MARCH 2024 NEWSLETTER
Dear Friends
Bearing in mind the Very Important Heavenly Business that played out on our little planet over 2000 years ago – and with Easter just around the corner – I’ve settled on a “celestial” theme for this March newsletter.
The Moon
Here are some interesting things about the moon that you might or might not know:
- 2024 has been dubbed “The Year of the Moon” because there’s a frenzied race between the powerful nations to be the first to find water on the moon.
- Earthlings never see the whole of the moon because the same side of the moon always faces earth. You can thank gravity, rotation and orbital speeds for that one.
- Did you see how bright the full moon was on the 25th? It’s called the Harvest Moon, which was the first full moon after the Autumn Equinox. Easter is celebrated on the first Sunday after the Harvest Moon. If the full moon is on a Sunday, Easter is celebrated on the following Sunday.
Below is a video of one of my all-time-favourite, nostalgic songs: Neil Young’s Harvest Moon.
The Cosmos
The word “cosmos” means “order” and “harmony” in Greek. The ancient Greeks believed that the world was perfectly harmonious and impeccably put in order, so the term they used to describe the Universe is the Cosmos.
It is said that cosmos flowers were so named by Spanish mission priests in Mexico because of the exquisitely arranged flowerheads, which reminded them of the beauty and order of the Cosmos.
If you’re wondering how cosmos plants got from Mexico to South Africa, the history books will tell you that during the Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902) the British forces imported fodder for their horses from Argentina and Mexico. The fodder contained cosmos seeds which rapidly established themselves in the areas that saw action during the war.
Wild Winsome Weeds
"A weed is a plant that has mastered every survival skill except for learning how to grow in rows."
(Doug Larson)
The swathes of delicate pink, white and purple flowers in the veld and along the roadside in March remind us that Autumn is on its way.
In my painting I endeavoured to capture the ethereal, delicate essence of the flowers en masse by painting directly wet-into-wet without first doing any under-drawing.
You can view this painting and other artworks for sale by visiting my online GALLERY.
Follow the journey of my painting by clicking/tapping the images below.
Happy Birthday!
Happy birthday to the special stars this month: Ronel, Brenda J, Louise S, Candice, Marlene V, Melanie, Selma, Denise, Louise vd W, Pearl, Brianna, Alida and Fiona. Your dedication song is a slightly quirky version of "Catch a Falling Star" by Joanna Roi. May every wish you make upon a star come true!
Heavenly Cakes
This month's guest artist is Gitta Birk who creates heavenly custom cakes for every special occasion. Contact Gitta to order yours, on gittascreations@gmail.com
Click/tap on the thumbnails in the photo-gallery to view the images
Happy Easter, Everyone!
"For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him." John 3: 16,17
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Maria Kaye xx