Mr. Lincoln

Holbrook, Arizona (Route 66)

Happy New Year!!!

Seeing Double In Paris

Paris, France                                            (Click photo to enlarge)


If you are familiar with Paris you might recognize the Eiffel Tower on the left, Les Halles, L'eglise Saint Eustache , La Defense, etc. in the middle. Now look on the right. It's the Eiffel Tower again. Sometimes reflections really amaze me.

Weekend Reflections

À Paris, Dans La Nuit

Paris, France

This poor bicycle had to stay tied to pole while his friends zoomed by. I guess if you have to be stuck somewhere this is a pretty good place.

The Narcissistic Dreamers

Dallas, Texas

When I was is Dallas yesterday I saw a couple of guys sitting on poles. They seemed to be in deep thought and I wondered what they were thinking about. 
I've heard that they illuminate at night so I'll be back.

Weekend Reflections

Greetings From San Antonio, Texas

San Antonio, Texas

The week before last we spent a few fun days in San Antonio. Remember the Alamo? The Alamo's wall is on the left side of this photo. I'm sure you can guess who they named the hotel after.

Homeward Bound

Strasburg, Pennsylvania (Strasburg Rail Road)

Are we there yet?

Soft Paris Rain

Paris, France

I took this photo through a window from inside the Louvre.

The Weekend In Black and White

The Mexican Standoff

Oatman, Arizona (Route 66)

The meeting of a man and a burro in the small "Wild West" mining town of Oatman where wild burros and tourist roam freely. It's actually a pretty fun place to spend a couple of hours.

Mamma, Mamma Mia

Florence, Italy

This is the grave marker of Silvia Marini de Rogati (1886-1947). I don't know who she was but it seems she was a loving mother. The look on her face is filled with love and kindness as she protects four small children with her garment as they cling to her legs.
I found this beautiful statue in a small cemetery in front of The  Basilica di San Miniato a Monte high on hill looking over Florence.

Beneath the children at the base of the statue is a carved portrait of Silvia in her later years. It's above an inscription that reads: "Mamma, Mamma Mia".

 These photos were inspired by Owen at the blog called Magic Lantern Show. It's obvious that he loves cemeteries because he photographs them with passion. I know because I was lucky enough to spend a day with him in Père-Lachaise cemetery in Paris a couple of years ago.

Anyway do search for cemetery at his blog and you'll see what I mean. :)  Magic Lantern Show



My entry for The Weekend in Black and White

On the Inside Looking Out

Santa Fe, New Mexico

 

For the past couple of months it's been too hot to go out and take pictures. I'm starting to feel like this poor little dog trapped inside. I have a feeling that I'll try to make up for lost time when the weather cools down in about a month.

Getting Wet in Florence

Florence, Italy

The elderly gentleman was waiting for the bus without an umbrella. Hopefully the bus came or someone shared their umbrella before he got too wet.  It really started pouring so I ended up buying an umbrella for 4euros from a street vendor.

Speaking of rain we finally got some last night but it's still hot. Above 100° degrees at least until the weekend when it's supposed to cool down to the 90°'s.

Almost Alone in Venice

Venice, Italy (The Rialto Bridge)

The Weekend in Black and White
Sunday Bridges

Siena Rain

Siena, Italy

The Weekend In Black and White

The Guardians of the Bicycle

Florence, Italy

The Weekend in Black and White

Benches

Sometimes we have them all to ourselves

 Albuquerque, New Mexico



sometimes we share them with a stranger

Huntington Beach, California




and other times we don't

Santa Fe, New Mexico





but it's always best when we share them with friends

Huntington Beach, California

This post was inspired by my friend Malyss. (une chasseresse de bancs)

Puddle of Love

Florence, Italy (Piazza della Signoria)

A romantic couple in a very romantic place, forever immortalized in a reflection.

Weekend Reflections

Standing in Awe

Venice, Italy  (The Piazzetta di San Marco)

A women looking up at Saint Theodore's Column on a foggy night.

 The Weekend in Black and White

A Night on the Town

Venice, Italy

The Weekend in Black and White

Fire and Fog

Venice, Italy

It's almost 100F today(actually the heat index makes it feel like it's above 100F) so I'm dreaming of cooler times. It's a clash between hot weather and cool thoughts.

