Beautiful Histories

Why do I write about beautiful art and places? What do I hope to accomplish, you may ask. For one thing, I’m intentionally focusing each day on something beautiful or meaningful because I see value in that. To keep my mind above the fray in a challenging world, I’m taking the advice of Paul of Tarsus: “Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely . . . think on these things.” Good thoughts lead to good actions. In other words, as my thoughts go, so goes my life.

@CulturedChem @Gentleman_Ways 😅

@Shelli_BH @Gentleman_Ways Not to mention inspiring movies featuring Kenneth Branagh in a comedy mustache

I can get behind this way of living…

“I’m watching you . . .” Who is that looking down at us at the Scuola Grande di San Rocco in Venice? Does anyone know the identity of this “hidden” detail?

@WesternOpus LOL - you’re probably right. There was a third cat, but it took a look at us and left in a huff. 😅

@Shelli_BH I'm 100% sure the cat to the right, at 00:09, is complaining about the tourists.

Childlike, I’m still enchanted by the ‘critters’ I see in my travels. Here are some “PAWS-ative encounters in Italy!

@Music_Goddesss An exciting new phase in your lives! Congrats. 🙂

I have incredible news, Friends, Yesterday, under a beautiful blue sky, my son asked his sweet lady friend to marry him... And she said yes! Our hearts are full and we're feeling very blessed.💗🙏

@western_lives Sounds interesting! More so than war and politics, in my opinion.

@Shelli_BH In his book “The Twelve Caesars,” he writes biographies of Julius Caesar and the first 11 emperors. Contrary to Plutarch, who focuses on war and politics, Suetonius focuses more on the personal lives of the emperors, including scandals and their lives in Rome.

Read Plutarch’s Lives, Suetonius, Arian, Xenophon, Plato, Aristotle, the Bible, Josephus, and Caesar’s own accounts. Read Christian scholars, Aquinas, St. Augustine, Anselm of Canterbury. Renaissance / Enlightenment thinkers, Kant, Locke, Rousseau, Machiavelli, Hobbes, etc.

@Saint_of_theDay Me too! The green hills are so pretty.

@Shelli_BH Love the landscape.

John Constable, writing about how his childhood surroundings formed his painting style: "The sound of water escaping from mill-dams, old rotten planks, slimy posts, and brickwork, I love such things. These scenes made me a painter, and I am grateful... for there is no artifice here, only a deep and quiet truth." (The Hay Wain, 1821):

@Saint_of_theDay One of my favorite sculptures. Verrocchio’s sensitive interpretation created such an intimate encounter between the two . . .

Jesus said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe.’ Thomas answered and said to him, ‘My Lord and my God!’ Jesus said to him, ‘Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.’ John 20:27-29 This encounter with the Risen Christ culminates in Thomas’s profound confession of faith (“My Lord and my God!”) and the Lord’s special beatitude for all who believe without seeing; the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC 644-645) explains that the appearances of the risen Jesus confirm the reality of his bodily Resurrection while inviting deeper faith, and on this Second Sunday of Easter (Divine Mercy Sunday), the Church proclaims the mercy extended to doubters and the blessedness of faith in the unseen Lord, through whom we receive the Holy Spirit and the power to forgive sins (CCC 1088, 1485). Christ and St. Thomas, Andrea del Verrocchio (1467–1483)

@History_Globs @drlizengineer @HistoryWJacob @hbulwark1 @BobhynemanUSA @JMurdock3890 @AHC1776 @claude_hammond @RevenantSouth @old_colossus @western_lives Terrific list - thanks!

Attention history lovers! 🏛️ Here are some great accounts to follow. @drlizengineer @HistoryWJacob @hbulwark1 @BobhynemanUSA @JMurdock3890 @AHC1776 @claude_hammond @RevenantSouth @old_colossus @western_lives There are many more great history accounts. If you have more, please feel free to quote this post with your own list to keep the train going. (L&R helps) Thank you. 🇺🇸

@LaPaginaArte La Salute is an architectural masterpiece. Old sources described Longhena as a kind man who was courteous to everyone. (I like knowing that about him.) 🙂 Beautiful photo!

Baldassarre Longhena, Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute, 1631. Venezia.

@HistoryWJacob Cry, the Beloved Country, by Alan Paton, comes to mind . . .

What is an underrated book that you love?

Just a reminder that Italy is more than the Cinque Terre & Rome-Florence-Venice. The countryside is full of charm, minus the crowds.

@AnonSidious @mamboitaliano__ 😅 Good for you!

@Shelli_BH @mamboitaliano__ 100% I always scan the crowd and look for the people like myself just vibing and soaking in the experience instead of trying to vlog my life to my Aunt Vira on FB

At every fun event we’ve basically turned into little “one-armed primates,” recording footage destined to clog up our already overstuffed phone storage How many centuries do you think it’ll take before we can go back to having two arms free at a concert?

@Gentleman_Ways Very nice with a drowsy morning coffee too! Thanks for sharing. 🙂

Winding down with one of my favorites, “Say It (Over and Over Again) by the John Coltrane Quartet, 1963. Grab a nightcap and give it a listen.

@WesternOpus Oh dear! I hope you have plenty of grass and trees in your life now. 🙂

@Shelli_BH Lucky guy, growing up surrounded by nature is a true blessing. If my childhood could be printed on a canvas, it would look something like this:

@MeganArtUK Just amazing.

Here is beautiful Rena all finished! She is a stunning dog with such beautiful eyes and colouring - I really enjoyed drawing her. I hope you like her portrait as much as I do 🥰 #gsp #germanshorthairedpointers #colouredpencils #petportraits

@elijah_thane Beautiful, Elijah.

Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb for thou hast born the savior of our souls. Icon I painted of the mother of God. ☦️