Leonora Holsapple Armstrong, who left New York 100 years ago to live in Brazil and was named the Mother of the Baha’is of South America and Brazil

…and Now

This is the now of being in Israel. 

My wonderful orientation group - January 2011

Then …

The four of us before leaving Miami for Tel Aviv

Photo at right shows my parents, younger sister and I before leaving Miami for Tel Aviv.  We arrived about 36 hours later and did not look so spiffy!    My first trip to Israel.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My Parents

Bob & Karin Leonard, 1st night pioneers in Kodiak, AK, July 1956

My parents were extraordinary.  My mother was only 19 when they married and lived in Oxnard in a tiny apartment where she worked for the telephone company while my father was at the Navy base.  Only a year later they pioneered, because of the exhortations of the Beloved Guardian, to Kodiak Island in Alaska.  He had specified many islands all over the world as goals of the 10 Year Crusade to be opened up to the Bahá’í Faith.  And they went.  Courtesy of the United States Navy, as Mom always said, and the choice being Kodiak or Japan, they chose Alaska which was still a territory in 1956.  (It actually became a state the year that I was born, but that’s jumping ahead a bit.)

Bob & Karin Leonard, Geyserville - 1950's

They were shipped up to Kodiak and placed in one of several hundred identical little box-like houses on the hill overlooking the Kodiak harbor, named Aleutian Homes.  They were pastel-sided two bedroom tract houses that all looked alike – identical one car garages – little wooden steps up to the front door.  No garden – just dirt road, dirt yard, wooden step.  I never knew why they didn’t live on the Naval Base, but it suited my Mom better to be nearer town and enabled the privacy of not having to live in the fish bowl with other Navy wives.  She got a cat named Morgan to keep her company while my Dad was on the Base working or flying in the Arctic as she knew he was doing.  Even though he was on secret reconnaissance flights over Russia and unable to tell her anything about it; she went gray by her early twenties.

Miss Holsapple

Leonora Stirling Holsapple with Mrs. Elizabeth Greenleaf, Green Acre 1923

Hudson, N.Y. January 25^th, 1921

“Yes, Leonora sailed away on 15^th Inst. and kept up bravely to the last – smiling and waving goodbyes to her father and sister after they had left the ship.”

No one believed she could do it. No one thought she should.  Everyone said she was crazy. Her friends said it was too far away – to go half way round the world – and unsafe.  Her father said he wouldn’t allow it!  But she went and bought the one way ticket for the ships travel to Brazil anyway!  This was not a girls’ whim, or a dare for high adventure. This was a yearning of the soul – a yearning to follow the desires for her of the Master to become a spiritual physician, to minister to people’s hearts.  She had been ministering to young minds, drilling them in Latin.  But what she really yearned for was to fulfill ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s admonition in His Tablet to her to become a spiritual physician healing mankind with the Word of God.

Miss Leonora

Passport photo from 1923 - Leonora at age 28

Rua Dr. Soter de Araujo 3

Santos, Brazil

Feb. 19, 1921

 

Dearest Miss Root,

 

You see I am in Santos after all, and I am so happy – just as you said I would be. At least I am happy to be with Guido Gnocchi and his family, and I shall be more happy when I can feel that I am really helping him in the work for the Cause. There seems to be very little that I can do until I know Portuguese pretty well – Guido assures me that then I can do much – but meanwhile, therefore, I am putting all of my time on the Portuguese, and of course I am getting practice continually, as neither Snr. nor Snra, G. knows any English. They are helping me a great deal, and I am also teaching them English now in the class which I have begun and am to have 3 evenings a week. I have translated one of ‘Abdu’l-Baha’s talks, and Snr. G. has corrected it, and I hope to do much in this way, for I think the translation of the Teachings is one of the most important and urgent needs.

Another Gallery Post

Gallery post of the Gallery!

So that first gallery post looked pretty good… Using a large size photo in the centre position really uses the space well.

Self Portrait with Glasses & Self

Will experiment with a few photos together…..

Gallery Post

Two younger painting students working on self-portraits in acrylic.

Am not sure what a Gallery Post is, but am intrigued – so here goes!!

My California Art Studio

Still Life with Lilies in process…..

Lately have been missing my studio that I left behind in California to come to Israel….. Thus the header here showing part of the interior, paintings, brushes….

Sonora Studio Interior

This photo was taken on a tidy day!  The screen at left is hiding the work area….ie: the messy side!

Showing the messier side of the studio with still life on easel

This picture shows the studio a little more realistically…..  On the easel is a still life of white lilies.

White Pitcher Still Life on Easel

At the right is the left corner of the studio with 8×10 on my larger pochade box easel.  This painting had TWO buyers at the reception night..luckily one collector was there 10 minutes earlier than the other, so there was only a bit of friendly banter over her having gotten it first…..

