tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7495785151872797032024-02-18T21:54:30.603-05:00PIACEREit is a pleasure!qualcosa di bellohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15107076097533430296noreply@blogger.comBlogger361125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-749578515187279703.post-81529836618573489342014-06-01T14:42:00.001-04:002014-06-01T14:42:42.925-04:00News from Dog Blog...an update on PhilFor those who have followed Dog Blog through the years, there is a post up <a href="http://dogsblogging.blogspot.com/2014/06/lessons-from-my-dying-dogor-when-mom.html" target="_blank">here</a>.qualcosa di bellohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15107076097533430296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-749578515187279703.post-22044196548886911442011-10-23T16:28:00.003-04:002011-10-23T17:11:11.879-04:00i don't know where you are......& i'm not sure that it matters. <div><br /></div><div>during my time praying lauds yesterday, i was remembering some folks who have asked for prayer for various reasons, & i stopped to dwell for a moment on a man named George. </div><div><br /></div><div>George.</div><div><br /></div><div>periodically over the last few weeks he has been on my mind both during my prayers and at odd moments outside of them, popping up while i fold some laundry or stir the soup. yesterday, i let my mind wander just a bit more beyond my general begging for God to bless and assist George~~ turning to some very serious gratitude for him being in my life. you see, he is the one who really taught me to pray.</div><div><br /></div><div>prior to meeting George almost 10 years ago, if someone asked me to remember them in my prayers, i would happily agree to do so and then go my merry way. what followed was some variation of this: run into person who requested the prayer or someone who knows them to find out that a) the circumstances had improved, b) the circumstances has worsened, or c) things were basically the same. i would nod politely (& embarrassingly if the person thanked me for my prayers), then shuffle away feeling awful that i had not honored such a simple & IMPORTANT request. Why? & yet, i continued, as if paralyzed, in this same pathetic mode.</div><div><br /></div><div>enter George. i met him one of the very first times i was at the sunday homeless dinner in the nearby city. he was an outgoing gentleman with a ready smile and a twinkle in his eye. always. our first conversation was full of laughter, sharing some of our stories as people do when they first meet. it goes without saying that not every part of his life was sparkly, as he was living on the street, but those tough parts of his life did not remotely dampen the joy that he carried & shared. for many weeks & years after that first encounter, every sunday that it was our family's turn at the dinner, George was always front & center to share a hug, some good news & encouragement. one of those many sundays in the mix of years, as we were ready to leave for the day, he grabbed my hand & looked me square in the eye, requesting, "will you pray for me? i will pray for you everyday." </div><div><br /></div><div>something about his look & the urgency of his words made my soul sit up & pay attention. it was as if it said to me, ... look, you failed in this before, but this is serious business. it is necessary. & you must do it. no more dragging of the feet.</div><div><br /></div><div>i could not, under any circumstances in that moment do anything but say "yes" & mean it. my drive home was spent pondering how to make this real. every. day. i scanned my brain for something that would help me remember to take this request seriously, to integrate it into my daily life. i realized that my prayer life in general was quite haphazard; it lacked any sort of structure that would be the skeleton that held it together. considering my daily activities, i remembered the journal that i used nearly everyday for poetry & nonsense, thinking...hey, why not write notes to God. & along the way, write George's name in the margin to jog the lazy memory. this urgency for my friend's request opened up a whole new beautiful world to me as i realized that God is not something far off & He loves to chat over coffee, or to receive my tears poured out for a friend who is hurting, or to hear me moan over some silly perplexing thing of mine while i vacuum, or maybe best of all, to have me just sit with Him in the Adoration chapel quietly & gratefully just. just...</div><div><br /></div><div>through the years George has also taught me more about the Body of Christ than all of my intellectual theological pursuits combined. what it really means to be members of His Body, to sorrow when when part hurts, to take joy with another. a few years ago George stopped coming to sunday dinners. not one of the regular crowd knew where he was or why he wasn't coming. i missed him very much. of course, he remained firmly in my prayers.</div><div><br /></div><div>but now...</div><div><br /></div><div>at first it was strange for me to intercede for someone with whom there was no follow up. i no longer knew of his needs, his struggles, his triumphs. but in my praying for him i discovered that we were still connected somehow. & it didn't matter that i didn't know. God certainly knows. i am not to worry. not a bit. but i am to keep that promise to George. i do. & in this doing, i've learned to trust. that He cares more for George (& for all of us) than i could possibly imagine. that faith means doing things for something which i may never know the outcome. that my very small sacrifice of intercession for George matters very much to God because He created George as a unique individual out of His infinite love....something true for each and every of us. </div><div><br /></div><div>it no longer matters where George is...what matters is love. </div>qualcosa di bellohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15107076097533430296noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-749578515187279703.post-43252014821846765442011-07-09T11:37:00.005-04:002011-07-09T12:48:43.624-04:00re-entry...no mincing words...it was a long blog break & it was as it should have been. yesterday as i contemplated the outcome of my daily errands, i knew something had changed. <div><br /></div><div>2 boys. not our boys. but they could easily be our boys.</div><div><br /></div><div>in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orvieto">orvieto, italy</a> last week, D. & i stumbled into <a href="http://cs.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soubor:Orvieto_Chiesa_Sant'Andrea_diagonal_view.jpg">a church</a> as we are wont to do while meandering around italy. we wander in our separate ways, breathing the quiet in prayer, begging, thanking. i usually light candles for various intentions. in that darkened church my eye was caught by something i had not encountered previously in italy...a photograph of a young man & a guest book for his forthcoming funeral. immediately there was a lump in my throat. he was young~ late teens or early twenties. my gut said "no" but the evidence & the reality whispered "yes." ok. i steered back in the direction of a side altar near the high altar where the candles could be lit, to offer prayers for his soul & his family. as my eyes adjusted, i realized that the young man's coffin was resting in front of the high altar. alone. i was undone by this <i>memento mori</i>, knowing that orvieto has stuck with me in a profound way from this defining moment. candles lit, prayers offered, i stumbled out into the light that was both welcome & harsh, thinking on death & not without hope.</div><div><br /></div><div>fast-forward to yesterday. my early morning errands included a stop at the bank machine before daily Mass. at that hour the bank is not open, but it is not unusual to find another car or two there for the same reason i was there. there was a car in the lot, but oddly, no one at either bank machine making a transaction. my first impulse was to circle out of the lot & return at a later hour when the bank would be open, but for some reason, i did not. nudged on, i pulled up to the bank machine directly beside the suspicious car. my heart went to my throat at the sight...a young man was sleeping in the front seat & did not stir at my arrival. in the back seat of his car seemed to be all the possessions he owned, clean & rather neatly arranged. he, too, seemed clean & dressed just as any other young man in a crowd of late teens or early twenties. the car was not a newer model but it was in decent shape. </div><div><br /></div><div>were i to see any pieces of this total picture by themselves...the boy, his belongings, the car...they likely would not catch my eye at all. they were ordinary. but together... i looked for a long moment, wondering what brought him to this. wondering if he had someone missing him, if he had a place for a soft landing. wondering if his mother ached to know where he was in that moment, remembering the days she rocked him to sleep in a loving, safe home & kissed his forehead goodnight. these and a million more thoughts broke my heart. i was tempted to tap on the window & offer to buy him something to eat, to take him to Mass with me. but i didn't. the same thing the urged me into the parking spot beside him held me back from doing more. so i did my banking & returned to the car, taking one last look at him. i knew in that moment that this boy would be in my prayers for a very long time.</div>qualcosa di bellohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15107076097533430296noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-749578515187279703.post-45767560237555231962009-11-28T14:55:00.001-05:002009-11-28T14:55:00.818-05:00well...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406648401714224610" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggET1Tk7u55sPipe2ybbb9BIbhyphenhyphenwvzuNxfbeHgIY1wcbArnBz0eDY_BhWttsvDd-CHHiyG_N8LGQ-wbKlL-dXVGuxHFWH4sHGI_CYO44aWMWIPrnYWHBVWLnw-5dATQIXeRlVdGtNyTAw/s320/PA090075.JPG" />...do you??qualcosa di bellohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15107076097533430296noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-749578515187279703.post-44445164615961639082009-11-24T14:28:00.000-05:002009-11-24T14:28:00.373-05:00humble thoughts on forgiveness...forgive me if i've seen<br />the splinter in your eye<br />then hit you with the plank in mine<br />while reaching to "fix" you<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406641698179890850" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGDqeUtu-uAGLWqiO7YlSb3FWfdv4OQyu92-aWwhUTaoEeLemzaosDCtSu1MlVbQLyNAHEtZ1nmmUJCdmUBkeAxPtscBf5bP_yth40-udK5X9-twq18o47BOeQ-To2fpIu9ozb_a_tJxs/s320/PB160024.JPG" />qualcosa di bellohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15107076097533430296noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-749578515187279703.post-47396606398154288632009-11-21T12:22:00.009-05:002009-11-21T14:28:56.253-05:00free-falling...did you ever have one of those days when beauty conspires to pull you out of your ordinary, maybe even kicking & screaming out of the clutches of feeling blue? why do we sometimes wallow willingly in drudgery when we live one blink of the eye away from the incredible?...