona virus developments.   Other than the fact that this might be the end of humanity, and the economy is tanking too, along with our RSPs it just might be a good idea to go ahead with the journey and see one more Bruegel painting before we expire.  We have cancellation insurance that be used at will, but I really want to make this trip.  

Mapman Mike