Thomas Kinkade End Of A Perfect Day IIThomas Kinkade Conquering the StormsThomas Kinkade bloomsbury cafe
took out her pipe and scratched her ear with it.
“Dunno. Up to you, I suppose.”
“Diamanda says why does it have to be here and now?”
“So’s everyone can see,” said Nanny Ogg. “That’s the point, ain’t it? Nothing hole and comer about it. Everyone’s got to know who’s best at witchcraft. The whole town. Everyone sees the winner win and the loser lose. That way there’s no argument, eh?”
Perdita glanced toward the tavern. Granny Weatherwax had dozed off.
73
Terry Pratchett
“Quietly confident,” said Nanny Ogg, crossing her fin-gers behind her back.
“Um, what happens to the loser?” said Perdita.
“Nothing, really,” said“Right.” Nanny thought about it, and shrugged. “Right. But we’d better do a magic circle first. Don’t want anyone else getting hurt, do we?”
“Do you mean using Skorhian Runes or the Triple Invocation octogram Nanny Ogg. “Generally she leaves the place. You can’t be a witch if people’ve seen you beat.”“Diamanda says she doesn’t want to hurt the old lady too much,” said Perdita. “Just teach her a lesson.”“That’s nice. Esme’s a quick learner.”“Um. I wish this wasn’t happening, Mrs. Ogg.”“That’s nice.”“Diamanda says Mistress Weatherwax has got a very impressive stare, Mrs. Ogg.”“That’s nice.”“So the test is ... just staring, Mrs. Ogg.”Nanny put her pipe in her mouth.“You mean the old first-one-to-blink-or-look-away challenge?”“Um, yes.”
Monday, April 20, 2009
Friday, April 17, 2009
John William Waterhouse A Mermaid
John William Waterhouse A MermaidVincent van Gogh Houses at AuversVincent van Gogh Tree trunks
turned and ran desperately toward the beached fleet.
"No! It's not like that! Listen! Listen!"
But they had seen the army, too.
It looked its commander, whichever he was, was amazed to see an apparent attack by one man.
Borvorius caught him as he plunged towards a line of spears.
"I see," he said. "Keep us talking while your soldiers got into position, eh?"
"No! I didn't want that!"impressive, perhaps more impressive than it really was. When news gets through that a huge enemy fleet has beached with the intent of seriously looting, pillaging, and-because they are from civilized countries-whistling and making catcalls at the women and impressing them with their flash bloody uniforms and wooing them away with their flash bloody consumer goods, I don't know, show them a polished bronze mirror and it goes right to their heads, you'd think there was something wrong with the local lads . . . then people either head for the hills or pick up some handy, swingable object, get Granny to hide the family treasures in her drawers, and prepare to make a fight of it.And, in the lead, the iron cart. Steam poured out of its funnel. Urn must have got it working again."Stupid! Stupid!" Brutha shouted, to the world in general, and carried on running.The fleet was already forming battle-lines, and
turned and ran desperately toward the beached fleet.
"No! It's not like that! Listen! Listen!"
But they had seen the army, too.
It looked its commander, whichever he was, was amazed to see an apparent attack by one man.
Borvorius caught him as he plunged towards a line of spears.
"I see," he said. "Keep us talking while your soldiers got into position, eh?"
"No! I didn't want that!"impressive, perhaps more impressive than it really was. When news gets through that a huge enemy fleet has beached with the intent of seriously looting, pillaging, and-because they are from civilized countries-whistling and making catcalls at the women and impressing them with their flash bloody uniforms and wooing them away with their flash bloody consumer goods, I don't know, show them a polished bronze mirror and it goes right to their heads, you'd think there was something wrong with the local lads . . . then people either head for the hills or pick up some handy, swingable object, get Granny to hide the family treasures in her drawers, and prepare to make a fight of it.And, in the lead, the iron cart. Steam poured out of its funnel. Urn must have got it working again."Stupid! Stupid!" Brutha shouted, to the world in general, and carried on running.The fleet was already forming battle-lines, and
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Francois Boucher The Setting of the Sun
Francois Boucher The Setting of the SunFrancois Boucher The Rest on the Flight into EgyptFrancois Boucher The Rape of Europa
know!..
