From my window overlooking Terni. Terni was severly destroyed, WWII by the allies, because of it's large industries. The industry of their greatest value is the steel mill producing stainless steel. While this a large mass of industrial buildings, it does not win the eye overlooking the city of cascading homes with their common red tiled roofs. Each layer of small mountains or hills (depending on where you are from) fades lighter and lighter into the distant clouds.

 

 

 

 

This is from the top floor entry, overlooking the main courtyard from where dining and the church studio is accessible.

 

Our second floor entry is from the outside stairs, this small area just below

Standing below my upper window, the view is no less magnificent. Olive groves surround the hill sides in most every direction, with flowers in bloom at every perspective. The birds are flit around, owning the morning sounds, yet I can still hear a morning rooster at home just below us.

A Visit to Terni

Our first day, a moments rest from the airport and lunch, then off to Terni for a short visit.  It was a great time to relax and stretch the legs after airline cramping. 

 

 

Narrow "streets" lead off to places we will never know.  They often seem private or deadends.  If you do venture through these side keyholes, they are usually surprising by opening up to other areas of the city spotted with restaurants, small shops, and the sounds of home spilling from the windows above.

 

 

 

Of course I cannot resist a quick photo of art nouveau, even though it is not a common element here, it is still my favorite of styles.

 



La Romita Italy

Bon journo, from La Romita, Italy.  Yes, this is my second time to Italy, and I have still not logged in all my photos from the first time.  But I am determined to keep up with this trip on a daily basis.
I arrived with my flight landing early!  That was a good sign.  At least the airport was familiar.  Familiarity breeds calmness.  Being our first/evening,  we spent the time introducing, getting familiar, and a quick visit into town.  La Romita is an artist retreat with various teachers and instructors leading intensive workshops.  This place inspires me to revisit all my lists of things to do.  There are so many creative ideas I will be borrowing...

 



 This is a view of our living area from the garden.

 

 

 

 



 This is inside the sanctuary, now a lab.  Beautiful artwork is still in place and much of everything is original from the days of the monks.

 

 

This is a small place in the floor, with the letter S which once was a opening to the the crypt of bones...

 

I will come back with more of the history.

France 2011 Inside St Michel

Even upon entrance, the whole magnificent scene belongs to some set of make believe and stories from our youth.





Surprisingly, what looks like a storybook castles, around the bend reveals narrow streets, markets, and much evidence of everyday living in this village held secretly inside.





As quickly as you are in the market, you are out again with choices of lookouts, stairs, and unsure passageways. These are the type of places that require a meeting place and time for a group to reconnect as we straggle our own separate ways, lured by look outs and our own imagination.




The variety of windows, cut glass patterns, and architectural detail are varied here, as each section was added and there are not enough photos or time to truly capture all the rooms.




It is easy to get lost and confused on location as you go in and out of an area, unsure of backtracking or moving forward. Many rooms lead to what appear as dead end hallways only to reveal another element or room worth viewing.




Towards the end, my camera might capture a few picture, but most are now too fogged with the mist to be visibly acceptable.

France 2011 Mont St Michel

I was unaware of what we were heading towards. We were told to exit the bus for pictures. I saw nothing but silt and water and was unsure of the photographic opportunities in stopping the bus. This was the place to see and be. It was the setting of stories you read and where your imagination visited on long dark windy evenings. Rising out of the mist, our group is talking of Vincent Price needed to complete the picture .

France 2011 Gold Statues of Versailles

I had heard of the hall of mirrors, not realizing the mirrors were really minor compared not just to the artistic elements of the walls and ceilings, but the chandeliers and gold statues that ran the full length. Many of these statues looked similiar. The real difference was the perspectives as you walk though the hall. They make for great subject matter for my artist friends. I am hoping for some quiet time to draw from these myself, paper and ink.

france 2011 Inside the Palace of Versailles

Tapestries were facinating in that they often had areas and elements that appeared three dimensional, a skill that has become a lost aspect of the art. Many forms of figures grace every corner of every room.

While you may attempt to view each room as a whole, small elements, details, and such cannot be completely viewed walking through. I desired to take 30 or so photos per room, had their been time and others who would become impatient with me, trying to view the same.

A lions head graced the upper corners of each side of a fireplace mantel in one of the rooms.

I cannot imagine the number of artist and craftsmen employed for such grandeur.

Another fireplace. Note even behind the burning logs, an artistic relief is framed by the mantel.

The ceiling were more ornate than most any other aspect of these rooms. Most rooms had multiple murals on the ceilings, ceiling corners, even small elements between. No space was wasted, including the framing of each.

This room towards the end of the tour facinated me, in that there were some elements that appeared three dimensional on the ceilings, yet I was never completely sure what was dimensional and what was talent.