Mar 8 2023 - Pink for International Women's Day

 

The Bing picture today is the Madrid City Hall lit in pink for International Women's Day.  That now seems funny and ironic, given how pink and blue were interchanged colours to represent babies/children over the centuries.   And so it does seem amusing that the celebration of women should come with all kinds of associations.   I find out from a 2017 article that in China, "Little Pink" was a term for cyber-nationalists. This seems a complicated story.  We are aware of pink as the colour of Breast Cancer Awareness month, during which people wear a pink ribbon to honour survivors and those who have died of the disease. What about "Pinkwashing?" -  a term used to describe practices that appear to promote LGBTQ+ rights or breast cancer awareness to downplay negative aspects of a corporation or political entity. The term "pink tax" is also used to describe the fact that women often pay more for products marketed specifically for women.  Did you know that?  Go over to the men's shampoo and find it cheaper.   Sports teams sometimes paint the opposing team's locker room pink to keep the players passive and less energetic. The Iowa Hawkeyes have a pink visiting team locker room at their Kinnick Stadium conceived by Iowa coach Hayden Fry, who had majored in psychology at Baylor University. He believed that the all-pink room would mess with the minds of the opposing teams.  And there we are with some of the possibilities of pink on International Women's Day. There are lots of pink lilies. Read more daily posts here: marilyncornwellblogspot.com Purchase works here: Fine Art America- marilyncornwellart.com Redbubble - marilyncornwellart.ca

April 18 2021 - Beautiful Towns with Beautiful Beaches

The 25 most beautiful towns/villages in the world sort of articles have Spain, Greece, Italy, and various mountainous sea towns on display.  Their houses are perched on cliffs that descend to the ocean. Without doubt, Niagara-on-the-Lake is a pretty town too.  It is perched at the fork of the Niagara River and Lake Ontario, so there's much water scenery. And the houses are heritage and historic, like those seaside buildings on Mediterranean cliffs with matching red roofs. I realize that Ontario has lots of seaside and lakeside towns that overlook expanses of water. So which ones are at the top of the list? Perhaps it would be Wasago Beach - as it is the longest freshwater beach in the world.  It is 90 minutes north of Toronto so accessible to millions.  It has warm and shallow water - this sounds ideal.  Quieter and more natural areas are considered perfect for settling down in the sun with a good book.  Really? Why would you put your head down in a book rather than looking out to the vast blue waves? I suggest moving on to the part where you bring your dog with you and head to section 3 where they can "frolic in the waves".  Wasaga Beach's beautiful beach means beautiful sand, and that's what made it remain undeveloped.  The land was too poor for farming in the 1800s. But the Lake's beautiful sand also means lots of maintenance as Lake Ontario water levels that have been rising.  And sand shifts in  the big November storms each year causing damage.  But still all that sand and water is a delight to the human eye. As we consider this summer, we might not get to Wasago with COVID, but we can know it is close-by for future visits. I couldn't resist showing you aerial images of the vast curve of beach along with the splendid river beside it.   Here's a happy collage of lilies. Purchase at: FAA - marilyncornwellart.com Redbubble - marilyncornwellart.ca