Friendly Friday & Day 26: It’s looking up

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Written by Manja Maksimovič

Today a song, a poem and photos of looking up, mostly into trees. It’s a good time for that.

Let’s start with the song. Originally it’s by X (the band) and I learned of it when Pearl Jam played it twice in a row live in Los Angeles, I believe, at least once with special guest Tim Robbins. Here it is, that occasion (audio only):

Next, here is my poem. This is my second year doing a poem a day in April for NaPoWriMo and let’s just say that I’m struggling and juggling a little.

Challenge 26: “Today, I’d like to challenge you to write a poem that uses repetition. You can repeat a word, or phrase.”  

It's looking up 

It’s 33 years since the Chernobyl today. 
 Chose that night to roll on the grass.
 Must not think bad thoughts.

 There was fire in Rome in the night.
 Trash was burning and the air was sick.
 Must not think bad thoughts.

 The trick is to go on, even when it appeals
 to coil in the shower.
 Must not think bad thoughts.

 Nature does not ask questions,
 nature understands. Stands under. Standstill.  
 Must not think bad thoughts.

 Look up, look up to, look forward.  
 The second album is the most difficult.
 Must not think bad thoughts.  

 - Thought bad.
 - Think not!  
 - Must.

The gallery contains up-gazing images from Rome, then around my home in southern Tuscany, and then from Rome again in the same order as taken.

The first one is repeated from my April 1st post because Snow Melts Somewhere loved it so much. She and Amanda run Friendly Friday photo challenge and today is Amanda’s turn. She says Looking up is the theme this week.

The photos show the progression of our spring. Not looking up is a sin.

  • Almost paaaradiiise… ♫♪
  • Another one from Rome.
  • This is home territory in the start of April.
  • They cut them up good at this time.
  • I pass this house all the time but have never before noticed this peculiar growth.
  • One day I took the long way to the station.
  • It was the right time, mid April.
  • Just right for this outburst. I’m not good with species.
  • But these go together well.
  • I pass under this tree every day and like to look up. This was on April 12th.
  • And this on April 18th.
  • Back to Rome where we remain till the end. This house is the rose queen.
  • I got into a habit of standing under (understanding?) trees.
  • This was fun. The scariest house of Monteverde in Rome.
  • This building is abandoned.
  • I liked this view as it was.
  • And then I had a closer look. Can you see her?
  • Closer still. I have a feeling it’s a she.
  • The last look up five days ago. Now I see why there are no more blossoms. We’ve got fruit!

For Friendly Friday Photo Challenge hosted by Amanda from Something to Ponder About

Friendly Friday

and for Day 26 of NaPoWriMo

NaPoWriMo

39 Comments

  1. A lovely compilation for the three blog challenges, Manja. I am sorry to hear that Spring is a bit shy. The flowers seem so keen for it. I like the pink tree – especially in the photo with the white flowers. I wonder what it is called? Maybe a garden minded follower will answer.
    Looking up is a great observation practice to do regularly. Pause and look up. I was peering at the small screen to see what it was in the orange house you were looking at. I thought at first it was the shape of the ?damaged render on the window upper left – it looks like a goose shape to me. And then I saw the cat! Definitely a “she” – Great photos for the Friendly Friday Photo Challenge. Thanks always for your consistent support!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Thank you, Amanda. I had another look – and that shape could certainly be a goose. 😀

      But why do you say sorry to hear that spring is shy? 😮 Which part seems shy to you? To me it looks quite exuberant. 🙂

      Oh, and these photos were just for your challenge! The poem was for NaPoWriMo, as every day in April, but there was no third challenge. I think I’m the most tired from combining challenges. I prefer to keep things separated. Soon.

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      1. Ok. I thought 30 poems and Napro….. thingsmijig were two different challenges. I also misreadthe word progression for regression ! That will teach me to try and read without my glasses. I do this far too often. My bad.

        Liked by 1 person

  3. I left this comment on your old blog:

    I just discovered that you moved. I thought WordPress migrated followers to the new blog. My blog has reached capacity, but I don’t want to start a new one because of issues like this so I’ve been deleting content to add new photos.

    Paying for an upgrade would increase storage, but it doesn’t make sense. WP allows you to have as many free blogs as you want with a 3GB capacity, but if you want to increase your storage on a single blog you have to pay?!

    I tried linking to off-site storage (e.g. Flickr, or Picasa), but if the external site has technical difficulties it can wreak havoc with your blog. The pictures may vanish and have to be relinked manually.

    I’m afraid to start a new blog and people won’t find me.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Thank you, David. Yes, it took some time but I saw and confirmed both comments.

      I was thinking similarly at first: I planned to delete some content to extend the life of my blogs but I prefer them to remain as they are as a testimony. I also believe that paying for increased storage goes contrary to free blogging, and agree that off-site storage is not how I like to do things. I’ve tried.

      As for not finding us in our new blogs: I don’t think this is a worry. I’ve moved three times by now, this is my fourth blog, and I still have many followers of my first blog who are happily transitioning with me. If you notify them in advance and keep repeating your new blog URL, they will have a look and start following it sooner or later.

      I’m glad you found my new blog too!

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

    1. Oh, I. J., thank you but this is really nothing. I’ve seen what some other cameras can do. Mine is too short for our flamingos, for example. (Nikon point-and-shoot, 34x) But yes, they’ve come a long way. Sometimes I feel like a paparazzo.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  14. My two faves are the mix of blossoms in the featured photo, and also the one with the palm tree. You have a way of highlighting colour so well. It’s Spring, and every single one of these photos reminded me of that fact, and makes me happy.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  15. Great use of repetition to capture an anxious inward debate. It reads like an incantation. “Must” must win in life too, I think. We cannot look always up and away.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Thank you, Alana. This is one of the poems that I’ve almost completely forgotten to have written. I read it right now again as if it was for the first time, written by another. I liked some parts. 😀 Incantation, right… Life needs a good measure between looking up and away and thinking bad thoughts.

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