White Arum Lilies still life set up in the gallery.

Okay – that is pretty large for the page, but it shows the still life, the oil painting…before it was finished… as well as the gallery corner we were set up in.  Painted this with a few friends – really cool to see how each of us had a different view, different style and medium.

Painting Plein Air in Calaveras County, Calif.

Okay – this is the first time I’ve shown this photo that Diane took of me while we were painting out at Melones Lake…. We were out there to get some small paintings of the California Poppies on the hillsides.  We were on the border of Tuolumne and Calaveras Counties… the sides of the hills were COVERED in solid orange.  It was an extraordinary year for poppies.

Poppies painting on easel.

This shows the view looking east up the valley with the lake below, and the hillside covered with poppies. And my sweet little Guerilla Painters pochade box which I had to leave in California till further notice!!  {sigh….}

Miniature landscape of near Oakdale

Near the end of each year we would have a miniatures show and this was one done down in the valley below Tuolumne County outside the town of Oakdale.  There were rolling hills instead of mountains….grassy meadows dotted with green oak trees.

Have a tiny corner with field easel set up here in my little flat that I’ve painted at several times now….  It’s not quite the same.  Am hoping to get outdoors with my pochade box to paint in October or November when it’s cooler.  There’s so much to paint here…..almost too much!  Lots of movement, lots of colour!  More to come………

Gorgeous Gardens at Bahjí

One Saturday when most of the buses were not running and things were VERY quiet because of Shabbat….I was invited to go with friends in their car out to Bahjí.  This is the estate to the north of Haifa where Baha’u’llah went to live when he was released from the prison in ‘Akká. At the time he was there – 1879 to 1892 when he passed away – it looked nothing like it looks today.  It was an old country mansion with small outbuildings and no gardens.  People got there by donkey, cart or by walking.

The real work of the design of the gardens was started by Shoghi Effendi and his vision has been carried on even after his passing in 1957.  This historical photo below was taken from the south and my photos below that show where we entered from the west.

Mansion of Bahjí

Bahjí – path from west entrance

Mansion of Bahji – Historical photo

More of ‘Akká

Entering ‘Akká - The Ancient Fortress City

Having got a crash tech consultation over lunch today am attempting to put my new knowledge to the test here.  Apparently I’ve been overwhelming my posts with photos, when it’s supposed to have some text involved as well.  My attempted method was to load the photo first and comment as I looked at it.  Not the way the software works!  SO here I am writing my text first and about to go into my extensive photo files to choose the lucky photo, or usually as the case turns out to be, the lucky photos!

Along the Sea Wall - ‘Akká

The afternoon in ‘Akká was outstanding in that we entered and drove over to the west side of the walled city to find parking by the water.

Then we walked south along the seawall heading towards the lighthouse, and turned east and walked toward the boat harbour.  Posted a few of the blue boat pics yesterday. We ate at a restaurant on the water with fishing boats and nets right next to the fence around the outdoor tables.

Seawall looking east towards boat harbour

We then headed in from the water by the caravanserai, past the mosque and toward the markets.  The streets were so narrow that only a bike or Yaris type car would fit.

The markets were FULL of color, so I was shooting photos constantly as we walked.  Everything from cinnamon to high heeled shoes, ice cream to  belly dancing outfits, smoking pipes to scarves.

Spices, morter & pestals - Market ‘Akká

Outdoor Market - ‘Akká

Bags of Spices - Market ‘Akká

Pipes and musical instruments - Market ‘Akká

Belly dancing costumes - Market ‘Akká

Cooking utensils - ‘Akká Market

Bags full of interesting stuff

Market Colour

Blue Boats – ‘Akká

I don’t remember visiting this side of ‘Akká when we came in the 70’s.  It is the boat harbour and is bustling, and vivid.  The fisherman try to work in the middle of the tourists and sightseeing boats are mixed in with working fishing boats as well as pleasure sailboats.  So many of the boats are painted blue….that Mediterranean blue that shouts out to you summer!  And to some the message is more subtle – saying Mazra’ih, or Bahjí.

Blue Boat Profiles - ‘Akká

Blue boats in ‘Akká harbour.

New Venture!

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to wear an original painting on your clothing? So excited to write here that my work is taking off in a fabulous new adventure of original design with my oil paintings, gouache and block prints produced in one-off fashion and accessory designs! Please take a peek at: https://www.legaleriste.com/young.fine.arts

Recent Plein Air Work

Have not had a dedicated art studio since 2010 but have never quit creating. Working out of plein air pochade boxes most often over the past 11 years has been sufficient but am now at a place where my paints have taken over their storage space in the laundry room! Have expanded into textile art, bookmaking and journaling. Below are some examples of work in oils, watercolour and gouache. (PS: All the software widgets have changed since last in here and being totally un-intuitive anymore, this is a very messy post!)

