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.
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!
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?
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 newcamera 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…
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:
Baby MaisieGrown-up Maisie
Wishing you all – and my dear sister – the sweetest of dreams! ♥
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
Lights wink on as dusk descends.Window-shopping in Cannes; almost as fun as the real thing!Boulevard de la Croisette invites us to explore. Ritz Carlton on the right.The Croisette stretches 2 km long beside the Mediterranean Sea.The entrance to our hotel beckons.Home Sweet Home for three nights.
On to Paris:
The view from our hotel for four nights
On the Seine River Dinner Cruise……which ended at the Eiffel Tower.Bonne nuit, mes amis!
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.
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?
Vivian here again, returning to guest host on Jennifer’s Journal.
Today’s update is actually in answer to the Photo Challenge: “Contrasts” over at the Daily Post. Yes, we know it’s a tad late, but Jennifer was busy blogging about other stuff.
Hmmm…which makes me wonder: what could be more important than CATS?
Particularly, Moi?
Even my sister Maisie is somewhat miffed that we were put on hold for other posts.
Never mind I was centre stage in three of the last seven journal entries; everybody would rather hear from Adorable Me than yet another post about boring writing, appreciation, and now, bouquets… blah, blah, blah. Am I right?
You’re nodding, aren’t you?
Now, on to the Challenge. Maisie and I are a study in contrasts, that is a given. Yes, we are cats, yes, we are sisters, and yes, we both love Perry’s Point. But our personalities differ greatly. I don’t like bananas, Maisie loves them. I stand on my hind legs to please my daddy master, Maisie wouldn’t dream of it. I love licking Maisie and cuddling with her, she merely tolerates me. If we were human, you would probably surmise that I’m an extrovert and Maisie is an introvert, and you would be correct.
But this is a “Photo Challenge”. I haven’t figured out how to use a camera – yet – so Jennifer took the following shots (and the shot above) and tweaked them a bit using lots of contrast in her photo editor to achieve these results.
This one shows my dreamy, romantic side.
Jennifer says she’s going to paint this one someday, since I’m her MUSE, she tells me. (rolls eyes) Whatever!
I was on the Hunt here, too preoccupied to pose prettily. “Here, Mickey…here, Tweety…wait! I think I see a flutterby!”
Maisie playing with the camera strap. Get a load of those talons, will ya? Yeesh, someone overdue for a MANI-PEDI?
Ooh, even I have to admit this one was quite a capture. Sis looks like she sees something lipsmackingly delish. Did someone peel a BANANA?
Jennifer caught me unawares in this one….zzzzzz….but she let sleeping cats lie.
Jennifer says she thinks she’s onto something with the heavy contrast. She says the greater definition may help her draw or paint images from photos done this way. I’m iffy about it, but what do you think?
That’s it for me today. Vivian here signing off, but I leave you with my favourite quote:
“Of all God’s creatures there is only one that cannot be made the slave of the lash, that one is the cat. If man could be crossed with the cat, it would improve man, but it would deteriorate the cat.”
One would think the hard stonework of the walls would make one feel cold.
Jennifer's Journal 