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406636613556778306" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSC9QK_jkGa5_Jys7SOxoBr2UbGoHBP-QpaUPUfGiRUrcb40M1xzq2uymg0gdQcpnD1pIfR3d0QzhLkCu8fmnMCRifrv83vOY3b55ls82is7oXRoSYqM7vKKKCeMbPzfUmpyZsx2LC6H0/s320/PB160035.JPG" />last monday was like a waking from my all-too-usual sleepwalk through a mundane monday. D. came home from work & proclaimed it a day too gorgeous to spend indoors any longer & so we were off, wandering the nearby tidal creek, basking in fall's perfection...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406636618267895250" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8HzT3RiHtH9PD4Xa1-_FCtUk-imH3M1fJAHfife3z9OG2O2efk8orDBqjOCFB4KEdj0VUsfjMqpnoLGDO_l_2PX5mceESg0d0QIGmLW_GAHZBd_ktlYUx0zKwEfPIyMS11wGqKUR2G1k/s320/PB160018.JPG" /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406636624910973090" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAsKhS4EelZaLfGB6H4h631b6FBF91KuBmVGFfj3MhoYmXuSirqIIBumpS97f8zK5uHqc9SxammannnOUwGshopyOknUUNaEnK2MxJEvvOa6rW-JV5hAmlGC7nWqhVX8VCZ3RQ6LJfBTI/s320/PB160014.JPG" />he knew i might have a tendency to be a bit blue that day as i remembered my daddy's passing & as we meandered, he kept telling me that spending some time in nature would be just what daddy would want to do...so true! i could feel a rush of wonderful memories from years past~~moments working side-by-side in the fading dusk to rake fall leaves, filling bird feedings while he taught me the names of the birds, rides on the tractor to collect tree prunings (oh, the joy when i could sit in his lap & steer!!)...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406636608403772290" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1zmvudhppsV13J7cAebfQ7itTuaBecSWZNyZ-HYhNq9AV0jmM8ZGpkX1puxi4TkpA_p4IZr9-7Y2ba2syswmT_DvUe1asRVEzsDyldFh9hdl2Qb9244QJeIERDXFVF0Yuz0_cjI3qVaM/s320/PB160042.JPG" />we were regaled with otters' antics...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406634728032381058" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWtQZkjbsNr1bzXmtqqNjPhqfpTWrKdnMeUqW3-36SLg71mFGAJDh9vyMTM-5qf245LLQe8GhN9iEBFq-h10vQ1PklAV7wy6ju5pag8k6a2lnUJV8iE86W-Dg37X_2YAOgYz3iyfjuqwg/s320/PB160094.JPG" /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406634717746866466" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG8962FfnrrRjo0rvwwvp6E3aPupHBtmFnuhmpc25CfE1YYuoNJbj7egKCjZ5qEDZuU5vhzJ1l395KoVRBFkknnq0j0wYAut9w_UzmiayOkhteWByYr6kC398965urxeSlGuEyjn1Re2w/s320/PB160117.JPG" />late-season egrets returning to their old summer roosts...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406633263014703090" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfxO9kf5q9KacSKMDWkkOByFAQ-w7JLOkPibB1Er6SYaY0qt48NIGB-hV-RvdbRav0C0uIxDUwldCfooT0lkrDf41cmQPmHG2OdqUTyGbhfoxn8vEipTelOx_m0jCiR5JxyrdC71p1AYs/s320/PB160119.JPG" /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406633254010162626" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivilQ4NJ-KbTBdrInphLhan4qZ7tuQAhxv7bpoWVn0ShNtUs7ntrmb8kQbG4VzpKX0U1R0bW53g7vhyphenhyphen5x_lvrnw9i_ehR7hckcRnIHThUvsCRtAuFUH9iAgKab-vBW_V1L33yE9cfJxww/s320/PB160129.JPG" /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406633243229872738" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGbo_jUixE9Po0Vr6ZSAwipzjyb2iUUoW0RszPs3l6jjTgudd9yHJ_HGqvjJm-jxZh8Aeu2ynp0jSKlq8z909S53ildIm466HVB0b81mXwy3ewIZyNr8BPtow5KfTFEpvejZJSkWYaGEo/s320/PB160134.JPG" /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406633260204308994" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCl-6f74udbtSxuXjjjV-kGCqTdSihhcElO7c3addJdefIN-Td4y7URiV8xKrUHw3R4IBAyUr3ntNcf9cGmJWUZ0LW2jspSk5oeSJTe02e2NDO7cyGs3JmW0hH8hYGSrlfh0cdzfQugQ8/s320/PB160128.JPG" />flocks of geese on the move (& a tad camera-shy too)...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406636629732726706" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEsDrhVcu7t5vW5nuyvlx-faa74kEETqeLFzV9zCQuyz6MUNTHYUrsdLxW5PSKBXQP1QtRbeiARpqfnmNLeZCPMxG8-jyLsBvPfOchENYIcdeiZfwP0uufySH37MPrtZziFlLXojGKJH4/s320/PB160001.JPG" />even a curious feline...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406634736450717922" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzEmL5_zuuxvZ8ux-DGPwjlxUAedlsUKikUPEFbyz637nPC7euJz3EyJconuV4EEWggFPHx2cK454nnIstTGTupjttG4sH3To2cePs003YM2FpiRlE8omasBT5QISRQrvQyQmzCiHQUCE/s320/PB160060.JPG" />the russet hues & slant of light...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406634740876980242" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgarmMcuSX_tqB532GvH-thenf6uVYHsfpWRWyVCza_ic6QY8v770ZCkIGLZFA4sfW0hVbj1pasuzPwGIGnIC_VuH6q0-fjzR4LBIyMNJJ7VhyOL32krnlAUXg2S4cHEPAo0uiYV_xyRhE/s320/PB160056.JPG" />capped off with a brilliant sunset for the slow cruise home with a pause to watch the stars come out, one by one...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406633241786343522" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0RXaKEYm-sPVkchv63TOsPLXnNGhrsqQczWZafgzqb2Z0q_CA4IfpVFNE8f0mFOT4aDbMj_KeMnubox6wsy-BMJI7J88dZXpWdW2SnAY6WJmYJ64v5BnX5kcUmLa_2Fq630-E-Zb_59Q/s320/PB160162.JPG" /><br />a day well-spent, weaving memories old while making new!qualcosa di bellohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15107076097533430296noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-749578515187279703.post-10375134445443849492009-11-12T06:09:00.000-05:002009-11-12T06:09:01.134-05:00beauty all aroundon land...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399310334396431618" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOHlJysBOmT-X1lpllmOGwD6L0UMO3KJWXnqf22HwJHrCJIFa3wfRthkJiI-SvjTwNaYl49PQuymAr3oJF4CMCUdwCGnSDK7kFyRIW7Uf9wacbii0GMs7elWiKwACoMzi8CVdQF42qLic/s320/051.JPG" />or at sea...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399311087002418338" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJqHLpoQHgzzUvCYIRt_E6k-GWl5lTlBwXj2LisdPwtU9rK6bxgmNWSD0NNnLz46kWHVqT-fZmXxIIPWZ9AAcQ1UffHyQPuHPAYMW-mLwVtX4JTuLgWvb_DK5V3lxxwO5eU1FniVOV7Es/s320/260.JPG" />the fruits of this season are not to be missed!<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399310324241001378" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqUI_BIUwAT7sewPQN5sziBLncGFiPfg9z7OmxW_lO3cUQA2Q32ITt5W5yBlHCQEpI2rD_MDm-8unO9t0GXPrOIFQPsh4R9bkdd2O4sdgsSXl8eruSqeOwtAAvn_-z7-8ArHHSEGsB5jE/s320/240.JPG" />qualcosa di bellohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15107076097533430296noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-749578515187279703.post-80034267369675131382009-11-09T00:47:00.001-05:002009-11-09T00:47:00.293-05:00remembering 20 years ago today...the fall of the berlin wall on <a href="http://online.wsj.com/public/page/berlinwall.html">9 november 1989 </a>was a profound moment in time. as i traveled this past summer behind the old <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_Curtain">iron curtain</a>, i did so with disbelief...i never thought that journey possible as a teenager & yet there i was. i kept telling myself, 'never, ever forget.'<br /><br /><br />my time in <a href="http://ognipiacere.blogspot.com/search/label/romania">romania</a> & hungary was spent with a deep sense of gratitude. when i would catch glimpses of old barricades & watchtowers, i would shudder at the thought of what those now-abandoned structures used to mean. we all need to <a href="http://online.wsj.com/video/remembering-the-iron-curtain/D4566328-E006-4510-A91F-418AC911DDD3.html">jog our memories </a>from time to time, because as the years pass, it is so easy to fall into complacency, especially when life is good & trials are few.<br /><br /><br />in remembrance today i offer more 'snapshots on the journey'~~ this time from budapest, hungary, which is my very favorite european city, for me second only to venice, italy. our border crossing was met with friendly guards who took our passports & offered us americans condolences on the passing of michael jackson...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401821919497688722" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXA5eHcIE6s7Vl93jeDyHp4L5AtYCp7HUtPQW9Zl3BNCdRZRy1_xQP9PRzNiTuCkYbvxmMbFObri4Ys1mprAuoqtvDyVWUtAAjyjO6MGQnEYPX2ICzWo3I1PXJ5km7nYoI2ejq5dV3iPw/s320/P6260620.JPG" />we were welcomed with such kindness & fields of sunflowers...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401821921790872498" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_GqOZZK_Sdz6Rpb99N2n3Ax9DKgyaqKsOhkTZFJRVuA7iPeLft9Vqz29Y4bqAR8HtSS3-3BbTSJn6NO6OJIRGhdqeaGMPBhlc_TMI7883wVQApzA5ALW8wml8P5nCvx5VfO57UAd79Mk/s320/P6260617.JPG" />& a sunset over the danube in budapest...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401821912727562834" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC2j6D1iDXd0aK3_IyR2zasbfkV0BZYrnBOzVcxyhNDKWYeT1vs9qCajBhuz2AxAd3dBfOGNp0jlH8K1p2R05iOY1P0FW0AkY96etBRTv31LNSwkqsRzwJlZzqiead8d1MOy4JfQf-0KQ/s320/663.JPG" />this is a city of great beauty~ even the subway stops are gorgeous...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401819988481576434" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJCzO044t_aztBzMhWRR0swYjEWo09wgBb-eUfhJb1QkjO1zGwqXqKCxmTc1Ky7IZk_q-34mTc9tvQ8R6YT8MaaYE-u4NmxLKUhkRpD8Sa3xSR7dDNNTRUs_wL8LmDDStO7xETjYMW6S4/s320/P6270632.JPG" />we decided to start our first day with some persective for the younger folk traveling with us who were not old enough to remember the cold war...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401819981254048194" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM-Lzv0Gj_oG4XI53Hg5rhCwfQbPO9b-X7CNh4mqghyphenhyphenkHzgIeqkKMPf0tEgpoe0W5QbbBA-1dPoNQTmEmJ8YKWmI4EPigqEMDL13gPTPHocZdA44cKIF8680qGQNBlb5Qc6gnn-pDAMTg/s320/P6270634.JPG" />a visit to the <a href="http://www.terrorhaza.hu/en/index_2.html">terror museum </a>was a sobering event...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401819978902897122" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRfEtfn8GmblVkIULvJVLJMvYkP65FkSEXC9-R68G8cYAQwVv165Xng-rhWaO8R5yzy_5uFtY0tbiiWiirJXNW02BMnZWf7RzraQlWTfhIYEmYs3RIs8Mn3hMfBp4Iassk21HyaU4M89o/s320/P6270637.JPG" />every face on the walls in the atrium represents a victim...