Vera Bock Illustrates

On September 19, 2026September 18, 2026 By ResaIn Tributes100 Comments

Love Poems and Sonnets of William Shakespeare

For over 20 years, an inherited first edition (1957) sat upon a shelf in the den. I now share the gorgeous illustrations by Vera Bock, and a bit about her.


When my love swears she is made of truth,
I do believe her, though I know she lies ...

                                                                         - The Passionate Pilgrim

Vera’s illustrations follow the passage of the Sonnet or Poem that inspired her.


If he be dead, - O no, it cannot be ...

                                                                                  - Venus and Adonis

Born in St. Petersburg, Vera Bock (1902 – 2006) fled the Russian Empire with her family. “Vera and her family caught the last train out of Russia before the Revolution started;” Via Siberia to China, then Japan, they arrived in San Francisco in 1917.


And nothing 'gainst Time's sycthe can make defence
Save breed, to brave him when he takes thee hence.

                                                                                    - Sonnet XII

Vera’s mother was a Russian concert pianist, her father an American banker.


Not Marble, nor the gilded monuments
Of princes, shall outlive this powerful rhyme ...

                                                                                - Sonnet LV

Living in London and Paris from 1919 to 1921, Vera trained in woodcutting, manuscript illumination, printing and photogravure. This added to her training in painting and drawing. From 1922 through 1923 she appears to have trained in Switzerland.


Tired with all these, from these I would be gone,
Save that, to die, I leave my love alone.

                                                 - Sonnet LXVI

Vera’s 1924 passport application and the 1925 New York State Census stated her occupation was artist, no longer student.


Love's not time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks
Within his bending sickle's compass come ...

                                                                              - Sonnet CXVI

From the early 1930’s, when she illustrated Depression Era posters, into the 1960’s when she illustrated for many magazines, newspapers and books, Vera was in demand and very busy. In the 1970’s and on, she continued on a slower pace, illustrating books.


Then come kiss me, sweet and twenty,
        Youth's a stuff will nor endure.

                                                        - Twelfth Night

Circa 1973 (perhaps later) Vera married her late sister’s husband, George H. Kaestlin, who died in 1981. Surviving him by 25 years, she passed away at 104 years of age.


But, ah, who ever shunn'd by precedent
The destined ill she must herself assay?

                                                             - A Lover's Complaint

All drawings ©️ Estate of Vera Bock

In 2016 The last surviving member of the Bock family, Alice Tischler (niece), donated a large collection of Vera’s original book illustrations, and more, to the Farnsworth Art Museum.

Photos of drawings from Love Poems and Sonnets of William Shakespeare in this post are ©️ Resa McConaghy.

Research Links

A Picryl quickie on Vera Bock

Bob Forrest writes a detailed, fascinating and credibly researched article on Vera Bock.

According to Bob Forrest Vera loved cats, big time. She dedicated the pictures in the children’s book below.

“To My Cat Serka, who, with all the dignity of his eighteen and one half years, so graciously, sometimes, consented to pose for them – the pictures in this book are respectfully dedicated.”

“It is signed “V.B.” and has a paw–print below it.”

Dan Antion’s Doors Challenge

On June 10, 2026June 11, 2026 By ResaIn Thank You's, Tributes

The 2026 Annual Edition

A BIG THANK YOU to Dan at No Facilities for hosting his annual Doors Challenge!

Dorabella & Dorinda do Doors

Above is my response to the challenge.

Above are the 3 doors I submitted. Following are all the creators that responded to my doors.

Robbie’s Inspiration – TDWC26: Ode to Light, A Song Parody

It’s lots of fun to read the creative results. Most are stand alone posts, some include other topics.

#TDWC — The Pumpkin Hat Girls: Secret Handshake, a Short Story

Roberta Writes – Esther Chilton’s Writing Challenge, TDWC26, The Flower Hour, and Thursday Doors

Luck – A Haiku Series TDWC

Wings – A Sijo TDWC

Tanka Tuesday

Thru

Cottage by the Sea

Series: Behind Closed Doors 37

The Observer’s Crime

Dissolves – An Ekphrastic Cinquain TDWC Writing Prompts

THANK YOU DAN!

**To go directly to The 2026 Doors Challenge page and see all the doors and links, click on the Doors Badge above!**

Comments are closed. Please comment directly on Dan’s blog, or on the blogs of the talented contributors.

JOY

On November 5, 2025November 7, 2025 By ResaIn Murals, Music, Tributes177 Comments

Celebrating the Life of Trent P. McDonald

“Any moron can destroy, let’s create!” – Trent P. McDonald

That is a quote from our email exchange on September 18, 2025. We were working on a collaboration: his new song, some street art and a chat.

