April Link love #3

I've been away from the computer for a week (more about that later). I occasionally cheated by using my phone to check for news from home, and news about what was going on in the world. I didn't read(much) and wrote only a few postcards and tweets. My only activities were travelling, walking a new coastline, perusing new places and new experiences, indulging Mr Greenfingers, eating (a little too much) good food, and sleeping in a variety of new beds (Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz).

My links this week, as part of Tammy's April Link Love Mission , are therefore for bloggers and blogs that are close to my heart; plus a couple of links to online resources built around the history of the places I have been visiting. One also to show appreciation for playwrights, producers, actors and musicians who create amazing and moving performances; to inspire and entertain us. So here goes....

1. One of my favourite creative human beings, Kat at "isawyoudancing" has been writing about Some days. What can I say about Kat and her blog? Just that most days, Kat's words and images remind me of who I really am; and when I get lost or am feeling way off mark, she reminds me that I am human too.

2. Link love number 2 this week includes two links in one. Donna's blog is one I always check in with as Donna also took part in my first ever 365 days photography project, and I love to see her photographs. My favourite in her blog this week is the one of the daffodils. Ok, the other link I pinched from Donna's own weekly link list and is the link to a post about photographing strangers from Adam Marelli. I was drawn to this due to meeting a young woman on the ferry home from the Isle of Wight who I wanted to photograph. I wanted to talk to her more. I avoid taking photographs of people. However I am interested in them and would love to do so more often.  I was interested to read Adam's advice:

"What do you do if there is a picture you would like to take, but the person does not want to allow it?  Ask yourself these questions:

1. Am I really interested in this person, or are the just a odd looking person?
2. If they want a copy will I give them one?
3. Would I talk to them if I did not have a camera?

If you answered no to any of those three questions, I would not take the picture."

I was also interested to read about his photography workshops on his website.

3. Two links in one again for number 3. I would loved to have stayed longer on the Island. This weekend there is an Arts Festival  happening which would  have been Wight up my street! I enjoyed finding out about more famous writers and artists, who have visited or lived on the Island. Tennyson was one of these; as was John Keats, who wrote this poem "On The Sea". Some of my readers will know how I love to walk and feast my eye-balls on the sea!

 ON THE SEA

It keeps eternal whisperings around
Desolate shores, and with its mighty swell
Gluts twice ten thousand Caverns, till the spell
Of Hecate leaves them their old shadowy sound.
Often 'tis in such gentle temper found,
That scarcely will the very smallest shell
Be mov'd for days from where it sometime fell,
When last the winds of Heaven were unbound.
Oh ye! who have your eye-balls vex'd and tir'd,
Feast them upon the wideness of the Sea;
Oh ye! who have your eye-balls vex'd and tir'd,
Feast them upon the wideness of the Sea;
Oh ye! whose ears are dinn'd with uproar rude,
Or fed too much with cloying melody -
Sit ye near some old Cavern's Mouth, and brood
Until ye start, as if the sea-nymphs quir'd!

                                                       John Keats 1817

4. One of the artist bloggers that I love to read and keep in touch with participated in the Sketchbook Project previously and I loved the idea. This is how I have the "Art House Co-op" in my blog reader. When I saw they were doing this poetry project "Verse on Paper" I thought I'd have a look. Sadly they were only taking 100 participants and this project is already full. However their Pen Pal Painting Project  looks great too, as does the next sketchbook project! 

5. Having been lucky enough, last week, to see the Royal Shakespeare Company performing "As you like it", I have found a new passion for learning more about the plays and the different productions of these(inspired both by the performance and by the current "In Stitches" costume exhibition at the RSC theatre in Stratford. For this production of "As you like it", Laura Marling a singer-songwriter who I have not heard before, has written a song. I so enjoyed the production that I went in search of some of the actors and Laura herself. Here she is singing with another new-to-me artist, Johnny Flynn.