A Winter’s Solstice in Summer

Ecila looked up at the hot summer’s sun.

She was on her way to Teagan’s Christmas in July blog party, in a beautiful new gown. Blinded by the light, she accidentally turned left into a mural. Ecila looked around at the black and white world, and saw no way out.

Suddenly there was a black and white cat looming before her. “Who are you?” she asked.

“Why I’m Tac Tac the Water Cat,” he replied, “and you can’t get out the way you came in. You’ll have to go through the Purple Pink Rabbits’ door, in the pink alley.”

“Take this!” said Tac Tac, and he handed Ecila a gold rabbit coin. “Use it wisely. It’s your one chance to get out of here.”

Ecila wandered black and white curves until she saw a pink alley. In the alley was a Purple Pink Rabbit. “Hello! What’s your name, and can you please show me the door out of here?”

“I’m Tibbar,” the rabbit replied, “and yes, the door is at the top of the stairs.”

Ecila looked up some stairs guarded by three Purple Pink Rabbits. The door was there!

“But first you’ll have to get past Bugsy, Mugsy and Thugsy. Bugsy and Mugsy charge 5 gold rabbit coins each. Thugsy gets seven.”

“But I have only one gold rabbit coin,” Ecila said looking up at Bugsy.

“Not my problem,” replied Bugsy.

“There’s only one way to make gold rabbit coins here,” offered Mugsy. “You’ll have to play poker with the dogs! The game’s around the corner on an old red wood sliding door.”

Ecila found the dog’s game, draped her tail up to look like a gambler’s cape and threw her gold rabbit coin on the table.

“Chips please!” she demanded cooly.

The dogs howled. They figured she was just a human, and they would relieve her of her gold rabbit coin faster than the first day of winter. A chick in a bolero hat put a small stack of chips on the table for her.

Ecila thought of the wise words from her non uncle Kenny.

After many hours of holding, folding and not counting her chips, Ecila cashed in for 17 gold rabbit coins. She left the extra chips on the table, let down her tail and walked away.

Once out of sight of the dogs, she began running to the Purple Pink Rabbits’ door.

Ecila ran up the stairs tossing gold coins to the rabbits.

She threw the last 7 coins to Thugsy, and fled out the door. Elica ran all the way toTeagan’s blog hop party, where she made a grand entrance in her new Winter Solstice gown.

“Sorry I’m late everyone! My hair is mess and well, I can’t even begin to tell you what I’ve been through,” Ecila lightly panted. “Let me just say some cats are water cats, there’s such a thing as Purple Pink Rabbits and the the dog days of summer really are dog days.”

Teagan is holding a Christmas in Summer blog hop party. It doesn’t have to be Christmas, just a winter celebration around that time. Click on her badge above, and read the guidelines!

Outtakes

Winter Solstice gown created © by Resa – July, 2024

Pics of gown and street art © Resa McConaghy- June & July 2024

Story © Resa McConaghy – July 2024

Street Artists:

&

When Math Meets Art 2023 by Sasha Q

Old Wolf Fence

So, it’s the fence that’s old, and it makes the wolf look old.

The slats are warped and uneven.

The entire fence slants to one side along the alley.

The alley itself is uneven, slopes downward so minimally I didn’t know I was crooked until looking through the camera lens.

The wood is rotting.

The paint is chipped, peeling and punctured.

I just love it!

Pics taken by Resa – March 4, 2024

Toronto, Canada

The Artist(s) There are 2 marks on the art.

 

Bird in Hand

A mural for the coming spring.

I travelled across the city to Greek Town.

I found 5 works of art worth posting, 2 ruined by the sun’s shadows, 1 for just in case and 1 WTF.

All in all a fabulous day!

The day was made even better by the wonderful vibes, shops, restaurant patios and people in Greek Town.

I would definitely consider moving there when we eventually downsize. It’s a beautiful lifestyle.

Pics taken by Resa – March 4, 2024

Toronto, Canada

The Artists:

We Rise Above

I went to Cabbage Town. There’s usually lots of art there.

Not much there this year, but WOW, pollinator gardens everywhere.

Butterflies, bees and crazy busy insect flight zones in every garden.

It was a wonderful happening.

Based on a true story, The Sapphires is a great movie about 4 girls who rose above.

Pics taken by Resa – July 22, 2023

Toronto, Canada

The Artist:

Neo Adonis

It looks like a painting of a classic sculpture on a stucco wall.

However if you look at the last 3 shots, you will see the left corner peeling. It reveals brick.

Is the medium really thick pealing paint, or an incredibly well done paste-up?

Adonis, the god of beauty and attraction is the male counterpart for Aphrodite.

He looks even prettier surrounded by the tags and mayhem of Graffiti Alley.

This piece sings for a neo-classic music composition. I have chosen fellow blogger Trent McDonald’s “Piano Sonata in g minor lll: Scherzo” done on a Garritan virtual Steinway software piano.

Pics taken by Resa – July 19, 2023

Toronto, Canada

Artist – unknown

“A few years back I decided to compose a “classical style” piano sonata. By “classical style”, I am talking late 18th/early 19th century. More specifically, I was thinking Beethoven. I had already composed a sonatina that is very Clementi in style, so it was time for the Big B.

This was the Scherzo, which was a “little joke”. Deep down there is an almost minuet hidden, but you’d have to dig deep to find it. No, “little joke” describes it much better. I always really like it, almost as much as the scherzo to my sonata in c# minor, which is what I use for my phone’s ringtone. ”  

 

En Masse

Graffiti Alley is changing.

Old buildings are being torn down. New ones are going up.

Still, it seems to be embracing street art, but will the hardcore graffiti disappear?

This En Masse mural is in the parking entrance to a new building.

Above, a Poser Bunny welcomes us. Poser’s Bunnies go way back, and are an old fave of mine.

Lots to cover in this one. Here are some of my faves.

The ceiling is a work of craziness.

I put the rest in a slideshow for my hardcore street art pals.

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Pics taken by Resa – March 28, 2023

Toronto, Canada

The Artists: Birdo, Poser, Ness Lee, Blackburn & more

There was a second floor of fun mayhem, but I couldn’t get up there, yet.