Photo-a-Day - May: Day 31: Something Beautiful

Photo-a-Day - May: Day 31: Something Beautiful

I am one who believes we are surrounded by beauty every day, sometimes in the most mundane places.  However, this prompt caused me to think of those places most memorable to me.  This is one. 

When I was younger, I was blessed with the opportunity to spend three weeks in Paris with a friend.  She knew the husband of the assistant pastor for the American Church in Paris located on Quay d'Orsay between Place des Invalides and Tour Eiffel.  They very generously offered us free use their apartment while they were gone on their vacation touring Italy.  From their apartment, we could have breakfast on the balcony overlooking the Seine and walk or take the Metro anywhere we wanted to go, including Versailles and Chartres. 

Walking back to the apartment from La Louvre, late one afternoon, there was a magnificent sunset.   It turned the sky and the Seine into gold, casting the trees and two socles at the Left Bank end of the bridge into silhouette and reflecting them upon the river. 

The statues on the socles are the Renommée du Commerce ("Fame of Commerce") by Pierre Granet on one side and the Renommée de l'Industrie ("Fame of Industry") by Clement Steiner on the other.

It was a perfect trip and one I shall never forget.  Other than New England, Paris is the only place I felt at home the moment I landed there.

Photo-a-Day - May: Day 30: My Personality

Photo-a-Day - May: Day 30: My Personality

This topic had me a bit of flummoxed, so I asked my friends how they would describe my personality.  While they came up with a lot of very complimentary words, I noticed that the first or second descriptor tended to be "eclectic".  Personally, I love that.  Then they started thinking of how to interpret that in a photo.  To a one, the first thing everyone thought of is my 1940's wooden tea tray in which I had inserted my needlepoint of "Coke".  

I love the convenience of the modern--my Kindle with LED light, Coke in a can (no ice), my Blackberry and my poor broken digital camera.  Equally, I love the elegance and graciousness of the antique--a print book, crystal handle holders and candlelight, a dip pin and ink, and a glass of Manzanilla sherry in lovely vintage crystal.  Oh, and my crystal ball which reflects my metaphysical/spiritual side.

I must say my friends were right; I'm a study in contrasts.  Somehow, it all works and, yes, does reflect my personality.  Perhaps not the one to come up with the adventure, but the first one to sign on, cerebral yet fanciful, organized but not fussy, and always a problem solver--after all, there are no problems, only solutions waiting to be found--and always optimistic. 

Photo-a-Day - May 2012 - Day 29: A Number

Photo-a-Day - May 2012 - Day 29: A Number

Going back to the most ancient cultures, number seven is considered to be a mystic or sacred number, and it has always been my favorite number.  It is also my second favorite beverage, after my beloved Coke.  As a joining of the past to the present, I decided to create a pyramid of seven 7-Up cans.  My Coca-Cola coin bank insisted on being represented in this photo

Photo-a-Day - May: Day 28: Weather

Photo-a-Day - May: Day 28: Weather

As our weather today is fairly boring--fog this morning, partly cloudy later, high of 64 degree--I decided to combine my weather picture with Voyageur (my tiny UPS truck) looking for some blue sky.

Photo-a-Day - May: Day 27: Something Sweet

Photo-a-Day - May: Day 27: Something Sweet

Kitty-sitting for my upstairs neighbors certainly reaped a sweet reward.  Although they bought this locally, they wanted me to share a bit of the flavour from their cruise to the Caribbean.  It wasn't necessary for them to do this, but who am I to refuse a delicious Key Lime Pie.

Photo-a-Day - May 2012 - Day 26: 12 O'clock

Photo-a-Day - May 2012 - Day 26: 12 O'clock

This is one of my favorite clocks as it is the only one I can have in my bedroom.  It's is a French clock, made of solid marble--yes, it weighs a ton--and has a bell chime--think of a counter bell.  Because of the marble, the tick and chime are very soft and the quiet enough not to disturb but still comforting in the night.  

Photo-a-Day - May 2012 - Day 25: Unusual

Photo-a-Day - May 2012 - Day 25:  Unusual

This spire by artist Andrew Goldsworthy is a permanent structure within the Presidio (former Army Base, now a National Park) in San Francisco.  He planted seedlings around it so that, in time, the will disappear within the surrounding trees. 

The spire is made of about 40 cypress logs pressed tightly enough together to form the impression of a single trunk tapering at the top. It reaches 100 ft. high.  The logs are fixed to one another or to a central 17,000-pound log with steel rods.

If you look carefully at the very top of the spire, you'll see a hawk that just happened to land while I was there.

Photo-a-Day - May: Day 24: Something New

Photo-a-Day - May: Day 24:  Something New

As I'm spending next to no money these day, I wasn't certain I'd have anything to post for "Something New."  However, thanks to Amazon--and a generous friend--I just received the Season Two DVD of Sherlock Homes 2012 and a bag of plastic sewing needles,   I send the needles to the KAS folks in South Africa where they are used to assemble afghans for AIDs orphans.  They are not allowed to import them so those of us in the US include them with our shipments of squares. 

Even more thanks go to the kind people at Soho Press who sent me the latest Peter Lovesey book for review.  Generous friends, the universe, and the USPS, doth provide.

Photo-a-Day - May: Day 23: Technology

Photo-a-Day - May: Day 23: Technology

It is remarkable how technology has changed our lives and I appreciate every bit of it.  However, were I required to chose two items on which I most rely, they'd be my tiny microwave--not being much of a cook--and the internet, no matter the device through which it's accessed..