Valfal's favorite articles

Hells teeth, I'm 68 years of age and you'd honestly think that I was old enough to learn from my mistakes - but NO - I went and overdid things again to the detriment of my back.............. I decided to change my sheets on my own, well everyone else was either out or away, and so that just left me. The sun was shining and it would be a perfect day to dry my sheets on the line. So I heaved and managed to strip the bed, " not too bad " I thought to myself. It did hurt my back putting the sheet…

Many times the decision to exhibit or permit a public exhibit of photographs featuring the nude (aesthetic or erotic) art is not an easy decision since the delineation between legitimate art and pornography may appear to be blurred. Examples of this paradox exist when one considers the sculptures at the Kandariya Mahadeva Temple in Khajurâho, India, 19th century Japanese Shunga art, and the jury finding that a collection of photographs by Robert Mapplethorpe (1946-1989) featured in The Perfec…

I've come across another incredible artist called Heather Rooney who does wonderful true to life drawings. Here's a link to one of her videos as she shows you the making of one of her pictures - it's absolutely fascinating.... youtu.be/_W8itSwiOi4

Well I'd written this article almost to the end, when sod's law came into being and it decided to go off the computer. I hadn't saved it, because I wasn't expecting it to do that - hmmm - don't seem to be having much luck with technology lately I'm afraid. Yesterday I had to visit the dentist on my 6 monthly check-up and alas no gorgeous deep brown eyes of the Bulgarian dentists to gaze into - instead a very nice lady called Jasmine. Well she cleaned my teeth, said I was okay for another 6 m…

I felt quite good today, so I thought it would be fine for me to have a good stroll down the driveway - the wind is still exceedingly cold, so I didn't want to be silly and risk a cold, I managed to walk down the drive to the road and back up again!! It's been months since I was able to do that. I feel so good that I've managed it. I've never known so many bluebells lining the drive before. I've put my photos up for you to see, but am only going to add some on here for you... And when I…

It was such a lovely day today that I thought a trip out would be in order, so I drove to Instow beach. It was quiet to start with but then gradually the crowds appeared. As luck would have it the only car parking space happened to be directly in front of the Hockings Icecream van!!! I thought I would treat myself, and counted out my change. I was 10p over the price of a small cornet, so I thought I would enjoy having that whilst I sat on the bench. There were queues for this van and having sat…

A little feedback and a welcome to a new member of the team.

Just thought you guys might like to know that I’ve been in touch once again myself with Team Ipernity regarding the difficulties they are facing. In that message I’ve asked if they have considered the possibility of working with a small group of members to explore ways that they could perhaps assist them in securing the long-term future of the site. I’ve also stressed that, in my opinion, there are many people including myself who are not only very enthusiastic about ipernity and believe…

What I find somewhat irritating - not only here, but on all similar platforms - are beautiful and well composed photos which just come along with the file name assigned by the camera such as IMG_4711 and nothing else. I see a breathtaking landscape or seascape, a cityscape, a plane or ship or whatever and don't have the foggyest idea as to what or where this may be. Is it so difficult to add a title or give a short explanation? I personally find this practise irritating. Therefore I will not com…

Le "Pont de l'Arc-en-ciel"? Juste à côté du paradis se trouve un endroit appelé le "Pont de l’Arc-en-ciel". Ce pont relie le ciel et la terre. De ce côté du pont se trouvent des terres faites de prairies, de collines et de vallées. Quand une bête chérie meurt, l'animal va à cette merveilleuse terre. Il y a toujours de la nourriture et de l'eau, sous un chaud climat printanier. Là, les animaux vieux ou chétifs sont à nouveau jeunes. Ils jouent toute la journées les uns avec le…

Aimer c'est se comprendre Sans se parler. Aimer c'est apprendre à se respecter. L'amour est un cadeau, Qu'il ne faut refuser, Car c'est le plus beau Que l'on peut espérer. Aimer, c'est avoir le coeur Qui ne bat que pour l'être, Qui nous donne du bonheur Et nous apporte le bien être. L'amour est comme une fleur, Doucement il s'épanouit. C'est un état de douceur Qui rend si belle la vie. Aimer, c'est offrir à l'être aimé Sans rien attendre en retour. Aimer, c'est donner sans comp…

Despite the fact that it's November and it's getting increasingly cold, some flowers are trying desperately to hang in there. I went out into the driveway and saw that there were very few flowers still blooming... The pansy is almost obliterated, but it comes back time and time again. I think this plant is about 5 years old. I really must plant some new ones next spring.... There's a little bunch of mallow sprouting up and although there aren't many flowers h…

Back in the late 5th century BCE, Chinese philosopher Confucius (551-479 BCE) said, “When wealth is distributed, the people are brought together.” His words could not be more appropriate in 2015 with the widespread use of social media and smart phones – all of which have bound people together regardless of distance, borders, and time. Today we communicate with each other all across the world and operate on a 24-hour cycle, checking messages and updates thousands of times a day. The “unconnec…

Sorry folks but because of the awful incident in Ankara yesterday, the Turkish government are monitoring all Internet communications. So that is why I haven't been able to comment on any blogs nor Skype those of you who I promised to. Mandi's Internet was down for almost a week because of some problem with the bill, and now that's sorted this terrible situation has slowed things down. Anyway this is just to say I'm fine and having a great time here with Mandi and Dogan. Today it has been…

Well after I'd cut the grass I'd come in and started cooking supper and I looked out the window and realised that there was probably going to be a good sunset. I stopped the cooking and got the camera out and shot off to Westward Ho, to the pebble ridge to be exact. As I got there a big roll of cloud was starting to cover the sun and I was spitting feathers I can tell you, but I noticed that the sky was clear behind it all and therefore the clouds would disappear before the sun actually went dow…

Lucas died in my arms at 3.33am this morning. He went into a rapid decline around 10.30pm... I laid on the floor with him all night and talked to him and cuddled him and that Beautiful Boy.. that exquisite Light.. went out in my arms. He is going back to the Stardust from whence he came. Lucas 1st June 2007 - 1st July 2015. His birth date is approximate.. it was the day we gave him as his Life Day I dont have a "Faith" but I do believe whatever atoms of Stardust that are me... will retu…

Well today dawned sunny - which was wonderful after the last couple of days which have been awful - horrendous winds and lots of rain. Quite a few of my pots are water-logged, so that meant moving them onto stones to let them drain. I've cut back a few limbs of my lilac trees because the wind had bent them over and they were blocking the path past the shed and to the garden. I hadn't realised how weak my hands were cos it took ages and lots of cursing, puffing etc to even get one branch cut off.…

Well as you know Mandi and Dogan had already been adopted by a ginger and white cat called Minoche and that he'd brought his girlfriend round when she was pregnant with two kittens...... Well the mother cat abandoned the two kittens and Minoche brought them round to the house. He's a sweet cat, but at the moment he's in 'mating' mood so is off all over the place fighting other cats for a female. Mandi and Dogan are going to get him 'snipped' so he'll stop this and also he won't look so haggar…

I noticed, inbetween dark clouds, that another one of my apple trees had started to blossom. It only had tiny leaves about a week ago - the little bit of rain we had a couple of days ago seemed to have worked wonders..... Also some white lilac has started to come out........... Oh boy did the scent almost overpower me - so strong - wonderful........ The laburnham also is on its way out........ Then I noticed that some aqualegia [Canterbury Bells] are starting to open - o…