See the USA in Your Chevrolet

Holbrook, Arizona (Wigwam Motel parking lot)

A stop on Route 66.

A Land of Giants

 
Sequoia National Park, California

Last month Vicki and I spent a few nights in Sequoia National Park. The trees are enormous. This  is a photo of Vicki in The Giant Forest. Notice how small Vicki and the other trees are compared to the giant sequoia.

 Some sequoia stats:
The tallest sequoia is 311 feet (95 m)
The oldest sequoia is more than 3500 years
The greatest sequoia girth is 155 feet (47 m)
The  greatest sequoia base diameter is 57 feet (17 m) 
The largest sequoia limb is  12.8 feet (3.9 m) in diameter

Road Trip from California to Texas

 I'm still on a blogging break but I wanted to give an update.

We are finally getting settled into our new place in Texas, which I find far less interesting than the journey I took to get here.  :o)  However it is nice to have things in order. 

I wish you all a great weekend!

Strangers in the Fog

Venice, Italy (On a foggy night)

A few weeks ago on my other blog I mentioned that I wasn't going to be blogging very much until June. I want to mention it here too.   I'll try to stop by and see your blogs when I have some time but life is pretty busy right now. I plan on having more free time in June.

From the Beach to the Desert

Newport Beach, California

We are going on a little weekend trip. I'll leave you with some pictures from home and hopefully I'll return with some nice pictures from another place.

Have a great weekend!

My Two Glamour Pusses

Lucy

  and Annie

They both enjoy afternoon sunbaths and lots of cat food . Lucy is sixteen years old and she lost her kittenish figure a long time ago but she's still beautiful. Annie is a plump little five year old who loves to play and frolic almost as much as she likes to eat.

 Lucy and Annie wish their cat friend Jim a Happy Birthday! (Joyeux anniversaire!)

 Annie says:  "Je pense que j'ai le béguin pour toi Jim". but don't tell Lucy. :-)

That's Amore

Venice, Italy

It was a cold and foggy night and this couple had St. Mark's Square almost all to themselves. They didn't even notice the intrusive photographer lurking behind the columns.

Il fumatore................ (to be continued)

Florence, Italy

Starting the last drag of his cigarette.

The Rainy Day

Florence, Italy

" The day is cold, and dark, and dreary;
It rains,and the wind is never weary;
The vine still clings to the mouldering wall,
But at every gust the dead leaves fall, 

And the day is dark and dreary."

~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

 But "every cloud has a silver lining"   Today is a beautiful spring day with lots of sunshine.

Venice Bits and Pieces

An old woman and her birds

An opportunity to explore

A lion in St. Marks Square

Venice, Italy

Vacations seem to go by so quickly but memories can last a lifetime, especially when you take pictures.

A Black and White Day in Venice

Morning

Noon

And Night

Venice, Italy

Just a few stops during one of many long walks. If you go to Venice be sure to wear comfortable shoes.

The Missed Train

Dallas, Texas  (Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART)

It's so annoying to walk up just as your train speeds by. That wasn't the case for me this night because I had a rental car. :)

The Burger Bar

Cleburne, Texas

 Apparently not everything is bigger in Texas.

 I had a free day while I was in Texas last week so I took a drive. This is one of the interesting things that I saw. It's called the Burger Bar and supposedly they've been serving delicious hamburgers since 1949. The tiny brick building has been there since 1893. Unfortunately I was there too late to get a hamburger and too early for good photography light. I definitely want  a second chance for both.

Random Paris Photos

La statue de la Liberté

La Tour Eiffel

Flower Power?

Georges Guynemer?

Paris, France

Just a random stroll in Paris.

Un Matin au Palais Royal

One morning a noise woke me up so I looked out the window to see what it was but I didn't see anything out of the ordinary.

So I walked into another room and looked down

and to the left and right but still nothing.

Maybe it was the children playing ball

or maybe not. I was thankful for whatever it was because Paris is the last place where I would want to oversleep.

Paris, France

Palais Royal is a wonderful place to visit and it's an amazing place to live even if it's for only a couple of weeks at a time.