To trace the remote in the immediate; the eternal in the ephemeral; the past in the present; the infinite in the finite; these are to me the springs of delight and beauty. ~ H. P. Lovecraft
Captured from our doorstep last weekend…
…and a few minutes later.
Photo Challenge: Ephemeral
For one of the weeks of our vacation in Italy, our party of eight stayed in a stone farmhouse villa in the Tuscan region near Siena and Florence. It is known by the Italians as an Agriturismo.
Located in the province of Arezzo, this ancient agriturismo, the Scarpellino, had been renovated in 2005. All of its original architectural details were restored.
I loved how warm and homey the villa felt with all of its stone walls, inside and out.
I also loved where it was situated, nestled in the middle of vineyards and olive trees.
Complete privacy was a given.
Here are some inside shots:
One would think the hard stonework of the walls would make one feel cold.
Perhaps it is my “inner cavewoman” that likes the atmosphere stone walls create.
The Daily Post Photo Challenge: Walls
Siena, one of our beloved destinations during our trip to Italy,
is a walled city in Tuscany that has preserved its medieval, gothic appearance.
This World Heritage Site seemed a fitting showcase for this week’s Photo Challenge.
Surrounded by olive groves and the vineyards of Chianti, Siena is set on three hills,
drawn together by winding alleyways and steep steps.
It offers a bustling life throughout its streets and squares with its many boutiques and shops, cultural events, theater, and a range of sporting activities.
The centre of Siena is accessible primarily on foot.
Cars, other than taxis and police, are prohibited, but motorcycles and scooters are allowed.
Come back tomorrow for a look at some other walls. Arrivederci!
“If baking is any labor at all, it’s a labor of love. A love that gets passed from generation to generation.”
~ Regina Brett
♥
Our little baker girl at two years old:
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And here she is at nine years. Where has the time gone?
Our boy is turning SEVEN on Saturday.
Can’t wait to see you on the weekend, my treasures. xo
❤
“Grandchildren are one of the sweetest rewards for raising a family.”
~ J. Kelland Perry
❤
Weekly Photo Challenge: Reward
What does reward mean to you?
It’s a blue winter day on Perry’s Point.
It isn’t a sad and lonely day, but one painted with the hues of a brilliant blue sky and a blanket of sunshine, the kind of day where the sun and snow merge to design graceful shadows in the hollows of the landscape.
Sun on the newly fallen and drifted snow creates a tapestry of shadowy forms,
from the palest baby blue to the deepest of indigo.
The slanting afternoon rays of sunlight hold little heat,
but warm the heart of this nature-lover nonetheless.
The surface of the snow waves and crests,
while most of the bay lies still under a layer of slush and ice.
Dunes of scalloped white surround me…
…and the only hint of sound is the faint exhale of a frigid breeze.
Certain feathered creatures have already been here.
At the end of the Point I reach the icy blue coastline…
…where the water is still full of movement in spite of the sub-zero air.
Cold, but fluid…
…clear and beautiful.
Other shadows dapple a weather-worn barn…
…and sun-bleached fences.
Hidden in shade, a bird house waits for spring, and a new tenant…
…while our neighbour’s fishing boat awaits a new summer.
Ben Perry’s shed is called a “store” around these parts.
Still more shadows hide in furrows of snow and last summer’s grasses. I wade in.
My toes are like ice cubes inside my boots at this point. I hop over the fence to home.
Time to put the kettle on…
…and thaw myself out with a cup of tea.
And my world changes from blue to green.
How is your January going? What is the colour of your winter?
Daily Post Weekly Photo Challenge: Shadowed
Happy 2015, lovely readers, bloggers, and my feline friends and fans. ♥
Vivian’s the name, for you newbies who haven’t had the pleasure of my sparkling company as of yet. I’ve returned to brighten things up in the blogosphere with another guest-host spot on Jennifer’s Journal. So take a break from struggling with your (ugh) resolutions for a few moments, and join me, won’t you?
My sister Maisie and I agreed to help show what is new and different in our world, specifically a nifty new camera to pose for since St. Nick dropped by last month. Jennifer hasn’t had time to learn all its functions yet, so she took these photos with the autofocus feature, just for a little test run.