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401819974976230226" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaeASVN4RIlVlXLrfDoqn8erIzfxjpcVXmQfOEY2Buq4SROm69zv2wiR1_cJuoo4Rq0_nTr62102rJdtUjlSomIsrOOzSFUjaZqOpOQAn6EESRfPfdXIdJxLhtzm78o13ub39CMrvj5Sg/s320/P6270639.JPG" /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401819969886520674" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidxUCI0DAl68wXvaeMEzYcUk-cQfuugvwF11G82yt3dXhwuXJwP0CeQQ8ZWPwjVqe1bsP9pW3VqxO8JrtC8-5o2KUUI9CdYwijCli5gBW3iIReDaRxmoLnTUEESQP5OXBfx3fFABTK2ao/s320/P6270640.JPG" /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401815124022702706" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHpXJROFNyDKrzFO5bCSsPqHVQEgiEnP3Y5ZbUCS1NYm85wFS4xgzVuY6Eg_LcuNAquJlYUlrRQ94eDqmuqgtOsvddEn4wKZNFka5l5ZoSX0U5-iMOzsxO33rl-v8CLjWhIl4u8cUbGgQ/s320/P6270641.JPG" />we moved from this tragic reminder of the past into the beauty of now...wandering first around <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pest,_Hungary">pest</a>, visiting sights like <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H%C5%91s%C3%B6k_tere">heroes' square</a>...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401815119376346786" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim8vemP2ZLDMBWQv9EW_o5OvGv8_PVa4ty79gaFVVR6ikSI7FWC6GS4Sr99H4qIM0BSNJlHDcMOGFY5pter_zALiBEO76sfY3pIavv5azmwsvUzhXZlyKFu_-ZQ3fQX4URzrV6Afz2Vzo/s320/P6270644.JPG" />enjoying something a bit lighter~ the zoo...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401815118622016290" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAPmxJf4RkCKqLTHg4xvcqksCGS66PpEzy2AvWBVyEAqujL61hFiH8q4obbLXrhw0AlSr70SnSzEVpoDIjbEgVltsL3sEYje8eMynSvyuSlOJlNzjR4L7gpbNZ3_GV4zbJF3VlK3ZgLuo/s320/P6270650.JPG" /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401815112201612226" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrkC4odoBKpyQ-_-IboTi8v4d0bLJ6eRAr705tLbdmfamLoQhxYK93QtZ7W0j5oXFREGo5De3K_yA_WJ9MDsQ_1VFyMlcY5m9NYLmPoPJLt37VkJfdAB_IPEuRVHsDR2hCcF0g7shF6Bk/s320/P6270656.JPG" />before deciding to brave the climb of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buda">buda</a> & see the city from a different angle...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401815107996562418" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLaPlSiq_psJUf1ZzEhv4H7TCOp5CejQ6N4HVAhsAzJh-gDLYrLF0TXzH7LBSUIeaJCKx2LCnKpbVwuGO19sgCREmUjHjRhhIYveF0N4EVGi4UKVHvTJJtIUW6YvXoMEQyT2yN551a-gc/s320/P6270662.JPG" />we crossed the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sz%C3%A9chenyi_Chain_Bridge">szechenyi chain bridge</a>...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401812225935362146" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgIM8hcs2zvQkHAAjVa9dT7FdhcdbVwB7nPVYcnoIhxbnF4dVzmIkXsv76n9swWuhoIG-KN4v22qTwjK7O7T9Fo00IstD17paVMwuAMuYpC3FjHvNZHetiPjzPlg1orj-SVpi0II5hTtA/s320/P6270660.JPG" />hopped the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Budapest_Castle_Hill_Funicular">castle hill funicular</a> (vertigo, anyone?!?)...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401812221774163282" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIJt-A7MsAdxnxjv6qyrg98dhxLe6FluilYTvXhEDm7eAQWitHWTNPwyF9baVxht-kzGoOYJXD9FhxMV2ESwZAVyrDtbcIlbA8rWmPOdbNi7caQNNuCHs5KmOx2hKunsoZM1mTU65fpvU/s320/681.JPG" />to enjoy the view from the top of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buda_Castle">castle hill</a>...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401812215055243730" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6bnrEtxFqR_NCFWBGVgU0m3YI6bq5IsVjW-tbX909358AzfeKQbSRD1-f_73RESZePQ-i5N0mwFGcl9qmLMIAzoPVzqEs1YOsMsXavwqCkqGRqtTywabp-4_BKOWFT7s6WUbpHeA-njg/s320/P6270670.JPG" /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401812217229923730" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii7VYAL85LQ7QCx9WRD5KpuF1eNw9Pv1jXJM9kYwuO2qc5wFVz1et1tYU0WB0-Y_v_Kf7z1dPCiIhgsMfRupXPvICGKfjj1heEBM0irgxW0RyGpId0FigMRzrS1k6HE1JH2PvIdyO0iOo/s320/P6270663.JPG" />& after walking many, many miles that day, an awesome meal (<a href="http://www.budapest-tourist-guide.com/hungarian-goulash.html#goulashrecipe">hungarian goulash</a>...ohhhhh, those noodles. carb-loading perfection!.), some of the best food on our entire 5 week trip!!...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401812206865563570" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaRDVbn44-MRpboSG0xb8dMyQE_ixkAeBjih0Qaa-iXfwYZ5Jyzkd4lVcPH_sHsGeIloQuL0if3xA1u9wJy0mD7DPAXRd5ueUV0jrs_V9wHl4reHqeeXE5F40s3SGNEtc8eMFgligpMN0/s320/688.JPG" />the next morning we dashed to the train; our short weekend in budapest had come to an end...it was time to head back into western europe~~ next stop vienna, austria...moving on, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WjWDrTXMgF8">but not forgetting</a>...qualcosa di bellohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15107076097533430296noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-749578515187279703.post-54563440481533370412009-11-04T12:52:00.004-05:002009-11-05T07:38:11.852-05:00prayers please......for <a href="http://mandysmeanderings.blogspot.com/2009/11/mandy-remembered.html">mandy</a><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400310932812757506" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglL0c1b1zC-yBwX8S9UpsQgACMZ2Ztc6Od6xw3N1Bj_yUH315HxVUtNtpMOfyx3HwIsb3H4dv52xho0lCHLDwLFrxg1zNzE1RaxPusnlLIEVBfVJFs_Yv8Z07FRxpk3fuHwTwd2IyazM4/s320/P8090066.JPG" />qualcosa di bellohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15107076097533430296noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-749578515187279703.post-89578052229313489742009-11-01T17:17:00.008-05:002009-11-01T19:18:25.306-05:00la festa di ognissanti& so today begins a month that is <a href="http://ognipiacere.blogspot.com/2008/11/tangible.html">not always so easy </a>for me to navigate...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399285710888824114" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjriZ2iTYezOdym8xuND14RIiwytDhlJw7F0EVHwqC9Nfc_cRvPv2znolfvZYPO8ElL2_ujGy-mhwT8BVBkIpvQ-1GK8v2XiLzF9ewC_KSzS-eIaQCE2Y9cXzjDLAvFGoqHhblhmnonvEA/s320/147.JPG" />it seems so fitting to me that my <a href="http://ognipiacere.blogspot.com/2008/11/again.html">parents'</a> <a href="http://ognipiacere.blogspot.com/2008/11/thoughts-on-grief.html">passings</a> were during the month that begins with the feasts of <a href="http://www.wf-f.org/AllSaints.html">All Saints </a>& <a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01315b.htm">All Souls</a>...st. benedict wrote in his 'rule' to <a href="http://www.ewtn.com/library/PRIESTS/BENRULE.HTM#Cahpter">'keep death daily before one's eyes</a>'...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399285720395967954" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_6kVcXeMfznsXV_Cmfk9sHudZb_wF4Tptr05BZXF6URr9Rh2-aS_u1LZVzkqFr3DIGVMrrMX-ifYRM6sTWB5W9yMr8bFTcA1-R8L7GIjvXwYmdwwaHEj3eauM4d0rH2ZrPRqTnaK1csI/s320/179.JPG" />during november this directive to remember death is not so difficult for me to follow...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399285715988855634" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1iW1Q7wEwMcgTGKMVnN1ILaswlNoSWs5SQnTfNQAcgLeUNRERK_isHm7zMhrcpW4tCTOcwL057quZL9gkUX6AKPd4P3Z6yczQoEb_ysOo6Jx43d8th3RNwxUQ4cgJybAlVGT5W5goq3U/s320/153.JPG" />last night at the All Saints vigil Mass, fr. T's encouraging words reminded me that for most of my days i do not spend enough time thinking on the <a href="http://www.ewtn.com/faith/teachings/lastxmenu.htm">Last Things</a>...nor do i usually frame the context of my thoughts & actions around my final end...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399286356706170946" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicL-NUkebjA48Tt2nNteM2uD5XJsclh0DgID9yOZUl6zxIuJWAAw45orekRFcbdwwu0Aj7uVtbEc-YuZ0zxezrJ3uJb83evq0WDP0q10I_FaOHSexueVNozwKIce5ylavik-N0tIINE5s/s320/190.JPG" />does what i am thinking, doing, creating in my everyday life matter toward this end?...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399285706327260482" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4mI4LmWVdzONCh1-U699NQoKltGVmNAgnUKmh3qIGKKQqE9ZQLFRjY38jZFHb3tOblOd_DM1_0ijC2ObiCoG0qnecUoR0GUupxlZS0Xk-vPvCUdpbZjlgyq6TlJHpvR1QPwJ0rfVpaTQ/s320/137.JPG" />in other words, am i doing what i am supposed to be doing right here, right now. i so often find myself looking down~ looking at the nitty-gritty very small picture...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399290983834344706" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhww8aAZyflbVKysV_FXGuzVs07lUJqKkOC6PExiX7KOC9UAhg62dzC3vNlTKCTlwBhAFv1XM35BcEo3Nh2WmImCW8MOJ7ESW7eqjoKb3fDRCEQbIy0wViERb0fLGSkF4Yuje6CdKwBO8c/s320/213.JPG" />forgetting my purpose, forgetting to look up~ keeping an eye on the end of our journey...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399285725112362818" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2e3y8OMUWZ8hEXGvCl_oTrshFzeL_6zJgvQRwSM3H0-tjxHYbS9iHRYcWnMFrEieULdcOlUDnexJSJXCiMqUNxl_Od_xT81ZwmlblMi0beYoewUnJ0uyHIKCFSuuBIiKJGDnWCh4ya6E/s320/211.JPG" />this feast reminds me of where i am going...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399286345256442002" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnFBJ2eKUCevyb4gmkWh-waj7xaJh6bu1-KOLZka_UvEwvmUiDq7bhAbRCVWHEtVqx7FBGiNde-qeCgFrp2MxqqR3d0O2BFAD_47fHyFKd3M5dXJRYswQc3pxr8w6px8exgLTEwukBpy8/s320/185.JPG" />& it reminds too that we do not navigate this alone; we have <a href="http://saints.sqpn.com/saint-therese-of-lisieux/">friends</a> for the journey, <a href="http://www.firstthings.com/blogs/theanchoress/category/communion-of-saints/?submit=view">friends in very high places</a>! their <a href="http://www.catholicity.com/devoutlife/">examples</a> of <a href="http://saints.sqpn.com/saint-rita-of-cascia/">holy lives</a>, their intercessions <a href="http://saints.sqpn.com/saint-monica/">available</a> to us now offer much <a href="http://saints.sqpn.com/saint-frances-of-rome/">comfort</a> to us each day...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399286350524021986" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjBg2nb1dy8rSPSR-D8qivAjKA7FJFmUU9s-VToV3ta6MofvtgbpEx9z0ER5EeHgMCHlvrkv_yTNQYFiz02q0Tf6YI89PTn9FrW77RJ31oQuvbxycSTzoLM7YWeb_aiEwXsjm3Uc-qXVs/s320/173.JPG" />qualcosa di bellohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15107076097533430296noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-749578515187279703.post-9970569917390109252009-10-10T15:57:00.001-04:002009-10-10T15:57:00.171-04:00one last summer thought...there is a place where we go...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388843959520797186" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsw9mrHOGdrp0Z2jG5LQx61k51mm6apZ1g0Pu1q1TGRD8YoeFZK3w_t7BIpVBHm5GC8Eo7WsyZUgPFzoJdFYUG2DxcapHM1L0gMm-1-KJi1lBHwDfecKqtX13OP-6tBQEpKqBfnfPfyxA/s320/P8200043.JPG" />a secret tidal creek that shoots off our bay...