From Trent’s description on Youtube – The rainbow can mean whatever you want, but it is not about “Gay Pride” or anything, unless that fits you personally. I just think of rainbows as being the opposite of boxes.

We couldn’t quite settle on any of the samples I sent. Then I found a quadriptych in an alley in Cabbagetown. The colours were perfect for the rainbow he was using in his video.

Trent – I really love the dancers! I followed the link you sent and also the link that they have, to more info about the mural. It is all great.

Resa – It sounds like we should go with the Dancers. I’ve been thinking about it, too, and it does fit with your song and vice versa.

Trent – There is the freedom of the styles – from the kid’s drawings of buildings to the Matisse inspired abstract dancers, The color palette is great. It is very dynamic; the sense of movement is fantastic – not being boxed in at all! Free expression.

Trent – I am not sure if you want to get into the music nerd side of it, but some questions can centre around the time being in 7-4, 6-4 and 5-4 while most pop/rock music is 4-4 with a very occasional 3-4 (waltz-like).

Moving Elevation is the official title

Resa – The quadriptych was painted indoors on canvas. They were coated and moved outdoors onto an alley wall of a dance school.

Trent – There is a lot to be said about street art vs “traditional” art. It is interesting to have “indoor street art”.

Resa – I was thinking that, too!

Children worked with the artists and created the backgrounds.

Citadel & Companie is the dance company that commissioned this quadriptych.

Part of their program offers dance lessons to children.

“It is lit from the blue sky above, even if the sky is covered in clouds.”

The above words are Trent’s, from one of our mails. We were talking about why a pic he took, of a drawing of a trumpet he had done, tuned blue.

That sentence applies to much more than just a photograph. I see it as a philosophic metaphor. Music, in Trent’s life, was always a light from above.

Trent – “For the most part I try to be a very positive person – i.e., my Weekly Smile. Although I have written some “protest” songs lately and will continue to do so, I want to do it from a positive angle.”

Ghosts

The last panel of the quadriptych seemed somewhat apart from the other 3, because of the figures. My initial thoughts were of dancing ghosts. They now haunt.

Fiyero, one of his dogs had just died.

Trent – And thanks, Resa. Even though I drove down to the Cape yesterday so should be in a “happy place,” I’ll admit I am a little depressed today.

Resa – Take it easy out there, and be careful. We are not at our sharpest when grieving, or even just blue.

Trent – Some could be an after effect of losing Fiyero – Some could be just going from being on 100% of the time to being off. I have had some stomach issues that have nothing to do with stress that isn’t helping. The news and what is happening in my country is catching up to me as I sit here.

I suggested posting on the 16th of October, or just after. That would give us time to finish the Q&A!

Trent – Oh, the date sounds good. I will be off line from the afternoon of October 9 until maybe the morning of October 13. The 16th is perfect.

Resa -Write me tomorrow, or anytime! It doesn’t have to be about the post. Anything you want to say is okay by me.

Music Maker

Trent and I found our palship because of music. Oddly, inasmuch as we both love music and had a special spot for John Lennon, it was equipment, the hardware that instigated out first chats.

As my hubs is a musician/composer/producer, I’ve watched music equipment come and go: evolve from analog to digital, from the McLeyvier (ahead of its time & developed by a friend of ours) to the Synclavier (of which Trent had one).

Trent – Hi Resa, So, I decided to go ahead and do the cover of “Have You Ever Seen the Rain.” I just sketched it all out in a notation program (writing the notes, etc.) and have started to play around with it on the guitar. I changed keys again from what I do with my instructor to make the guitar part easier. I bumped it a little higher, but still not what CCR did – John Fogerty had a very high voice!

Anyway, thought you’d be interested to know that I am doing this. Most likely I will record over the weekend and put it out early next week.

This is what would have been our 5th post together. If you’d like to see the other 4, just click on the banner below. Trent did the drawing of John Lennon.

Pics taken by Resa – September 18, 2025

Toronto, Canada

The Artists:

& the children

Click on the children dancing on the left to go to Eden Remme Watt’s website

Click on the guy dancing by the CN Tower, (on the left), to read about Rebecca Remme.

**Click pic to view obit and well wishes**

King Copper – by Lauren Scott

On September 18, 2025September 17, 2025 By ResaIn Book Reviews, Tributes293 Comments

I fell in dog love with Copper when I read, Copper Boy (Ever So Gently, also in King Copper)

"His white choppers shine as if
they've never caused any commotion..
never mind when he attempted
to eat the barbecue!"

Somehow, to me, animal love is proven with those words. I was always asking about him, and one day drew him. It is my first and only animal portrait.

When Copper crossed the “rainbow bridge”, Lauren was heart broken. Concerned with how the healing was going, I asked a few questions.