"Can you use one?"
"I don't know!"
"I really hope you're a fast learner."
The lion emerged, slowly.
Desert lions, it its pelt. It dragged itself towards Brutha, back legs trailing uselessly.
"It's hurt," said Brutha.
"Oh, good. And there's plenty of eating on one of those," said Om. "A bit stringy, but-”
The lion collapsed, its toast-rack chest heaving. A spear was protruding from its flank. Flies, which can always find something to eat in any desert, flew up in a swarm.
Brutha put down the sword. Om stuck his head in his shell.has been said, are not like the lions of the veldt. They had been, when the great desert had been verdant woodland.[7] Then there had been time to lie around for most of the day, looking majestic, in between regular meals of goat.[8] But the woodland had become scrubland, the scrubland had become, well, poorer scrubland, and the goats and the people and, eventually, even the cities, went away.The lions stayed. There's always something to eat, if you're hungry enough. People still had to cross the desert. There were lizards. There were snakes. It wasn't much of an ecological niche, but the lions were hanging on to it like grim death, which was what happened to most people who met a desert lion.Someone had already met this one.Its mane was matted. Ancient scars criss-crossed
know!..
"Can you use one?"
"I don't know!"
"I really hope you're a fast learner."
The lion emerged, slowly.
Desert lions, it its pelt. It dragged itself towards Brutha, back legs trailing uselessly.
"It's hurt," said Brutha.
"Oh, good. And there's plenty of eating on one of those," said Om. "A bit stringy, but-”
The lion collapsed, its toast-rack chest heaving. A spear was protruding from its flank. Flies, which can always find something to eat in any desert, flew up in a swarm.
Brutha put down the sword. Om stuck his head in his shell.has been said, are not like the lions of the veldt. They had been, when the great desert had been verdant woodland.[7] Then there had been time to lie around for most of the day, looking majestic, in between regular meals of goat.[8] But the woodland had become scrubland, the scrubland had become, well, poorer scrubland, and the goats and the people and, eventually, even the cities, went away.The lions stayed. There's always something to eat, if you're hungry enough. People still had to cross the desert. There were lizards. There were snakes. It wasn't much of an ecological niche, but the lions were hanging on to it like grim death, which was what happened to most people who met a desert lion.Someone had already met this one.Its mane was matted. Ancient scars criss-crossed
Thomas Kinkade Dawson
Thomas Kinkade DawsonThomas Kinkade CourageThomas Kinkade City by the BayThomas Kinkade Blessings of Christmas
Does what?"
"Make a sound. If it falls down when no one's there to hear it."
"Who cares?"
The party had reached a gateway in the wall that ran around the top of the rock in much the same way that a headband encircles a head. The Ephebian captain stopped, and turned.
"The . . . . But as Brutha was led . . .
. . . ten paces along a passage, and then left five paces, then diagonally forward and left threeand-a-half paces, and right one hundred and three paces, down three steps, and turned around seventeen-and-one-quarter times, and forward nine paces, and left one pace, and forward nineteen paces, and pause three seconds, and right two visitors . . . must be blindfolded," he said."That is outrageous!" said Vorbis. "We are here on a mission of diplomacy!""That is not my business," said the captain. "My business is to say: If you go through this gate you go blindfolded. You don't have to be blindfolded. You can stay outside. But if you want to go through, you got to wear a blindfold. This is one of them life choices."One of the subdeacons whispered in Vorbis's ear. He held a brief sotto voce conversation with the leader of the Omnian guard."Very well," he said, "under protest."The blindfold was quite soft, and totally opaque
Does what?"
"Make a sound. If it falls down when no one's there to hear it."
"Who cares?"