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388843971265436418" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7WoQ8K-NyzEpDbuyEYGWM4lfc4QWKCqekhMq2jzqdew69oYsswJpYjBgKW2O6ect7v32BTeZsMTGKwcroAc8QjduIVpkVVprM_DSQa9W6szkQ3KDF01Os2eH6MS16I7aZdYUb1tGEDxQ/s320/P8200049.JPG" />to learn this secret one must watch in the early summer twilight, the way which the egrets fly at the end of their day...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388843966504812418" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTZKrF7waSIImPXhhyX8wkkf25ignFV5DmhtsgYbvmVN5jt_2HKx_ulIAdEMhg_iVuIdLhGHYOdX5StmljDWVFP6KzPmfW3vJDakO49M0mqB5Y2DoEotfQJcpOK30HeZFeqMJLcB94wR4/s320/P8200048.JPG" />to enter this secret cove that varies from year to year...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388843979650980946" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX0Ty-9X_X6k67Ycuu6H0IRuKAEthQ8P-o4GiN4hBN4SJJ6T__AMhMVF8JoC_CbXBmUQPl9P7iDPvLcIy58fYy2Y4SpFUJDq6YkIB43MUULF7A41pI6VwjXnenlUbHiPrnrLJ5X4CgRvI/s320/P8200050.JPG" />one must hush & let the tide have its way...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388845454334673778" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4bzqzBeE9eD17aSSb14xjzSeNe0XwF17i1NM2UR1DZqWwBzJR4-C_l5fpUSNB9GpmGegNPiipd18cnyoaXx23iRN-iy5sYpiUu87DXohU82XuyYYVkirHrAncRnuFQWvD82KHctXxE7k/s320/P8200042.JPG" />but the reward is great as the sun falls...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388845465630515634" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCFZNOKNFk_tmLN2UIQOu5E6yFlhAiqGjLlaZDyw18LSYBt_klqpThNSOa9GSQ25KVCbcETpIdve0FKWOfY8T1O8j1_B9z_gRVYWnxBKFEkcLL3uVu5WRMOgaZcnHmUAbbQGMloDH3-ew/s320/P8200044.JPG" />soon gentle wings caress the air & the trees are ornamented...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388845469620893314" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6k4fmqb7XOlnTPoItorO2TxZwypYiP2v8QuMr32S1kw0rVee3HH3dtlzH8VX4scnem2OrrViYB3mLqbXLA9m3jKWWwWPTpA48lphh8bfewSYrTnBhRJX2-qK5D4GkNLK7H4R7fjyxTYA/s320/P8200045.JPG" />as the egrets of our marsh & bay yield to twilight's yearnings & find a roost for the night to stay...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388845442977419938" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSPnidn4LwYqunI_sJFE5un9Td9pPq4_Wi2dU2MhyphenhyphendFNughi8lKDarNFIWry-UfkiPaIWFHCbVlwAwFo1v96jOuCToqFNAiW4j5IqIuHJDRYizcTRCrt-EI_F3K0CSv2ipcOVtK_xky7k/s320/P7010018.JPG" />as graceful night sweeps the sky, one's soul is refreshed here in the last bit of the light of day...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388845437948609906" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPLHY0THoc7p46HnLgJ1k3fdgsy_X_bvxCtPw5P1YWK9Tr-EEWsfO8NHqtiJlwNBk7bVcXjVPBnImdNn52rErKx4l7LBISpDJLScHIE5fQtA0O_dhGsxH4b7fYzi-Zc78SVZk6nX7N7UI/s320/P7010016.JPG" />qualcosa di bellohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15107076097533430296noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-749578515187279703.post-81683226729612507662009-10-07T01:41:00.000-04:002009-10-07T08:46:04.222-04:00awwww, autumn...once upon a time i had embraced this season with a hearty hug of welcome. though i honestly don't prefer winter, i found the sensual slide toward its solstice one of incredible beauty. as the light changes & the colors deepen, as nature quiets & the harvest moon fills, my summer movement would quiet...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388821638966444402" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk7kxtfNDIYvojY6U_lJLn_Tfd1jMtvApFsuCFoMn3G5hmrhMLy18GURMl_L_HpXPdlovk6zRpdqg4bedg8H4HCEp-9g8p5JFT9S6aw_X4JP_KQA4lAGVM7wMXuiOqTVu5fcqvH0jtapo/s320/PA290193.JPG" />D. & i met on the last sigh of summer & spent the whole of that first autumn together, falling in love surrounded by swirling red & gold leaves & the scent of campfires, hiking through morning mists while the first light touched our childhood fields...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388821620958219602" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnvX2-GAtP2JMXblRPJwFY7pPrFFJqPGtfmWWW4YWzSUFem6ak7b6DdqZi47NpqsLHCdvKoddLTL9FPOA5I7b0mhK7EQqQ13FhRGT26_wTA9G2HUuU4Qu6rqK2fczqk8Yx82momE_EdX0/s320/158.JPG" />in our early years together, autumn always heralded a special feeling of the thrill of those first days together. even though we were creeping toward a pennsylvania winter, i still reveled in all of its glory...then we moved south...warmer autumns with equally beautiful light were fine by me...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388821617978988578" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAqdpW8XAUs-wo2F7HLI20bSKvzw_jUYq7Ov5WdGC3M0U6f6CtgzKltQf2Eip18oHazbj0Fr-bnKyN7eQgYnabaaeaJ-JdvOmXxPqar6S2n1eiVy_Uf39ix6jJcEXm9D_RjlBHaXUa4Tw/s320/PB090047.JPG" />then we moved to the coast...& autumn brought a new friend - hurricanes! i didn't realize until this very equinox, i have spent the last few autumns holding my breath, praying that we would be spared a major hurricane. no enjoyment. none. this year we have been blessedly spared an active tropical season & i have once again fallen in love with this glorious season...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388821605862696210" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibDgLsAmE6_FCvSBh9my4LXepOQaGf2QkX46T1FqU6-m-kHcjRgixfu0jV4RuRn1pwaxgH03H4clMOfrzzFtiT_11KRXdHCSkwpU3Tt_fZTPeL4t0KPTBGrYfbNU6X_o9Ta6pgJ4Lhrqs/s320/P4280026.JPG" />last week we walked on the beach in the perfect twilight, fished under almost-full moons, gathered wildflowers, & sat by campfires. & i have learned a lesson~ no more missing the beauty in worry over something that may or may not happen. now certainly, if we were to have a hurricane land here in our bay, i am sure i will have a different focus, but in the meantime, i am once again reveling in autumn's awesome beauty! :-) & may this beautiful day find you enjoying its blessings...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388821627464822258" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5VN1n7PVvE5sptWI3Nr7-ESq1UgeR-VcDCMlrsma809AihHQMjr-XPezZw05TpCG8hH5YC7wE4KiswWzirVIYmTuVKnyZaqioZDRzRyExIjvGAFMDAqnjJhg6mL3ba8OPti1NrDMslDY/s320/P9250246.JPG" />qualcosa di bellohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15107076097533430296noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-749578515187279703.post-23087175111771679052009-10-03T19:13:00.012-04:002009-10-04T13:31:16.043-04:00poetry prompts & travel dreams{descent}<br /><br />nothing is quite so sweet<br />to this wanderlusting soul<br />as those words that interrupt<br />my in-flight movie:<br />"ladies & gentlemen...<br />shortly we will be making our descent..."<br /><p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388784625337487602" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvT4lA1iXgCCukBhWj8S_IP4qiD0spNKtbLbVXumkPQWpsT9p7PuWqKweF1MmP8lvn8I1_1WpzyMVOiCkGYRvm_N0as79_evXs_OhS7nzh2sfcAulzkv6enq41phtRU8NjWlWWFn5O2q0/s320/206.JPG" /><a href="http://onesingleimpression.blogspot.com/">one single impression's </a>prompt for this week ~ descent ~ takes a turn in the direction of travel for me as we gear up for a trip to Charleston SC, contemplate a december return to roma (for a very special friend's <a href="http://www.legionariesofchrist.org/eng/index.phtml?height=800&width=1280&sw=1&sw2=">ordination</a>), & begin to lay some groundwork for 2010 journeys...<a href="http://ognipiacere.blogspot.com/2009/08/snapshots-on-journey5.html">here</a> (of course!)...but also <a href="http://www.lourdes-france.org/index.php?goto_centre=ru&contexte=en&id=493&id_rubrique=493">here</a>?...<a href="http://www.lonelyplanet.com/ecuador">here</a>?...or maybe <a href="http://www.romaniatourism.com/suceava.html">here</a> again?? i really do like the excitement of potential journeys, the comparing of places, all the hopefulness of new experiences! as i perused my romania photos from last summer, i got a lump in my throat about the possibility of going back...but that remains in God's hands right now!</p><p></p><p>after we left suceava, romania last summer, we stopped again in oradea & were blessed with a free day on our hands. we ambled around the city with melissa...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388785724816101106" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhawMD-0R-FWmxwDhpMQM0fP_VjbpSKz3DWGFOz0seiZLo3oQgB9sBpRcuVkBuXCWIHonWkTf5WD06w-EG92JKEGKfzy9QQ7tSfFU7eNUpU9sTDN687uk_j9YE_TT_z3m-Qm-GZcQkqseA/s320/P6250553.JPG" />mesmerized by the beautiful old churches & the communist-era buildings...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388784627518736258" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Q4u20bMxIjctR7owkCGRLY98EqK4zQ6nAQb6YJp7YBsZQRhbnd2VF74L-DRei3MIU7bnpMXg9FdFP3RIOTdMMdB4pRDJgkUYRQxb7CC2ATfzMQZOzAKKj-j8gYhSG8SJz7yEmSNwG4M/s320/645.JPG" />i was so grateful that the old way had not been completely destroyed. my heart could not comprehend the events that my mind knew had transpired there in the last century. how i would have loved to join these two gentlemen on that park bench to hear the stories they could tell....<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388785731739503250" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_jcR4Fwfr52hDWz1XvuMXwojyQrmx5UJGanGymXbv9aUMPMoIqoznthokdJBSdyr782Q2Xfcr7VcrZ7-KXJ236n4mhkBYXiN8lPz-nJfTl9lE8iYTfXPOcFd5FyS0ybmQr_6-pYebsOU/s320/P6250574.JPG" />but there were sobering reminders that spoke without words, like this memorial to victims of nazi occupation...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388784636001340466" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjubpeiTP7hN3PdyWnfpttzKlv3mqTyi7VYJnhuGPuDN1laTS-cCoHbICTObGLoovbMedBDGCLliuEDOLrGD-PzIDwm-qz4N5YkIze1Mpdt-uG2JrVGHqkwoeEKxqUtLtQC78B-eSzFj5k/s320/P6250542.JPG" />an entire room just outside the <a href="http://www.welcometoromania.ro/Oradea/Oradea_Bis_cu_luna_e.htm">moon curch (Biserica cu Luna)</a> was filled with candles lit for loved ones lost...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388784645768417906" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhll2VZ-J3J7dFc4DPyDOi_FBhOaf8adLq21lie3u_TYBYCFj-cJz_TzMpQaUeCKdsTIwd5E3GBeavzTiY5b-bY8he2Cxuk3LSry98k0C1xoAOb7mtx-_RWtAwlWY0syaE1Reh5E3516Ec/s320/P6250543.JPG" />a short distance from this church was the <a href="http://www.welcometoromania.ro/Oradea/Oradea_Bis_Sf_Ierarh_e.htm">St. Nicholas Greek Catholic Church</a>...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388784651182791058" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDHOxBAR0Zmv6xJjzAr5kDPTeL9sxjIQl4uTi6SYkbNFOyhslkABUpNvIwZ4e0-Vl-Bz6h1VQGXFNKPL5-srDkEbxfmyv9S1KEs9qbxPG0SesAywrI43BsHfmOrw0tCYUOcR67mZh9TKE/s320/P6250547.JPG" />where we had the sweet pleasure of meeting the sacristan who spoke fluent *english*! (the first time in nearly a week we heard our native tongue outside our little group)...