Maisie hogged the limelight most of the time…
…but she did pose admirably and didn’t shy away, as she is wont to do.
Okay already! Now, what about moi??
Scenery? Is that necessary? Granted, the new camera does take nice shots – even through the kitchen window…
And naturally, Jennifer wants to show off her granddaughter’s new artwork, another of her treasured Christmas gifts.
(Yes, it’s her grandgirl’s birthday today too, so Happy Birthday, young lady! xox)
But what about me, and my joie de “Viv”?
Oh, come on, woman!
In what universe are a couple of ol’ ducks more photogenic than two purry Perrys?
Finally! { sigh} That’s a bit of an improvement.
But I know we can do better…
There! That’s it. Pixel Perfection.
Toodles, my darlings. Until we meet again…meow!
~This has been Vivian’s entry for The Daily Post Photo Challenge: “New”~
What’s “new” in your little corner of the world? Maisie and Viv are all ears!
Good day, my friends and fellow felines. Vivian K. Perry here, returning as guest host on Jennifer’s Journal.
Jennifer caught me unawares one morning last week, indulging in a wonderfully delicious cat nap. These pics she took make me wonder: do humans dream the same as I do?
Jennifer says I get twitchy at times when I sleep, where my paws seem to act out the dream-movie playing in my head. In the dream-movie, I might be chasing a shrew or a mouse, or I could be trying to catch up to Paul on a walk.
I wonder, is it the cat version of REM sleep? Except it’s RPM sleep – short for “Rapid Paw Movement”?
I think the camera captured me here resting up for another night of fun and frolic. While the weather is still mild, Maisie and I enjoy napping for most of the day, so we can return to our wild, nocturnal adventures as the moon rises and darkness descends…
…then we pad back home at the break of dawn to stir the house with urgent meows and vibrating purrs.
Time to get up and fill our bowls, humans!
“How nice it is to think that feline dreams, like our own, are painted with creative brush strokes from time to time. Perhaps my cats and I even share the same dream…where every cat has a safe, warm place to sleep.” ~ Barbara L. Diamond
“I think we dream so we don’t have to be apart so long. If we’re in each other’s dreams, we can play together all night.” ~ Bill Watterson (Calvin & Hobbes)
Before I sign off of course, Jennifer insists I include a sleeping Maisie in my post:
Wishing you all – and my dear sister – the sweetest of dreams! ♥
Further Reading:
Daily Post Weekly Photo Challenge: Dreamy
I Dream – a poem by Jennifer
During our trip to Italy and France in 2011, I took hundreds of photos, the majority of which were daytime shots. Here are some favourite captures from two of France’s cities in late evening and night.
I still find them as inviting as ever.
Cannes
On to Paris:
Summer in my province of Newfoundland and Labrador, compared to most of North America, is short but ever so sweet. What makes it so cherished, to my mind?
The following photos were all taken in Lead Cove, the little community where I raised my children.
I love my home for its natural beauty,
its refreshing, rugged and
unspoiled charm,
for its clear and wide blue skies
without a whisper of smog.
I love the clean, sparkling water
and the glistening rocks adorning the coastline
that beg to be traced
and trod upon by eager footsteps.
I love summer in Newfoundland
for its breathtaking views
of seascapes and landscapes
when I embark on a hike.
Whether I traverse
its beaches of sand or
climb its rocky windswept hills,
I know my camera will find its aim.
I embrace it because
the bushes and shrubs,
green and lush,
are heavy with fragrance
and of wild roses in bloom…
…while in the gardens,
the planted perennials are brilliant with colour,
delighted at last
to spread their bright petals to the sun.
I love the hardy trees of Newfoundland
in summer…
…as they stretch
their ripe foliage to the sky.
Shot through with rays of sunlight,
a shimmering haze settles over the treetops
like a warm summer veil.
After a long winter and dismal spring
of cold, naked branches,
they, as I do,
breathe a sigh of gratitude
at the return of this warm and golden season.
Are you filled with Summer Lovin’ where you live?
Seeing the above World Heritage Sites, the Colosseum and the Trevi Fountain while in Rome, was unforgettable. Being able to get up close had an enormous impact on me. Have you ever been inspired by a work of art that is also a relic of the past?
See more here: Scenes from Italy: Rome
Jennifer's Journal 