The party had reached a gateway in the wall that ran around the top of the rock in much the same way that a headband encircles a head. The Ephebian captain stopped, and turned.
"The . . . . But as Brutha was led . . .
. . . ten paces along a passage, and then left five paces, then diagonally forward and left threeand-a-half paces, and right one hundred and three paces, down three steps, and turned around seventeen-and-one-quarter times, and forward nine paces, and left one pace, and forward nineteen paces, and pause three seconds, and right two visitors . . . must be blindfolded," he said."That is outrageous!" said Vorbis. "We are here on a mission of diplomacy!""That is not my business," said the captain. "My business is to say: If you go through this gate you go blindfolded. You don't have to be blindfolded. You can stay outside. But if you want to go through, you got to wear a blindfold. This is one of them life choices."One of the subdeacons whispered in Vorbis's ear. He held a brief sotto voce conversation with the leader of the Omnian guard."Very well," he said, "under protest."The blindfold was quite soft, and totally opaque
Monday, April 13, 2009
Claude Monet Haystack at Giverny
Claude Monet Haystack at GivernyJean Auguste Dominique Ingres Ingres The SourcePeter Paul Rubens Samson and Delilah
Novice Brutha," he said, "for what reason are you talking to a small tortoise?"
"Because-” Brutha paused. "Because it's talking to me . . . isn't it?"
Brother Nhumrod looked down at the small, one-eyed head poking out of the shell.
He was, by and large, a kindly man. Sometimes demons and devils did put disquieting thoughts in his head, but he saw to it that they stayed there and he did not in any literal sense deserve to be called what the tortoise called him which, in fact, if he had heard it, he would have thought was something to do with feet. And he was well aware "I cannot hear it, Brutha."
"It told me it was . . ." Brutha hesitated. "It told me it was the Great God."
He flinched. Grandmother would have hit him with something heavy now.that it was possible to hear voices attributed to demons and, sometimes, gods. Tortoises was a new one. Tortoises made him feel worried about Brutha, whom he'd always thought of as an amiable lump who did, without any sort of complaint, anything asked of him. Of course, many novices volunteered for cleaning out the cesspits and bull cages, out of a strange belief that holiness and piety had something to do with being up to your knees in dirt. Brutha never volunteered, but if he was told to do something he did it, not out of any desire to impress,but simply because he'd been told. And now he was talking to tortoises."I think I have to tell you, Brutha," he said, "that it is not talking.""You can't hear it?"
"Ah. Well, you see, Brutha," said Brother Nhumrod, twitching gently
Novice Brutha," he said, "for what reason are you talking to a small tortoise?"
"Because-” Brutha paused. "Because it's talking to me . . . isn't it?"
Brother Nhumrod looked down at the small, one-eyed head poking out of the shell.
He was, by and large, a kindly man. Sometimes demons and devils did put disquieting thoughts in his head, but he saw to it that they stayed there and he did not in any literal sense deserve to be called what the tortoise called him which, in fact, if he had heard it, he would have thought was something to do with feet. And he was well aware "I cannot hear it, Brutha."
"It told me it was . . ." Brutha hesitated. "It told me it was the Great God."
He flinched. Grandmother would have hit him with something heavy now.that it was possible to hear voices attributed to demons and, sometimes, gods. Tortoises was a new one. Tortoises made him feel worried about Brutha, whom he'd always thought of as an amiable lump who did, without any sort of complaint, anything asked of him. Of course, many novices volunteered for cleaning out the cesspits and bull cages, out of a strange belief that holiness and piety had something to do with being up to your knees in dirt. Brutha never volunteered, but if he was told to do something he did it, not out of any desire to impress,but simply because he'd been told. And now he was talking to tortoises."I think I have to tell you, Brutha," he said, "that it is not talking.""You can't hear it?"
