Okay, Is This Getting Weird Yet?

Above you see one portion of one of my bedroom walls; it is covered in religious art. A couple of people were in my house not long ago and I saw them looking at the walls and I thought, uh, oh, have I wandered into the weird with all of my artifacts?
The top painting is an original retablo, or folk art work made by someone or commissioned by someone to say thank you to God for some boon or miracle. It is done on tin and still has the nail hole in the top where it was nailed to a church wall or to some kind of display in the church. Below that is a plaster replica I got of an icon from a monastery on the island of Patmos in Greece; I love it because it is an icon, I bought it in Greece, and it has my favorite colours of peach and gold. To the right of it is a tryptych that I received from my son and daughter-in-law who are living in Portugal. They know how much I love religious icons (I was terrified I would lose it on the flight home somehow). I love this one for itself and because they gave it to me.

In this picture you can still the two "santos" or little wooden statues of saints that I have on the pedastels on either side of the mirrour. Beautiful colours delight me! (These santos are reproductions).

Finally here is a portion of my bedside table covered more artifacts: an old religious card framed in a mother-of-pearl style and rhinestone decorated frame that my sister Gaye bought for me (she's gotten me lots!). In front of it is a little firgure of the Virgin and Child I got in Granada, Spain, a lovely old metal framed Madonna that my daughter-in-law got for me from Portugal, and next to it a silver tryptych with a gold Madonna inside that I bought in Seville, Spain. To the right is my favorite porcelain bisque Infant of Prague figure - bought for me by my sister Gaye. He has on a peach robe edged in gold and he has blue rhinestones in his crown; I have never seen another one like this with blue rhinestones. It is a real treasure to me. My newest acquisition is the little blue and white church (you can't see all of it in the picture) that my daughter-in-law brought me when she came to visit from Portugal this week.
Okay, so is this weird or what? And if you think that this is weird, wait until I post pictures of the things in my study, the den, and the living room. This is a collection, but it is certainly a "loaded" one, not just with my memories.
Have I overdone it? (You can't even see all the rosaries I have, and, by the way, I'm not, nor was I reared, a Catholic).
Cluny Grey The Cluny Chronicles religion Madonna Virgin art artifact Portugal santos retablo icon Catholic Cluny Grey Jewelry

Okay, I Know, Enough Already (But I Love These Things!)

You Have a Melancholic Temperament

Introspective and reflective, you think about everything and anything. You are a soft-hearted daydreamer. You long for your ideal life. You love silence and solitude. Everyday life is usually too chaotic for you. Given enough time alone, it's easy for you to find inner peace. You tend to be spiritual, having found your own meaning of life. Wise and patient, you can help people through difficult times. At your worst, you brood and sulk. Your negative thoughts can trap you. You are reserved and withdrawn. This makes it hard to connect to others. You tend to over think small things, making decisions difficult.

What Temperment Are You?

life daydreamer Cluny Grey Jewelry introvert

Okay, So It's Been A While!

Imagine having to pack up not only this cut glass, but twice as much that you can't see! We're selling a lot of it, somehow, but it will still have to be packed! Oh, and I haven't even mentioned yet the huge heavy furniture that has to be dealt with.
Sorry I haven't posted here lately, and I do mean to continue with "Travels with My Aunt" the Armadillo's saga of motoring and testing the beverages around Spain and Portugal. But meanwhile, my father-in-law's house has been sold and there is an unbelievable amount of work to be done to divide the various things in the house and deal with the cut glass. Also, my DIL just arrived last night from Lisbon to spend about a week with us and the cats. Meanwhile, Valentine's Day is coming up and I need to get the jewelry made and posted if I am to sell it for that holiday.
The Turtle is doing great in D.C. (more than great; one Turtle that never gets flipped on her shell, but so far lands on all fours with tail wagging and little head poked out curiously). The Armadillo has moved into a house in Fayetteville, and I'm waiting (anxiously) to hear from him about it. I've got to get there and to D.C. in the next month or 2 and I don't know how I'm going to do it!
Travels with My Aunt Armadillo weblog The Cluny Chronicles cut glass

Am I Cool Or What?!

Your Life Path Number is 11

Your purpose in life is to inspire others Your amazing energy draws people to you, and you give them great insight in return. You hold a great amount of power over others, without even trying. You have the makings of an inventor, artist, religious leader, or prophet. In love, you are sensitive and passionate. You connect with your partner on a very deep level. You have great abilities, but you are often way too critical of yourself. You don't fit in - and instead of celebrating your differences, you dwell on them. You have high expectations of yourself. But sometimes you set them too high and don't achieve anything.

What Is Your Life Path Number?

Cluny Grey Life Weblog

Surprise!!!

How evil are you?

The Last Letter from Lisbon

Yes, it is the last letter, since we'll be flying home tomorrow morning and I have no idea when I'll ever be back in Lisbon. This was my 5th trip here and I've grown to love the city; it's a human-sized city, seemingly small in many ways, with much to see and do.
Last night, as a fitting farewell of sorts, we went to Parreirinha de Alfama and heard fado, the mournful national folk songs of Portugal. Fado is what jazz is to New Orleans, the blues are to Memphis and Mississippi. We heard 4 great fado singers, and the 2 oldest women were definitely the best. Son says that fado is sorrow and anguish born out of experience, so it makes sense that one must be older to sing it well (These 2 ladies were in their 60's-70's). In a crowded part of the old Alfama we walked out into a square, then through a doorway down into a long low-ceilinged room that was whitewashed and had blue tiles. We ate dinner first: delicious sea bass; in honour of the Armadillo, I washed it down with a bit of vinho verde, even though it wasn't the right season for it. It was still good though.
So tomorrow we do nothing but fly and fly and then make the drive home from Memphis. Lisbon has so much: the sea, the city, the hills, proximity to many places; I just wish it were a little warmer in winter! The Cluny Chronicles

Third Letter from Lisbon

Let me tell you what not to do when you are in another country and you want to make every minute count: get sick. I haven't had a cold for over 10 years, but last Tuesday I had the grandmother of all colds just to make up for it. I didn't get out of bed until Saturday, and then during a visit to El Corte Ingles, I got so overheated, I went to bed again when I got back to Son's. But though weak, I'm ready to go to the Chiado, Baixa or wherever, and I've got to make the next 4 days really count!
We're going to go out to lunch in a minute, and believe me, I am starved to death! Thank goodness I waited until after Christmas to get sick! I'm looking forward to some good Portuguese food, but not necessarily bacalhau (cod) as it is seldom fresh. During the last few days, I was too sick to work on jewelry, even read, so I am now going stir crazy.
Since it's Monday, all the museums are closed, but I may see if I can go to the Alfama and go to the Cathedral de Se, a Romanesque church that may be the oldest in the city.
cathedral Lisbon Portugal