Wenceslaus Hollar. Wild Boar. Etching, 1644 – 1652. Rijksmuseum
There are no parades around here, but the holiday goes on, nonetheless. I do know of some parties this weekend. In anyway form, may we all have a year that is prosperous, filled with peace and joy.
Happy New Year all!
Cardinal Dolan and Cumo—NY Catholic News Service
And now we hear from Cardinal Dolan.
The U.S. Catholic Church “is no greater (an) offender than anybody else. In fact, some of the statistics would say that priestly abuse among minors is less than other professions,” the cardinal said. “Now he knows that, he knows that, and yet he singled out the Catholic Church and continues to do so for negligence in this terribly important area.”
This reminds me of when I was teaching. If you chastised one child for doing something wrong, inevitably he would say, “well what about Joe there, he was doing it too!” Then, as in now, the response is—we were talking about you, not Joe. Don’t worry about Joe, take care of yourself.
Of course. It’s the waaaaaaay things are because it’s the way things are.
Wishes do come true, in their time, in their fashion.
A Slice Of Life
Although here in reality it’s not at all as in the photo. Yet the snow is beautiful, and constant. A true winter story.
This is more a scene from my childhood when everything was larger, and grander, and closer. Yet I am certain that the snow and the seasons were much more intense and bountiful those many years ago. There is in fact an old black and white photo of my aunt standing in front of a snow pile that was well over 10′ tall. It was taken in Fargo, ND. We took and kept the photo for posterity. It’s somewhere in a box from many moves remaining unpacked. Waiting—I suppose—for posterity to arrive.
Mikko lag
They breathe mild the high firs
Enclosed in the snow mantle.
Softer and thick that white splendor
He’s got every branch, away.
The White streets get more quiet:
The rooms collected, more intense.
Chime the hours. It comes
Beaten every baby, shaking.
Over the wing, the crash of a ciocco
That in lightning and rockin, ruins.
In pale shine of sequins
The candid day out there increases,
It becomes everlasting, infinite.
—Rainer Maria Rilke
Friedensreich Hundertwasserption
Austrian artist Friedensreich Hundertwasser was an expressionist artist and architect who built many colourful and eye-catching buildings around Europe in the 1950s. He created the Hundertwasserhaus, one of Vienna’s most iconic landmarks, alongside architect Joseph Krawina.
Thanks to @lost.in.ldn for this amazing photo on Instagram.
And the last Hundertwasser designed building is being built in Whangarei, New Zealand, where he lived in the last years of his life. He designed the building but the money has only recently been raised to build it. It is a very exciting project which will house Maori art.
All windows are different and trees and plants grow freely without any pruning or cutting. Places are created to allow neighbours to meet and have a good time together.
I’m always astounded by the work that can be done, is done by artists. How beautiful our world would be if we could only unleash this passion in the ghettos, the slums, even just the tired and worn of our streets.
Writers Ink—Writing and Stuff 