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388785705809103474" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiATM6NO2QqFX-nv_7BDaAqcK59EoTrmEpKflPc2Fu0sXXUMlx36lGb-c8YJo7sL4e_-B0pOZLhWaBvqvxp3RTNlzo5GKCkmdaj8SBWXIfWJ5AqfFYcEXxpSccpdKTOZOSAnKWk_oLPsPE/s320/P6250548.JPG" />he told of history, both sad & joyful, of those who gave their lives so readily in order that this time may be what it is. & he showed us the great treasure held in his church...a first class relic of St. Nicholas (some of his bones). </p><div></div><div></div><div>our stroll through this beautiful city continued...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388785712427952850" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQCJl2Mxd6BNM6E_1Xs1uLokmC2ipFpyqSi2iiBuJ407X1Nhvro0j_FN9B7jVtZKH4vKixjB1MfxmriMfySgYzQuzCSpXYb-VzLTnDPQhaSB_tf0BjR9EI5nvDli_wYhfDeR-izC0Dx3Y/s320/P6250552.JPG" />eventually leading us to this painted monastery...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388785736522951282" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNvTSYvlAmI2m_DVzPQwmJiCeCB85ZElSBxxYbCQe-8IYm_6gAmchfTA4teCPsW-09E3ppNQ2cCu55n__LW_b1egUTUOqqbJ6dkInNXDD8vQw6jXB37qyiDt0qJnFC_O-sMNe7zvLlhyphenhyphenQ/s320/P6250580.JPG" />a place so incredibly beautiful & so peaceful...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388786995271140770" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisqY7cxrYvBUbNTg80ltuZM1Ya1PtXBa7KWgv47Lpl5IH2x7yk0poR2nA4II9TdLxvWnVWvz0BdSYsN2XnWAYPs3e44NB3hCi9ZVhn-leRq89TKINqlndgmJNa2kGOUVxOkAuuU9r9qno/s320/P6250584.JPG" />one was utterly removed from the world in the enclosure...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388787025606388450" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqj8T76XvDwy1BbYC_qIkcWdbYNQOGtdmm9qyS3hvzYbJ0g1rI4IdjxS9xYvRajXG3Ugd3dVzGzMXmZA_lYiSZnfzmhWN_Uu4hFRg8NICeJozuH5EksWqlGhWZ_CXZivLnOEHBaSZON00/s320/P6250589.JPG" />the place has settled into my dreams now that i am home...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388787001193517842" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCpZIow9QB_D5-Ch875BsNkekFI9Or0FuOe3nDLTsvQklXgrdJhKXb2h8P3Lw3H0ykktYA8PJBlcwFxPiRxcSD9GBZBZ8R4kHSFKy7iwpv234_Qb8gRDY5Z4UkLY0msORI4QjfKjMrvag/s320/P6250588.JPG" />as i organize & upload these photo reminders, i tell myself it is no wonder i am dreaming of 2010's travel possibilities!!</div><div></div><div>next stop on the journey of reminiscing is my very favorite~ budapest!</div><div></div><div>oradea, romania, june, 2009</div>qualcosa di bellohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15107076097533430296noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-749578515187279703.post-77592122930941816282009-09-27T12:27:00.012-04:002009-09-27T14:27:37.447-04:00snapshots on the journey7...with wanderlust in high gear, our gang of 6 caught a morning flight to budapest, hungary, and met a lovely driver & his wife for the road to romania~~ destination <a href="http://melissainromania.wordpress.com/">melissa's</a> apartment in <a href="http://www.romaniatourism.com/oradea.html">oradea</a>. with bags (HEAVY bags) in tow filled to brimming with goodies for the orphanage, we navigated fiumicino airport (quite possibly the *entire* airport) looking for our ticket counter, our gate & one last buon caffe`.<br /><br /><br />when it was time to fly, little did we know what a treat awaited us...i am fairly certain our pilot for this <a href="http://www.alitalia.com/ap_it/">air one </a> flight was a former roman taxi driver! before that day i did not know that planes on the runway could take 90 degree turns at high rates of speed nor did i know just how quickly one may approach a terminal & yet still not hit the passengers waiting inside!! really, where it counts for me~ that would be in the air!!~ he was a fabulous pilot (though before takeoff i was praying with more zeal than average!).<br /><br /><br />landing in hungary, i was hungry (a pun, yes!!) for my first glimpse of eastern europe. i grew up in the days of the cold war & i must honestly say, as a teenager, my travel dreams did not include countries behind the iron curtain...that seemed so far out of reach. but we were there! this is one efficient airport ~ <a href="http://www.bud.hu/english">ferihegy</a>...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386202003011028962" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoEbLQ_e8tdlIGCiGpHxT47nMHNlraNl6pMiCHr_Xv-dTeUhtFHxIwJivxfEkD2e8R5ZmFRW-AbBSEi94s8WhAzvEDY1PVYzkLVNOzkGrvYgqwBuJRdOoT0h1YsTB4v0AosL_sRzyBhC0/s320/495.JPG" />off the plane, luggage right inside the door & *ready* in minutes, bathroom to the immediate left, the all important ATM right beside the luggage conveyor! wow!! i do not speak a lick of any eastern european languages, but hungary is so navigable, the people so wonderful (more on that later, with our return trip & our stay in budapest). time in this airport was short for us (the one part of that day this was true!) because of its efficient layout & because our romanian driver was just outside the terminal & ready to roll. in no time we were passing through the rolling countryside, settled into our 3 hour drive.<br /><br /><br />the border crossing was met with excitement because it meant we were close to that night's destination & because H1N1 was a very big deal. we were detained for a bit & had to sign health statements, but melissa had warned us of this because we were US citizens & 4 of of our group had just come from the states. they must have liked the looks of us (ie., no one was ill!!) & soon we were entering oradea.<br /><br /><br />on the drive one misconception was cleared rather quickly for me...so many folks had told me that romanian is very similiar to italian & latin. well, that is true~~ for the written word. the spoken word, not so much. i realized that communicating would be a greater challenge than originally thought. also consider that very few romanians speak any english. no matter, because human kindness is apparent in spite of words & romania's people are some of the kindest i have encountered in travel!...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386202019250687378" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhanMMkdWFy2xpARAW5v_4tDWGdggbanlE5n2KOGd2Pe4Yulb65K4SJ0Ms-PSxRmDk2dHdVuv1aALS-T3rRezB1eiGc-VEe3jPDclPluHBUbbiA6TYdo-fsA3Ef2etCzG0aWWCKj9l_dxo/s320/574.JPG" />our driver took us straight to melissa's apartment & we were greated with big hugs & an authentic romanian meal prepared by melissa's friend to welcome us. time for some R&R at the end of travel day #1 because the next day would find us unexpectedly on the road again & for a bit longer...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386202012659048434" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRfL1uUyEcQmCA2S9DYT1nuG48j6WbGNo9Dxuh8kC5p4KU78PO40XstA7Uq40kxhmeivMk0MFYY7WwnpqKQHjXCbaD5xAYCTLoTHLtTi3ADd5K2W4DFQdvZMVrH8AD_692l6e00mSg_Wc/s320/510.JPG" />a 10 hour train ride through the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carpathian_Mountains">carpathian mountains </a>into the region of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transylvania">transylvania</a>...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386204270582791266" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBA3WvJt93iJmlFFKf2UoaTP7XUyplVfDrgszy_LWYJLUakHmA994IqbtOitnRDp442VQ0XobeSYZo6f0yruNNd4i07J0zOqcZbXDLNpPpy6TAJct3o98JBxvzv6Z8OkjPhSNG-Ntre5k/s320/P6210480.JPG" />to the city of <a href="http://www.romaniatourism.com/suceava.html">suceava</a>. our plans to help at the orphanage had hit a governmental snag & we were heading to the place where melissa would eventually move. while staying in suceava we spent our days in the village of stroiesti...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386202031281137714" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0wNtTwW0WK7EErlhOKzydKXWeC3U9zB4SZr0c2fEFVzjqmNEru1Trg1bDttlGPb4pfVNCbJIZ-ZK1YCMJt_HmBFEkNPvNxaxa8ln8wRWw1TMMP4OR4K2F8zWJ5T_bKC4ZhbQXqLzFOSg/s320/581.JPG" />with our change in plans, melissa found other ways that we could be of help~~ we spent time with the children who were on summer break (melissa had prepared some lessons on Psalm 139 & part of KV's brimming bags included craft supplies that were quickly put to use!)...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386204277624330002" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid2fgNgE77WQN6rFtvFhv7SMTFmygdJjGFM6zh4gHwTRarMgkSC2MVln8XrPkwgiYadq5BiL-suqbS83RcbA0992w-6NGxmoVE2gX-ANzCL7ekB-T0APVMjc-7FdcdTa-XTNrrZQpG-g8/s320/P6230505.JPG" />we helped a pastor of a village church with manual labor tasks...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386203646382338946" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMPP7kPTp49I4S4GnNkOi6xOjoRvKfRHBEL8NUKuCez3P1bdnEtPOU-V0n_ftF2lboSgyEMeIb01bPf_GDESAQ7VmJZnfpuD2oOtLYYRYNcgfVbOT9EsfqyRzDpmW1wAR-GcAMjK9NVIY/s320/628.JPG" /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386203633522336114" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV8plnkd-ql3wPdj0JpbCcU0CziHns01YmJsP4itVnEKg_Vy28k028xu9zOuyjkijVEJLcCVBGF_sxwzeU1vwTa90Sf2Xo4AbBRg7_mSpKArrBNQKHzVIeh_3a8dntmMHcdgFQS1YnrUo/s320/616.JPG" />we visited the childrens' families...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386203618282337362" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid8l6In_tRrLOdHfALjNLLX3EI18Q_j7cH8_u3mmogybW8qLeBnu6tcSJk6KfqOMlvRp_gVMFYx7G-nHcz3LdIXHqCyyO_rmUDcZjerbuPWezXiA9cvk3uPDIWg1YjP2D1kUeMNwtGikw/s320/584.JPG" />& we toured the medical facilities & met the physician & dentist that serve these very poor folks...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386204291584451058" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_K-Q_6l-5daLf2sR3QcqEb4JbVhIpgLTtxZQQai-F-B4UTQ3UYmjZ5-4z_LiCzuEMcbu25YSgQD9IGpbDmfmPBD-axgA4ph31Fqu9Rj7UmjvVenQwchQ79Gv2JokqTxEelAHfwTTgcNc/s320/P6230517.JPG" /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386204285969857602" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKVk8aPHB641GpKWzsLD7DrNTHMLIP9ZY-4kv9gAzA_jcgEvMffxojuHM_gjQTsojYYM6y8DPBoVInku4TPkq-tacJr5JvzyEj0jNLN49s-cf_BntYVNQJAf_7ModgeqqPscywLA6R9TM/s320/P6230516.JPG" />this place was a real eye-opener~~ all water is drawn from wells...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386203638181759218" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinciJy_UPZKnOgu0hrP3AdXgghr0jXyDpr-ANMh5EwnKjx-YhwIfPNqDaOb7PxiDU0W4yk7tDO6XR9ZEUw2AXgKbKdiGcYBjoNkdTRIgWbE3hl5K8LkvLDUD65uaa3T7NOqKezsEyVv6Q/s320/618.JPG" />there is no electricity, outhouses are it baby!, & the mode of transportation is horse & wagon...