The desert tells a different story every time one ventures on it.
– Robert Edison Fulton Jr.
Arizona Trip
Category Archives: personal
Autumn is My Favorite Season
On a recent trip to the mountains of Colorado to watch aspen leaves turn a beautiful golden yellow against dark shades of evergreen. Lovely!
A Trip to Arizona
When you’re in the desert, you look into infinity…. It makes you feel terribly small, and also in a strange way, quite big.
Grand Canyon
Palatki Heritage Site
Near Chapel of the Holy Cross
Near Chapel of the Holy Cross
Tlaquepaque Village in Sedona
Tlaquepaque Village in Sedona
Tlaquepaque Village in Sedona
Tlaquepaque Village in Sedona
Tlaquepaque Village in Sedona
Tlaquepaque Village in Sedona
Sunset on Sedona
Sedona Vortex
Yukka
The Vacation of a Lifetime continued
A spectacular 12-day Mediterranean cruise! Departed from Barcelona, Spain and made stops in Cannes/Nice/Monaco/Monte Carlo Casino in France. Then on to Italy with stops in Rapallo, Santa Margherita Ligure and Portofino. Next up was Rome, Italy where we toured the Colosseum and Vatican City. Then on to the Acropolis in Athens Greece. Another stop in Mykonos, Greece for great food and ouzo. Up next was Santorini, Greece (Mamma Mia!). Our last stop was Valetta, Malta with a special trip to Mdna or Città Vecchia- the Silent City, a fortified medieval city.
Malta: Valetta, Mdna or Città Vecchia
Valetta, Malta
The Blue Grotto, Malta
Ancient fishing village of Marsaxlokk, Malta
Mdna, a medieval walled city originally settled by the Phoenicians in 700 BC.
Mdna, a medieval walled city originally settled by the Phoenicians in 700 BC.
Casa Mdina. Mdna, a medieval walled city originally settled by the Phoenicians in 700 BC.
Mdna, a medieval walled city originally settled by the Phoenicians in 700 BC.
Mdna, a medieval walled city originally settled by the Phoenicians in 700 BC.
Mdna, a medieval walled city originally settled by the Phoenicians in 700 BC.
Mdna, a medieval walled city originally settled by the Phoenicians in 700 BC.
A smoldering volcano in the Mediterranean.
A beautiful end to the trip of a lifetime!
The Vacation of a Lifetime continued
A spectacular 12-day Mediterranean cruise! Departed from Barcelona, Spain and made stops in Cannes/Nice/Monaco/Monte Carlo Casino in France. Then on to Italy with stops in Rapallo, Santa Margherita Ligure and Portofino. Next up was Rome, Italy where we toured the Colosseum and Vatican City. Then on to the Acropolis in Athens Greece. Another stop in Mykonos, Greece for great food and ouzo. Up next was Santorini, Greece (Mamma Mia!). Our last stop was Valetta, Malta with a special trip to Mdna or Città Vecchia- the Silent City, a fortified medieval city.
Italy: Rapallo, Santa Margherita Ligure and Portofino. Next day Rome: The Colosseum and Vatican City
Italian countryside heading toward the hamlet of Rapallo
Santa Margherita Ligure is a comune (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Genoa and 16th century castle
Shops in Santa Margherita Ligure
Santa Margherita Ligure
Portofino, Italy is a fishing village and resort. Looks like George Clooney’s yacht!
Arch of Constatine in Rome, Italy.
The Colosseum. Rome, Italy
Inside the Colosseum. Rome, Italy.
Corinthian style Roman columns. Rome, Italy
Church near the Piazza del Popolo (the Plaza of the People)
St Peter’s Basilica. Vatican City, Italy
Vatican City, Italy
Vatican City, Italy
The Vacation of a Lifetime continued
A spectacular 12-day Mediterranean cruise! Departed from Barcelona, Spain and made stops in Cannes/Nice/Monaco/Monte Carlo Casino in France. Then on to Italy with stops in Rapallo, Santa Margherita Ligure and Portofino. Next up was Rome, Italy where we toured the Colosseum and Vatican City. Then on to the Acropolis in Athens Greece. Another stop in Mykonos, Greece for great food and ouzo. Up next was Santorini, Greece (Mamma Mia!). Our last stop was Valetta, Malta with a special trip to Mdna or Città Vecchia- the Silent City, a fortified medieval city.
