Happy October!

Happy October to all my friends and readers

New Calendar picture with this
beautiful watercolour painting by Frank Koebsch

"Abend am Darßer Ort"
"Evening in Darß"

 This is probably my favourite picture of this year's calendar. Not because the other ones aren't great, they are! But I love lighthouses. And Frank managed to incorporate the tower into the landscape so well. Fantastic. Don't you think? 

Lighthouses are among the oldest means of communication known to man. They stand for safety and orientation, a signal that shows the way in difficult fairways. In literature, they are a symbol for strength and individuality, … even death. However, they also represent hope and safety as they protect sailors from great misfortunes!

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The colour of the year is Classic Blue. Since that is my other favourite colour (next to green), I'm really happy about the choice. It's definitely my favourite primary colour. Maybe most people like it because it reminds us of the sea and the sky, both are usually very calming. It portrays harmony and peace (think UN). The word itself stems from the Germanic root "blao" for shimmering and lustrous. It's interesting if you try to find out other words and where they come from. In some languages (like Japanese), the word for blue and green is the same, in others (like Russian), they have different names for dark and light green. The Italian word azzurro comes from the rock azurite.

Apparently, all blue-eyed people may have a single common ancestor. Which means, if you have blue eyes, we are related. Somehow.

I'm looking forward to seeing what will be next year's colour.

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Have a happy October with this beautiful watercolour painting by Frank Koebsch. Stay safe!

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Here are some book quotes that mention lighthouses:

"Books are the carrier of civilization. Without books, history is silent, literature dumb, science crippled, thought and speculation at a standstill. Without books, the development of civilization would have been impossible. They are engines of change (as the poet said), windows on the world and lighthouses erected in the sea of time. They are companions, teachers, magicians, bankers of the treasures of the mind. Books are humanity in print." Barbara Tuchman

"Books are lighthouses erected in the great sea of time." E.P. Whipple

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And some books where lighthouses play a major role - some of these I've read, others are either on my TBR or my wishlist:

Gilbreth, Frank + Gilbreth Carey, Elizabeth "Cheaper by the Dozen" and "Belles on their Toes" - 1948/1950
Gaynor, Hazel "The Lighthouse Keeper's Daughter" - 2018
James, P.D. "The Lighthouse" - 2005
Roop, Peter & Connie "Keep the Lights Burning, Abbie" - 1857
Ruiz Zafón, Carlos "The Watcher in the Shadows" (Spanish: Las Luces de Septiembre) - 1995
Stedman, M L "The Light Between Oceans" - 2012
Woolf, Virginia "To the Lighthouse" - 1927

and a poem:
Poe, Edgar Allen "The Light-House" - 1894 (unfinished)

It worked as an inspiration for Joyce Carol Oates' "Poe Posthumous, or The Light-House" in her collection "Wild Nights" - 2008

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You can find many more wonderful pictures on their website here.

You can also have a look under my labels Artist: Frank Koebsch and Artist: Hanka Koebsch where you can find all my posts about them.