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386202023512657090" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2z10OdkwiDWTYJzeJGhtOcODgEm-HLmWIYLR7LM8k1nVsaUfwPLMFPJOrZURjdhpsbkKRTenCEZIQePTWB5KmRrJywPvBTIW9Dj2jRg96Hwyp7y3DYEm70aEmWXxKJiO8UAF61EO8pcg/s320/576.JPG" />we went from a slick post-communism city on the move to a 15th century village in the space of a 1/2 hour's car ride. i truly hope to take a medical team back in the future, God willing. romania is an incredibly beautiful country with equally beautiful people. we felt very blessed to be there & be so warmly welcomed...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386203625310445842" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiaqtcxlDGP0YAhwrybyFxCXjGSE6who35MaGopbUpQgx_LFJUGG0OyhH7TJFNhjpeA5ehQmaiM8QoFxpMVPJ9ftD4bQgHohHLCjJOUmsJCwjOUc96j8YMQyTuLQEO6qRWr2tR1BASIVk/s320/585.JPG" />up next...our journey toward western europe~ more romania & hungary, followed by stops in vienna, venice, & roma!<br /><br /><br />suceava/stroiesti, romania, guigno, 2009qualcosa di bellohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15107076097533430296noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-749578515187279703.post-9947296527229235822009-09-13T08:43:00.004-04:002009-09-13T12:33:37.858-04:00water, water everywhere...<a href="http://onesingleimpression.blogspot.com/">one single impression's prompt </a>for this week is thirst, suggested by <a href="http://mybellavia.blogspot.com/">my bellavia</a>. this seems an ironic word to me after a week of grey skies & a day of being inundated with rainfall (8 inches in one 18 hour period!), after spending time looking over the bay this morning considering the prompt & marveling over the fact that i am surrounded by water, after wandering back inside for a glass of fresh, clean water without a second thought. it seems as though what i thirst for isn't necessarily a drink...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5380986968014949650" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiJJfzjPsyR5PUVP5tqkphuOtDpmG9jKdFRvoWlyyKy_OhWcZdQDj610jfc5BbdS3QTUkBuTOo3EOW7yxwJzPzhbpwkzfBW6mlnZaKxUu0bA57YBrOOIycqLdDIbq8nxtPUYlMOTuqjPo/s320/P9070042.JPG" />{thirst}<br /><br /><br />surrounded by water<br />but i only see the reflection<br />of the sky<br />as i look up<br />while my mind on its pilgrimage<br />can only think:<br />"i thirst"<br />the cloud above like a well<br />& i think:<br />"for you my soul thirsts"<br />& so i walk on looking upqualcosa di bellohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15107076097533430296noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-749578515187279703.post-74019666260886114362009-09-10T02:21:00.000-04:002009-09-10T02:21:00.499-04:00snapshots on the journey6...sidetrippin'...<br /><br /><br />D., Baby Girl & Big Bro~ flown home. Little Man & i remain. crazy eastern european travel buds not yet arrived. what to do, what to do??...<br /><br /><br />check <a href="http://www.apptism.com/apps/irail-european-rail-timetables">iRail app</a>, find next train to <a href="http://english.firenze.net/">firenze</a>, of course!!!...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5378426613562025442" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRMxj38i9WcKZPzpTjtfk3BmSUgDRUBM5fwlrCGs15Ru4oVPcq8YYZE_MyAABoZ5Rh4xNQdiGlgl8L_VhUc6kY673mogkIXYByAWBvz7hG69jvInTw2QNYdZ8tvGRRzpxtwCgdKtJwgi0/s320/440.JPG" />stop by my favorite church (<a href="http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiesa_di_Santa_Margherita_in_Santa_Maria_de">Santa Margherita in Maria de' Ricci</a>)...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5378426624545807490" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrQtzgF84Nqp8yRo5SUD2AMvk0blJMY5tzSugv6KjQcrOPrRLoDkMh-DZ8yqcLPHMc5aieOsFBRlkjcXNfUjnrxXZahXGt_NwBlOh_MkgC_4PNuKH4foMC22A134New3th16Lc9sRq7Kc/s320/432.JPG" />take a passeggiata, enjoying the beauty of this wonderful city...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5378426641505513746" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMRgxmB8NoV70d0mHjPCYq2zM39NTuk-u_dMl_P8dTQ7LDMl971Z5hnWzHnzjUgAIACkEZDAnd_Z1PROnB1SNf5k1eKKeazXlTFLUWMePgrVWBcH_t0ge5b_SCzVTpR5gtySgneptpRCg/s320/437.JPG" /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5378426935171343474" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8503llKWzb-OSejF71lI103qFYi0JmzTI09gSciXmQ4Yr_dFoYHe31DCz-Tnwdp-J4tKJQLH-CMR5rSEHHM_3OTYzl3n7D-eVowsM1G9Hn-l_ktz7HUkOAFf69OEmmWS-IwhcdEGtAFs/s320/438.JPG" />while indulging in a <a href="http://www.vivoli.it/">gelato</a> (of course!!!)...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5378426631301183410" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzz5s6wV_mhBGL3Wx0FkYDe-w9FzS9jv81RP9Di6E5hl9hUGCqZfVC-E5rkdhhKOXlHUly4L3I1iGIwKKQdwNb6fM9Sf2TNoAt_NxC393k9WibXopnvgc38BOty1wYYkbZeUqEyQI_Jgw/s320/434.JPG" />& catch the train back to roma for nighty night!...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5378426946182468450" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8ZSoONHteMH637oAAF8FMECeo2PHzx_Gg4akjbL_Hx2mgQ7zwQQS8dkb89CzFZ2S_3l0NQg5BTJHAb0w6VRZNmceNLcBmvXW8Isek47gYLWlLIdZnAtlXkuawp7LqRv8jc_qai9rFY10/s320/439.JPG" /><a href="http://english.firenze.net/">Firenze</a> never fails to call my name whenever i am in the bel paese!<br /><br /><br />another day of down-time in roma~~ no problema!!! catch another train...visit roma's awesome beach~ <a href="http://www.santamarinella.com/">santa marinella</a>...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5378427357966717090" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTrVogvh1vr_xm7OU6gp8AAuMU5HlSJdaK4HEyEDjAqxyerOmTx3cWAAbRqYoZu8CjMddjtiBMlTVbVQD0EC_ogNbxSzDdDOTmHbTLELz_9Z7itPxUx6-yv-WtzvaV6-W3wP5m5DoCLrA/s320/445.JPG" />have a great night with <a href="http://www.orbiscatholicus.org/">great friends </a>(still <a href="http://ognipiacere.blogspot.com/2008/12/home-from-rome.html">roma's best eats</a>, in my humble opinion!)...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5378426955555624130" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy6nk4eCKW29OvjLuyEvp_fa6col0KUwlLT5U1JXZk0Rln6RrK_RUlTWl7M9i9cKkIqFxcI1c5e0J2b8REslg5dWwEirpnCuX4pTPaDaIoyi02qDNmGtmop9N197dcFkHKKnPL0MnUfAM/s320/450.JPG" />catch the even-later train back to roma & sleep well because in the morning its time to welcome more friends from the states & head to romania!...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5378427374915492690" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-0a66-NZIBTVnLpMYiSbrbpNrTSSQheW9Tj9LmVEwNgSVJcrijBc-esMSRLIpv45tXvmQVrz7jdyQwsRP_cpa_GR7GMXUzYTNWcrdJBBtQFp68dvPr1S-IhTlV59laiuHnFq1Z00tfIs/s320/468.JPG" />(have crazy...will travel!!!!)...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5378427364194208354" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinxJUi4sEmgZRlQcYcCJtDjLJGHmUbZv0VwEdc6o3rT8GlRXnoUjIlH4bz4G7tdZKvjqA6Q34DdaiZ0cUS8So-GqPyFMuUSHGduGwBzc1G3NMXycXewCdBpfCcLRwrLnpJpSs8AkdpNDE/s320/467.JPG" />roma, firenze, santa marinella, giugno, 2009qualcosa di bellohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15107076097533430296noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-749578515187279703.post-52194483038197571042009-09-07T09:31:00.000-04:002009-09-07T09:31:00.223-04:00labor day???...nope...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5378441519295458114" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvCa0U8YSjuOtUbHgUZCafW8CrqcrvshxciCBLK4FMaLe80aP-diqS7DUBfRSDkJhZUeM2bG3BSKQQO7YCq6TMPBrbp7M_tFzzdGxLeGnRsz5JQpYStzuTo5szba4rdZllVSvyxiIB5Gk/s320/P9060063.JPG" />no labor going on here!!!...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5378441526348121042" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-bsz3DWW6Og5wIoRxBAFxU_aLQTcdgDotCwxxtBdnCaAb4Qf7wHYu4CBW1yCbEUs0JSkHzlRgGjuARyqJHigli_cobF_l_WjGRihH0F2JsBJ_-_x7FroQU46FZPGfRKtCreNIgfP4nqk/s320/P9060062.JPG" />have a blessed holiday!qualcosa di bellohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15107076097533430296noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-749578515187279703.post-35952084159946184442009-09-06T15:14:00.003-04:002009-09-06T15:30:06.792-04:00absence makes the heart grow fonder...thinking about <a href="http://onesingleimpression.blogspot.com/">one single impression's </a>prompt for this week, my mind kept wandering to this summer's phone conversations D. & i shared when we were pressed for time & time zones with an ocean & a continent between us. as i traveled more & more eastward, i kept glancing over my shoulder in his direction, wondering, imagining, remembering, anticipating. with text messages at 50 cents (USD) a pop & phone calls 3-6X that per minute, we had to fit a lot of love in a very short space! & it was sweet!<br /><br /><br />the previous summer just after travel apart, i penned a poem with thoughts of the time & space between us. i found myself looking westward over the sea, imagining us sharing the sun or the moon in that moment...<br /><br /><br />{untitled...romance}<br /><br />between the places<br />where sea touches sky<br />a breath escapes<br />shared by you & i<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5378438415166764306" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoHZOrI7-TrOTch20OhW8XtL95V0uQQA9l7tOlX0CCUFNXd2dmucSwMSILu5VJa-nmz2ws21AEjfjWHjB_oC99W-ENLHwAnCmfHbbIwoHAJCSpGuqU22BlFovYbWaQOLvb2wfSiNC79qA/s320/P1120890.JPG" />thank you, <a href="http://mypoeticpath.wordpress.com/2009/09/05/falling-in-love/">geraldine</a>, for the lovely prompt! please visit more poetic offerings at <a href="http://onesingleimpression.blogspot.com/">OSI</a>.qualcosa di bellohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15107076097533430296noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-749578515187279703.post-61747915593315030302009-09-04T19:49:00.004-04:002009-09-04T20:01:00.548-04:00dreamy...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377766199371517218" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp273NBMAj5VhLjV5tivxsp5VPdjX3u9SHPhJx90lnFhFQixtO-U0fDQpk7KTQlW3TbtnutaF6RBhtn7NT3cuClm77HMMfRWy0yJb6HZKdvvDeKVGZihrBySkBNy3t0z-TH910U4Y6FIQ/s320/164.JPG" />ahhhh....a blissful weekend of togetherness at home in between travels & crazy-busy stuff, feeling gratitude for this quiet change...thinking about <a href="http://kcodd.blogspot.com/">future journeys </a>& sending blessings to a good friend's <a href="http://www.orbiscatholicus.org/">new blog</a>!qualcosa di bellohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15107076097533430296noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-749578515187279703.post-61412950814893530762009-08-26T18:58:00.010-04:002009-08-26T20:17:05.713-04:00snapshots on the journey5...aahhhhhh, roma! after an incredibly peaceful 10 day journey meandering around the countryside & seaside, was i ready for your bustle, for your traffic, for your myriad of choices? why yes, i believe i was! we frequented our favorite bars (& for those of you who don't know, that's not the same thing as a 'bar' in the US!)