Sunday, January 29, 2017

Sweetness And Light/Roger Federer and Mr. Gumby





Are you ready for some sweetness? I am!   Watch the video that I have given you here!  Roger Federer defeated long time rival Rafael Nadal in the Australian Open after an epic five set match.
When I say "sweetness", am I saying that it was a sweet victory for Federer? It certainly was but I am actually referring to the speech that he gave after his win.   Humility and graciousness, that is more important to me than all the tennis titles combined.



Our weather in Georgia! Explain it to me if you can, one weekend, it will be cold and icy and then, the very next weekend, so hot that folks are wearing shorts and flip flops. 


This is ice on the rock outcrop at Panola Mountain State Park.  It looks like snow but it is ice! When it begins to melt, the water underneath the ice moves in such a way that it is mesmerizing. Hard to take your eyes off of it!


On the weekend when it was very warm and we were out walking, Richard forgot his hat.  Not to worry, he had a handkerchief in his pocket and by tying the corners together was able to fashion this little hat to protect his head from sun's rays! Now, isn't he a good sport to let me take these photos of him! You know he must be, he is married to me!   Richard says that this reminds him of Mr. Gumby, from Monty Python.
(I remember an ad on PBS about Monty Python...it said if your girlfriend laughs at this show...MARRY HER.  That made me laugh.)

Hope you are able to get out into the light during this wintertime!

Sweetness and light...
this expression is often used in an ironic way.  It was first used by Jonathan Swift in "The Battle of the Books", a defense of classical learning in 1704.  In Victorian times, Matthew Arnold wrote an essay, "Culture and Anarchy: An Essay in Political and Social Criticism", where "sweetness and light" stands for beauty and intelligence. 

Sweetness and light!

36 comments:

  1. Richard is indeed a good sport, letting you show us his picture with the hanky-hat :-)
    The weather in Georgia is really crazy! You know we've had a very cold few weeks now, but it has warmed up somewhat over the weekend and on our Saturday afternoon walk in the sunshine, it almost felt like spring.

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    1. This morning, there was ice on my car, and yet it will get up to 70 degrees this afternoon!

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  2. I rather like the sound of your weather. Instead of permanent heatwaves, a cold weekend every couple of weeks would suit me very well. Love those photos of ice on the ground - makes me cool just looking at it.

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    1. Oh yes, and I love YOUR photos when we are having our summer here! :-)

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  3. If you laughed at Monty Python and he married you then it sounds like solid advice. I'd love to explain the weather to you but in England we've long since given up trying to understand the weather. We just accept whatever it is that's waiting for us outside and always wear clothes for every occasion.

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    1. I have spent some time in England so I do know what you mean. I learned to have an umbrella with me at all times, so matter how sunny!

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  4. Hanky hats used to be very popular in paces like Eastbourne.. :-) I agree with you about RF - a gent and a big man; we could do with more like him.

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    1. I have never seen the hanky hats except in England but I love that something so practical can be made with just a piece of cloth!
      And I am glad you know what I mean about Roger Federer, not heard much these days about GENTLEMEN, and I count Nadal along with him, I like them both!

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  5. Nice you can get out like that and enjoy some warmth. Here it's turned cold and snowy. I'm just staying in and keeping warm. I do love that hat !

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    1. Richard always has a hanky to clean his glasses, he only uses them for that purpose only...unless he forgets his hat! LOL!

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  6. That is a clever impromptu hat, and i agree that being a great sport about winning is very important, more so than the winning itself.

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    1. If you know a gentleman who forgot his hat, you could tell him to make hanky hat (provided there is a handy hanky, that is!)

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  7. Did Richard also roll his pants up to his knees and wear Wellingtons? LOL!

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    1. Ha ha! I TRIED to make him do so and pose for me, but he wouldn't go that far! LOL

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  8. Definitely schizophrenic weather. One weekend in the 70's, the next in the 50's. Fan on for one weekend, heater on for the next. Love the Pythons and remember the Gumby well.

