Texture – Nova Friburgo

MTFSO - July 10, 2009

Texture by (one) definition is “the characteristic physical structure given to a material, an object, etc., by the size, shape, arrangement, and proportions of its parts:”  By this definition, our lives have texture, our gardens, our cities, even our photos have a physical structure influenced by shape, arrangement and proportion of its parts.

Sunlight and artificial light not only influence how we see the surface textures but also become a part of the texture as a whole, in what we see.  Bright white light, deep dark shadows, reflected light, all change the colors, adding depth. giving us pleasure in what we see.   

In Friburgo,   The days can be gray, the sky full of glare and washed of color.  Or on a bright, sunny day  the contrasts of bright, blue sky, the deep, aggressive greens of the forest and the rich colors of the flowering trees point to the importance of light in how we see our world.   I think in how we FEEL the texture of our worlds.

 

 

I took a few photos this week as we walked on a secondary street in Friburgo central.  What gives this town its own feel, its texture, is the use of local stone, plasters both smooth and course, red clay roofs, and the small gardens that line the street. 

      

Earth day–MTFSO

I guess that I am being lazy.  I have company for the Easter holiday weekend and so you are going to get leftovers, no that isn’t right – regurgitated? .... rehashed?..... hum? (per B&B) please forgive my RECYCLED post.

In April of 2010, we also did a ‘trees’ shoot out.  How can I ever top that shoot out?  Please follow the trees link for the story, and then, for your enjoyment, are some recent photos of leaves and flowers from a local forest reserve.

   

  

These were in a cultivated garden (forest) but all are  Brasilian Flora.

    

Easter in Brasil

I think that Brasilians like Easter almost as much as Carnival.  First they have another – that’s ANOTHER – 4 day weekend.  Everyone I know is going somewhere and I can only hope that they will all be safe.  Yesterday downtown Friburgo was CRAZY with people shopping.  I can understand this kind of shopping at Christmas.  they all, after all, receive an extra paycheck in December.  Yesterday the lines in the grocery stores where 20 long, everyone with full baskets OR TWO.   Camillo and I turned around and left, there isn’t anything I need so badly that I will wait in line for an hour.  Everything we needed could be bought at one of the little markets and with less hassle.  It is the weirdest thing to me, the stores hang chocolate eggs from the ceiling.  I am a little taller than the average Brasilian and this stuff hanging from the ceiling gives me a feeling of claustrophobia.  Look closely at the photo..... the prices of the hollow chocolate (waxy) eggs are out of this world.   I was told yesterday that R%75.00 wasn’t bad,  “because there were actually 3 eggs inside”  I was not rude and laugh in her face – but I have to work 4 hours for R$75.00 and some people have to work the whole week.....and R$75.00 was totally unrealistic.

Today Kurt and Kybran bring the girls and another couple with a young girl up for the weekend.  I will bake Salmon on Friday and on Saturday we will make a churrasco.  On Saturday we will have an Easter egg hunt (if it isn’t raining) out in the garden.  They have to leave early on Sunday, so the Easter candy hunt will happen on Saturday.

Easter color in the store windows.

 

The garden centers are full of orchids.   I  LET  Camillo buy me a geranium that had an unusual flower.  Beautiful.  And the Christmas cactus in in bloom.  Have a great and a SAFE Easter weekend.

Churches of Brasil

On November 12, 2009 the MTFSO was also Churches, formal and informal.  And after revisiting that post, I wondered how I could top it.   What new churches I could show you?   In February of this year, I featured one of my favorite churches to photograph in Friburgo Centro,  the one severely damaged by the January 12th floods,  so I’ve decided I have to take you farther away.  If nothing else comes of this MTFSO at least I got to spend several hours looking through older posts, reading what I’ve written about Brasil and thoroughly enjoying myself. 

I looked through many photos in the archives looking for just the right church to feature this week.  The churches, that I’ve seen, in Brasil are nothing like the great cathedrals of Europe but the are in their own way just as beautiful.  Often they have two steeples and are painted white with blue trim.  These are ‘Portuguese’ churches.  If you drive north and a little east of Nova Friburgo you can find the small town of Santa Maria Madalena.   Traveling through country dotted with rolling hills and small farms,  you finally wind your way into this clean, neat little community.  The church is literally the center/ the highlight, the purpose for this town.  (If you have a moment check back through my links to read more about these towns and their churches.)  This church as a distinctively Scandinavian or German flavor. 

 

 

   

   

  

As we walked around the town, which was around the church I could see the steeple from nearly every angle.  Front to back, top to bottom a beautiful town and church. 

Just for fun...

I need to back track a couple of weeks to show you something.   While in Houston it wasn’t all work and no play.  By now you all know Camillo and I better than that.  We ate, and danced, and I drove a NEW CAR.

Camillo’s son (the oldest, lives in Houston) put on order and has received his new car: The Volt by Chevy .  What a sweet car.  Still to expensive for the average car buyer, coming in at over 40k, this car steps away from the ‘hybrids’ in style and concept.

Not arguing energy use, or workability, or usability – just look at the difference in body style  from the  Air-powered car conceived in India.  and the Volt

I am excited about the headway made in designing and completion of these cars, moving them into the market is a break through worthy of note.    Chevy needs to bring the price down on the Volt, but this is real progress in giving consumers a choice beyond the gas guzzlers / carbon belching cars in our past – one that looks good too.  Camillo wouldn’t buy one for me and bring it to Brasil.. , I begged to no avail,  plus by the time we paid import tax and  shipping we would be nearing 90K in costs – Sorry we just can’t do it.  I look for info that this car will begin to be made in Brasil but nothing.  So I will have to wait.  but did get to test drive and get a first hand demo of its features..... The car has a heavy, solid feel, maneuvers well,...... I want one.....

    

 

Anyone want to buy my 8 year old Audi?  only 60K KM with auto transmission.....

ManMade Circles – Triangles – Squares In Rio

 Circles in cloth Triangles at play  Squares in abundance 

Can you find them all?