Resa – In the book you say it was 4 months after Lucky Girl was gone, when you adopted Copper into your family. It’s been a bit longer than that since Copper passed. Are you thinking of adopting another puppy/dog?

Lauren – We will most likely adopt another dog in the future, probably an older dog that needs a loving home. But we’re not ready yet. As I mentioned in my book, every one of our family dogs has been special. Yet, it was in Copper’s amber, soulful eyes where I felt a deep connection. I’m doing better with occasional teary moments, but still grieving his passing. I wish I could hug him again, you know…

Resa – Yes, I know. I feel the same about my cats who are gone, especially my baby Jeep. (& Johnny & Pupkin & Cabbage & Mom & Potato)

Lauren – My mom passed shortly after Lucky Girl, and my kids were home and then leaving for college. Life was busy; dynamics were different, so after a few months, I was ready for another furry family member. And we’re so glad Copper trotted into our lives. Copper was also the first dog where we had to make that heart wrenching decision, and even though it was the right thing to do, it was the hardest decision I’ve had to make.

Lauren – I wanted my son and daughter’s support from out of state via phone, and of course, my husband, Matt, was with me, but ultimately, it was up to me. The emergency vet was very compassionate. She told us that she would support any decision we made, and she had told many pet owners “no” before. But she knew Copper would suffer tremendously if we prolonged his life, and the thought of him suffering shattered my heart as well.

Lauren – Though it still wasn’t easy, so before I decided, I looked at her, crying my heart out, saying, “I don’t want to be an adult right now. I want you to tell me what to do.” I knew it wasn’t her decision to make, so I nodded my head. Matt was silently emotional sitting in a chair, and I sat on the floor with Copper’s head on my leg while he peacefully left our world. I buried my face in his fur and sobbed like I’ve never sobbed before.
After that fateful day, my husband and I needed some time to let our emotions settle. As our daughter says, “We need to give ourselves grace.”
Recently, I heard in a movie, “Love is worth the grief.” It truly is…
So, I don’t know the timeline, but we’ll know when the right time comes. ♥️

Resa – When Copper passed, you fell on your pen, and wrote King Copper. Can you put into words how writing was a catharsis? Did you go through stages, a journey, as you wrote?

Lauren – I had written several fun poems when Copper was with us, so when he passed, it felt natural to write through the grief. Instead of moping around the house and crying all the time, my grief found a destination in poetry form. Writing kept me busy, kept me focused to the end of a poem, and then another was inspired. Sure, I had down time to fall in a chair and simply cry for a few minutes before I ‘got up again.’ But those times didn’t consume me because of the writing.

One More Moment

A dog barks in the
distance causing me to pause,
it sounds like Copper’s
a wild imagination
longing for one more moment

Lauren – I can’t say if there were stages, but it was an emotional journey that felt like I had been sucker punched. I’m grateful to be a writer so that my grief had a place to go. I can’t imagine what those days, weeks, and months would have looked like without being able to put my emotions down on paper. Before I knew it, a poetry collection had evolved, and that’s when I decided to pay tribute to Copper in book form. I’m so glad I did, not only for me, but for my family too.

Resa – Where do you find yourself today, your missing of Copper, now that the book is out there and people have been reacting?

Lauren – My book has received beautiful and touching reviews, so it’s heartwarming to know how Copper has touched the hearts of those who have loved and lost a pet. Many friends have fallen in love with Copper, and that warms my heart. He didn’t know how lovable he was. He didn’t know how handsome or regal he was, but all 80 lbs. of him was pure unconditional love.

In some poems, Copper writes to Lauren

ALWAYS BY YOUR SIDE

I see you dry your tears; how sad you seem to be.
Please know that I am here, but I'm also feeling free. 


- Copper Boy

Lauren – I’m emotional as I type. Sigh…I’m just grateful for the reception my collection has received. And I hope my poems provide comfort for those who are also grieving the loss of their dog or cat. Life is part joy and part loss then comes acceptance. This is what King Copper is all about. We know he’s frolicking in lush, green meadows with our dogs who had previously passed and he’s not in pain anymore. Knowing this allows acceptance in our minds because he lives in our hearts forever. 🤎🧡🤎

**I only have1 drawing of Copper, so I did my best with it for this post**

About Lauren Scott

Bio

This is a wonderful book!

King Copper is available on Amazon worldwide. Click on the book cover, and go to King Copper on Amazon USA

OR – Buy King Copper on KOBO

My heartfelt thanks to Lauren, for sharing her heart here today!

Imagine – Discussing John Lennon

On August 14, 2025August 13, 2025 By ResaIn Famous People, Tributes276 Comments

With Trent P. McDonald

John Lennon rocks my socks. When I found this street art, Trent raced to mind.

We did 2 joint Lennon posts just over a year ago. We both have an abundance of respect and love for him. Trent wrote a song for John and everything.