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    1. That icy weekend was so cold and the next one, oh boy, what a difference! I am glad you remember the Gumby, Richard has to remind me every time it is from Monty Python, I might have missed those episodes! :-)

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  9. You two have such great adventures. I love hearing about them.

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    1. Yes, honey, Richard wraps his head in a handkerchief and I watch ice melt...we have some great adventures alright! HA!

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  10. Ha! I think we all need to find ways to enjoy what weather we have. You and Richard have excelled in this task!

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    1. We try to walk as much as we can. And if it is cold, we bundle up!

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  11. Our weather has been the same..maybe cooler than yours but when it's 65 in January here that's news! We're back to normal cold and snow this week and I'm glad because I worry about our trees flowering too soon. Both of you look adorable in your pics!

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    1. The daffodils are blooming now and the trees have started to bud. The daffs are okay but I hope the trees will be okay if we get a killing frost!
      And adorable? Well, if you say so! :-)

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  12. I'm suffering withdrawals now that the Aus Open is over...our Summer of Tennis, that began on New Year's Day with the Brisbane International and The Hopman Cup over in Perth, culminating in the Open, is over. I've been addicted to watching it from go to whoa as I always am in the month of January! Absolutely wonderful!

    And, of course, like millions of others I watched history being made both in the women's and men's finals.

    I'm a huge fan of both Rafa and Roger...and I had to smile when, during Roger's speech, he said words to the effect... "if a draw was possible in tennis". I'd been saying similar from when I knew both were facing off in the Final.

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    1. OH lucky, lucky, lucky YOU to be able to watch the Australian Open, I bet it was wonderful to watch it on TV!! And like you I like both Nadal and Federer! Wasn't Federer's speech just the BEST? I loved it so much, that is why I had to have it on here!

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  13. I enjoyed your photos so much, Kay ~ and yes, Richard is a very good sport! The supportive spouses of bloggers are a special breed. We've been staying in Bullhead City since early November, and everyone says this is a very unusual winter here ~ extra wind and rain. We're leaving in a few days to return to Colorado, so I'll be missing all the wonderful desert flowers that will pop up. I hope all is well with you and Richard!

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    1. Hey Louise! Lovely to see your comment here! I just looked up Bullhead City, I see it is near Laughlin, Nevada and that was just beginning to become a tourist destination when I was a travel agent. (I left the travel business in 2000.)
      I envy you enjoying the desert flowers!
      Richard and I are fine, just busy with work and stuff that is not much fun...that is why we try to walk as much as we can!
      Take care! x

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  14. Your weather certainly goes from one thing to the other very quickly! At least you know that if you don't like it you will soon get something else!

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    1. Hey Amy! Today was a gorgeous day, 70 degrees and sunny with a cool breeze. February now, so who knows what will be next? :-)

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  15. Those are cute photos of you and your husband. I like sweetness and light, too.

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    1. Thanks, my friend! Sweetness and light is always wished for you and your dear husband! Aloha! x

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  16. Lovely outdoor photos Kay! I like Richard's impromptu hat. Mr. M sometimes uses a hanky that way, only he folds it in half and ties two points behind his head, then tucks the third point under the knot. (Kind of pirate-style I guess.)

    We could all use some sweetness and light about now. :)

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    1. Hey! I will tell Richard how to tie the hanky that way, always wanted a pirate at my beck and call! Amen on the sweetness and light, my friend.

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  17. i really liked your landscapes and beautiful outdoor shots!

    how wonderful that your weather take dramatic turns so swiftly !
    your husband did great job to used handkerchief to protect head from harmful effects of sun rays which is necessary .

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    1. Thank you! It is important to protect ourselves from the sun! Lovely to see your comment here, take care!

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  18. It was nice to see him win another trophy, always comes across as a gracious competitor but still retaining the drive needed to win matches. I think the weather in every country is affected- the latest news from the high Arctic is bring your swim wear,surfboard, beach towel and sun cream.

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    1. Yes, but there is no such thing as global warming according to Trump and others. Honestly, it is scary to watch the news these days, just scary.

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