"Ah. Well, you see, Brutha," said Brother Nhumrod, twitching gently
Pablo Picasso Mandolin and Guitar
Pablo Picasso Mandolin and GuitarPablo Picasso Girl Before a MirrorYvonne Jeanette Karlsen Nude
Brutha was going to die a novice. When they made the rules, they'd never allowed for anything like Brutha.
His big red honest face stared up at the novice master.
"Sit down on "Very well. Now tell me about these voices."
Brutha twisted the hem of his robe in his hands.
"It was more like one voice, master," he said.
"-like one voice," said Brother Nhumrod. "And what did this voice say? Mmm?"
Brutha hesitated. Now he came to think about it, the voice hadn't said anything very much. It had your bed, Brutha," said Nhumrod.Brutha obeyed immediately. Brutha did not know the meaning of the word disobedience. It was only one of a large number of words he didn't know the meaning of.Nhumrod sat down beside him."Now, Brutha," he said, "you know what happens to people who tell falsehoods, don't you?"Brutha nodded, blushing.
Brutha was going to die a novice. When they made the rules, they'd never allowed for anything like Brutha.
His big red honest face stared up at the novice master.
"Sit down on "Very well. Now tell me about these voices."
Brutha twisted the hem of his robe in his hands.
"It was more like one voice, master," he said.
"-like one voice," said Brother Nhumrod. "And what did this voice say? Mmm?"
Brutha hesitated. Now he came to think about it, the voice hadn't said anything very much. It had your bed, Brutha," said Nhumrod.Brutha obeyed immediately. Brutha did not know the meaning of the word disobedience. It was only one of a large number of words he didn't know the meaning of.Nhumrod sat down beside him."Now, Brutha," he said, "you know what happens to people who tell falsehoods, don't you?"Brutha nodded, blushing.
Friday, April 10, 2009
Joaquin Sorolla y Bastida Leaving the Bath
Joaquin Sorolla y Bastida Leaving the BathJoaquin Sorolla y Bastida Children on the BeachJoaquin Sorolla y Bastida Children on the Beach Valencia
There was an explosion behind them and shafts of multicoloured fire screamed overhead, striking sparks off the masonry. Then there was a sound like an enormous cork being pulled out of a small bottle, and a peal of laughter that, somehow wasn't very amusing. The ground shook.
'What's going on?' said Conina.
'Magical 'I don't think that would be a good idea,' she said. 'Rincewind?'
The wizard shook his head gloomily, and picked up a pebble. He tossed it up above the ruined wall, where it turned into a small blue teapot. It smashed when it hit the ground.
'The spells react with one another,' he said. 'There's no telling what they'll do.'
'But we're safe behind this wall?' said Conina.
Rincewind brightened a bit. 'Are we?' he said.war,' said Rincewind.'Is that good?'No.'But surely you want wizardry to triumph?' said Nijel.Rincewind shrugged, and ducked as something unseen and big whirred overhead making a noise like a partridge.'I've never seen wizards fight,' said Nijel. He started to scramble up the rubble and screamed as Conina grabbed him by the leg.
There was an explosion behind them and shafts of multicoloured fire screamed overhead, striking sparks off the masonry. Then there was a sound like an enormous cork being pulled out of a small bottle, and a peal of laughter that, somehow wasn't very amusing. The ground shook.
'What's going on?' said Conina.
'Magical 'I don't think that would be a good idea,' she said. 'Rincewind?'
The wizard shook his head gloomily, and picked up a pebble. He tossed it up above the ruined wall, where it turned into a small blue teapot. It smashed when it hit the ground.
'The spells react with one another,' he said. 'There's no telling what they'll do.'
'But we're safe behind this wall?' said Conina.
Rincewind brightened a bit. 'Are we?' he said.war,' said Rincewind.'Is that good?'No.'But surely you want wizardry to triumph?' said Nijel.Rincewind shrugged, and ducked as something unseen and big whirred overhead making a noise like a partridge.'I've never seen wizards fight,' said Nijel. He started to scramble up the rubble and screamed as Conina grabbed him by the leg.
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