...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374421253373552914" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiteSzPIJ37frnw8_FkUT6F2f-MU5bx1RN4It9bV33l778jM7ybtbEr3OfzRESMX1N47bokYVxA3blwqjFBLQcjz6khrvj2rzfNQ8AZAN7h0XnIdxOEwCi3XC1N6qA4ncYQZWaD7FED04w/s320/328.JPG" />a cappuccino in the morning (bar trevi)...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374423515107809186" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbjXN5fve7jjfgUOm2ixren0aFtul0oqv8VIwjEGvSGLyQMCu_cDZCp8DVogutbWu71znp3cT_NWNPZjFEYsNTwTIYB8HPcLpysyEc2_tLaEgWrtLImtd9w3Vz7IbnUCmG2Fi3KtfvZTk/s320/417.JPG" />a spritz in the afternoon (bar cento passi)...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374421258583446690" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjw-6oXFDUTRCdfHRw5XngLvDCnIQygesk-brca8MfoBVA4YCn1xgl1rff-6KwQ0b9o5RNeblHwmRXd-w1wz7Im53i8zEkMCOmCNATex2r4FR2DhbnB0NQD1bW74wFYdsjrt0zE-N-L2s/s320/331.JPG" />fueled by fabulous italian food...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374421809561976450" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfysZvGe0oHRIznf7GWble6rTKaPv8Yraft445w8gVzst8h2ObuAKXGLEpToc1VS62ljQkGtrrCS0DSOJVP17R11_N5QbuLv5I-xO3rIRHHeToJzrP-rdJrDlkGEqB-771msL8myeuKw8/s320/415.JPG" />we were on the move non-stop...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374421270000764610" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_A2bCNBJi1uFBlvyEE-9DLb4uNSQLkiVFWUvQmktmruHeonTRUYgvr8G7lCnwNa9DSmIffnaJW2Zc0kINfUwPyJfE-Hr7-QGKKE7-_BAMwya9X7LaodTZWERRTaIhtZeuxQmhQ167Q70/s320/333.JPG" />new pathways (climb inside St. Peter's dome)...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374421278745750130" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHH4AzRkJ1XcwPvpPhqv8eIZDLJTIiaEb-RyoITDEYEzsI-kfBQjkzEi7XADfrTLNQSxrmWkpvBmMnpEUfiB7U2okXUneJ2IA_RdaRGAgmQdW00doD6iRcsmU4HuxjOnzkEB2TTqAhGWU/s320/402.JPG" />glimpses of mystery...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374421835838614210" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1A1DH_GkbiwSsSaNoLZT3q1ZU1u8On5OsYR7HXR_bAHzev_q_RM2zWOpexBFqUWTxUUv4VGO8eKRyCAfGJB13Vr-N6Bo3XQGX5skmg2sgCPfviS13vqyMiprdBvf2sFAZPl5UETwIiRY/s320/428.JPG" />attention to detail...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374423525594564258" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2XAXVPPk4M9qWQ90QCX_WrocDl4d0Ubh9tZW4n4WG2nFjIXL0TfiysaPeCizpk0S2gMKaHJsjI6cFbzfyaYVn_cn9RlKHnMGdB2nWHQg-X22aHZAKBFsUfQ1lqzQB8A7OqmupknpnglA/s320/462.JPG" />new views (thanks, christopher~~ <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castel_Sant">castel sant'angelo</a>)...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374423532015163698" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAlO-S48xJ7WuGxCihd9gWLtPdWWpzBwzT_WIwpn7oQgMZMSaAxUwAHWYop_jPQLncTvYGdOl55UR2uvYx7ECmI0lENzak4fVMN7Dn6GmFFu0rG1oQgiyBqZbbslAB8y2OpQl6HXbbfbk/s320/P6090345.JPG" />moments to reflect...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374424038827922130" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNwDBbe81HQRnSD-cKBIHwhRe7hBPfOwMJNrcia4P4-7nzNCasoTXLg71U9HzqRFM7L4Fr0wIMOsV9VE6KPtX4zj8CsjxyVKakcNlmKf8b7cGHRHdrNbxanRNc5wZ73x2KmEJkIKOgsMs/s320/P6140459.JPG" />moments to look beyond...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374424050112531378" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtkEcCcdx_uKTMLYNlwUYotJvNm6Inpsb31aC3kfUy0rzB5e_vldQzAOYWpiLvJmsF-d70NnyT8f1Lttz02osq3i_v4uGQGuitCWNgY3O48gz7-t3jeOTJjxBiYg7V1qjBDwrTLCtn5Tk/s320/P6140463.JPG" />sacred moments (<a href="http://www.romereports.com/palio/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=694&newlang=english">Corpus Christi </a>procession with Pope Benedict)...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374423537260851394" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiQbhiKI6XjYIGAjTg_lrn-86zZVADZMW2uZF2uBuy5FpltfN6RE0TVxr1ruXiDgfb3FMk7r56tqGJvy-JE8m04onOTskx-qoOD9g_1hRHVnCmlB6RNP4np3-7Nj3SvvaIR41NPu9cPNQ/s320/P6110393.JPG" />moments where the ordinary and the sacred met (<a href="http://roma.fssp.it/home.html">roma's FSSP parish</a>)......<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374421813872021362" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpcRGiODe59obkaGiBEPb7aOAaeVWu8W2Q4P4SnOqq7qcP1Awnn0vsrdfO3cNuWqkaj_B4n4TFbXet_ugnFTpr5MTOkmtBgLnBifyOXi6gjN0tqj8n1OaJw-skQrQBMxt5quF30DyRpT4/s320/411.JPG" />a certain slant of light...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374423546873111538" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibIT9l0P-eZhyphenhyphenAXCQXyYgs-UDkhZINrXmqznw218srZlvedc29M7RiU-VlvA7elmZFLxETC97-UPt3BOUUyWvRrQ2q4mw67gmzYLoNWdEuCDXFvmvV5UdcZ0MgsiedN8z9qXje1ixa1sA/s320/P6140450.JPG" />new sounds...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374421263950263122" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdVDgXZlvazFPCvoseK-RnMWYwo_V7h6IXes1d6WZrsPszzAUyuLCIKCsnTocIzBBvlWXlFSW5E0xXgGkRYZBUDunggdGk8ObUZZo-zCSHBDLCvScT5oxEW5WoxFXRV0CCqmv7hkHZxcs/s320/343.JPG" />new clarity...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374421828127209042" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiStEpw5yWMVjEWKvUKdIGOe97XYujmeW7-mXNhaVG4eQHr_8uaaxuIQvUuT-Fyuj1jM_W8Zk4EQfAMscXblcf3qK3HtDg3sTQRCqydAmRZLnSI4-KvwGVMWX9zvW4tH0d51sIwiYH1nnw/s320/420.JPG" />& hopefully~~ a return!...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374421820472590626" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_ujBpzIBljicbRb7unrYsPQt484i5W0fgPdlz27q4RHkEOXJvLMzwkR7jOO74FwoGt5k7ejvDpOf3pBIH3arByfzjEIbOIsQ7W8K9RqTZF1lJVrkIdVSmiSqM_hIDH4MM5c1vbTHEPyk/s320/418.JPG" />roma never disappoints! after 2 weeks of language lessons, a break in the middle to visit florence (that's another 'snapshot' post!), sending Baby Girl home, sending D. & Big Bro home, & greeting our eastern european adventure contingent, we were all-too-soon saying arrivederci, roma! roma, giugno, 2009qualcosa di bellohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15107076097533430296noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-749578515187279703.post-9265715707411207932009-08-20T13:22:00.006-04:002009-08-20T14:37:02.133-04:00so NOT cool anymore...i love nature. my favorite way to begin the day is to sit quietly outdoors & watch the sun rise, giving thanks for another glorious day...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372112645398316178" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_BCjwkRJhKzuGVQeyQEOfUjBMRz4k5CO0ZDBmFOHVZv3zE1V-fAhyphenhyphen8ptcV5UaJQkqlSGYMzPfPeMbfWVvGFr54ghQeMa0fJUWOELnmuj9ycYk5LzfYsT8PnZ1XzzoG3ayekaVghNmzHg/s320/824.JPG" />i love to spend time on the water...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372114501376719282" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY499t58xYxm2YzdTCumpyS32Yq1P7HSWPRLpQaKItA9gr7REmeOA8GdbepEE8gNY8jrOKyQ2RQjE1bkO-udbcwC4WJ2WGwGAh0h9oZ6Ty76aGyN1DKhvR_adBR9lFZ5DFausy2_vr5Mg/s320/P9280148.JPG" />time among our flowers & herbs...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372114522737048066" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjKlcTGnM1w49YhOXjC5GJy3tW758glVtryVry3yVEhcO44hvoX8qfK2UWm9xsWENqM1cAh9gDlJ5AR2zty9sMCYygbYGAKlwZyxkVT2wfQNAO0HHTIIC5D6gUR5WkuKxkJw2JTwK1rdE/s320/P7030220.JPG" />time watching the wildlife do its thing...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372112668570719250" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2WEoDs0U42hNQEh0AT3QhqTBr4iEfVKAh-pXlBQ_gopuFK-nXWkdlVVi3AI1tMnyIUKTIINymX-p-y5RnWdT4Ld_uFiS6IKa1k7nMB1nTYLD9hsjjg8deUl_MGIyFDKoXKexMoqAGwDA/s320/P9270290.JPG" />but sometimes nature gets close... <div><div><div><div><div><div><div> </div><div>a bit too close...</div><div> </div><div>as in front door close!...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372114510934137698" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDnXfzO6Phht5otsBYMtFB8xLghpUavRX4H1q8k7GalBQh8NX7-KNKU1QOEp0sI_iCkRJ_XmnbdOs5tvuSNXQTZrjUk5G7rGtFasVkUyKXnUoDyNHBkvz-ffw5v4I2HfAyyALZeG4gROE/s320/831.JPG" />last week this crazy lady (the size of my hand with fingers spread) set up housekeeping in our front entryway...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372112665130411442" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX2jVreZrnd3EgSHbnoobO2dWYUPDprYOEmNRqSauTiB3WcOssBRVJvarehowZRThtgySfV3VV5rm31BLFuwMsCZvJ2yvs7NYqQfNvqgYHge7Uo5vCpy4eCu37pjqFfYl2itYypQxi1Js/s320/P9250068.JPG" />she was promptly evicted!!! yesterday her friend, no doubt miffed at front-door visitor's swift 'removal,' laid a nice trap for me across our sliding glass door to the back deck. well now, <a href="http://dogsblogging.blogspot.com/">hound patrol </a>moves out sometimes before the light of dawn & this was one of those days. i generally follow them out the door to prevent unwanted 'neighborly' visits. coffee in hand, i was on the tail of the <a href="http://dogsblogging.blogspot.com/">Elusive L.</a> when something felt a bit...ehem...off! & then something was definitely a bit 'on' ~~ as in ON ME!!!!! our new arachnid neighbor (another one the size of my hand was ALL. OVER. ME!!!!!! her web was ALL. OVER. ME!!!!!</div><div> </div><div> </div><div>in a flash my coffee was all over her. D. was down the stairs with palpitations. boyworld was way-too-awake at an awful hour. most likely our entire neighborhood joined them in this pre-dawn unplanned rising! my screams could have won an oscar. now, i don't want to hurt living creatures, but i am sorry to say, this time i cared not one wit for that spider's well-being. 8 legs crawling on me in my house = serious lack-of-thought-thrashing-throwing-screaming reaction.</div><div> </div><div> </div><div>D. assured me she was back out the door & even down the deck stairs with a distinct coffee trail (he claims i probably drowned her in that stuff~~ what a waste of good coffee!). i don't know... but from now on, no home exits without light & a spider-removing stick! & now, back to my regularly scheduled summer relaxing...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372112655022701218" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_w1XZi505h8SP_lbh2hBNvV6NCdN7uv45L_hqFMRdRYjGW-nIQ6-Z0vutwJDs8Y7DgwdXaG_c_qvJyrQELUlGq_olYlTABbAc8BgOzxKlj6XBB4J4-hyR1lHrZOpz3Rh7uasYipcedsU/s320/P4240020.JPG" /></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>qualcosa di bellohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15107076097533430296noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-749578515187279703.post-68379426739523545092009-08-18T19:26:00.004-04:002009-08-18T20:33:45.200-04:00snapshots on the journey4...after the rolling hills of le marche & the mountains of cascia, we were beach-bound for nettuno. while we were laying the groundwork for this journey, Baby Girl requested a visit to this town by the sea in order that she might visit the <a href="http://www.santuarionettuno.it/">santuario di nettuno </a>where <a href="http://www.mariagoretti.org/mariabio.htm">Saint Maria Goretti </a>(her Confirmation saint) is buried...