Resa – I knew you were taking some voice lessons, but I had no idea you were studying a song, let alone Imagine. Did you pick Imagine right away, or did that come later? Why did you pick Imagine?

Trent – My instructor picks the songs for me, mostly late 60s, early 70s songs. He plays them on his guitar and I sing along. He chooses the key that he feels is best for me. Imagine was a relatively early pick, so it has been at least 8 months and maybe close to a year. I think I had played my song about John for him which is why he chose it.

Trent’s Cover of Imagine

Not only do I love Trent’s cover of Imagine, I adore his drawing of John.

Resa – There are many John Lennon quotes. Some are profound, Some are hilarious.
Two of my faves (of many) are – “Time wounds all heels” & “One thing you can’t hide is when you’re crippled inside”

What are a few of yours?

Trent – John was pretty witty, but I can’t think of quotes right off the top.

Trent – I just looked up “John Lennon Quotes”, and there are so many to choose from!

Perhaps – We all have Hitler in us, but we also have love and peace. So why not give peace a chance for once?” Of course, for me his song lyrics are worthy of quoting.

Resa – I completely agree!

“I’m Shot”

Were Lennon’s last words.

Resa – I was shattered when I heard the news that John had been shot and died. I honestly believed in his message of love and peace being a way forward for the world and its people. I felt that die with him.
Do you have any memory of hearing the news? Do you understand why I felt the way I did?

Trent – I had pretty much just rediscovered the Beatles just a short time before he was murdered. When rediscovering the Beatles, I gravitated towards John and his message more than towards the others. Peace and Love, the brotherhood of Man. These were huge themes for me. I was pretty much devastated when I heard the news. I sat and listened to Beatles’ songs nonstop for two days.

Trent – Did I feel John’s message was killed with the messenger? Yes and no. I understood that we had entered a new era, but I tried to believe that his violent death would wake people up and that his message would grow. Well, Ronald Reagan and all that he stood for took over the culture so that even kids my age went total right wing. But the spark did remain.

Trent– Like many geniuses, John was a contradiction,

… and had a lot of bad qualities. He said he was violent when he was young, fighting with boys and hitting girls and that a lot of his peace and love was to keep those tendencies at bay, to conquer the violence within himself. He could be super petty and paranoid.

Resa – I love the insight!

Trent – One of the saddest things is that I think after dropping out of public life for all of those years he had finally made peace with himself and was just breaking out again, ready to take on the 80s. But all of that was nipped in the bud.

Favourite Songs

Resa – I think John Lennon is a brilliant songwriter.

My Fave John song from The Beatles’ days is Don’t Let Me Down.

John songs (excluding Imagine) are: Jealous Guy, Whatever Gets You Through the Night and Instant Karma.

So Trent, what are your favorite John Lennon songs?

Trent – With the Beatles I loved: Strawberry Fields, I am the Walrus and Across the Universe.

Solo?

Hmm, maybe: Imagine, Mind Games and Watching the Wheels“- had to put that last one in because I wanted something from Double Fantasy and that was by far the most popular song from that album – it sounds so much like his earlier works.

Resa – I absolutely love the album cover for Double Fantasy. Yoko Ono is an interesting person. I’ve only seen her art in photos. However, as a performance artist she is brilliant in the video for Instant Karma, knitting with a blindfold on, while the band plays. John’s love for her is wonderfully obvious. Do you see it?

Trent – I think there is a huge love story between John and Yoko and is often very apparent. So yes, I see it in the video you mentioned and also at the end of the one for Imagine where they are trying to keep straight faces but end up cracking each other up. I think it is awful how much hate she has received from the world, though I think it has mellowed a lot in the last couple of decades.

Resa – I agree!

About –Let’s All Join In & Trent’s cover of Imagine

Trent wrote on YouTube

Resa thought she saw Lennon’s face from a trolley but didn’t’ find it again until recently. When talking about it, some said we need Lennon’s vision today more than ever and others said there should be a song about seeing Lennon’s face from a trolley…So here it is, both ideas in one. Yes, I drew my own picture instead of using the real street art – how could I without asking the artist? And, of course, I manipulated the drawing in a thousand and one ways.

Click pic to see post with ***“Let’s All Join In”***lyrics

IMAGINE

Here is Trent’s blurb from YouTube, slightly edited for this post.

Yep, a quick take on John Lennon’s classic “Imagine”. Though very close, this is not an exactly note-for-note transcription of John’s original arrangement. Besides a few different notes and different drum fills, I recorded in Bb instead of C. I didn’t even listen to the original string arrangement, I just played. I had a few reasons for recording this song. One is that I sing this in my voice lessons.

Another was that Resa had told me she had found some street art featuring Lennon’s “Imagine”. Since I had been singing the song, why not do a recording?