Fine art

Three of the prints I took to Experienced Goods were reproductions of well-known paintings: "Geraniums" (1888) by Childe Hassam, "The Church at Auvers" by Vincent van Gogh, and Bouquet of Flowers with Lovers," by Marc Chagall.

"Geraniums," by Frederick Childe Hassam

The Church at Auvers is an oil painting created by Dutch post-impressionist artist Vincent van Gogh in June 1890 which now hangs in the Musée d'Orsay in Paris, France. The actual church is in Place de l'Eglise, Auvers-sur-Oise, France, 27 kilometres (17 mi) north-west of Paris. Shirley and I actually went to Auvers and we attended a concert of the Faure "Requiem" in this very church. That was pretty special! But it's funny, the thing I remember from that concert is that the conductor turned around on the podium and sang the bass aria, "Libera me," himself. That was sort of shocking - I had never seen a conductor do that before.

Bouquet of Flowers with Lovers, by Marc Chagall. I don't remember any longer where we acquired these prints. I like all three of them and am feeling a little sad that they have been out-of-sight, out-of-mind all these years. The problem is that our house has very little wall-space for prints, and it is very expensive to get a print framed. So we just never got them framed and hung. ***************** Yesterday we went to Katie and Savanna's for supper. Ellen brought a pie. Jim and Mary were there too - they were headed for a kind of reunion of Mary's Holy Cross college-mates that was being held in the Catskills, NY. So they stopped in Shutesbury for the night and went on to the reunion today. It was really nice having everyone together again. Earlier in the day I had a Dr's appointment with Dr. Brickley - at 9a.m. - and we went over some blood work I had done a couple of weeks ago or so. Everything was "perfect." So that was a good report! I was sort of amazed. Ellen drove me to the appt., and afterward we went to Bellows Falls. I had what I thought was going to be an in-person gathering of retired clergy, first one in a long time. But it had been changed to Zoom earlier that morning, and I didn't see the email because I was at my Dr.'s appt. So I got to the place of meeting and no one was there. I found the person who organized it, who lives in Bellows Fall, and learned the new plan. So I sat in her kitchen with her on Zoom, and participated that way. That was a bit disappointing, but it was good to see the faces anyway. **************** Today I have been busy getting ready for church, WE will be giving the Shirley Harris Crockett Award this Sunday, and I have a lot to do, along with Elisa, to make that happen. I think I have done most of what I need to get done. Just a few little details left to do.