countryhart

Day 223 Stop and Look 365 Samurai, It comes from the Japanese word that means “to serve.” Here is a glimpse of the Samarai exhibit at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. It was fascinating to learn this seven-hundred year history. There were women Samurai. A Black slave became a reverend Samurai and still has statues honoring him in Japan.  The aspect I found most intriguing was that their helmets started out as papeir-mâché. Samurai even made their horses wear ferocious masks.Samurai arrows are not only artistically designed, but they are still lethal killing instruments when they hit their mark. Samurai warriors are skilled at making this happen.Even if you don’t enjoy war, you will admire the elements of design throughout this exhibit

countryhart

Day 221 Stop and Look 365.  I almost missed this “stop and look.” To quote a somewhat old adage “I was so focused on the flowers that I almost missed the trees.” OK, it’s not quite the saving, but you get what I mean. For those of you who have read or seen the movie The Hobbit, this place looks like a road leading to Frodo’s house. Or any place in Middle Earth. These trees have a character, an old soul. I am not crazy but I feel like they want to talk to me. They want me to walk amongst them, and they will transport me to Middle Earth to visit Frodo. We all can benefit from some fantasy, magical places. Don’t let scenes like this escape your imagination.