Re: [MC74 and Friends] Last fall pictures

Dear Blog Bosses, fellow bloggers:

Bi. do`i no*. by MC, but having no photos to contribute for Fall theme, may I instead recite a little poem? I was reminded of this poem when MC recently posted a picture for Fall she named La' Thu-Phong. I forgot who the author of these verses was ( could be Tan-Da`). Here it goes:


Trận gió thu-phong rụng lá hồng
Lá bay tường Bắc lá sang Đông
Hồng bay mấy lá năm hồ hết
Thơ-thẩn kìa ai vẫn đứng không.

Trận gió thu-phong rụng lá vàng
Lá bay hàng xóm lá bay sang
Vàng bay mấy lá năm già nửa
Hờ-hững ai xui thiếp phụ chàng.


Hope you all like it.

T.

Re: [MC74 and Friends] My first entry for CLOUDS for my Twin

Dear Blog Directors, fellow PNEH's, forum friends:

I happen to have some photos of CLOUDS to submit. 

These clouds are not the pretty and dreamy ones in which Be' Lan has been spending her time. They are rather dark clouds from storms in Southern California last February and March. It was an unusual Spring weather wise, with storms and snow into late March. These pictures were taken in Claremont, California, around my neighborhood.

T.

Re: [MC74 and Friends] my additional entry for CHILDREN

Dear Blog Bosses, fellow PNEH's, friends, comrades, accomplices, partners in crime, et al.,

 

Mindful of Ms BiTi's concern for lawsuits, and heeding Ms EmCi's advice, I am sending in pictures of my own children for the CHILDREN theme. This is a fairly easy assignment for me, since I have hundreds of the children's pictures -:).

 

The first 2 pics were taken of my youngest, cu Khoa, at his 5th birthday party 2 years ago.

 

The third picture was of my oldest, cu Kho^i, with his "girlfriends" and the snowboarding instructor.

 

The last 2 were taken in April 2010. In one, cu Kho^i was entertaining his little sister with a hand trick he had learned moments before.

 

 

T.

 

Re: Re: [MC74 and Friends] SIGNS AND BILLBOARDS

Dear Blog Executives, fellow PNEH's, forum friends:

 

I have a couple of entries to submit for SIGNS AND BILLBOARDS. These two pictures are my memories of the Magnificent Mile in Chicago. -:)

 

T.

Re: [MC74 and Friends] announcement to PNEHs -Theme for the upcoming week - SIGNS/ BILLBOARDS

Dear Blog Bosses, fellow PNEH's, forum friends:

It has been a feast to the eyes savoring the outstanding works of art that you all have submitted! I have a few pictures for SIGNS AND BILLBOARDS to share: the tour buses of Beverly Hills, Johnny Rockets in Santa Monica.

T.

Re: [MC74 and Friends] my entry for Summer

Dear all,

I am "bi'" on "Stripes" and "Night", so will stay with Extended Summer for now. My extended summer entries do not contain charm and beauty like Thuy-Hoa's, luxury indulgence like Caro's, peace and serenity like KLiem's, joy and friendship like BLan's, are not of professional quality like TNS's, Tuan's, BiTi's, EmCi's, HienLan's,  among many others...rather they show scorching summer heat, literally and figuratively -:). These are pictures of Southern California beaches, summer 2011.

T.

Re: [MC74 and Friends] gentle reminder to PNEHs re: Summer

Dear Ms EmCi, Ms BiTi, talented PNEH's, fellow bloggers, discerning commentators:

It really is a tough job to follow Ba` Tu`mLum TH, after she posted her photos. No way to match her terrific "Summer" entries! 

But you "play the hands you're dealt". So I will submit my humble entries for "Summer", per Ms EmCi's directives, hoping for continued generosity, magnanimity and kindness from our esteemed commentators.

These were street scenes in Santa Monica, on the 3rd Avenue Promenade, summer 2011.

Happy Summer to all,
T.

Re: [MC74 and Friends] My entries for Umbrellas

Dear EmCi, KLiem and Ai-My:

Thank you very kindly for your good reviews. Since Ms EmCi think that people add warmth to the photos, and "thu*`a thang xo^ng le^n" ( using EmCi's term), I will submit one more "umbrella" photo, with warmth...

T.

Re: [MC74 and Friends] My entries for Umbrellas

Dear Blog Chiefs, fellow PNEH's, dedicated artists and powerful critics:

Responding to "lo*`i hie^.u-trie^.u quo^'c-da^n do^`ng-ho^`" of our blog executive Ms Emci, I would like to send in my entries for the theme "umbrella". These photographs are "hot off the press", i.e. taken this morning at Fashion Island Mall in Newport Beach. I hope to have fulfilled my obligation on "Umbrella", and will work diligently on "Summer" next.

