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.

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:

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):

@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. ☦️

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

@JTC1998UT Good words - very true. Yes, I’m glad their honorable actions are still remembered and appreciated. (Thanks for commenting!)

@Shelli_BH Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends - John 15:13. Terribly sad story, but we should never forget men such as these. Thank you for the story.

@HannahofYore That’s a good comparison. 🙂

@Shelli_BH Love that. We don’t deserve dogs. I’ve always said they love like Jesus’ unconditional love. 🐶

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

@HannahofYore The first little dog in the video came to the cafe each morning where I went for coffee. He just did his own thing while his owner read the paper. 🙂

@Shelli_BH Love this. I couldn’t believe how many dear dogs I saw. Even sitting at tables at cafes. I loved it.

@venning_mark Good point, Mark! There never seems to be enough of these in Venice, so it’s nice when you find a quiet place to just sit and observe.🙂

@Shelli_BH and park benches to find rest on a quiet weekday afternoon to view all these things

A cat meanders across a pomegranate-strewn path in Villa Groggia Park, a little-known gem in Venice. For more info about where to find this green space, see next: 👇

@AlexLuzPics Beautiful images!

The Father and the Son: ▫️Christ at the Column, sculptured by Cristoforo Solari, known as Il Gobbo (16th century) ▫️Eternal Father, created by Beltramino de Zutti (15th century) ▫️Benedictory Eternal Father with Cherubs, created by Giovanni Battista da Corbetta (16th century) 📍Duomo Di Milano; Museo del Duomo di Milano

Two things about this: 1. I’m amazed at how well-behaved Italian dogs are off the leash! 2. FYI: Locals don’t want to be photographed (understandably), so be discrete if the owner is present.

@DanB64479572 Yes - but in Italian, so I wouldn’t understand much! 😅

@Shelli_BH If only they could talk, what stories they might tell. 🤍

@1000HolyPlaces I vote yes! 🙂

I want to bring back statuary on the facade of buildings. This is the Regensburger Hof building in Vienna. The statue is of Holy Roman Emperor Frederick III. What do we think, statues on facades?