Category: Art

Haiku: Milestone

a triangle carved in stone with an arrow and the words 'where are we really going? Always Home'

autumn moon
my first sixty years
of wandering

© Xenia Tran

haikuKATHA, Issue 13, November 2022

a pond surrounded by reeds with a pine forest and mountain in the background

I wrote this poem just after my 60th birthday (end of September) and am delighted it was published yesterday in haikuKATHA. Warm thanks to the editorial team and congratulations to all the other poets featured in this issue.

Wishing you all a wonderful Wednesday and to our friends in the US, a happy Thanksgiving too.

With love from Xenia xxx

Photographs by Xenia Tran, edited in lr.

Lens-Artists Weekly Photo Challenge #226: Textures

CMMC: November Alphabet – T in the Middle or at the End of a Word

Wordless Wednesday: Corbenic Circles and Curves

close up of painted stones in the forest
a wooden seat with painted stones
close up of a painted stone with yellow flowers
a wooden seat in the forest with painted stones

These beautiful seats and hand-painted stones have been created with love by members of the Corbenic Camphill Community, a home for people with social, emotional, intellectual and learning disabilities in the heart of Scotland.

Wishing you all a wonderful Wednesday,

with love from Xenia xxx

Photographs by Xenia Tran, edited in lr.

Wordless Wednesday

CFFC: Circles and Curves

Silent Sunday: A Light to Guide You

Riding Out the Storm at Portsoy

close up of mosaic detail at base of lighthouse
close up of mosaic detail on the lighthouse at Portsoy
close up of mosaic on lighthouse in Portsoy
Riding Out the Storm lighthouse at Portsoy Harbour
top half of Riding Out the Storm lighthouse at Portsoy Harbour

Clan Cancer Support, in partnership with Wild in Art, shone a light across the north-east, Moray, Orkney and Shetland with Light the North, a lighthouse trail from 9 August to 17 October 2021. It was designed to provide a light in the dark for people affected by cancer and the lighthouses were later auctioned off to raise funds for the charity.

The above lighthouse, Riding Out the Storm by mosaic artist Rachel Davies, stood on a plinth at Portsoy harbour during this time and the local community loved it so much they wanted to keep it. With the help of crowdfunding organised by the Portsoy 75 Club and the local community, they succeeded in offering the winning bid.

We have been meaning to visit the area and this particular lighthouse for some time and it is lovely to see every little detail of the mosaics up close.

Wishing you all a blessed Sunday and may you always have a light to guide you through the storms,

with love from Xenia xxx

Photographs by Xenia Tran, edited in lr.

Silent Sunday

Lens-Artists Weekly Photo Challenge #200: Every Little Thing

Wordless Wednesday: Into Peace

wooden bridge, shrine and blossom in a Japanese garden
a buddha statue on a plinth under a wooden roof of a garden shrine
two wooden bridges connecting an island to either side of the garden around the pond

Wishing you all a peaceful Wednesday,

with love from Xenia xxx

Photographs by Xenia Tran, edited in lr.

Wordless Wednesday

CFFC: Edges and Ledges

Wordless Wednesday: Colour-Crochet

a postbox with a crochet Easter decoration on top
close up of a crochet Easter decoration
close up of a crochet flower in white

Local grandmother Caroline Mackay took up crochet as a form of rehabilitation (after suffering a stroke) and has adorned post boxes around town to spread some cheer this Easter.

Some of you may remember last year’s Festive Sparkle post, featuring her Christmas decorations.

Wishing you all a wonderful Wednesday,

with love from Xenia xxx

Photographs by Xenia Tran, edited in lr.

Wordless Wednesday

Lens-Artists Weekly Photo Challenge #195: Colorful Expressions

Haiku: Peace Candle

second-hand bookstore
a blue and yellow candle
lit in the corner

© Xenia Tran

Haiku Dialogue, The Haiku Foundation, 9 March 2022

a lit blue and yellow candle in a wooden bookcase

It is heart-breaking to see what is happening in the world today because of one man’s fear of open and honest conversation.

It is heart-warming to see how many of us are working together for peace and freedom at the same time.

Yesterday’s visit of friendship to Kyiv by the Prime Ministers of Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovenia and Poland’s Deputy Prime Minister hopefully marks another step on the road to peace.

When you look more closely at the actions taken by people in support of peace for Ukraine, they all come from a place of kindness and compassion. Each and every one of these actions make a statement and make a difference.

Last Monday I signed an Open Letter (organised by The Society of Authors) to the writers, illustrators and translators of Ukraine expressing our solidarity. When I looked at the signatures more closely, I noticed that the name above mine was almost the same as my late grandmother’s. She was nearly 101 years old and lived through two World Wars.

Had she been alive today, I’m sure she would have signed the Open Letter too.

Wishing for peace and freedom in Ukraine and wishing you all a blessed Wednesday,

with love from Xenia xxx

Photographs by Xenia Tran, edited in lr.

Lens-Artists Weekly Photo Challenge #190: Close and Closer

Word of the Day Challenge: Statement

Wordless Wednesday: Beach Art

a part-eroded welk adorning a beach art installation
sand-covered seaweed hung from a driftwood beach-art installation
welk, sand, mussel, leaves and seaweed in a driftwood beach art installation
a driftwood and creel beach-art installation

Just as Tina invited us to an Odds and Ends Lens-Challenge, I came across this beach art installation made from driftwood, rope, netting, a creel, leaves and berries, sea shells and seaweed, covered in sand.

I am taking a short blogging break to focus on a nature writing project and will be back on Wednesday 16 March 2022.

Wishing you all a wonderful Wednesday and a peaceful week ahead,

with love from Xenia xxx

Photographs by Xenia Tran, edited in lr.

Wordless Wednesday

Lens-Artists Weekly Photo Challenge #189: Odd and Ends

Word of the Day Challenge: Cover

Wordless Wednesday: Festive Sparkle

close up of crochet snowman nose and scarf covered in frost
close up of crochet snowman nose and scarf covered in frost
a crochet snowman cover for a red post box covered in frost

Local grandmother Caroline Mackay took up crochet as a form of rehabilitation (after suffering a stroke) and has adorned thirteen post boxes around town to spread some festive cheer.

Wishing you all a wonderful Wednesday,

with love from Xenia xxx

Photographs by Xenia Tran, edited in lr.

Wordless Wednesday

CFFC: Four Colors or More

Silent Sunday: Fountain of Memories

Tweedmouth Memorial Fountain

  • detail of Lady Tweedmouth portrait with one of her dogs on Tweedmouth memorial fountain
  • close up of Lord Tweedmouth portrait on fountain
detail of angel's head and inscription on Tweedmouth memorial fountain
Tweedmouth Memorial Fountain in early autumn

Wishing you all a blessed Sunday and peaceful week ahead,

with love from Xenia xxx

Photographs by Xenia Tran, edited in lr.

Silent Sunday

Lens-Artists Weekly Photo Challenge #174: Shapes and Designs

Silent Sunday: Community Spirit

a display of wall tiles hand-painted by local school children
a hand-painted wall tile featuring a rainbow with clouds on either side and a heart below in the centre

Following the decision by local authorities to close Cullen’s public toilets in the town square and at the beach, a group of volunteers raised funds and re-opened these vital facilities. The toilets are now managed by Friends of Cullen Toilet Group and these lovely tiles adorning a wall at the beach amenities were painted by pupils from Cullen Primary School.

Wishing you all a blessed Sunday and a peaceful week ahead,

with love from Xenia xxx

Photographs by Xenia Tran, edited in lr.

Silent Sunday

Lens-Artists Weekly Photo Challenge #170: Street Art