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  Keystone Waterfall, Valdez, Alaska

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  Spruce, Glennallen, Alaska

100 Years Ago

In all of Latin America during the lifetime of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá there was only one pioneer, Mrs. Leonora Holsapple. …The beloved Guardian mentioned that in all of Latin America there was only one pioneer and then said “Bebeeneed – behold – what has happened.”

• Dhikru’lláh Khádem. “Service at the Threshold” in The Vision of Shoghi Effendi, p. 104 – 105.

100th Anniversary of Leonora Holsapple (Armstrong)’s Departure from New York for Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Another New View

Another new view to add to the collection.  No ocean view this time, but a glorious panorama of the Chugach Mountain Range bordering the east side of Anchorage, Alaska.  After adventures out on Unalaska Island, a wedding and blending of families, travels galore for the first two years, we are now settled in our little hill house with views of the Chugach Mountains down to the Kenai Peninsula.

 

Seen Around Unalaska

These are some views of the village of Unalaska, some of the beaches on Amaknak Island where Dutch Harbor is located, and views looking down off of Mt. Ballyhoo toward the volcano of Mt. Makushin. There are also two pics showing old WWII installations on Mt. Ballyhoo above Dutch Harbor.

Salmon Fishing with Eagles in Unalaska

Fileting the catch attracts some attention . . .

In a Macro World

Aleutian Rhododendron

Dwarf Dogwood

Aleutian Heather [Heath]

Purple or Showy Orchid [Dactylorhiza aristata]

Inside a tulip

Wild Blue Lupine

Buttercups

Wild Blue Lupine

Soggy and Windblown Dandelion

Soggy Dandelion

Coastal Paintbrush – Honey Flower

Emerging Shasta Daisy

Bald Dandelion Duo

English Daisy Solo

English Daisy Duo

Magenta Bellis

Wet tulip bud

Impressions of Israel: A Montage Compiled Over 2 1/2 Years of Photographing

Guards at the Lion’s Gate – Old City Jerusalem.

Approaching the Lion’s Gate – Old City Jerusalem.

Garden of Gethsemane – Jerusalem.

Ancient mosaic – Jerusalem.

View from Mt. of Olives to Dome of the Rock – Jerusalem.

Mosaic in church on Mt. of Olives, near Jerusalem.

Mediterranean – coast of Israel south of Haifa.

View from Hatzionut St. over Haifa to the bay.

Garden on Hatzionut Street, Haifa.

View of valley from the Herb Farm Restaurant, near the Gilboa Mts.

Looking towards Lebanon from beach pier at Nahariyah.

Interior of The Herb Farm Restaurant, near Gilboa National Forest.

Memorial to donators of trees to the Gilboa National Forest.

Cows grazing near Gilboa National Forest

Ezreal Valley farmlands.

Rainy view of the main square – Nazareth

Driving through the ancient narrow streets of Nazareth.

Interior courtyard of hotel – Nazareth

A customer out front while we are sipping coffee in the back! Nazareth

Coffee roasting at back of shop – Nazareth

Being served coffee at the back of the shop. Nazareth

Coffee shop – Nazareth

What’s for sale – the eggs, or chickens? . . . not sure!

Hostel courtyard – Nazareth

This a road, not a sidewalk, and we were driving on it!

The famous landmark church of Nazareth.

McDonalds in Druze village of Daliyat Al Karmiel, near Haifa.

Arab flat bread maker – Nazareth

Dried fruits – market in Nazareth.

Dried beans and lentils – market place in Nazareth.

Spices in market – Nazareth

Reflections in modern building – Tel Aviv

Jewish quarter of Old City Jerusalem.

View of wailing wall with Dome of the Rock in background – Old City Jerusalem.

Red decoration around doorway indicates that inhabitant of this house has made pilgrimage to Mecca. Street in Old City Jerusalem.

Women’s enclosed wooden observation balcony – Old City Jerusalem.

Architectural details from different centuries – Old City Jerusalem.

Street view – Old City Jerusalem

Israeli soldiers – Old City Jerusalem

Street in Old City Jerusalem.

View of the Dome of the Rock Mosque – Old City Jerusalem

Looking down into a street in Old City Jerusalem.

Shop selection including musical instruments.

Street of Old City Jerusalem

Our guide pointing to the bullet holes from the 1967 war in the Lion’s Gate – Old City Jerusalem

Entering the Lion’s Gate – Old City Jerusalem

Israeli flag flying n Jerusalem.

Tile wall art – Wadi Nisnas, Haifa.

Fruits and vegetables – Wadi Nisnas, Haifa.

Coffee shop and owner – Wadi Nisnas, Haifa

Coffee seller’s Turkish coffee serving set – Wadi Nisnas, Haifa.