Dedicated yours,
T.
PS: I have 4 pictures, and will have to send them in separate emails due to size constraint. Sorry, I am not well versed in manipulating the size of the pictures.

Re: [MC74 and Friends] Last call to PNEHs for RWB

Dear Blog Bosses, fellow PNEH:

Here we go again...Ms EmCi cracking her whip! She "vaguely remembers", and never forgets! For my part, I distinctively remember saying that I would "work" on the entry. I did not promise a successful outcome -:)).

However, since you insist, I will send in my very humble entries, and hope kho^ng bi. che^. I had to use the good old tactic of searching in the photo archives for the RBW color.

Two entries from the archives show my ski partners with their red/blue outfits and white snow in the background.

One entry shows my blue Mini Cooper next to a red one at the dealership, when I took my car in for service earlier this week.

Sincerely,

T.

Fwd: [MC74 and Friends] Last call to PNEHs for RWB

This is my Mini Cooper entry.

T.

Re: [MC74 and Friends] my entries for Self Portrait

Dear Blog Chiefs, fellow bloggers:

Following the lead of blog master EmCi, co^ Ky'-Die^.u BL, forum chief TNS and Professeur Q., I would like to submit my humble - not standing out - entries for the theme "Self-Portrait".

The first picture I took myself arm extended, in the morning, "nai-ni.t go.n-ghe~", getting ready to hit the slopes, Vail, Colorado Feb. 2010.

The second picture: ready to take a dip in the pool, August 2009.

The third picture: Park City, Utah Feb. 2008.

Sincerely,
T.

Fwd: [MC74 and Friends] My entry for Buildings, monuments

Dear hai Ba` Chu? blog, and fellow bloggers:

Thank you all for the fabulous photography, painting and poetry. Special thanks to Queen LH and Diva BL for sharing pictures of beautiful people in beautiful Paris.

I have a very modest contribution of a few pictures of views seen from the Griffith Observatory building in Los Angeles. In the first picture, one can see the "HOLLYWOOD" sign, and in the last 2 pictures, the city of LA is seen in a distance. Not great pictures, but go'p mat cho vui.

T.

Fw: [MC74 and Friends] theme for next week project - TASTING PLEASURES

Dear Nhi.-Vi. Ba` Chu?, fellow bloggers, PNEH, multi-talented artists:

I know I have been derelict in my weekly contributions to the blog. I do have a few...excuses though, and do hope for generosity in your judgments.

When I got news of the theme "EGGS", quite honestly I was stumped! All I could think of was the double eggs I used to get not too infrequently courtesy my teachers at the lyce'es JJR and MC. To my surprise and delight, the postings on this topic demonstrated our bloggers' superb talent and creativity. I would like to say that I have enjoyed every single contribution made to the blog. I will not cite every name, for I will miss someone, but each and everyone of you are amazing. And hats off to Ms BiTi, who does a superb job each week in putting them all together.

I know it's a bit...late, but hope that my humble entry for "Tasting Pleasures" be accepted by the blog authorities. It's a picture of my sons enjoying their ice cream this past week in Las Vegas with uncle QHung and aunt CNhung, celebrating their 34th wedding anniversary. Or, as QHung would say: 34 nam kho'i lua! It's all in fun, for I must attest this is one of the happiest couple I know, who are still deeply in love with each other. As a bonus entry, I am sending in a picture of the President of the Dior Fan Club for your enjoyment.

Humbly yours,
T.

Fw: [MC74 and Friends] My entry for this week theme - Attitude

My kids are still young, so I have not experienced the "attitude" that Brain showed here. I am heeding Son's advice to enjoy this time as much as I can, for the children will not be as attached to us when they grow up. I am sending in a picture showing a different attitude, that of my youngest boy Nathan Xuan-Khoa ( who is now 6 y/o), taken when he was almost 3, at a time when the presence and attention of his father was still desirable and pleasurable to him.

Have a great Spring Sunday everyone.

T.

Re: [MC74 and Friends] Fwd: My entry for this week's theme "Transitions/Spring"

Dear High Level Blog Executives, fellow bloggers:

Yes, Triet is right. California has been battered by a series of storm
that left us wet and cold like the rest of the country. As a result,
the top of the San Gabriel Mountain in my neck of the woods has been
covered with snow, low clouds and thick fog, while signs of Spring are
obvious on the ground. The view of the mountain is fascinating, but I
must admit I could not capture its beauty with my camera due to lack
of photographic skills. I wish a professional like Doc Doug was here
to help me. Nevertheless, I managed to come up with my entry for the
theme Transition/Spring, ready to be submitted. I am aware of the
stringent rules and regulations set forth by the authorities at the
High Command of the Blog, and am quite confident that my entry is in
total compliance in terms of subject matter and timeliness. I had
obtained an special exemption from Ms EmCi ( allowing me not to follow
the rules), but will save this privilege for another occasion -:).

