I am such an ART NERD!

Just to give you a little insight on just how much of an art nerd I truly am.....

The film The Monuments Men comes out in theatres on February 7th (Only 5 DAYS!!!!)

I was watching the trailer the other day....take a couple minutes and watch it (George Clooney and Matt Damon!! Eye candy to boot!!)

 

So this is how nerdy I am....I started crying, yes real tears, at the scene of the empty art museum and the burning of paintings (burning a RAPHAEL!!! FYI: No one knows for sure if that one was actually burned but it hasn't been seen since the war. Some experts expect it to resurface in another generation or two. I sure hope I'm around for that). I can barely stand the thought. To think of so many masterpieces, a visual legacy of time and culture, burned!!! Gone forever!! (tears are forming as I type!)

 

I always knew Hitler stole artworks during WWII but I didn't realize to what extent and magnitude his plans were until I watched the 2 hour documentary The Rape of Europa. Hitler was "collecting" the great masterpieces of Europe (and burned or sold at a pittance the ones he found distasteful, such as Picasso and Matisse) to fill his own Fuhrer Art Museum he planned after the war. It's a great thing to watch for any of you history, art and/or culture lovers. My favorite tidbit is how masons were brought in to surround Michelangelo's masterpieces (David and the Slaves) with in a brick honeycomb to protect them from German bombs. AMAZING!! Oh!! And the part about moving the Nike of Samothroce down the steps at the Louvre in Paris!! I was on pins and needles (even though I know it survived). Don't even get me started on the bit about the Ghent Alterpiece!!!!

 

 

 

I also just happened to start reading The Madonnas of Leningrad that touches on the evacuation of The Hermitage Art Museum in Leningrad (that had a larger collection than the Louvre!!!) and how museum employees packed and shipped away art work and then lived in the basement for the duration of the 900 day siege roasting potatoes in linseed oil. Imagine the dedication to art and history and culture to go out of your way to protect artistic masterpieces.

 

 

So this little mystery of history is my current past time and I'm really looking forward to seeing The Monuments Men. Matt Damon is in it and if he chose to film this one then I know it's good. He's such an advocate for education, he's probably the one actor that I'd really like to meet someday.

 

One problem....the LEGO movie, which my boys have been DYING to see for a year, comes out on the same day. Ditch my kids for my own movie? See two movies in one day? Get a babysitter? I'm not sure how this will work yet but I WILL see this film soon! If any of you see it before me let me know what you thought!

 

Garden Dirt Clod Fight

The other day I decided it was time to dig up my sweet potatoes. Yes, I know we haven't had a freeze yet but I decided I'd rather dig when the weather was pleasant than cold and windy. While the weather was pleasant I was also able to get more willing helpers! Yip, Yap and the neighbor boy helped me scrounge through the dirt, after I dug, to dig out those big red tubers! Yum! Sweet potatoes for Thanksgiving! 

After we were all done the boys decided that that freshly turned earth was too good to pass up and they proceeded to have a dirt clod fight! I did warn them that if they were going to throw dirt clods that I wouldn't tolerate any whining if they got HIT with one. 

Winding up! 

I often tease Yip that his body movements mirror Captain Jack Sparrow. Sometimes his arms and legs are all akimbo but they always tend to land just where he wants them too, though I often fear he's going to just trip over his own feet! 

It's harder than you think getting a good photo of a dirt clod. 

My boys are getting too dang tall!! Yap there is one size away from he and I wearing the same size shoes! 

And here are my wonderful, small, but glorious crop of taters curing in my kitchen. Another couple of days and I'll make myself a batch of sweet potato fries before I store up the rest. 

DR and I love sweet potatoes. The kids..not so much. Anyone have a great sweet potato recipe to win over my kids, not involving marshmallows, that you could share with me?