It’s easy to believe there just isn’t enough time to do something we love or to learn something we’d like to learn. We think if only we had an hour, or a day, or a weekend, to give to our passion, then we could enjoy doing it. But the truth is, taking (or making) a … Continue reading The power of a little bit
re·nais·sance | ren-uh–sahns, –zahns, –sahns, ren–uh-sahns, -zahns, -sahns the activity, spirit, or time of the great revival of art, literature, and learning in Europe beginningin the 14th century and extending to the 17th century, marking the transition from the medieval to the modern world. the forms and treatments in art used during this period. any similar revival in the world of art and learning. a renewal of life, vigor, interest, etc.; rebirth; revival. origin – French, from Middle French, rebirth, from Old French renaistre to be born again, from Latin renasci, from re- + nasci to be born synonyms – rebirth, rejuvenation, renewal, resurgence, revitalization, revival, reawakening The thing about a renaissance is that you can’t force it. That’s the way it is with any … Continue reading Renaissance
Goodbye, Europe! Hello, America! A lot has happened in the last few days, with plenty of goodbyes and hellos. On our last night in Rome, we walked to Orange Trees Garden (Savello Park) on Aventine Hill. All week, I’d looked across the river from our terrace to the umbrella pines on the top of that … Continue reading Ciao! And ciao!
Twenty-four hours! That’s what we have left (after we get up in the morning) in this colossal, crowded, chaotic, creative city. We’ve loved our little perch in Trastevere. From our terrace, we have a nearly 360 view of the city – we can see St. Peter’s to the north, the top of the Vittorio Emmanuel … Continue reading 24 Hours Left in Rome
Last night, I showed you pictures of our view of Siena at four different times of day – midday, sunset, dusk, and nighttime. Today, I get to show you one more, thanks to my old friend insomnia. Siena before sunrise! So stunning. I just didn’t feel sleepy last night at all, so I read until … Continue reading Sunrise in Siena
(Hello from Siena!) We were all really sad to leave Florence yesterday. Really sad. As in, I cried. As in, I made a wee video on our last night, to post to this blog, and then I decided I couldn’t post it because I sounded so sad! So you get this still shot from the … Continue reading Salve da Siena!
We made it from Venice to Florence on Thursday and after a string of packing up and moving every other day (Strasbourg, Salzburg, Vienna, and Venice over the span of 8 days), we were delighted to settle into our apartment for a week here. We’re staying on the top floor of a 500 year-old building … Continue reading Ah, Firenze
(And I slightly mangled the Italian in this video by doing some sort of melding of Spanish and Italian – “we are” is “siamo,” not “soimos.”) At any rate, after a not particularly restful night train trip from Vienna to Venice, we are here and loving life! Continue reading Siamo qui in Italia
We made it from Strasbourg to Salzburg last night, and it’s delightful here. We’re a step closer to getting some of our data/internet issues sorted out, which is also delightful. Some hilarious hijinks ensued along the way, which I’ll share later. For now, I just wanted to say hello from Austria. Hello! It’s so pretty … Continue reading Gute Nacht aus Österreich
This fierce, feisty, fun, fabulous woman is beloved church member Helen Louise. She died yesterday morning, peacefully and surrounded by family, after a long and difficult illness. She was a retired American Baptist pastor married to Dick (also a retired American Baptist pastor) for just shy of 60 years. She was a mother and a … Continue reading Grace and Peace
Seeing the Sacred 