Friday, September 20, 2024

Keep the Dream Flowing - A Podcast About Woodstock 1969


The Woodstock Festival that took place from 15-18 August 1969 in Bethel, New York state was a pivotal moment in popular culture that defined an era and the youthful, idealistic spirit that drove it. Although the generation that experienced those heady days are now in their seventies and eighties, the legacy endures. And, although this particular Facebook group has a very modest membership, it makes up for that in the sheer richness and diversity of the content shared, which delves into numerous different aspects of what made the festival awesome. There are posts about Max B Yasgur, the dairy farmer who hosted the event on his property, the opposition he faced from the neighboring community and even the crazy bet he made with event organizer, Mike Lang. There are details about the stage construction. Snapshots and videoclips. Links to articles, essays and oral history retrospectives from attendees. There's even media about lesser known, contemporary events and posts about artists who were invited to perform but had to decline due to prior commitments. Many artist profiles include set-lists and other details of their performances. Today, the site is demarcated by a memorial marker that remembers the magic of those three, music-filled days. 

Members: 1.4k, at the time of writing
Trigger Warnings: None.
Go here to visit or join. 

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Tuesday, September 17, 2024

Ancient Stone Bothering

When seen in context to the brief lives of humans and the even shorter spans of many animals, stone, rock and boulder seems eternal, strewn across the landscape by the long-ago giants of myth. Some stones are lone reminders of a bygone era. Others hosted mysterious rituals or secret roundevous. From the impressive and instantly recognizable image of Stonehenge to the Dolmen of Menga, Spain, here's a Facebook group that celebrates all those enigmatic corners of the world that retain a little of the timeless mysteries of our past. Carnac. Stenness in Orkney.  Pentra Ifan. Carn Goch. Maen Llia. Callanish in the Outer Hebrides. These stones remember our ancestors. And that is where the bothering part comes in, capturing the temporary intrusions of humans, sheep, cows, dogs and an assortment of other indignities. What do the stones make of us? Heaven alone knows. We can but wonder...

Members: 47.2k, at the time of writing.

Trigger Warnings: None.

Go here to visit or join. 

Monday, September 16, 2024

Paul Klee



The diverse and highly individual work of the Swiss-German artist Paul Klee serves not only as a testament for his creativity, but also hint at a vast internal landscape populated in equal measure with expressions of his intellectual musings and moments of mischief. Unafraid of experimenting in different genres, media and indeed art movements, he had a life-long, passionate love affair with color that informed many of the 9,000 works of art he left behind. As did an early education in music and a deep interest in literature. His epitaph speaks of the sense of wit and whimsy that characterized his very being: "I cannot be grasped in the here and now, for my place is as much among the dead as the yet unborn. Slightly closer to the heart of creation than usual, but still not close enough." This Facebook group share works that are beguiling in their simplicity, or subtle and complex in their shifting palettes. There are also posts that focus on his lesser-known creations, his writings and his more unusual inspirations. 

Members: 137.6k, at the time of writing.

Trigger Warnings: Mild nudity.

Go here to visit or join.  

Photo Credit: Wiki Commons

Thursday, September 12, 2024

Mia's Bayeux Tapestry Story

The Bayeux Tapestry is one of the world's most famous pieces of handcraft. And it tells the story of one of the most significant events in English history - the 1066 invasion of William of Normandy. The original is believed to be around 950 years old. To single-handedly reproduce this incredible piece of cultural art is no mean feat, but that is exactly what the self-taught, Swedish-born artist Mia Hansson has set out to do. To tell the story of this incredible project (which started in July 2016), and to share media about its tie-ins, she had created this Facebook group. The posts offer fascinating insights into the scale and effort involved in bringing the work to life. 

Members: 5k, at the time of writing.

Trigger warnings: None.

Go here to visit or join.

Mia's website: https://www.miasbayeuxstyleart.uk/

Mia's other Facebook Group: https://web.facebook.com/groups/miasdrawingandsewing?_rdc=1&_rdr

Wednesday, September 11, 2024

Dandelion Appreciation Society


There is something absolutely irresistible about dandelions that calls up memories of the innocence of childhood and the wonder of nature. If you are looking for a daily dose of that wonder in your social media newsfeed, then this is the perfect Facebook group to scratch that itch. The vast majority of posts here are visual in nature, featuring photographs, art and inspirations focussed on the humble dandelion in her many guises. Here and there you will glimpse fairies or woodland creatures, and there is also an info-graphic on the health benefits of dandelions. 

Members: 71.6k, at the time of writing.

Trigger warnings: None.

Go here to visit or join. 


Photo Credit: Herbert/HG Fotografie at Pixabay. 

Monday, September 9, 2024

Fabulous Lovers of Weird Everything

 It's always a good sign if I browse through the first few posts of the group I'm visiting and I'm going wow! Wow! Wow! The content ranges from natural wonders to heart-warming, feel-good human interest stories, and mind-blowing examples of animal intelligence and staggering reality checks. Although there is a really wide range of topics, the general theme alligns to wonder and upliftment. Here are some examples. The Hartashen Megalithic Avenue, a Stonehenge like Ancient site in the USA. A beautiful collection of polar stratospheric clouds over Iceland. An animal shelter who came up with a really novel way of matching humans with dogs for some TLC and a new pet parent devised a novel way of naming the dog he adopted.

Members: 107.9k, at the time of writing.

Trigger Warnings: None.

Go here to visit or join. 

Tuesday, August 27, 2024

Steps and Stairs appreciation society


Let's go places. Let's climb up, up, up and see where that gets us. Every image is a gateway. A way to get on the eternal staircase. And while you are traversing the steps, pause and look around you. See azure bays from the windows of whitewashed island villas. Explore the backrooms and underbelly of an auditorium. Overgrown steps of stone. Quaint porch gardens. Ancient places where you would have to watch where you go, lest you stumble. Staircases that lead to little pockets of wonder. If you hear the call to adventure, step outside yourself. You'll never know where it might lead. Thanks to the creator of this Facebook group for opening the door to thousands of steps that lead anywhere. 

Members: 11.7k, at the time of writing

Trigger warnings: None

Go here to visit or join.

Image credit: NakNakNak on Pixabay.