Life is a patchwork of experiences
After 1000 years of history, Our Lady of Notre Dame de Paris still stands strong. She is a little rougher around the edges, but her soul still shines through. The spire and the roof are gone but the site looks remarkably clean. For the time being, you can only admire her from afar. Unlike my previous visits, there was no revelry as people stood to watch and take photos. There was a quiet worshipful reverence as tourists continued to admire this historic Paris icon.
Thanks for visiting
Rose
There are over 1000 years of history in this photo. The round church in the background is the Rotonda di San Lorenzo in the city of Mantua, Italy. This is the oldest church in this UNESCO designated city, built in the late 11th century, and still has some of the original frescoes visible inside. The red Vespa in the foreground is another classic Italian legacy, but only since the 1940’s.
Thanks for visiting.
Rose
Quilt Inspiration – I made this quilt to commemorate our 30th wedding anniversary trip to Venice. Blue and red seem to be the traditional colors of Venice – gondoliers wear blue-and-white or red-and-white striped shirts. The traditional carnival masks tend to use red or blue diamond patterns, so I knew those would be the predominant colors in the quilt.
Continue reading ““Remembering Venice” – Original Quilt Design”
When I first saw the puddles in St. Mark’s square in Venice, I thought it had rained while I was having dinner. But when the puddles kept getting bigger, I realized that the high tide was seeping in from underneath the paving stones in the plaza. I could not resist the opportunity for another reflection photo.
Thanks for visiting.
Rose
The gondola is a form of transportation that is totally unique to Venice. For many, a trip to this city is not complete without a gondola ride through its canals. Most people though take a gondola near St. Mark’s square and as a result, their gondola experience is nose to tail with other tourists. For a less touristy alternative, I picked a gondolier on one of the quiet back canals in the Dorsoduro district of Venice. This district is an easy vaporetto boat ride across the Grand Canal from St. Marks square, yet not many tourists seem to go there. As a result, I had peaceful and relaxing gondola ride that gave me a different perspective of this city built on top of the water.
Thanks for visiting
Rose
Quilt Inspiration – This Burano Sampler quilt was inspired by the many colorful houses on the island of Burano in the Venetian Lagoon. Each of the houses on Burano is painted a different bright shade, so that as you are walking through the town, it feels like you are in the middle of a big box of crayons.
Continue reading ““Burano Sampler” Quilt – An Original Quilt Design”
The Garden of the Gods Illinois and Shawnee National Forest provides outdoor recreation, interesting history and beautiful scenery, all of which is within an easy 6 hour drive from 30 cities and towns in the Midwest. After road tripping through the Midwest, I am sharing my list of things to do in Garden of the Gods, Illinois.
Despite having lived in Chicago for many years, it is only as a recent visitor back to the state that I discovered the wooded beauty of the Shawnee National Forest and the Garden of the Gods Illinois. Who knew there was so much scenic wilderness in a state known for growing corn?
Continue reading “There’s a Little Bit of Paradise in the Garden of the Gods Illinois”
The Ohio River forms the southern boundary of the state of Illinois. It is a source of transportation and recreation. And also a source of food. I had the best freshly caught fried catfish dinner at this floating E-Town Restaurant. And the meal came with a free gorgeous sunset to boot.
Thanks for visiting.
Rose
This was one of the first quilts I started, and many years later, once the kids were off to college and I had more time, it was also one of the first quilts I finally finished. It also taught me that there can still be beauty in imperfection, even if the mistake is huge.
Continue reading ““Step Into My Garden” – A Perfectly Imperfect Watercolor Quilt Design”
How to experience spring in the Brandywine Valley gardens.
I absolutely love spring in the Brandywine Valley of southeastern Pennsylvania and northern Delaware. At this time of year I don’t need to travel because I am surrounded by some of the most beautiful gardens in the country. Starting in March and continuing nonstop through May, the gardens that were formerly part of DuPont family estates glow in a riot of vibrant colors as a succession of blooms brighten the landscape and my spirits with them.
You can read my article about spring in the historic Brandywine Valley in the most recent issue of Travel World International magazine.
You can see more spring garden photos in my post Tip Toe through the Tulips-A Colorful Collection of Spring Garden Photos at Longwood Gardens.
Thanks for visiting.
Rose
