This week’s theme was a bit hard for me – I don’t really do anything extravagant, haven’t really been anywhere very extravagant that I have pictures of; my life, to date, has been anti-extravagant, actually. But then I started to think about some of my hobbies, and the materials I have come to use for them – hand dyed fabric, silk floss, gemstone beads. And then it occurred to me – the one thing I have thought of as one of my favorite splurges for many years: silk fabric. I love clothing made of silk – it keeps you cool in the summer, it keeps you warm in the winter, it’s soft and shimmery, even the raw silk, and let’s face it – it just feels good! It has had trade routes named after it, areas of the world named for it, was a trading commodity, and was available to the aristocracy only for a very long time. It’s not the extravagance it once was, but is still not as available as cotton and, egads! synthetic fabrics! This is one of my favorite pieces, a shirt:
(click for larger picture)
For something that comes out of a worm's butt, it has some pretty amazing qualities - read here. I also took a second picture of several pieces, but this one was the best; you can see the other one here. Taken with my trusty Panasonic DMC-FZ5 and cropped.
And as I couldn't come up with an earworm for this week, I decided to pick a piece from The Bard - it's not actually about silk, but it does mention it :) And there might be an allusion or two in there slightly related to Extravagance:
Now all the youth of England are on fire,
And silken dalliance in the wardrobe lies:
Now thrive the armourers, and honour's thought
Reigns solely in the breast of every man:
They sell the pasture now to buy the horse,
Following the mirror of all Christian kings,
With winged heels, as English Mercuries.
For now sits Expectation in the air,
And hides a sword from hilts unto the point
With crowns imperial, crowns and coronets,
Promised to Harry and his followers.
The French, advised by good intelligence
Of this most dreadful preparation,
Shake in their fear and with pale policy
Seek to divert the English purposes.
O
Like little body with a mighty heart,
What mightst thou do, that honour would thee do,
Were all thy children kind and natural!
But see thy fault! France hath in thee found out
A nest of hollow bosoms, which he fills
With treacherous crowns; and three corrupted men,
One, Richard Earl of Cambridge, and the second,
Henry Lord Scroop of Masham, and the third,
Sir Thomas Grey, knight, of Northumberland,
Have, for the gilt of France,--O guilt indeed!
Confirm'd conspiracy with fearful
And by their hands this grace of kings must die,
If hell and treason hold their promises,
Ere he take ship for
Linger your patience on; and we'll digest
The abuse of distance; force a play:
The sum is paid; the traitors are agreed;
The king is set from London; and the scene
Is now transported, gentles, to Southampton;
There is the playhouse now, there must you sit:
And thence to France shall we convey you safe,
And bring you back, charming the narrow seas
To give you gentle pass; for, if we may,
We'll not offend one stomach with our play.
But, till the king come forth, and not till then,
Unto
Exit
- William Shakespeare
The Life of King Henry the Fifth , Act 2 Prologue
-oOo-
theme this week is
~ Extravagance ~
This is week 4 of our 10 week competition
Each week Ten of The Best photo's will be selected by the host. On Saturday a poll will go up and you all get to vote for 24 hrs... for who you think was the best/most effective for that theme. The winner will be announced once the POLL closes.
The one with the most votes (by you) will receive a special icon which they can proudly post on their site as Best PP Photographer in The World..for the rest of the competition
only ONE picture please and it should be YOURS
not off the internet, not a friends picture but your very own
No slide shows please, and no automatic music on the page
Then post a comment on this page
so that everyone can link to your blog and see your pic.
-oOo-
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