FRANCE: Cannes, Nice (French Riviera), Monaco, and Monte Carlo
Principality of Monaco in the French Riviera
Prince’s Palace of Monaco
Principality of Monaco in the French Riviera
Principality of Monaco in the French Riviera
Saint-Martin Gardens in Monaco
Saint-Martin Gardens overlooking Monaco
Monte Carlo Casino in Monaco
Sunset on the French Riviera
The Vacation of a Lifetime
A spectacular 12-day Mediterranean cruise! Departed from Barcelona, Spain and made stops in Cannes/Nice/Monaco/Monte Carlo Casino in France. Then on to Italy with stops in Rapallo, Santa Margherita Ligure and Portofino. Next up was Rome, Italy where we toured the Colosseum and Vatican City. Then on to the Acropolis in Athens Greece. Another stop in Mykonos, Greece for great food and ouzo. Up next was Santorini, Greece (Mamma Mia!). Our last stop was Valetta, Malta with a special trip to Mdna or Città Vecchia- the Silent City, a fortified medieval city.
This is Barcelona, Spain
The Hotel Condes de Barcelona
Barcelona streetscape – Gaudi architecture
Gaudi Building
Barcelona shopping
Architectural details
Placa de Catalunya
Barri Gòtic – the Gothic district in Barcelona
Barri Gòtic – the Gothic district in Barcelona
Barri Gòtic – the Gothic district in Barcelona. Spires!
Barri Gòtic – the Gothic district in Barcelona. Angel!
Barri Gòtic – the Gothic district in Barcelona. Bubbles!
A Roman stone in Barcelona somewhere
Barri Gòtic – the Gothic district in Barcelona
Nightcap from the rooftop lounge at the Hotel Condes de Barcelona
After the rains in the evening. From the rooftop lounge at the Hotel Condes de Barcelona
As we sailed off into the sunset leaving Barcelona. Headed for France.
Is it autumn yet?
I can’t wait!
But it’s coming, I’m sure.
Autumn is my absolute favorite time of year. Three amazing holidays fall in autumn (oh, that was a good one!)…Halloween, Thanksgiving and My Birthday. I’m so excited!
There are so many other reasons I love fall.
The aroma of evening fireplaces burning in the neighborhood. Wearing sweatshirts and jeans. Shuffling through crisp, crunchy leaves on the ground. Shopping for new school supplies (even though I don’t really need any more pens). Saying the words ‘burnt umber’. Wearing fluffy socks. Baking punkin’ pies. Sipping apple cider. Putting more blankets on the bed.
Here in Colorado, it’s a little early for most of that…today’s temp finally dipped below 95 degrees, the Front Range is still pretty green, and putting more blankets on the bed would be ridiculous. But I know it’s coming. I saw it in the leaves…
A funny thing about trees
Q: What is a tree’s least favorite month?
A: Sep-timber
Q: What tree can fit into your hand?
A: A palm tree
Q: How do trees get on the internet?
A: They log in
Q: Why did the sheriff arrest the tree?
A: Because its leaves rustled.
Q: What did the tree wear to the pool party?
A: Swimming trunks
Q: How can you tell if a tree is a dogwood?
A: By its bark
You never really leave home
I left Wisconsin for Colorado 32 years ago. I’m living a wonderful life in Colorado with an amazing family and dear friends. But every once in awhile, I get a little homesick. My trip back to visit family and old friends a couple weeks ago was a lot of things…joyful, tearful, delightful, and even frightful once around the campfire. We shared wonderful meals, laughter, old stories, and memories. The people you come from shape who you are. But the place you come from is the backdrop for all the memories. The places even become memories themselves…the Queen’s Chair, the Fort, the Res, and the Woods. On Wisconsin.
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