The view of the mountain, and a poem by Che-Lan-Vien, the verses of
which I will quote later, were my inspiration to compose va`i ca^u
tho* con co'c to submit, along with two photographs. They both show
the mountain top covered with snow, clouds and fog. In one, I took a
page from Mr. K.t.c.'s playbook, and shot the picture in the car while
driving home.

A note to the two "kho' ti'nh" members of the blog Di` Tu* Minh-Thu'y
and CowGirl Luong-Hien: No, this poem was not mu*o*.n or cho^m from
anyone!


Tôi có chờ đâu có đợi đâu
Đem chi Xuân đến gợi thêm sầu
Với tôi tất-cả như vô-nghĩa
Tất cả không ngoài nghĩa khổ-đau.

Ai đâu trở lại mùa Thu trước
Nhặt lấy cho tôi những lá vàng
Với của muôn hoa muôn cánh rã
Về đây đem chắn nẻo Xuân sang.
Chế-Lan-Viên


Cuối  Đông


Mây thật thấp, sương mù len đỉnh núi
Gió lạnh về, tuyết trắng vẫn còn bay,
Mùa Đông ơi, hãy dang rộng đôi tay
Ngăn Xuân lại, đừng cho Xuân đến vội.

Người đã đến để lòng ta mở hội,
Ban ân-tình cho một kẻ cuồng-si,
Trong thoáng chốc, tình chợt đến chợt đi,
Mùa Xuân ấy, ôi Xuân sầu ly-biệt!

Nay Xuân đến, với cây xanh nắng biếc
Ấm muôn loài, nhưng chẳng ấm tim ta,
Vạn-vật tưng-bừng, sắc thắm ngàn hoa
Không thay-đổi được lòng này khô-héo.

Tiết Đông buồn-bã, âm-thầm, lạnh-lẽo
Ta quen rồi, băng-giá thú đau-thương,
Tự bảo lòng: thôi quên hết vấn-vương
Tình-yêu ấy, chỉ phù-du ảo-ảnh.

Lưu-luyến chi, khi tình-yêu vỗ cánh
Người xa rồi, hương-phấn khó nhạt-phai,
Khi Xuân sang, mang đến những u-hoài,
Tim ta chứa một mùa Đông vô-tận!


Thuan

Re: [MC74 and Friends] For this week's theme 'through the window'

Hi all,

I must say that the artistic talents displayed on this forum are really impressive. It is humbling to be in you all's company. Since we have not had too many poems posted, I will follow the lead of our very talented musician/singer/poet Triet, and humbly send in my modest contribution of a small poem, all the while hoping that "tru*'ng tho^'i" will not be thrown at me.

Tự nhủ

Anh tự nhủ…quyết sẽ không nhung-nhớ,

Không giận-hờn, không suy-nghĩ vẩn-vơ,

Không tương-tư, không thao-thức đợi-chờ

Không buồn-bã những ngày em xa vắng.

Vừa xa nhau, ôi sao lòng vương-vấn,

Nhớ môi thơm đượm ngọt vị yêu-đương,

Nhớ tay đam-mê đưa lối thiên-đường,

Nhớ tình-tự những chiều Đông buốt-giá.

Nhớ làm sao lời yêu tha-thiết quá

Lúc chiều tàn em thủ-thỉ bên tai,

Nhớ làm sao trong đêm vắng canh dài

Tình e-ấp em trao anh trọn-vẹn.

Ôi anh nhớ những buổi chiều hò-hẹn

Đường em về lưu-luyến lúc chia tay,

Ôi nhớ-nhung thao-thức suốt đêm dài,

Anh tự-nhủ…sẽ yêu em mãi mãi!

Thuan

Re: [MC74 and Friends] Re: week photo subject -- Ocean, lake, river, bathtub water :-)

 

Japanese Garden, San Francisco.

Thuan

Re: [MC74 and Friends] Re: week photo subject -- Ocean, lake, river, bathtub water :-)

Interesting plant from Huntington Library, San Marino, California.

Thuan

Re: [MC74 and Friends] Re: week photo subject - Ocean, lake, river, bathtub water :-)

Complying with the decisions made by hai ba` chu? tie^.m Ms BiTi and Ms Em Ci, xin ma.o-muo^.i send in my photos of the week: the Southern California coast. I hope these pictures will receive favorable (merciful!) reviews from the judges, especially from our eminent critic and prolific writer Professor Kiu.

Respectfully.
Thuan