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371462336826301378" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiixXiUBsl56rFUhj_m5pk45GmuRCmp9pQVimwEC1kCvkL4B2Ebj-8epuHV07qABbuAmcGVy6QDDQijj3sbourcs1apOJLaL_DsWCYVLPdlaNf5QPTcsrJ4u5QN_xUoBTIGbrcr-YHw_eM/s320/P6060309.JPG" />we arrived mid afternoon, in time to visit this rather modern church & attend Mass. what an awesome sight it was to walk out the church's doors & be greeted by a very tempestous mediterranean sea!!...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371462326039276146" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkjbOxgY8hoiFPyEQqAINl8JMxGgbjbFGhhiWfTs5z_TdJGMMYxWs-E2Sr4NKRz7A0pvovfYDRIIyC6PjB5I1H0k6wfTKQOft0Wp3rt6N0exjfB_hIEYyCPSH-j2rbSYvMDmEjYUsVbS4/s320/P6060304.JPG" />we could not resist an evening beach walk nor the glorious moonrise over the sea...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371462345336849458" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdRzRCAAlIDvTHJtBD737mHOs-IvI3ra6fnKpsaSNy2pmJ6oBowsuj2szv_XA8nL5pZMvUV1gKSw-9k9aEw7LSsOEQ6Md9FhvDzEIoTqt75-JIGnHgtsMzT0psA-R6S7MLCa8ThyeNDI0/s320/P6060312.JPG" />though our time there was short, it was quite an occasion...Baby Girl & Big Bro celebrated their birthdays (21 & 17 respectively)...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371462328249962290" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhizAOdupKqCU7kS0KZY_dR1ivH1xYRguDZ4s3s3XQKNDlox8OhmE7NYnchQdtojnOI_awFnZQg6PI_ZwP_RfN6mBlPNQgfDVgBt82JwRJPsLHKV5nEDjG818DAkVOkT2_Rfmg9ZJBKJE/s320/P6060308.JPG" />& we marked the occasion of D-Day with a visit to the <a href="http://www.abmc.gov/cemeteries/cemeteries/sr.php">American Cemetery</a>...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371463847778537826" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDrm2KsIsm1iSJW-H0pZH73Ng552Obngjq4dS67D245aEvT1Unc-VbLRJFo_FEJc7BVif6TbFofsGgdqZYrWOyTWQahHVC2x6Hf7aDr-u-uxUT_s3gmR5OvPw4rTTJMDHckCj2RsfOqnY/s320/P6070318.JPG" />it was a very humbling experience to realize how many gave their lives to defend the lives of others. & it was also an occasion for D. & i to remember family members' stories about WWII, passing the memories of these noble deeds along to yet another generation...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371463847047615506" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1l1zIEuxJq0GQ5aW8L6lL2q7epirhYCKkvv55Nhp4Wctmp4enTv3_-qFGAnm_OGzDy-JKv8Qq8jmdbZ7pMHKQzeAmTAeo3O7NKzZtkcMnRMc7uTJ59WLRT4Fw6r_fcSuCKl0HHAXdwdM/s320/P6070314.JPG" />imagine our surprise, when searching the list of servicemen & women who are buried their, we found one with our last name (not a very common name either)...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371463859881991378" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIMijc-UylS2QQY9GtYyZ3mTu9npI2OcRx-GquUPqkVOcXDHglPp0Nbm_OFLECatp7fwE668i0I8TrrRIaeqBBwyFgiB6bQ5QniwpasPGlSW6SMmZX5dVlXD86A9eKpEWCZe31MmgNXKE/s320/P6070321.JPG" />this moment on our journey was a quiet contrast to the busy days ahead in roma~~ one day & one night out of 5 weeks, but one that made a lasting impression.<br /><br />nettuno, italia, guigno 2009qualcosa di bellohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15107076097533430296noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-749578515187279703.post-51034760207886746462009-08-12T14:29:00.004-04:002009-08-12T20:31:14.459-04:00an ocean of excuses...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369170853383006674" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIQBJMCdZUDVd7_9C-rnIeebXnyA76hxPFcql18a88YGgtAbySgSSBTdsbBU3dpG_KCyaqwDxvghcTt7wW_kRiRZvw905phC36hX-vNR0CdErcW7L9r3W49WQAmnBDfOuxWbBSUgIyo3Y/s320/P9280213.JPG" />i am late to <a href="http://onesingleimpression.blogspot.com/">one single impression's </a>glorious prompt for this week, but i could not pass it by. <a href="http://fledglingpoet.blogspot.com/">sweetest in the gale's </a>offering 'ocean' swam in my mind all weekend & i had no computer access but i did have pen & paper. living by the ocean & seeing its beauty in all seasons is one of the greatest blessings in my life...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369170827383783682" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLKdbi5grmWGBz2RR0CBet58ILo_ZlhgU5BOxqqfOawHGJbwyOHtGa2A4g0cji_nccg4YBr0dOcojAEoJrD4_QRxi9pKjv7uWUbaufJL103IH4HlO0uP-trVW9_OGGFEAtXYM31uQNFbs/s320/P1060736.JPG" />i have worked through so many of my life's puzzles looking out to sea. i have let it carry my worries away on its currents. i have swum for joy in its waves. i have let the music of its tide put me to sleep. i am in awe of its power~ to churn up & to calm down. it is one of the most powerful ways in which God speaks to my heart. it has been my solace in this season of grief & as i let the prompt carry me, i found once again great comfort.<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369170836643026290" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9jdxhaVCi-HHFVQwvs2ius94MN4hBc3avjozlLF3HGz-zm9BMtT7AZnOGNfgSBOGz1J5_lXSJQFe8tzDFpxa1GckarKpGlyf5RKd2EcFG3rdw5b4lK2qnbVTQFlqHlLjKS9uN4TSttoA/s320/P8300018.JPG" />{ocean}<br /><br />an empty void stretched out before me<br />the abyss of your absence<br />& in my solitude i cried<br />an ocean of tears<br />their current flowed from the heart<br />of love<br />their release filled up the valley<br />of loss<br />& on their gentle, lapping waves i sailed<br />cutting through the sun-dappled shine<br />into the safe harbor<br />of your arms<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369170845865522434" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGu3P7GF5owHIVZUX4qRgbNt0fd_jQamkFofIfnNQF2NRCg_w94Gr5Co0UYaaQS8MldpSxh7xL5VasaFsTg7oqa0Eg53As_bwlWvXy5B1z9KVetjzArl746KjfV0tT8nZgKA8AQuPFj2U/s320/P9050016.JPG" />please visit <a href="http://onesingleimpression.blogspot.com/">OSI</a> for more beautiful poetryqualcosa di bellohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15107076097533430296noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-749578515187279703.post-14168023996520181212009-08-07T15:57:00.005-04:002009-08-07T16:54:21.699-04:00snapshots on the journey3...after a week in san vittore of rejuvenation...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367321928437094770" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhosmLRKqNwzHN4PTbQhR6cOc7F2p0czDFzL83GXh-Hs8-CdETY2rK5obrGhpza9DzawDQDjodYczcycn6S8fdGBToqIu6YGXHPaBk6QWXUr4Ld23w-TVjZ2BZEhvHD6qBuTZng8nLfcJg/s320/275.JPG" />& <a href="http://casalba.wordpress.com/">hospitality</a> that leaves your soul sighing with satisfaction...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367321943947037058" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-q9Yf9ykI2ucHf4Wr3FTnyJ1M43mvTTxCn7twOxU24oM7FbsjnwS3LuLjlXv3kXLBAGpCE78DIN-dopWRmy4ioxA9tqll_cvnint5qYCMyVz6RkNMKn8QqUyEGBGldw-USqXkY1sTIMo/s320/P5300016.JPG" />it was time to pack the bags once again & hit the open road for the mountain town of <a href="http://www.bellaumbria.net/Cascia/home_eng.htm">cascia...</a><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367322870314567442" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh9DImuxEqO_uGvUgseQ7cp1ROhbY_5BNobuMFhDukhyphenhyphenJreXZm-05HuMiSUQsdtgQ0gKC6H2CvHvNZcb8N1iW1NWa9R2Jec15He1GBt4lrOq4zEDNMuN_TJBdZTDx0vH8jUYG__Xms654/s320/P6050267.JPG" />...i have a special love for <a href="http://saints.sqpn.com/saint-rita-of-cascia/">santa rita da cascia </a>& so did my mother-in-law. she & i talked of santa rita often & i wish D.'s momma could have been there with us...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367321952859716194" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWiWu1PC2bwI5PC0c6ZoqOvpoVe4kRVlK3eI0lAHr4SQuO-RVWHql36by4_8oocX6FMkLAFHnlivfIzRQSisJ-MAAHcO77mzRCbEyK_ZBqmrc1sGad4g9k8kZUfozKgDbgcjDuzjBlJ0E/s320/P6050251.JPG" />it was with great joy that i was able to call her from cascia (cell service in those mountains is sketchy, at best) & tell her about the beauty of that place...the <a href="http://www.santaritadacascia.org/home.asp">basilica</a>...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367321947525016610" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7vKaT8Doa7Bijm3G1R1A6eACSTMJNe1F4_drkYNbF7BfVJm6JCoM_ttL1R7CDScDoae-XW25HKFXqbK2xItRhXFYSCk3_qVNE1SEpGl_rczGE4-lvPsivVgIWD5jLzbz4ZqIjOTYyy5s/s320/P6050245.JPG" />the town...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367321933483238386" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5P0KUy-kZqGsbWsu5jiF4cN8VZJG3-Z2FZRYbyy20v-Cx62RZqOFlqvnqY83Wbvcu9JIe52eilZqvrz-1eSpKpRECfyan4aPymDXScmyobl6d53ajwW3h5OapG0qPLUFvVUUcLALMP7E/s320/314.JPG" />the mountains...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367322874188805554" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmWOVIBxMkXaDQzgNzTqCIzogzJu4NHM98OrmWOQUx68Tdl2IuwWYp_iiS1QJdHZNOFr5ZpYOL7CLBqJeN2khK7LiltTTKDrIwMTpizMzDEQcvisxUHdgCPiS8r6P_jHcknByHcEOIgR4/s320/P6050275.JPG" />the peace...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367322884723842242" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzI2Um_W5rE5uUV9xrMyM7D6Mp41DR_FEyCZaOgZ_7V_fd98SCr5IqBSKkVGmFzMruYwh10t9JjIxZ93KseqHbJcOH7KlyJ1AOwZvKD51jczkf8Xliq_w0qlbVdZS0MbKEGc6uFV51RVU/s320/P6060291.JPG" />that fills one's soul...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367322887232491554" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtWZBHMiEy0uIWUpYtO1r4ri4y5kbG8a51hFRnKeNSvgYFjZPiURvqwgjeQHmn9AwqGwCWtQScFNZL20Y8sEVhJ-Km9Dp1lSwDAnhfpKK8oaaaszTvOiipyNfaMJsF3kDSQ0CUjl54RXs/s320/P6060293.JPG" />in too short a time, we found ourselves back on the road, bound for a beach just outside of roma~ <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nettuno">nettuno</a>...qualcosa di bellohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15107076097533430296noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-749578515187279703.post-47080798176346828702009-08-04T14:54:00.004-04:002009-08-04T14:59:12.559-04:00sometimes......life really is a bed of roses!<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366185001254499778" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp7y1peyx9Xqmh4pgN89VlRQHkf24VadQk1faQ2ykLWJOQikmSia4SVQjpJjDRIf6eBvc40diaZUcu6tAVp84ZzogNzOzeoMvj2QyuKGj-jCdxmEns-EyRLrIf4AtIXIMz5av4hU_iqcI/s320/848.JPG" />qualcosa di bellohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15107076097533430296noreply@blogger.com2